Dressed for Disaster
Dressed for Disaster
Dressing for success is a spiritual exercise
I’d rather die than wear shorts in public. If I had to wear shorts to give a speech, it better be my last words before execution. Silly, I know, but it gave me the empathy to deal with a friend who was in tears over having to wear a bridesmaid dress. In all our years, I had never seen my friend in a dress. She did not have a girly bone in her body, yet she was holding a frilly chiffon dress that she would be photographed in a hundred times come Saturday.
I could get into all the reasons why this should not be happening, but it was, and she was screwing up her courage to show up well for her family and figure out how to get past her objections to do what was needed.
The psychology of clothing is a very real thing. A term was coined to reflect how much clothing impacts our psyche; it’s clothed cognition. It means that not only do we judge others by their clothing choices, but our clothes can dictate, to a degree, how we perform.
Not making this up- a study was done where half of a group of people were given lab coats, and they outperformed the whole group in standardized tests because they felt smart in lab coats. They ran the same experiment but told some people the coats were art smocks. The result? The ones thinking they had on lab coats outperformed all others again.
I feel slight vindication for all the hours spent in my closet lamenting the lack of an outfit that was appropriate for an occasion. Turns out, I was lacking an outfit that made me feel like I belonged at the occasion.
Scripture tells me all kinds of things about my identity in Christ that I don’t outwardly project, because I don’t actually believe it, deep down. It says I am in a Royal Priesthood, that I am a daughter of a king, and that I am so precious the Lord knows how many hairs are on my head. Why would a woman like this hide out at home over an article of clothing?
We will have to show up for people in a way that makes us uncomfortable many times in our lives. Whether it is a wedding, funeral, church, a job interview, school dress code, or task you are not suited to, it is inevitable that we will be in clothing that makes us feel inadequate or out of place.
The key is to adopt the mindset of Christ and project it onto the situation, the expectation, or clothes that are being imposed on you. You belong everywhere you go, because you are Christ’s, and Christ is Lord over all the earth. Grace has been given you in measures you cannot comprehend, and you can be a fountain of it in whatever clothing you may need to wear.
Conversely, that outfit you dread wearing? It might just be the metaphorical lab coat you need to change your inward thinking.
Reflection
1. What kinds of clothes are you most uncomfortable in? Why?
2. Have you ever avoided anything because you had strong feelings about the clothes you had (or didn’t have)?
3. In what situations do you find yourself questioning other’s choices in clothes?
Goals
Identify 3 mindsets that may be holding you back from enjoying and wearing what you want:
But you are God’s chosen treasure-priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world. For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it! (2 Peter 2:9-10 TPT)
December Box
Faith: 6-day Fashion Devotional,
value of $11
BONUS ITEMS: Quarterly we upgrade our boxes and for the month of December, subscribers will get 2 items!
Must have Leopard print faux fur tuck-in scarf, value $15
Christmas crew socks, value $10
Each box contains 1 pair of socks, pictured are the different options.
Prayer Card to keep in your devotional or Bible.
Monthly coupon from both CW.