The Psychology of Comfort, Safety & Attachment

Attachment theory provides the explanation for the phenomenon of finding comfort and safety in men’s clothing. We form deep emotional bonds with objects that symbolise connection and security. For many women, men’s clothing, especially when belonging to a romantic partner, becomes an extension of that attachment. It functions like what psychologists call a “transitional object” (Winnicott, 1953); a source of emotional regulation carried through texture and scent. The oversized silhouette, the heavier drape, the lingering scent of someone familiar, these sensory cues activate parts of the brain associated with emotional safety and belonging. It is not simply that his jumper is warmer; it is that his jumper feels like him.