The Effect of Appearance on First Impressions

Professor Karen J Pine, Professor Ben (C) Fletcher & Neil Howlett, University of Hertfordshire in collaboration with Mathieson & Brooke Tailors Ltd

http://karenpine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Executive-summary_The-Effect-of-Appearance-on-First-Impressions.pdf

The, “study tests three hypotheses: 1) that people make rapid judgments of others based on clothing alone 2) that a minor  manipulation of the man’s clothing (e.g. the cut of a suit) will influence these rapid judgments …” and the last one doesn’t matter. The study indicated to researchers that a tailored suit as opposed to a standardized (un-tailored)  suit engendered a more positive impression. The face was featureless so the clothes are wholly responsible for the impressions as well.

I assumed that clothing has an effect on people’s opinions of others as well as one’s self but the degree clothing can  impart an impression shocked me. It is my understanding that minor adjustments were made between the suits but the results were clear and significant in all of the categories they used to judge “positivity”. This study enforces my hypothesis or at least part of it, since it demonstrates that people will perceive you in a better light based on how well you dress.