Have you ever wondered what your clothes say about you before you speak?
Most men think about clothing in practical terms: Does it fit? Does it match? Is it appropriate?
However, research suggests clothing may communicate considerably more.
For this month’s video, I dug into four published studies examining clothing, first impressions, person perception, cognition, and even the possible effects of clothing on the person wearing it.
The findings raise some fascinating questions:
- Can people form different impressions of a man in just five seconds, based on relatively minor differences in his clothing?
- Can more formal clothing influence how we think?
- Can the meaning we attach to clothing affect how we perform?
- And what are people deciding about us before we ever speak?
In the video above, I pair the research with real menswear examples.
You’ll see the same man in the same navy suit, styled two different ways. I’ll also show you one exact fabric that can be made into either a tailored sportcoat or a relaxed shirt jacket — and explain why the impression changes even though the fabric does not.
Most importantly, we’ll explore one of my favorite practical style principles:
Formality is a dial, not a switch.
A change in trousers, structure, color, or styling can move an outfit along that dial. Therefore, you are not limited to choosing between simply “formal” and “casual.”
The research helps explain why what your clothes say matters — to other people and, perhaps, to you.
If you’d like to learn more about how working together can create more intentional clothing choices, click here: https://mystyleofsuccess.com/services/
And if you would like to explore any of the J.Hilburn examples shown, click here: https://annlindsay.jhilburn.com/
Ann Lindsay
Men’s Image Consultant & J.Hilburn Personal Stylist
Research Referenced