The Psychology of Dress

The doctor is in... your closet!

by Jennifer J. Baumgartner, Psy.D.

The Psychology of Vintage

In a world of high volume low quality clothing items, the search for something better may lead us to vintage dress. Read More

Your Closets, Your Clutter, and Your Cognitions

Clear your head before you clear your closet. Read More

The Psychology of Fashion

Underneath the seemingly surface exterior, Fashion Week is filled with deep psychological richness. Read More

Maybe Narcissus Had It Right

On this Valentine's Day the love should start with you. Read More

A Closet Makeover Case Study

It's a New Year! What are the internal issues lurking in your closet? Read More

This is Your Brain on Christmas: The Psychology of Altruism

What prompts us to give to others? What happens to our brains when we give? And why do we continue to give to those in need? Read More

Visualize It

Whether using imagery, vision boards, small objects, or wardrobe changes, visualization is a powerful tool for goal achievement. Read More

Clothing Consciousness

Shopping for clothing can be an exercise in consciousness, and frankly should be! Here are some tips for raising your consciousness during clothing consumption. Read More

The Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll of Back to School Shopping

In a world of designer fashion for infants, lingerie ads for children, and drug and alcohol promotion on clothing for teens finding appropriate pieces for your child may become much more than just back to school shopping. Read More

Whitewash

There is only so much you can learn from books and lectures. It is when you have a true experience that knowing occurs. Surrounded by a flurry of paper scraps, Elmer's glue, and scissors, I learned the ugly truth about beauty. Read More

I Want It...Now!

Veruca Salt ain't got nothing on us. We are a society that revels in instant gratification. Our food is fast, our Internet is high speed, and our shipping is next day. If we don't have to wait for something why should we? Read More

Saying Goodbye

I had less than a month to sift through my stuff, leaving the extraneous and taking the necessary. The history, nostalgia, and memories attached to my buried treasures were brought up like silt in churning water. Read More

Middleton Mania

Walk through any major department store or view the many shopping channels, and you will find Middleton’s influence on the fashion industry. So what are the psychological reasons that drive us to buy something that Kate wears? Read More

And God Created Women

When the average size of an American woman is 14 and the average size of the ”ideal” woman has been one seventh of this amount, imagine the millions of women who feel that the body they have is not the right one! As I encounter women young and old, personally or professionally, I have thankfully noticed a subtle shift. Read More

Got the Winter Blues, Fling into Spring

Spring fashion is here. Trends, such as bright colors and light fabrics, can inspire the way live during the winter months.

Stick with your crew Read More

When Bad Clothes Are Good For You: Part III Weight

After an entire year writing about the power of good dress, fit, form, function, and flattery, I am going to go against everything that I feel is right and true to teach you how to use your "bad" clothes to make you happier and healthier. Read More

When Bad Clothes Are Good For You: Part II Dating

When Bad Clothes Are Good For You: Part I Shopping

Life Lessons Learned from a Dog

Lady came to us literally at the end of her rope. After being tied to something somewhere in the DC she somehow snapped herself out of it. Read More

School Dress Decoded

Sometimes the elements of the universe come together in such as way to create the perfect storm. This event is meant to shake you out of a rut, force you to witness your life, remind you of your mortality, and teach you a universal truth you know but have not yet experienced. Such was the case on my thirty-third birthday. Read More

Amazing Aging Grace

As my birthday looms over my head, and my friends tell me it is not so bad on the other side, I turn to those techniques I have used in clinical practice and Stephanie Dolgoff's book Formerly Hot Life: Dispatches from Just the Other Side of Young, to help me through another year. Read More

What Men Wear, What It Means, What Men Want Women to Wear and Why

I have abandoned the men in my quest to understand the psychology of the wardrobe. When I was interviewed by Cosmo for the July men's issue, I decided that it was time to address them here. It was time to enter an alternative universe, the world of men. Read More

Stop Embarrassing Yourself!

Be afraid, be very afraid! Dr. B. will teach you how to avoid the top ten fashion mistakes and give you tips to correct them. Read More

Valentine’s Day Doesn't Have to Suck!

Here are four sure fire ways to fight the Valentine's Day blues with your wardrobe from someone who has been there. Read More

Avoid Wedding Dress Stress!

Holiday season is a time of celebration, family gatherings, and engagements! Now that the ornaments are boxed, food is eaten, and ring resized the difficult process of wedding planning looms in the distance. One of the most difficult choices for a future bride is deciding on her wedding dress. Read More

Heft During the Holidays: A Weighty Issue

As Christmas winds down, and we are on the precipice of a New Year, we are reminded of our holiday mistakes...and extra slice of cheesecake, a mug of eggnog, a heaping helping of mashed potatoes. Losing weight and getting into shape in the most popular of the New Year's resolutions and often the most difficult to maintain. Read More

Giving Thanks for the Stuff You Have and for the Junk You Don't Need

Why does less make us feel better? I found the answer to that question when examining the converse, the reasons we continue to buy more. Read More

Keepin’ It Clean on Halloween: Don’t Look Like a Trick Getting a Treat!

My finger hovered hesitantly over the computer mouse. Do I buy the demure princess costume or the cheeky cheerleader outfit? I waited for a response but my virtual shopping cart did not provide any answers. This seemingly easy decision represented one that I, like most females, must make frequently when deciding what to wear. Read More

Back to School Branding

Dr. B examines the importance of school dress and its ability to make or break a strong sense of self; as well as helpful tips to make dressing for school a positive experience for students and parents. Read More

Jennifer Baumgartner, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist who examines the underlying reasons for clients' style choices and creates a wardrobe to facilitate positive internal change.

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