Where mental health and fashion coincide: this week on Smart Casual

Smart Casual is IMAGE’s first fashion podcast, in collaboration with Kildare Village. In our bi-weekly chats, we examine why we wear the clothes we do and deal with personal style in a way that speaks to you

Have you ever felt like clothes play a part in your mood? Or have you felt your mental state differ depending on the clothes you wear? This week, our hosts take on a big topic, discussing the intersection between fashion and our mental health.

We often discuss on the show how fashion can be our armour, and can build us up to face difficult situations, which is true. But, as Marie and Sarah discuss, its effects can be much deeper than that. When dealing with anxiety or depression, our clothing can be a big indicator of how we’re feeling inside – we sometimes use it to be invisible, or we use it to put on a persona that we may not actually be feeling. Our hosts get personal with their answers this week, and see how fashion has permeated some of the most difficult parts of their life.

Our guest this week is multi-award winning Irish designer Sarah Murphy, who, known for her stunning knitwear and occasion wear, has taken the Irish design scene by storm since her graduation from Griffith College in 2016. Sarah’s designs are so ethereal and powerful, that it’s surprising to learn, as she discusses in this episode, that they originated from a vulnerable time in her own life, when she was ill in hospital, and turned to sketching to pass the time.

Note: this episode deals with themes that some listeners may find upsetting

Episode 29 of Smart Casual, in collaboration with Kildare Village, is available now on SoundCloud and iTunes – make sure to like, subscribe and rate us wherever you enjoy your podcasts. Smart Casual is hosted by Marie Kelly and Sarah Rickard and produced by Erin Lindsay. If you can’t wait to download, have a listen to the new episode below: