Among the wealthy, clothing functions as social communication. We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” yet research consistently shows that people make judgments within seconds based on appearance. This is because clothing influences not only how others perceive us, but how we perceive ourselves. So, here we ask the question, is confidence created by clothing, or does clothing simply reveal confidence that already exists? A novel I recently finished titled EVEN MY HAIR IS MAD introduces a character named Colton Signature, who, as the author put it, did not grow up wealthy. Yet both he and his sister inherited a sizable estate from their late parents, which served as the catalyst to their wealth building. However, Signature was “not very good with money,” as the author put it. Yet, the one thing that stood out to me was that his investment went into his appearance.
In the earlier parts of the book, our main character is speaking with her boyfriend, who eventually learns that Mr. Signature—her father—is a known fashion journalist, and he asks her why she is attending the same high school as him, whose father is just a simple mechanic. In his mind, she should be attending some private school designed for the elite, not because he knows her father’s net worth, but because he’s perceived to be wealthy based on both his occupation and the confidence exhibited through his clothing from editorial photographs. As the novel progresses, we also get another slight mention of Colton’s attire from the author, where she mentions, though subtle, that to the average person he’s merely wearing a T-shirt and shorts, when in reality, he’s wearing a Sea Island cotton T-shirt, which can easily cost anywhere from $175 to $200 each and may have been purchased from the Sea Island Cotton Collection from Sunspel.
It’s safe to say that we do judge people based on their clothing. We can see someone taking the train with a Chanel handbag and wonder, “If she can afford a Chanel handbag, why is she taking public transportation?” It’s an age-old adage that fashion is an instant language—before you speak, your clothing has already introduced you.
WHAT IS ENCLOTHED COGNITION?
Enclothed cognition is the psychological phenomenon where the clothing you wear systematically alters your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Coined by researchers Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky in 2012, the term reinforces the concept that clothing influences behavior, professional attire changes confidence, uniforms change authority, and luxury clothing changes perceived confidence. Colton may not have been wealthy growing up, but as he aged, he used his wealth to invest in fine pieces that, even if he were not wealthy, others would perceive him to be, which would help elevate his status in social circles around the very people he worked for and with.
Take The Devil Wears Prada as another example. Andy did not begin to garner respect from her peers until her fashion changed and became elevated throughout the film. Not only this, but as we step into another sector of fashion, our peers can begin to notice changes in our attitude and behavior. Your clothing is naturally going to influence your behavior, and this change can, in many cases, show itself to be beneficial. Anna Delvey is another example of how perceived wealth helped to curate personal and professional partnerships that she would not have had access to without some kind of fashionable identity.
Wealth doesn’t always need to announce itself. Someone who has accumulated wealth often has less need to convince others they are successful. Their social status has already been established through their business, reputation, network, or family name. As a result, their clothing choices frequently prioritize craftsmanship, comfort, longevity, and fit over immediately recognizable logos. Stealth wealth or quiet luxury became a trending topic between 2022–2024, where more people were turning away from clothing with excess or largely printed logos and opting for minimalism.
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Now, it is important that we do not generalize, which is not what this piece hopes to do, at least not intentionally, as there are plenty of wealthy individuals who enjoy bold designer fashion, visible logos, and statement pieces. We see this a lot on shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The broader distinction here is less about what someone wears and more about why they choose to wear it. Those trying to project success or confidence may use clothing to establish credibility, while those with established wealth often have greater freedom to dress according to comfort—Kathy Hilton comes to mind.
Ultimately, there are two important factors here to consider: one can dress to appear more confident in the hopes of cultivating relationships and partnerships to help move the needle on their business endeavors, and on the other hand, one can prioritize comfort because their confidence does not come from their clothing, extrinsic factors, or a sense of feeling the need to belong. But it’s no coincidence that for many up-and-coming celebrities who intend to go mainstream, one of the first things they prioritize early in their career is fashion. Whether it’s hitting a red carpet in a piece straight from the runway or having a stylist who can access archives or has relationships that allow them to be seated front row at a fashion show.
Clothing cannot create character, talent, or integrity, but it can shape how those qualities are perceived before they’re ever demonstrated. Every morning, whether intentional or not, getting dressed becomes one of the first decisions we make about how we wish to be understood. Your wardrobe is an investment that strongly influences psychology, economics, and is often how opportunities find us.
Image Credit: Kieran Culkin in Succession (2018)
From She's SINGLE Magazine, Danielle Wright covers partnerships, focusing on brand alignment, strategic collaboration, and the business of visibility. Her work explores how meaningful partnerships are formed and sustained, offering insight into the relationships that drive growth, influence, and long-term positioning.
