Enchanted Attire: Dressing in Harmony with Energy

Because what you wear supports your energy throughout the day—whether you’re lounging at home, working, or out in the world. The right clothing can motivate you, uplift your spirit, and even influence how others respond to you.

In fact, according to Princeton psychologist Alex Todorov, people form impressions—judging trustworthiness, competence, and likability—in just one second. That means your clothing helps set the tone for the energy you carry and the energy you receive.

Ancient Wisdom: Feng Shui in Clothing

In ancient China, clothing choices were deeply intertwined with Feng Shui principles. People carefully selected colors, materials, and garment shapes to align their energy, enhance personal qualities, and manifest specific intentions.  Here are the key Feng Shui principles in clothing:

Colors and the Five Elements:
Every color corresponds to one of the five elements:

• Wood: Green and light Blue
• Fire: Red and Purple
• Earth: Yellow and Brown
• Metal: White, Greys and Gold
• Water: Deep Blue and Black

Wearing colors that strengthen or balance your personal energy was (and still is!) a common practice. For example, red can draw in happiness and recognition, while yellow encourages clarity and cheerfulness.

Materials and Status:
Silk was once reserved for the elite, symbolizing luxury and prosperity, while wool and linen were for commoners. Today, with synthetic blends and eco-conscious fabrics, we have more choices—but not all materials carry the same energetic vibration.

Shapes and Structure:
Garments can be yin (soft, flowing) or yang (structured, tailored). A flowing skirt invites yin energy, while a sharp blazer embodies yang. Fire element relates to pointed or triangular shapes—think V-neck tops or pieces that create a tapering silhouette from broad shoulders to a narrower waist.

Patterns and Symbols:
Ancient attire was often embroidered with symbols—dragons for power, phoenixes for virtue. Today, you might choose animal prints, geometric patterns, or motifs that speak to your totem animals or desired energy. Plaids? Grounding Earth energy. Vertical stripes? Rising Wood energy.

Nature’s Seasons and Cycles:
Clothing once mirrored the seasons and landscape—just like we still instinctively choose warmer tones in fall and brighter hues in spring. Harmony with nature remains timeless.

You and Your Magical Wardrobe

Let’s take a closer look at your current clothing choices with energy in mind:

1. Is it worn out?
   Old, tired clothing carries tired energy. If it’s past its prime, it’s time to thank it and release it. Reflect on what you loved about it—its color, cut, or feel—and seek a fresh version that embodies that same spark.
2. Does it hold sad memories?
   Even if a garment looks great, if it’s linked to a painful moment (like the loss of a pet), it may still carry an emotional imprint. Cleanse it energetically with sage or salt. If it’s still in good shape, consider donating it.
3. Does it have words on it?
   Words are powerful. That “I’m not lazy, just relaxed” shirt? It might be subtly affirming a mood you’re trying to shift. Be mindful of what your clothes are saying—literally and energetically.
4. Do symbols or images feel off?
   What are your clothes really projecting? Skulls, aggressive prints, or chaotic patterns might not align with your current goals. Choose symbols that reflect your present self—and who you’re becoming.
5. Does it fit?
   Holding onto clothes that haven’t fit in years anchors you in “not yet.” When your body shifts, you’ll celebrate with something new and aligned—not haunted by the ghosts of sizes past.
6. Does it reflect who you are—today?
   Comfort is essential, but if you’re wearing pajama bottoms to the store, you might be unintentionally dampening your energy. Dress with purpose—align your outfit with how you want to feel and what you want to create.

How to Harness Feng Shui in Your Closet

A dive deeper into how you want to feel in your clothing means harnessing the energy of Feng shui. If you are familiar with the Five elements in how this is used in feng shui for the home, you can begin to translate this into how you might view your closet as a source for feng shui magic.  Clothing becomes magical when you dress with intention. The Five Elements of Feng Shui—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water—can be a guide to understanding your energetic needs.

In 2012, I became a certified Fashion Feng Shui® Practitioner, the system created by Evana Maggiori. It’s a brilliant blend of personal style and energetic alignment. It considers your essence (who you are), your appearance (how you present), and your intention (what you want to manifest). This is the roadmap to creating a magical, empowering wardrobe.

It helps you understand:

• Why some clothes you adore never get worn.
• Why you can’t part with that odd piece you love, even if it seems “wrong.”
• How to make your go-to outfits true power pieces.

Jewelry, scarves, even socks can become energy tools to protect, amplify, or soothe your chi.

Your Elemental Style: A Mini Exploration

Take a look at what you have. If you love and wear every item in your closet, you are a rarity. Most people only wear about 20% of the clothing they own. Start by choosing some items from your closet.  We are going to use these to understand you and the elements. Let’s dive in!

Choose 3 items:

1. A favorite you wear all the time
2. Something you love but never wear
3. A piece you don’t love or wear

Now we look at what elements appear in those items. You might notice that the color of the items you love tend to fall into one element, the shapes into another, and the material into a third element.  Notice also the items you dislike, what elements are represented there? There are no bad elements… but there are some that feel more like our natural self.  Fire is bold and playful. Metal is sleek and refined. Earth is cozy and grounded. Water is flowing and introspective. Wood is fresh, upward-moving, and adventurous.

You’ll likely notice that the pieces you love reflect your elemental essence. And the pieces you don’t like probably resonate with something else.

Essence + Body + Intention = Magic

We are most comfortable and confident when we wear elements that express our own essence. For example, Water element is associated with the personal energy of being an independent deep thinker. If that is how you view yourself, then you might love to wear black or dark colored flowing items, that are unique and even asymmetrical. You will notice that every item that you really love to wear will have some aspect of your own elemental essence.

We also feel best when we honor our body’s natural coloring and shape. So if you are a fair skinned blonde, you might notice that you seem to look better in light colored clothing. You can still honor your water essence with clothing that flows like water, and has unusual shapes or wavy patterns.

Your body shape also has an element associated with it, and choosing clothing that resonates with your shape makes you look good and also feel confident.  A Water element body is one shaped like a raindrop, smaller at the top and larger at the bottom. Choosing clothing that is fitted on top, and flowing at the bottom is going to honor this shape.

Your Intention:
If you have determined that you are a Water Essence, but today is the day you need to buckle down and get a project done, you will need to choose items that have that energy of focus and concentration, not of dreaming and pondering. Getting the details done is a Metal energy. Choose a white flowing tunic with some silver metallic jewelry might be the recipe to honor yourself, but also wrap yourself in a focused energy field.

Or perhaps you’re Metal, but today is for fun! Add Fire—wear animal prints, bright hues, or statement accessories. Just like adding a Fire symbol to a space in your home, your wardrobe can ignite that same spark.