This project outline will briefly cover the issue of societal perceptions based on an individual’s attire, the research methodology deployed in order to unearth and test this hypothesis, and what particular impact my own intervention will have on society at large. Finally, an overarching conclusion with compelling arguments will be presented at the end. 

Introduction:

It is well known that clothing is a strong indicator of one’s class and societal position. However, this is not always true, as some may go against the grain and wear polarising attires. For instance, the Sapeurs of Congo are known for dressing to the nines, with some outfits costing thousands of pounds. This contrasts sharply against their poor living conditions. If one were to see a Sapeur on the street, they would falsely assume that they are well off financially, and likely part of the upper class. Thus, many people choose their daily attire based on the perception they emanate on others, hoping to leave a positive, lasting impression. In the Western world, suits are associated with power and competence, and are therefore the standard for white-collar jobs. A person choosing to wear casual attire in such an environment will be ostracised. This, among many others, is an example of the powerful perceptual effect of fashion. 

Question:

Whilst researching this issue at large, multiple questions were seeping in my mind. First, if a person who wears a particular style on a daily basis suddenly changed to a completely opposing style, will this person experience dramatic psychological changes? If so, will this change be positive, or negative? Thus, are we able to inspire confidence among individuals that are lacking in it, simply by way of conscious fashion choices? Finally, what can I do to create a positive impact on such people? 

Research methodology:

Most of my research has been extracted from scientific papers, due to their particular focus on creating conditions that lead to persistent and reliable data. Online journals and news articles were also used, as these tend to be an amalgamation of various sources of information, and are presented in a structure that is easier to digest than scientific papers. 

Research:

There is a concept within cognitive psychology known as “enclothed cognition”. In a controlled environment, an individual was given a lab coat, which increased their performance on tasks that required undivided attention. When this individual was informed that the coat was a doctors coat, rather than a painter’s, it further enhanced their cognitive ability. 

Intervention:

My intervention will focus on finding an individual’s ideal fashion style via a process of elimination; the main purpose being to inform and reveal to people which individualistic style has the biggest positive change on their life. Each subject will be offered a “style pack”, which will include an attire that drastically differs from what they would normally wear. I have chosen this method because it is, in my personal view, an effective way of assessing the most suitable style for a particular person. 

Audience:

Thus far, the intervention has not been tested outside of the theoretical realm. A sample size of 3-5 people will be given a particular set of clothing, and will then be interviewed on whether their perception of themselves is influenced by their current attire. These test subjects come from various cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and financial backgrounds, which will result in fairer conclusions. I have invited four interviewees for this experiment: a Russian, Greek, and Canadian male, and a Chinese female. 

Conclusion:

This project requires conducting in-depth analysis and in-field experimentation, in order to show definite proof for my hypothesis. One weak point of the project is that an individual’s state of mind fluctuates daily, meaning that an attire might seem ideal on one day, and perhaps not as ideal on another. On the other hand, this can still serve as a general guidance to the perceptual effects fashion choices have on others.

Bibliography:

Hajo Adam, Adam D. Galinsky, Enclothed cognition, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Volume 48, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 918-925, ISSN 0022-1031