--- description: Different color clothing says different things about you title: Here’s What Science Says About How You Can 'Dress for Success' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt25f1be9b1fa821d6/6987ea56f887dc1858e8ddfd/162820556-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=828&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here’s What Science Says About How You Can 'Dress for Success' by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 10, 2015 4:01 AM CUT  Men's Suit Men's SuitGetty Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 10, 2015 4:01 AM CUT What you’re wearing definitely affects whether people follow your lead or do what you say. Via [100 Things Every Presenter Needs to Know About People](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321821246/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0321821246 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Clothes really do make a difference. In fact: * Different color clothing [says different things about you](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-does-the-color-of-your-clothing-tell-oth "undefined"). Most interesting is that studies show red has some pretty unique effects. For the most part, [red seems to mean sex](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-red-clothes-mean-sex "undefined"). It makes [men more attractive to women](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-color-should-men-wear-to-be-more-attract "undefined"). It makes [women more attractive to men](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-color-should-a-woman-wear-on-a-date "undefined"). It helps [hitchikers get picked up](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-there-a-color-that-helps-hitchhikers-get-p "undefined"). (More on the odd and interesting effects of red [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-the-color-red-have-magic-powers "undefined").) * Dressing young can [make you healthier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-looking-young-help-you-stay-young "undefined"). Glasses make you look [smarter but less attractive](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-glasses-really-make-you-look-smarter-but-l "undefined"). How a female celebrity dresses can tell you [how short her marriage will be](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-there-a-formula-that-can-predict-how-long "undefined"). * You like brand name clothes because they [make you seem high status and (hopefully) this will cause people to treat you better](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/why-do-we-like-brand-name-clothes-so-much "undefined"). * [Dark clothes = neurotic. Formal dress = conscientious. Messy and unconventional clothing = open to new things. Cleavage and expensive clothes = narcissism in women.](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-can-you-tell-about-someones-personality "undefined") * You trust doctors more when [they wear the white coat](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-it-matter-what-a-doctor-wears "undefined"). You like musicians’ music more when they [dress the way you expect them to](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-a-musicians-clothing-affect-how-much-we "undefined"). By the same token, [what you wear affects how _you_ act:](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-what-you-wear-affect-how-you-act "undefined") when research subjects wore lab coats they acted more attentive and careful. So choose your clothes wisely when you need to perform at your best. **Join over 180,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/do-clothes-make-the-man-can-you-really-dress/ "undefined")**_._** Related posts: [A Navy SEAL Explains 8 Secrets To Grit And Resilience](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/01/grit/ "undefined") [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful ](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/ "undefined") [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3815449/science-dress-for-success/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3815449/science-dress-for-success/"},"headline":"Here’s What Science Says About How You Can 'Dress for Success'","datePublished":"2015-04-10T04:01:17.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:21:03.431Z","description":"Different color clothing says different things about you","url":"https://time.com/3815449/science-dress-for-success/","keywords":["Psychology","Science topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt25f1be9b1fa821d6/6987ea56f887dc1858e8ddfd/162820556-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt25f1be9b1fa821d6/6987ea56f887dc1858e8ddfd/162820556-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"162820556","caption":"suit-close-up","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3815449/science-dress-for-success/","name":"Here’s What Science Says About How You Can 'Dress for Success'"}}]}] ```