Itching for a promotion? Try stepping up your wardrobe. New research from Northwestern University reveals that what you wear could affect how you think and even perform.
Researchers found that students wearing white lab coats performed better on cognitive tests than those who didn’t sport any jackets. The phenomenon is called “enclothed cognition,” or the influence your clothes can have on the way you think, feel, and behave, says study coauthor Hajo Adam, Ph.D., a management professor at Northwestern.
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“Many pieces of clothing carry a symbolic meaning. For example, the robe of a judge signifies justice, an expensive suit signifies power, and a white lab coat signifies a scientific focus and attentiveness,” Adam says. “Our research indicates that wearing clothes exerts influence through this symbolic meaning.”
While Mark Twain may have been on to something when he said clothes make the man, enclothed cognition only seems to work if you hold your threads in high esteem. (It’s less about your personal level of confidence than the confidence, power, and skill set you associate with particular apparel.) “For example, if someone feels phony wearing a suit, then the symbolic meaning of the suit will carry a negative weight for that person,” says Adam.
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Want to make a million bucks? Then start dressing like it. Make these wardrobe upgrades to reap the benefits of enclothed cognition.
At Work: Suit Up
Since people associate wearing a suit and tie with hard work and professional conduct, Adam suggests that “wearing such attire increases performance at work.” It’s true:Â You can earn at least 5 percent more than the other guy simply by looking sharp, according to a study in the American Economic Review. Clothes sell confidence, so keep a style kit in your cubicle. Your office-closet musts: A blazer, crisp shirt, matching tie, and gleaming pair of shoes. (Don’t forget the right pair of skivvies, too.)
At the Gym: Chuck Your College Sweatshirt
Revamp your gym attire, stat. “If wearing great fitness gear is associated with great athletic performance, we predict it would make people work out harder and maybe even perform better at competitive events,” Adam says. Read these 10 ways to look stylish at the gym.
At Home: Ditch Your PJs
Keep things classy even when nobody’s looking. If you’ve got a phone interview for a potential new job, liken it to a theatrical performance, which requires actors to wear a uniform or dress the part of a character, advises Amanda Visek, Ph.D., an assistant exercise science professor at George Washington University. “Dressing the part is more likely to ensure that you’re in the appropriate mindset to perform well. Wearing pajamas elicits thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are associated with kicking back and relaxing, not high performance and confidence,” she says. (Learn the 4 rules of dressing for a job interview.)
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