"Clothes don’t change just how you’re perceived by others — they change your own sense of self. "You are what you eat: this is simple chemistry. Less understood, but more important, is that you become what you wear. "Consider: * When wearing a suit and tie, it’s much harder to make unseemly body movements. You can’t waggle your head when it’s held in place with a stiff collar. * Walking around in heels forces you to move more slowly, carefully, and with better (or at least different) posture. * People treat you differently whether you wear shiny or shabby clothes. And because of how your brain is wired to process social feedback, you can’t help but pick up on this and incorporate it into your self-image. "This is happening even (or perhaps especially) when you’re not conscious of it. Unless you’re extremely self-aware, it’s hard to disentangle the effects of what you’re wearing from who you ‘really’ are. (Maybe because there’s less of a distinction than we like to believe.) "Say you’re in a meeting. If people listen attentively and respond to your ideas, how can you tell what they’re reacting to? Maybe you have relevant things to say. Maybe you’re naturally charming and charismatic. Maybe you have some power over the others in the room. Or maybe you’re just wearing clothes that command respect, and everyone is responding to your outfit. The point is, it doesn’t matter. Whatever the reason, they’re responding to you (your entire projected social presence, clothes and all) in predictable ways. In light of this, it’s very reasonable for your brain to adjust its self-image, without bothering to over-analyze."
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 09:34:57 +0000
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