We’re often encouraged to consider how we look in what we wear, but do you consider how you feel? I do. If I’m not comfortable I’m not happy and it doesn’t matter how good someone might think I look; I just can’t do it. Comfort is number one for me.

I’m talking about comfort on a couple of levels. Firstly there’s physical or tactile comfort and then there’s emotional comfort. Both kinds are very important to me; here’s why…

Tactility

How something feels on you impacts how you interact with your environment and how you move, so it is always worth considering how a particular fabric will feel against your skin.

If clothing is uncomfortable on your skin it is going to make you feel bad; irritated and grumpy and you will most likely look uncomfortable. If a fabric is scratchy or gives you a rash, don’t wear it! Give it away (to someone who can wear it more easily because they are not bothered by the sensation). Or you might find you can wear something underneath the scratchy garment that makes it more comfortable.

Silky, sensuous and soft fabrics, by contrast, give you a sense of ease. Think silk satin or silk satin with elastane. They encourage fluid, leisurely movement, whether around your house, a garden party or somewhere else. These supple fabrics have the effect of relaxing us. No extra effort is required of us to wear lightweight things that move smoothly along as we do. There is no drag or resistance. 

If you’re injured or have some impairment to your mobility, I recommend investing in double-knit mulberry silk sleepwear. The slip of the fabric against bedding makes changing position so much easier. I have gifted nightshirts and PJs in this fabulous fabric  to people in hospital to help them change position more easily.

Strong, crisp fabrics, on the other hand, lend you structure and introduce a formality to your interactions. Think tough, stiff linen, a tight weave like pure cotton denim and hefty wools. These robust, unyielding fabrics keep you upright and feeling alert, giving you confidence in professional contexts. Being substantial, they are less penetrable and more protective. Like a suit of armour, we feel less vulnerable with the stiffness of durable fabric. It is as though there is more between us and the outside world than there is when wearing something more flimsy. This is what makes the heavier more tailored fabrics ideal for work.

Fabric that protects you from the elements can be comforting. Think of the way that wind proof, water resistant or especially warm clothes can make you feel protected. When Melbourne is windy, I crave the protection of my Gortex hooded coat that keeps the wind from whipping around me as I jump on and off trams. Removing it as I walk into my destination, I feel calm and unfazed because I’ve been able to keep the elements at bay.

Travelling long distance by car, train or aeroplane, can be made that much easier when we wear fabrics with some stretch. These allow us to cram and manoeuvre our bodies into the kinds of positions we need to so we can rest and avoid cramp.

emotional comfort

Think about what you need in order to feel good today…

Confidence in public? Only wear clothes you know perform well. Sometimes new clothes don’t stand up for us as well as we’d like. Test run your clothes before an important engagement so you’re not stuck with a zip that jams, a shirt that makes you sweat or a skirt you can’t sit comfortably in.

Emotional security? Wear something that comforts you (no-one else needs to know why or how it works). It could be connected to a great memory, it might be the colour of it or it may be something given to you by someone you love.

Power? If you want to feel invincible choose strong colours, statement jewellery or an edgy hairstyle – whatever does it for you. It’s different for all of us. Some clothes feel like armour: the design of contemporary suits, for example, borrows largely from military uniforms – they cover us up and reveal little of the self within.

Softness? Need to present a more sympathetic or approachable you to colleagues, potential new partner or family members? Choose soft fabrics over stiff ones, soft colours over bold ones and flowing shapes over structured ones.