“You are what you eat” goes the old adage—but here at Shop Around we prefer to think you are what you wear. And while calculated one-time fashion risks can cause the world around you to look at you a little differently for a day, the clothes you find yourself coming back to again and again often reveal more about your true self. Eager to understand that connection between fashion and feelings, we consulted Dr. Jenner Baumgartner, a clinical psychologist based in Potomac, Maryland, who also runs InsideOut, a wardrobe consulting business. In her new book, You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You, Baumgartner helps readers emotionally and intellectually understand the contents of their wardrobes and offers useful tips on how to break out of any ruts. Here, she takes things a step further and breaks down what people’s preferences for certain items might say about their personality. Scroll through the list, find your signature item, and then tell us in the comments—does it match up with your personality?
Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
