Press, media and podcasts
Since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, I have been inundated with press requests about how multiple factors of the situation have impacted us psychologically, particularly in relation to how we dress and how we shop. This page is a resource for recent press articles that I have been interviewed for, or which have used my comments from other interviews.
Please also check out my blogs here.
Over time, I will share my reactions to each article as, in some cases, what is published is not necessarily exactly what I said. This reminds me of the wonderful Daniel Kahneman who advised: “What we see, is not all there is.” On that note, here is a selection of recent press articles. Please share your thoughts.
Thank you!

26/02/21 The Sun, EX-FACTOR From Princess Diana to Kim Kardashian – the most iconic celebrity break-up outfits
25/02/21 Vox, To all the clothes I’ve loved before
24/02/21 The Times (Health) Smart masks, double masks or fashion masks — are they better or worse than everyday facemasks?
19/02/21 Mel Magazine, The toe shoe is sprinting back into fashion
15/02/21 Simply Sewing Magazine, Feel Good Makes
08/02/21 Refinery29, Fashion’s Latest Muse? The Fruit & Veg Aisle
08/02/21 WWD, The Growing Allure of Buy Now, Pay Later
07/02/21 Glamour magazine, Why dopamine dressing is the feel-good fashion trend we need in 2021
27/01/21 The Wall Street Journal, Trade Your Sweatshirt for This High-Fashion Trick
04/02/21 H&M.Beyond, Beyond Existing: Fashion, Tech, Body (video)
26/01/21 Refinery29, Women Are Cosplaying Their Favourite Fashion Eras On TikTok & We Love It
24/01/21 Refinery29, From Clueless To Euphoria, Why Are We All So Obsessed With Onscreen Teen Style?
18/01/21 Daily Express UK, Do you need wardrobe therapy?
18/01/21 Refinery29, There’s No Place For Logomania In A Post-Pandemic World – Here’s What’s Next
11/01/21 NBC Universal, Retail Therapy: How to Get the Satisfaction of Shopping Without Spending a Cent
09/01/21 The Telegraph, This one item is the key to adding glamour and cosiness to your winter wardrobe
30/12/20 Whowhatwear & Yahoo Lifetsyle UK, How the pandemic changed the way we see fashion
25/12/20 Refinery29, I can’t resist buying clothes that remind me of my childhood
20/12/20 The Observer, Seasonal makeover: from couch potato to festive diva
18/12/20 TheGuardian, Lockdown comfort-dressing brings velour tracksuits and Uggs back into fashion
10/12/20 Ecotextile News, COVID-19 asks questions of rental fashion
08/12/20 The Atlantic, America’s Most Hated Garment
13/11/2020 Vogue Australia, Pieces of mind
11/11/2020 Quartz, High heels
06/11/20 ELLE UK, The Power Of ‘Nostalgia Dressing’ In Uncertain Times
06/11/20 Shondaland, The Hard Science Behind Wearing Soft Clothes
05/11/20 Vogue Espana, Que la moda nos pille protegidos
04/11/20 Creativity & Capitalism podcast, In conversation with Sophia Mateeva
01/11/20 EVOKE, Dopamine dressing: I tried to dress myself happy, but did it work?
26/10/20 BBC Radio 5 Live
20/10/20 BBC Radio Scotland, Breakfast Show
20/10/20 The Voice of Islam Radio
19/10/20 ATV Today, What’s in your wardrobe?
18/10/20 The Observer, As a lockdown winter looms, the ‘oodie will fleece us all over again
17/10/20 The Telegraph, Alyson Walsh on versatile tweed jackets that will keep you warm and lift your spirits
13/10/20 Harpers, Could social distancing actually be good for humanity?
09/10/20 MSN Lifestyle, Experts reveal an easy way you can instantly lift your mood
08/10/20 HELLO! Experts reveal a good outfit can instantly lift your mood
06/10/20 MSN News, Hairdressers are being inundated with requests for this surprising shade
05/11/2020 Stylist, Can clothes really make you happy?
22/09/20 TRAID, The Psychology of Fashion (available via ISSUU)
20/09/20 The Observer, The rise of fashion rental
17/09/20 WhoWhatWear and Yahoo.com How Our Wardrobes Have Changed Forever Due to the Pandemic
01/09/20 Refinery 29, How comfort became the biggest COVID fashion trend: Our year of nap dresses and tie dye.
20/08/19 Irish Examiner, Are we walking away from high heels?
19/08/20 The List, Why high heels are canceled even after the pandemic
17/08/20 The Walrus, Ditch the Sweatpants
12/08/20 Silver Linings, Lockdown meant I could finally grow out my grey
30/07/20 Oprah Magazine, Seeing Tie Dye Everywhere? There’s a Scientific Explanation for That
23/07/20 graziadaily.com, Mrs. America: Come For The Politics, Stay For The Costumes
21/07/19 nylon.com, House dresses so comfortable they might become your new pyjamas
14/07/20 medium.com, Politically correct is boring” Is ‘cancelling culture’ killing creative inspiration?
09/07/20 Public Seminar, Psychology and Fashion
09/07/20 canvas8.com, How has lockdown shaped the future of workwear?
30/06/20 WWD, How can influencers stay relevant amid global concerns?
26/06/20 El Pais, La nueva normalidad enmascarada
15/06/20 today.com, Shoppers are abandoning their online carts more than ever — here’s why
02/06/20 Financial Times, Savile Row tailor looks to lend some swagger to WFH
01/06/20 Elle Canada, Mood Booster Why what you wear matters
14/05/20 WhoWhatWear.co.uk, Why I Think Nostalgia Is the Future of the Fashion Industry
07/05/20 The Business of Fashion, Op-Ed | In a Crisis, Looking Good Really Can Help Us Feel Good
05/05/20 The Financial Times, No mean feet: socks to lift your spirits
01/05/20 Fashion, Canada, What not to wear!
02/05/20 NBC.com Dressing up and staying in: Coronavirus’ effect on fashion is more than skin deep
30/04/20 The Kit (Toronto Star), The retail rebound: what fashion brands are doing right now
29/04/20 Toronto Star, Why our urge to shop hasn’t waned
27/04/20 Yahoo.com, Women are relinquishing beauty and style routines in quarantine, and finding it ‘liberating’
23/04/20 The Kit, Toronto, Canada, Should I feel terrible about wanting to shop right now?
21/04/20 The New York Times, FOMO Is Over. Give In to the Joy of Letting Go.
17/04/20 The Guardian UK, I’m trying to make working from home as fun as I can’: what readers are wearing in lockdown.
17/04/20 The Independent UK, Best statement tops to wear to houseparty drinks at the weekend.
15/04/20 The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, How to dress when working from home, so you’re always Zoom ready.
14/04/20 Business Record USA, NOTEBOOK – One Good Read: What are you wearing to your home office?
14/04/20 Wall Street Journal, Should We Bother Getting Dressed at All?
07/04/20 That’s Not My age, Liberate your partywear.
01/04/20 Sunday Times, Why you should change out of your PJs before heading to your home office.
25/03/20 Evening Standard, London UK, This is why it’s important to get dressed every morning while WFH, according to the experts.
18/03/20 Irish Times, Self-image and beauty notions in age of social media
25/02/20 The Guardian, Pump up the volume: why massive sleeves are this year’s biggest trend
14/02/20 whowhatwear.com I Have a Theory That There Are Only 2 Major Fashion Tribes in 2020
20/01/20 ABC Australia, Harnessing the power of the clothes you wear
09/10/19 Drapers, Under pressure: how fashion is harming mental health
02/09/19 The Guardian, Frills, feathers and puffed sleeves: why Cinderella’s ‘ugly sisters’ are on trend
23/07/19 BBC Newsbeat, Zara dress: What to do when everyone’s wearing the same as you
14/06/19 The Guardian, Get on board with boat shoes, would-be Tory leaders.
04/06/19 That’s Not My Age Podcast
17/05/19 British Psychological Society, The influence of body image on mental health
01/05/19 Monitor, American Psychological Association, 4 questions for Carolyn Mair
30/04/19 American Psychological Society, Speaking of Psychology: Psychology of Fashion (podcast)
31/03/19 The Guardian, Squaring up: how Insta-fashion is changing the way we shop
12/03/19 London Business School, Fashion and Luxury Retail, Fashion Psychology in Practice: Q&A with Prof Carolyn Mair PhD
4/02/19 Carolyn Owlett interview for TK Maxx, the Psychology of Fashion (podcast)
28/01/19 Undressing Fashion Episode 5: Dr Carolyn Mair – The fashion psychology pioneer (podcast)
25/01/19 The Guardian, Grown-up trousers v fantasy gowns as red carpet showcases change
11/01/19 That’s Not my Age, Clothes that you feel confident in
14/12/18 The Guardian, Glad to be grey: how women changed the debate on hair colour
23/10/18 Interview with Jacynth from The Bias Cut, the Psychology of Fashion (podcast)
01/06/18 British Psychological Society, Fashioning a Distinguished Contribution…
03/02/17 The Guardian, Dopamine dressing – can you dress yourself happy?
10/01/17 Elle Canada, Does shopping truly make you happy?
15/09/16 The Irish Times, Dressing for work: Uniform approach doesn’t suit all
29/09/15 British Vogue, Alexa Chung on Positive Body Image and Diversity, Future of Fashion.
06/05/15 Mindhacks 5 minutes with …
2012 HuffPost Style Confidence