Fashion on the brain

Edward Hirt, an associate professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences, says choosing the perfect outfit is one of the many ways people express themselves, and clothing communicates information.

“When people are trying to express a certain kind of image, they want to dress to convey that image,” he says. “If you’re going out on a date, you know what clothes you want
to wear. In a job interview, if you want to express professionalism, you’ll wear a power suit.”

There are other factors people look at when making judgments, such as facial attractiveness, body shape, and race. Hirt says people are the product of the strength of their stereotypes. If a person’s judgments come true, that person will stereotype more often. Judgments based on appearance are unavoidable, he says.

“I think it’s unrealistic to believe people can ignore it,” Hirt says. “In many cases, it is an important cue to get information.”