What if the key to wellbeing lay not only on a therapist’s couch, but on a coat hanger? And what if your wardrobe wasn’t just storage — but strategy?

In The Pursuit of the Power-Suit, fashion psychologist Yasmina Nessim unveils the transformative power of clothing through S.U.I.T.S.; her five-pillar framework. With elegance and wit, Nessim guides readers through the emerging field of fashion psychology, where neuroscience meets style, and getting dressed becomes an act of empowerment. And this is no dry academic thesis, far from it. With a voice equal parts professor and provocateur, Nessim blends research, case studies, and cultural commentary to show how the garments we choose shape not just how we look — but how we feel, think, and connect.

Equal parts theory and theatre, The Pursuit of the Power-Suit is a sartorial symposium for the curious, the considered, and the chronically overdressed. So, sit back and layer up — you’re about to be intellectually tailored.

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Abstract
• Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents
• Learning objectives
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Well-dressed and wellbeing: A history
  • Key definitions to help in the pursuit
  • Dress vs. clothing vs. costume
  • Appearance vs. dress
  • The functions of dress
  • Wellbeing: Hedonic vs. eudaemonic
• 3 Self-expression
  • Please take your seats
  • The show is about to start
  • Step I: Discovery and rediscovery
  • Step II: Dramaturgy
  • Step III: Standing ovations
  • Step IV: Self-perception
  • Step V: Dressing with intention
  • The woman I hope or want to be
  • The woman I fear I could be
  • The woman I am most of the time
• 4 Understanding the body
  • The mirror, the myth, the mindset: What is body image?
  • Body image and wellbeing: When self-perception meets self-preservation
  • Same body, new image: Rewriting the narrative
  • Changing our body image: From self-doubt to self-devotion
  • Vanity sizing: The fashion industry’s pettiest power play
    • …Sorcery?
  • Let that body talk: Conversations we need to rethink
  • Body positivity neutrality: The battle between loving and living
  • Why hide when you can highlight: Using fashion as a declaration, not an apology
  • Makeup magic: A love letter in lipstick
  • Socialising over social media: Step away from the screen
    • Mirror, mirror on the wall, I am pretty after all
• 5 Identifying and illustrating our emotions
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • The art of emotional regulation through fashion
  • Mood illustration
  • Mood enhancement
    • Dressing to change your mood for the better
  • Track 01: Chain reaction, Diana Ross
  • Track 02: Relax, take it eady, MIKA
  • Track 03: It feels so good, sonique
• 6 Targeting goals
  • Task 01: The fit of fulfilment
  • Task 02: Dress to impress [yourself]
  • Task 03: Mind over material?
  • Task 04: Conning couture
• 7 Social unity
  • US; putting the U in unity
  • Fashion; putting the F in friendship
• 8 Final thoughts
• References
• Recommended assignments
  • S – Self-Expression
    • Assignment here’s to the Woman
  • U – Understanding the Body
    • Assignment dear Body,
  • I – Identifying & Illustrating Our Emotions
    • Assignment the Closet Chronicles: A Fashion & Feelings Memoir
  • T – Targeting Goals
    • Assignment your Future in Fashion
  • S – Social Unity
    • Assignment the Social Stitch: Weaving Memory into Meaning
• Further readings
• Index

Yasmina Nessim is a fashion psychologist, researcher, and founder of pstyled — a global consultancy dedicated to helping individuals harness the psychological power of clothing. With an academic background in organisational psychology, and positive psychology, her work blends scientific rigour with real-world application. Through her own empirical research, Yasmina explores how fashion influences emotional wellbeing, identity, and performance. She currently consults clients around the world, using style as a tool for transformation. The Pursuit of the Power-Suit is her debut book — and her life’s mission in hardcover.