What to wear, what to wear… it’s date night and you’re
standing in front of your closet trying to make a decision. The clock is
ticking and your mind is engaged in rapid-fire hypotheticals: “What if I wear
my dark dressy jeans and that cream colored sweater?” “What about that shirt
with the cute ruffles?” “Is a
button-down really not a dress shirt?” Caught in the fashion dilemma, we can
turn to psychological research and gain insight into the choices we make, the
process of deciding, and the impressions we create when we wear what we wear on
date night.
1. Looking for
love? Try red
You know that song “Lady in Red”? Recent evidence
suggests men have a powerful response to women wearing red, seeing them as more
attractive and sexually desirable than if they wear other colors. The seductive
effect of red has been documented for not only American men, but men from
around the world suggesting it may be a global, culturally-universal
phenomenon. Because red works its enchanting effects outside of conscious
awareness, adding red to your date-night fashion is an easy way to help capture
the attention of a desirable partner.
2. Not into red?
Try black
Is black the new red? Maybe! Both men and women perceive
members of the opposite sex as more attractive when they wear red or black, as
compared to green or yellow or white. The effect of wearing black may be not
only in the eye of the beholder, but also the wearer. Photos of men wearing
black shirts were still seen as more attractive than when they wore other
colors (e.g., yellow) even after the experimenters digitally removed shirt
color from the photo. How you feel in your clothing may be half the story when
it comes to how others perceive you.
3. What about
other colors?
Scientist has also discovered that most women are
attracted to men wearing the color blue.
Guys who frequently wear blue are stable, faithful, constant and always
there. The blue guy is a fantastic candidate for a long-term relationship - someone
who's dependable, monogamous and can match his own clothes.
Women, wearing a pink- peach make themselves most
approachable. The color is very
flattering to most skin tones, it gives you healthy glow, projecting a little
vulnerability which brings out something protective in men.
Want to wear a color that weeds out guys who can't handle
strong women? Try a deep red, burgundy
or plum. Men who aren't attracted to strong women will steer clear.
4. Let your
clothes do the talking
Going on a first date? When asking yourself what you
should wear, maybe you should ask what kind impression you want to make. Subtle
differences in attire, such as wearing an off-the-rack or a made-to-measure
suit, can influence impressions of confidence, success, and flexibility. A
dressier or a more artsy style of clothing can generate impressions of greater
intelligence as compared to more casual styles or wearing sweatshirts, but a
dressy style might also communicate uneasiness in social situations or a
tendency to depend on others. More conservative styles may communicate
self-control, reliability, and understanding, while more daring styles can be
more attractive, suggesting that the person is unique and interesting.
5. Don’t forget
your shoes
New evidence shows that people form ideas about other
peoples’ personalities based on the shoes that they wear. When asked to guess
owners’ personalities based only on their shoes, different observers often
infer the same personality from any given shoe. They tend to think shiny shoes
convey anxiety, pointy shoes suggest less agreeableness, and higher heels or
pointy shoes signal less emotional stability. But are these impressions
accurate? In some cases, observers tend to be good at guessing strangers’
anxiety and agreeableness based only on their shoes.
6. Show some skin…
or not?
Factors outside of our awareness can influence our
clothing choices. For example, on any given day, women’s fashion interests seem
to reflect their reproductive viability. Unlike for many species, the exact
timing of female ovulation for humans is concealed, hidden from easy
observation. However, recent evidence suggests that the kinds of outfits women
would want to wear to a social gathering are linked to their ovulation. Women
prefer more revealing clothing during periods of peak fertility, particularly
if they are single, sexually experienced, or in a relationship but also very
happy in that relationship.
7. Expose your
wrists
No, not because they’re attractive but because the glands
in your wrists emit pheromones which can trigger feelings of attraction in
others.
8. Ruffles, lace,
and that cute necklace
In the same way that women have a natural inclination
towards revealing clothing during the peak fertility, they also dress more
fashionably as a function of their cycle. A recent study took photographs of
women during different stages in their cycle. Judges picked out the photo in
which the person looked like they were trying to be attractive, and it turns
out, judges tended to pick the photo that happened to be taken when the woman
was most fertile. During peak fertility women seem to unconsciously adorn
themselves in more attractive and fashionable clothing.
9. Dress with care
It may matter less what you wear, and more how you wear
it. Bringing care to how you look is linked to perceptions of attractiveness.
People respond more positively to those who are well-groomed and have a neat
and clean presentation. They feel more pleasure in the presence of those who
bring care to their appearance and feel more attentive and alert. The lesson
here is that taking good care of yourself sends a positive message, regardless
of which outfit you end up choosing.
10. But don’t be
obsessed with your appearance
Put as much effort into your appearance as you want
before you go out, but when you’re around people, focus your energy on making
solid conversation instead of running to bathroom to brush your hair, reapply
your lipstick, or check the mirror every five minutes. Overt vanity is not
sexy.
What People Say?
Scientists are scientists. They tell you that these are
the scientifically identified trends, but you rarely can assess what kind of
the scientific research was done to get such assessment. Let’s hear what people
say, too….
Some quotes what Men are saying about women attire and
general look:
In my mind, logo overload screams: “Let’s go shopping!” Many women
carry their LV totes, Hermès Birkins or Chanel chain-bags like part of their
anatomy. But there is nothing less appealing than having an oversized designer
name splayed across your chest or hooked pretentiously on your arm. Men
interpret a woman’s need to announce the ‘fabulousness’ of her stuff as
“insecurity or plain ugly shallowness”. When man notices designer tags on a
woman, he may personally worry about the credit card balance should they
actually get together. If the only gift he can afford from her favorite label
is a key chain, her birthday isn’t going to be any fun for either of them.
Most men believe that sky-high heels suggest a woman is
“high-maintenance”. Women tell that
stilettos make them feel powerful and emboldened. But when you teeter on your
tiptoes with only a thin six-inch bar to balance on, it begs the question: How
much fun can you be having standing in one place looking, yes, va-va-voom — but
precariously balanced? The man may be worry: “Is she going to twist her ankle,
and am I going to have to spend all night with her in the emergency room?”
Revealing clothes announce to me that a woman might wear sequin capris
to my uncle’s funeral! Don’t get me wrong, I find sexy clothes appealing — but
the environment and context is all-important. If a prospective date dresses in
a Pampers-sized mini for a business banquet with my work colleagues, I would
wonder about her judgment and imagine myself needing to cover her up at a
prospective dinner with my family. Yes, that vamp in the Guess ads looks hot in
her cropped cowboy shirt and super-tight jeans. But she also looks like she
might run off with the photographer!
Some quote of what Women are saying about men attire and
general look:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most women don't find
vests sexy on men unless it's part of a full very well-fitting suit. Vests have
a stigma of foreign uncle or nerdy teenager. And a leather or somewhat
embellished bedazzled vest? Well I can't with all of that. At some point last
fall, every VH1 reality star had some sort of vest, fatigue, denim, patched,
bedazzled, studded, distressed, fringe, goose down. If you're not a middle aged
man in a bike gang or a teenage runaway on St. Marks, please leave them alone.
Men have seemingly become intrigued by the mysteries that lay inside a
woman’s purse, when they decided they needed some of their own. Women have a
lot of reasons to carry a purse – a girl might need hand lotion, make up, or
feminine hygiene products while she’s on the run. But we’re left wondering,
which of these men feel the need to carry around a handbag? Women don’t want to
date a man whose Gucci bag costs more than her own and would rather a
down-to-earth dude, who simply has a wallet and keys in his pocket. And if you
need to carry a laptop and papers for work or school, women would prefer if you
invest in a classic backpack or briefcase, not a murse.
The number one men’s fashion trend that women can’t stand is shorts
that end far above the knee. This style was resurrected from the jorts of the
80s, but women wish it would stay in the past. A good pair of legs on a man is
always appreciated by a woman, but that doesn’t mean she wants to see your
thighs sticking to the seat next to her on the subway. For a long time, short
shorts have been reserved for females alone, and if this new silhouette wants
to become generally accepted for men, it’s going to take a few more years.
Kudos to the male trendsetters out there, but don’t expect your bravery to make
women swoon.
Sources and
Additional Information:
