Well, maybe not smarter, but they do change the way your brain works! According to a recent study conducted by California State University Northridge, they found that putting on a suit doesn’t just change how you look, it can change the way you perceive the world and makes you think more broadly. “Putting on formal clothes makes us feel more powerful, and that changes the basic way we see the world,” says lead researcher, psychologist Abraham Rutchick. Wearing suits encourage us to think about the big picture rather than getting hung up on the details, what psychologists call “abstract processing” rather than “concrete processing”. Abstract processing is the kind needed in leadership, while concrete processing focuses more on details. When you look good, you feel more in control and think more broadly and creatively. Shopping, anyone?
