The fashion industry is one of the biggest and most well-represented industries in the world. It changes and grows with society, and as consumer needs and wants adapt as does the industry. Fashion is much more than just a business endeavour; it is a science, and understanding that science can help consumers and industry players alike adapt their fashion habits to have the best influence over their life.
Research from psychologists at California State University, Northridge and Columbia, were able to discover a link between the way people dress and the way they think. It is common knowledge that the external appearance of a person can influence how others perceive them, but the understanding that it can also affect the individual’s cognition is a much more significant revelation.
The formality of clothing might not only influence the way others perceive a person, and how people perceive themselves but could influence decision making in important ways through its influence on processing style.
The study revealed that formal dressing could enhance people’s ability to engage in abstract thinking, which is a person’s ability to engage with objects, principles and ideas which are not physically apparent. To think outside of the box.
The idea of cognitive fashion is not new; however, the research could have exciting impacts over a business, particularly in more creative fields. By having your employees ‘dress to impress’, they may be more likely to develop more insightful, abstract and un-traditional ideas. Casual Fridays will become a thing of the past!
