{"id":410229,"date":"2026-01-13T14:42:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/410229\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T14:42:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:42:09","slug":"heres-how-it-could-boost-mental-wellbeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/410229\/","title":{"rendered":"here’s how it could boost mental wellbeing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across TikTok<\/a> and Instagram, young women are choosing simplicity: soft silhouettes, quiet colours, unfussy basics and a visual language of ease. The trend has been dubbed \u201clow-energy dressing\u201d, a term that captures both the\u201cI don\u2019t care\u201d aesthetic and the mood behind it.<\/p>\n

Beneath the minimalist aesthetic lies a deeper psychological story \u2013 but is it shaped by overstimulation, shifting social expectations or a desire for stability?<\/p>\n

To understand why “low-energy dressing” has caught fire, we need to look at the emotional environment shaping this generation. Fashion psychologist, Dr Dion Terrelonge<\/a>, argues that the movement is less about style and more about survival in a time where algorithm fatigue is rife. <\/p>\n

“Part of the appeal of low-energy dressing lies in the way we perceive it. Simplicity, culturally, signals confidence”<\/p>\n

\u201cLife right now is incredibly energy-zapping,\u201d she explains. \u201cWith the 24-hour news cycle, social media and our phones always on, there\u2019s no off button. It takes emotional energy just to process what\u2019s happening politically, economically and environmentally; and still get on with your day. Low-energy dressing gives people a sense of simplicity and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kate Nightingale, consumer psychologist and founder of Humanising Brands<\/a>, agrees. \u201cWe are living through an unprecedented frequency of existential crises,\u201d she says. \u201cOur psychological needs for safety and belonging are threatened multiple times per day. Simplicity and even refusing to conform becomes a coping mechanism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many commentators claim low-energy dressing is a backlash against trend fatigue and Terrelonge does see a connection. \u201cWe\u2019ve been told every week that something is the \u2018next big trend\u2019,\u201d she says. \u201cBut when a trend disappears in days, it loses meaning. People begin opting out entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shakaila Forbes-Bell<\/a>, fashion psychologist and author of Big Dress Energy, believes the story is actually more complicated. \u201cI don\u2019t think this shift is about trend exhaustion,\u201d she says. \u201cIt reflects a broader lack of joy. People are going out less, connecting less, and feeling less vibrant. That emotional decline is showing up in their clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Getty Images<\/p>\n

She adds that the continued influence of quiet luxury has reshaped what we consider desirable. \u201cMinimalism is now tied to wealth. Bright colours and partywear became associated with low-quality, fast fashion. So simplicity has become a signifier of refinement; even when the pieces themselves are fast fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why do we associate simplicity with confidence? Part of the appeal of low-energy dressing lies in the way we perceive it. Simplicity, culturally, signals confidence.<\/p>\n

Terrelonge explains: \u201cWhen someone dresses simply, it suggests decisiveness. It reads as knowing who you are. Overly-complicated outfits can look like uncertainty. Not trying to impress gives the impression of security.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Forbes-Bell stresses that the psychology is more nuanced. \u201cThere are studies showing that unconventional dressers, like people who wear statement shoes in corporate settings, are seen as confident and creative. Confidence isn\u2019t synonymous with minimalism; it\u2019s about coherence with your identity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social media definitely has a part to play in this shift, with TikTok and Instagram glamourising effortlessness to the point where it has become its own aesthetic<\/a>: messy buns that take twenty minutes, no-makeup makeup routines with nine products, \u2018simple\u2019 outfits carefully engineered for visual impact.<\/p>\n

Nightingale says TikTok in particular has shaped this shift. \u201cIt started as a more authentic, raw form of self-expression, but quickly evolved into another aesthetic. The performance of ease became aspirational.\u201d<\/p>\n

She notes two psychological drivers behind this: reduced sensitivity to judgement \u2013 especially among Gen Z \u2013 as well as cognitive optimisation, which is the idea that simple dressing frees up mental bandwidth for creativity and productivity. These drivers help to reduce decisions around clothes and can indeed reduce stress. Nightingale cites enclothed cognition, a psychological effect in which clothes influence how we think and feel. \u201cIf you associate your clothes with comfort, confidence or strength, you will experience more of that. Reducing cognitive load always improves wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"streetClaudio Lavenia\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

“Low-energy dressing” is all about simple outfits that promote comfort<\/p>\n

The irony, of course, is that looking effortless often requires effort. So is low-energy dressing freeing, or simply a new aesthetic pressure?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt began as a coping mechanism,\u201d Nightingale says, \u201cbut anything that becomes popular risks becoming a new form of pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Forbes-Bell is direct: \u201cYes, this is another beauty standard. But performance isn\u2019t always negative. Fashion is always a performance, we present a version of ourselves to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Women, she notes, feel this acutely due to the \u201cbeauty premium\u201d, whereby those who conform to beauty standards experience social and economic advantages. \u201cThe pressure to look polished, effortlessly or not still remains.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many, the appeal of low-energy dressing is tied to the fantasy of a life that runs smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cTime is the ultimate luxury now,\u201d Forbes-Bell says. \u201cEffortless dressing suggests you have more of it. Being time-rich has become a new status symbol.\u201d<\/p>\n

Terrelonge adds that simplicity reinforces psychological security. \u201cIt reads as knowing what matters. It signals self-possession.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Low-energy dressing reflects a generation navigating burnout, overstimulation and uncertainty; it also signals something quietly hopeful”<\/p>\n

Low-energy dressing is not confined to fashion. We\u2019re seeing parallel movements in interiors, wellness, and culture: the rise of neutral palettes, decluttering, slow living, soft aesthetics. Nightingale views it as part of a wider search for safety and control. \u201cWhen life feels unstable, we are drawn to nostalgia, simplicity and traditionalism,\u201d she says. \u201cIt activates our sense of control.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rise of remote work has also played a role. As Forbes-Bell notes, \u201cPeople realised that comfort dressing can improve work performance and cognitive processing. Once you experience that, you want to keep it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The experts agree that while the aesthetic itself may be temporary, the psychology behind it is long-term.<\/p>\n

Nightingale predicts that the underlying need for stability will last another five to ten years. \u201cBut this specific fashion expression won\u2019t fulfil the need indefinitely. Once it becomes too popular, it shifts from freedom to responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Forbes-Bell sees the future depending on society\u2019s emotional climate. \u201cIf people remain isolated and the economy remains strained, the shift will hold. But if we return to joy, celebration and connection, the pendulum may swing back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evidently, low-energy dressing reflects a generation navigating burnout, overstimulation and uncertainty; but it also signals something quietly hopeful. In choosing clothes that feel grounding rather than performative, women are redefining what style can look like when it\u2019s guided by intention rather than pressure and ultimately, if simplicity is the starting point, it may also be the foundation on which new forms of creativity can grow.<\/p>\n