{"id":5719,"date":"2018-07-25T12:03:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-25T17:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5bd4f92546.nxcli.net\/?p=5719"},"modified":"2018-09-28T09:41:35","modified_gmt":"2018-09-28T14:41:35","slug":"dress-best-part-one-clothes-make-man-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/offbeat\/dress-best-part-one-clothes-make-man-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"Dress Your Best, Part One: Why Clothes Make The Man (And Woman)"},"content":{"rendered":"

First impressions are everything.<\/p>\n

They say you should never judge a book by it\u2019s cover, but we can\u2019t help it. It\u2019s human nature to form a picture in our mind of a person when we meet someone new. And while it\u2019s certainly possible to overcome a bad first impression<\/a>, it\u2019s anything but easy.<\/p>\n

Better to come in strong, make a positive impact, and convey exactly who you are – and how you want people to feel about you.<\/p>\n

\"Dress<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot of stuff that goes into that, but how you look is probably one of the most important. Again, this is something that\u2019s wired into our psyche. From the moment we\u2019re able to perceive the world around us, we have a tendency to judge people based on appearance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the bad news. The good news is that by choosing the right clothing, we can present ourselves in more or less exactly the light we want to be perceived. To drive this fact home, I think it\u2019s best if I offer you an example.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say you have a meeting with two prospective business partners, both of whom can bring a great deal of value to your organization. They\u2019re both equally engaging, equally brilliant, and equally charismatic. There\u2019s only one difference between them.<\/p>\n

The first shows up clean-shaven in a bespoke suit and polished shoes, wearing a Rolex. The second is dressed in dirty sneakers, ill-fitted jeans, and a hoodie. Which of the two would you prefer to do business with?<\/p>\n

Of course, that\u2019s a bit of an extreme example. You aren\u2019t likely to encounter such a huge dichotomy in the professional world. But you will <\/b>find yourself in situations where you judge one person more favorably than another based on how they\u2019re dressed – and in situations where you <\/b>are the one being judged.<\/p>\n

Consider: in a study carried out by Ben C. Fletcher and Doctor Phil Oxon<\/a>, participants were shown pictures of a man with his face hidden before being asked to make \u2018snap judgements\u2019 about him. The differences were quite minor. In some of the pictures, his suit was perfectly fitted; in others, there were minor inconsistencies or flaws.<\/p>\n

People judged the man in a bespoke suit more favorably than any other picture, rating him as more confident, successful, flexible, and higher-earning.<\/p>\n

It seems obvious, right? If your outfit makes you look commanding, confident, and put-together, people will assume that\u2019s what you are. But it goes even deeper than that.<\/p>\n

See, there\u2019s evidence that how we dress even impacts how we think and behave<\/a>, something that may well play into how we perceive different outfits. A tailored, formal outfit, for example, makes us feel more powerful and confident. There\u2019s even evidence to suggest that such clothing increases the hormones associated with dominant behavior<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other examples of this phenomenon at play include:<\/p>\n