Clothes

Clothes are usually related to persona, identity, and attitudes. This is especially relevant if the clothing is unexpected or stands out in some way. Like the persona, clothing is a kind of protective shell. (Compare Nakedness.)

Persona

If someone has an inadequate persona, he might dream that the clothes he is wearing are entirely inappropriate for the situation. If one dreams of borrowing someone else’s clothes, it may indicate adopting others’ attitudes as one's own. If one dreams of taking anonymous clothes from a pile, it could illustrate adopting a collective attitude as one's own, and so on.  

More specifically, a dream featuring clothing can reflect our attitude toward a situation. For example, a man who does not take his professional role seriously might dream of being at the office in loungewear. Conversely, if he takes his professional role too seriously, he might find himself in uniform-like clothing at work.  

The persona is closely tied to roles, and the roles we play are signaled by our clothes (doctor's coat, stewardess uniform, etc.); clothes are the “costume” we put on to appear a certain way.

Identity  

Clothing, as mentioned, is an expression of identity, and the importance of identity is difficult to overestimate from a psychological perspective. Thus, clothes in dreams can show who we really are, where we came from, where we are going, who we try to be, and so on.  

Unaware of the Situation

Wearing too little or inappropriate clothing can indicate unawareness of the situation one is in; the individual simply does not understand it and may feel caught when someone sees her. The gaze symbolizes awareness, and like Adam and Eve, the dream ego becomes embarrassed as he or she discovers the nature of the situation.

Change and Renewal

Changing clothes or buying clothes may reflect the dreamer’s desire or need to shift his or her attitude or self-image or to find a new way of relating to others. Wearing new garments in a dream might symbolize personal transformation or a changed outlook on something.  

We need to change clothes (or attitudes, etc.) throughout life’s journey, periodically shedding old layers like the serpent shedding its skin. Clothes need to be both washed and changed, which symbolizes necessary renewal. This concept is often depicted in religious rites, such as confirmation and initiation, where the individual wears one set of clothes before the ritual and another after. The transformation signifies rebirth.

Persona in relation to oneself  

We imagine the persona as a compromise with our surroundings, but we also wish to maintain an illusion of who we are for ourselves. The clothing we wear in dreams can allude to this, especially if the clothing is unexpected while we are alone in the scene.

Internal Meaning

Edinger suggests that while the “external” symbolic value of clothing usually pertains to persona, etc., its “internal” meaning relates more to the “exposure of the soul” (see Nakedness) or even mortificatio/putreficatio (death as part of the “process”). (Mysterium Lectures, p. 68.) Here, clothing signifies the body or the outward form through which the individual currently manifests.  

In such cases, a dream where clothing falls away might involve the “true psyche” being revealed. This is a common theme in death dreams; death is sometimes illustrated by changing clothes, with the one whose time has come appearing in new garments, and so on. These “internal” dreams of clothing or nudity usually point to a significant psychological transition related to death and rebirth.

Removing Clothes

Being unable to remove clothing may indicate an inability to let go of one’s persona or to reveal one’s true, naked self—the bare truth. Alternatively, it might signify an inability to establish a genuine relationship with another’s true self. Multiple layers of clothing can carry a similar symbolic meaning, as clothing is often used to conceal something.

Washing Clothes

Washing clothes might reflect the dreamer’s effort or need to renew himself, often within a social context.

Alchemy – New Clothes

In alchemy, Mercurius was sometimes referred to as "The Tailor." He aids the adept in undergoing transformations, much like a tailor helps a person transform by providing new clothing. (See also Hairdresser.)  

Being well-dressed in new clothes symbolizes a new "incarnation." According to Edinger, this represents coagulatio and the concretization of the new, something that may also appear in dreams as one approaches death. (Anatomy of the Psyche, pp. 101ff.) This gives clothing as a symbol an alternative perspective under certain circumstances.

Dream figures

Clothing identifies a dream figure's character, or put differently, the aspect of the dreamer's inner world that the figure reflects.  

Too large or too small clothing  

Wearing oversized clothing might suggest that one is taking on a larger role than one can manage—putting on a coat that’s too big, stepping into shoes that are too large, being metaphorically short in stature, and so on.  

Clothing that is too small might imply the opposite, or rather that the dreamer has outgrown something, signaling it is time to shed the old, like a snake shedding its skin. It is very common to wear "too small shoes", not allowing ourselves to grow out of our child self.

Types of garments  

Different garments have distinct meanings. Briefly: Headwear may relate to one’s overarching attitude; shoes may symbolize one’s stance or position; pants may pertain to the ability to control a given situation; being dressed only in underwear may suggests a need for privacy; shirts or jackets, which are easily changed, reflect attitudes that can be adopted without difficulty; clothes worn closest to the body may indicate more intimate attitudes, and so on.

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