What happens if you don’t wear a space suit when travelling through space? Apparently, this is one of the most frequently asked questions about space travel and we have come to recognise the iconic space suit as the uniform of space travellers. Obviously, an astronaut’s suit is more than just a uniform (it stops your blood boiling for one) but it made me think about wearing a uniform for more earthly professions and duties.
A friend of mine recently started a new job in which she has to wear a uniform. A snappy and individual dresser, she was grouchy that she was going to be wearing the same outfit day in and day out. However, as I pointed out to her, a uniform or dress code isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
What we wear can affect how we perform and how we are perceived by others. Cognitive psychologists (Adam & Galinsky) believe that clothing holds symbolic meaning and that by wearing it (or in some cases just looking at it) could enhance how we perform. They found that when a person ascribes a symbolic stereotype to an item of clothing (for example, a doctor’s coat) and then a person wears that article, it has measurable effects on their state of mind and performance. They call this ‘enclothed cognition’.
I told my friend to use these findings to her benefit when getting dressed in her uniform. I suggested that she think about what the uniform symbolises to her. Professional, skilled, knowledgeable, capable, part of a team? If she associates these attributes with her uniform so will others and they will seek her out as the expert she is.
We can all look in our own wardrobes and find more than one article of clothing to which we can assign a positive state of mind. Think of the dress you wore when you nailed that presentation or the tie that makes you feel powerful and confident. Think of and attach positive adjectives to your clothes and in doing so, shape your behaviour when you wear them.
The other advantage of a uniform or minimalist clothing is that it eases the burden of deciding what to wear each day and avoids decision fatigue. Indeed, President Obama is known for wearing only grey or blue suits because he has too many other decisions to make without having to think about what to wear to the office! Find out what flatters you and make it your signature ensemble.
Interestingly, fashion designers and fashionistas often have their own uniform. Maybe they have used up all their creative energy at work but they very often choose a certain look and stick to it. They know what works for them and their ‘uniform’ becomes their trademark. Karl Lagerfeld is a classic example.
So uniform doesn’t have to mean boring, think of it as liberating, consistent, productive and
powerful!
