Dressing up is a great way to give ourselves an edge in our professional and personal lives. Science says that it’s not just our female friends who are guilty of this, but men too!
There is plenty of research on how clothing affects our moods and self-perceptions. And many studies show that we’re influenced by what other people may think or perceive us as when choosing our clothes each day. Research shows that how well our clothes fit plays a big role in whether we feel good about ourselves.
Dressing Sharp – Boosts Confidence
Admittedly, it seems unlikely that dressing well is going to make you any smarter than your peers – but it will have an effect on how people perceive your status. Wearing a suit makes you feel more confident about yourself – so you’re likely to be more outgoing and show off that confidence by talking more often. But it’s not a one-way street here – if you talk more, people who interact with you are going to put more value and give a higher status on your input.
The point is that the first thing someone sees when they meet you for the first time will affect how they treat you in future interactions – be it at work or social gatherings. So before we judge that guy for wearing a suit out on a Saturday night, maybe we should look at him as professional just like us?
The Psychology Of Gym Clothes
Why not dress up in your workout clothes before you head out the door? Doing this may give us more motivation to work out, as our activewear acts like a reminder that it’s time for exercise! Plus, we have one less excuse on why we never got around to working out today.
Goth Clothes – Boosts Creativity
Goth clothes are often associated with depression, but it seems as if they may just be the thing to lift our mood. According to Alt Outfits, wearing dark colors make us feel happier and more relaxed. Dark colors have also been shown to make us feel more creative and competent. In contrast, lighter colors often make us depressed or pessimistic.
Psychology Today reported that such clothing is increasingly worn by successful entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians. What they have in common is that their creative minds come up with more innovative ideas wearing dark colors. As for the association with depression, it’s believed that people who feel depressed are also drawn to dark clothing because of its ability to boost mood.
Wearing a Uniform – Boosts Work Performance
When you put on a cap or uniform, it not only tells others what your job is – it also affects how you feel about yourself and makes you more focused. The military has used uniforms to focus its soldiers for centuries. This technique of using clothing to elicit specific behaviors has even been adopted in the corporate world.
Studies found out that those working as bank tellers made twice as many errors when dressed informally than when they were wearing their uniforms. In one crime lab, scientists who wore white coats were perceived to be more intelligent and careful than those without them because of the clothes they wear. So next time we get frustrated at someone else’s incompetence, maybe we should look at them differently because of how they dress.
They felt better about their intelligence, ability to focus, and themselves as a whole. This suggests that clothing may have an effect on our self-esteem just by making us feel smarter or studier through association with school memories and classroom outfits. Be it learning more at work
Luxury Clothes – Boosts Social Status
Wearing luxury clothes like Gucci or Prada makes us feel more connected with high-status people and thus makes us behave in a way that’s considered as a higher-class behavior. While the price tag of the clothes doesn’t really have to do anything with how you are perceived by others, wearing such clothing would give you an air of exclusivity – which is what some people go for.
Before you dress in your best suit and head out tonight, think of how clothing affects others’ behavior towards you. Ask yourself if your appearance reflects who you are and how do people perceive you based on what you wear. How do these things affect your self-esteem? Knowing this will guide you with dressing for success.
Conclusion
Science has shown that clothing affects both the wearer and perceiver. What we wear can boost our performance at work, help us feel better about ourselves, and even make us enjoy a night out more! The next time you need to do something important, maybe you should dress up for success.