(NAPSI)—Before you head out to shop this season’s trends, perhaps it’s worth considering how fashion makes you feel and what different fashion pieces can say about you. Sometimes, fashion speaks louder than words.

A new study from T.J.Maxx in partnership with Dr. Hazel Clark, Research Chair of Fashion at Parsons the New School for Design, reveals that fashion plays an important role in allowing women to express their personality (77 percent), individuality (74 percent) and mood (67 percent), while 77 percent of women said they want more options to express themselves.

“Fashion can speak volumes, which is why I spend time getting to know my clients, so that I can select pieces that truly reflect their individuality and give them that added confidence on the red carpet,” said Fashion Stylist Leslie Fremar, whose client list includes Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Julianne Moore. “Places like T.J.Maxx serve as a playground of possibilities filled with great-quality, designer items at incredible prices, so that they have more opportunities to express their various personal style personas.”

Interestingly, 87 percent of women said they are not controlled by fashion but that they control fashion, nor are they confined by trends or style profiles. In fact, more than half of women (55 percent) are interpreting trends to make them their own.

“Findings clearly show that women are feeling empowered by fashion, not confined by it. They see it as a creative outlet that allows them to express who they are, not what’s on the runway or a mannequin,” said Dr. Clark. “They aren’t looking for some cookie-cutter approach to shopping or to copy a head-to-toe look. They turn to stores like T.J.Maxx to feel in control of their fashion choices and find top-quality pieces at great prices, giving them more options to self-express.”

Depending on where they’re going, whom they’re seeing and what they want to portray to others, they turn to different fashion staples. For example, when women want to express self-confidence, they wear high heels (23 percent) or jeans (23 percent). They show their sexy side with a pair of trendy heels (24 percent) or a well-fitted dress (20 percent). To feel in control, they throw on a power blazer (23 percent) or a pair of jeans (23 percent).

Ultimately, personal style is just that—it’s personal, with 88 percent of women agreeing that they dress for themselves, not for others, and only a quarter of women saying they dress to “fit in.”

One thing that remains constant—women prioritize purchasing high-quality items (38 percent) at a great price (45 percent) when building their personal style palette. Who doesn’t?! And stores like T.J.Maxx provide shoppers with many possibilities to rock the hottest trends however they want.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)