Ever thought that dressing down could put you up in other people’s estimations?
Probably not, but new research recently conducted by Harvard Business School has suggested that looking unconventionally casual in a formal setting can boost your social image.
According to the study, looking different and wearing unusual clothes can improve an individual’s social status. For example, wearing a tracksuit or a t-shirt conveys a greater impression of success in a formal setting than conforming to social norms and wearing smarter clothing. As it is deemed easier to conform to social norms by dressing like those around you, making a deliberate effort to stand out from the crowd by wearing something different increases your status and sense of competency.
The study found that assistants in luxury shops were more likely to think that customers in gym tracksuits felt so comfortable and confident in their social status not to need to dress up more and therefore assumed that they were wealthier than others conforming to fashion codes around them, such as a customer in a fur coat.
What do you think about dressing down? Do you think people who dress differently and stand out from the crowd appear wealthier and more confident in their social status?
Let us know below or tweet us @clothes2order.
Looks like we’ll all be wearing tracksuits to work on Monday then!
