The advice "dress for the job you want" has truth to it.

• Research shows fashion can influence feelings. It's a phenomenon psychologists call "enclothed cognition."

Why it matters: When we're feeling especially unmotivated, even getting dressed can feel like a chore. But taking the time to do it might have an outsized impact on the rest of the day.

🔬 Zoom in: In one study, researchers from Northwestern found that when people wore lab coats, simply the characteristics associated with the coats led to an increased ability to focus on certain tasks.

• And sometimes just putting on a pair of sneakers can spark motivation to go to the gym or go for a walk, CNN's Madeline Holocombe writes.

👀 The intrigue: It goes the other way too. Many people are still working from home some or all of the time and choosing to do so in comfortable clothes, like sweatpants and slippers. But these clothing items cue your brain and body to relax, Holocombe notes.

How it works: Seemingly simple tasks of putting on shoes or swapping pants count as behavioral changes, even if they're small ones — and shifts in our behavior are highly effective at changing our feelings.

🧥 Zoom out: We ascribe all sorts of feelings to clothes.

• Some people have a favorite first date outfit that makes them feel confident. Others wear a piece of jewelry passed down from a loved one to remember them.

We want to hear about your favorite piece of clothing or accessory. Tell us in Smart Brevity — two sentences! — why you love it and how it makes you feel, and feel free to include a photo! And don't forget your name and hometown. We're at [email protected].

A skier walks through the shadows cast by the mountains near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a ski town in southern Germany, yesterday.