Body Language of Clothing
Cue: Clothing.
Synonym(s): Dress, Fashion, Overdressing, Underdressing, Practical Dressing, Casual Dress, Dressing Casually, Dressing Practically, Attire, Uniform.
Description: The body language associated with ones attire.
In One Sentence: Clothing represents an elective form of nonverbal expression which indicate how a person wishes to be perceived by others.
How To Use it: Using clothing to create a desired impression. When you apply clothing, remember that regardless of your desire, certain character traits will be ascribed to you regardless of your desires. These will be either correct or incorrect. If one wishes to be viewed in one way or another, one should be conscious of how one presents oneself. For example, revealing clothing will result in others believing that you are sexually easy or promiscuous. Wearing heavy clothing during hot weather will lead others to assume that you are prudish. Use clothing to create the impression you wish is complicated and person specific, but one simply needs to understand that one has a high degree of control over the perceptions of others and these can be manipulated with nonverbal displays including fashion. Some experimentation may be required to produce the results you desire.
Context: General.
Verbal Translation: “My clothing is a reflection of my inner thoughts, feelings and values.”
Variant: See Unkept or Dowdiness, Dressing Sexy.
Cue In Action: a) The teenager usually let his underwear show above his loose pants. He didn’t care what the adults thought about him. b) The teacher sent the girls to the principle if their skirts were too short. c) She was always well put together with expensive gowns and jewelry. d) He didn’t care what people thought of him, he felt that jogging pants were the most comfortable daily attire. e) She made waves with her low cut blouse and ample cleavage.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Clothing is a very potent nonverbal cue as it gives off all sorts of vital information about its wearer. It is a nonverbal language all onto itself. Before we even speak with one another, our clothing creates an image about us, it also tells of our sex, age, occupation, origins, social class, personality and beliefs. Clothing can also tell others where we are going as well as what we are about to do. A business suit for example, indicates that one is conducting business or a summer dress indicates that one is on vacation. In other words, clothing provides context.
As a language, clothing can be conventional or eccentric, clothing can give off signals about whom one wants to be or become. Teenagers place importance on designer clothing so they can impress their friends and fit in, but as we grow older, our shift takes on a more specific role as we tailor our attire to the functions we attend and to the status we want to hold.
Clothing also sets us apart from others in terms of values. The eccentric often have flamboyant clothing to differentiate themselves from others showing that their ideas about life are different than the rest of those around them.
How one ‘wears’ what they wear also gives off indicators of their disposition. For example, the uptight employee that does his collar up to the top, or the laid back employee who fails to properly tighten his neck tie or avoids wearing one at all. Having buttons done up tight as opposed to having an open suite jacket also has meaning. Having un-pressed pants, dirty shoes or even no shoes, at all, provide details of other people’s disposition. Using inappropriately loose or tight clothing can also give us clues as to the nature of the person. Removing a tie midday under a strict dress code indicates that the person is rebellious and defiant. Unbuttoning a blouse to show more cleavage could lead to being labeled easy or a seductress.
Dress plays a big part in first and daily impressions and also provides excellent cues to be read in others.
Over dressing: Someone who is low in confidence but and tries to make up for it by using fashion as a crutch. These people may also be striving for extra attention from others to make up for their insecurities.
Under dressing: A person who feels that outward appearances are of no value or who lacks the desire to conform to social norms.
Practical dresser or practical fashion: A style that is more focused on functionality and utility instead of extravagance. People who wear practical attire are at ease with themselves. Typically they are not self-centered, are willing to go against the grain so as to feel comfortable in their clothing, or are frugal.
Dressing sexy: Someone who wishes to gain attention and power through sex appeal.
Cue Cluster: Watch for congruence between how one dresses and the body language they carry. While someone might overdress, you might find other clues to insecurity. If someone dresses sexy, they may also give off flirtatious cues. Some women might act catty toward, or challenge other women if they are looking for sexual attention from men. Someone who under-dresses, might have a lax attitude or lack the desire to conform. Watch for awkward body language and speech patterns as well as blushing or a desire to exit social gatherings. The practical dresser might have a more casual approach and seem at ease in every situation. When the attire doesn’t match the body language, you have likely spotted a rouse. This person may be trying to fake others through dress.
Body Language Category: Adornments, Amplifier, Courtship display, Elective nonverbal traits, Masked body language, Relaxed body language, Power play.
Resources:
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