Enclothed Cognition: A Powerful Life & Career Enhancement Tool

Your outfit might be doing more than making a statement—it could be rewiring your brain.

Have you heard of Enclothed Cognition? In 2012, researchers Adam and Galinsky discovered that undergraduates wearing lab coats performed significantly better on the Stroop test, making half as many mistakes as those without! (The Stroop test is a cognitive evaluation that shows words in colors that mismatch the word's meaning. Example: GREEN). The lab coat, which symbolizes intelligence and precision, had a profound impact on the wearers' cognitive process and performance.

Imagine this:

Today, you are giving a speech regarding research that you have poured yourself into and are certain will change lives. You glide onto the stage in a tailored black suit with hot pink stilettos. With elegant poise, you retrieve your notes from a sleek briefcase and look up at your audience with a smile.

The suit conveys professionalism and authority while the pop of pink introduces a playful contrast, signaling a multifaceted personality. With the audience’s full attention, you deliver your speech with passion and conviction, absolutely nailing it.

In a video I have linked below, Caryn Franklin explains this phenomenon and the power of our subconscious brain ‘It’s an unconscious decision maker, processing everything it knows about the symbolic meaning of those clothes.’

She goes on to describe the power of belief, ‘If we know we are wearing a garment that has perhaps been crafted in an artisanal way…we take that in and have an expectation of how that garment is going to make us feel. As opposed to if we’ve bought a garment and don’t know it’s story but we know we got it for a really good deal, we don’t have a story to put on.”

I’d challenge her final statement because everything we wear carries a story. When you buy something cheap (like from Shein or Temu), it’s often at the cost of someone else’s wellbeing—workers enduring long hours in unsafe conditions for painfully low wages. That’s the story and energy you're putting on your body, not to mention the toxic chemicals often infused in the fabrics.

Those fast fashion items won’t survive more than a few laundry cycles, costing you more in the long run while harming humans, the environment, and even your own health.

Instead, consider thrifting. There’s nothing like the thrill of finding a quality piece with character and charm. It not only saves you money but also hones your eye for quality and fuels your creativity as you envision how each item fits into a cohesive look. Thrifting is an act of self-expression, sustainability, and style evolution all rolled into one.

When shopping online, look into the ethics of brands, like where they source their materials and labor, and if they compensate their workers fairly.

Wearing clothes that reflect the person you aspire to become not only elevates your cognitive performance but also serves as a magnet for the people and opportunities that align with your vision. When your outward appearance resonates with your inner goals, you project confidence, authenticity, and a clear sense of purpose—creating a powerful synergy that draws success into your life.

Works Cited

Adam, Hajo, and Adam D. Galinsky. “Enclothed Cognition.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 48, no. 4, July 2012, pp. 918–925,

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103112000200, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.02.008.

Elle. “How Fashion Affects Your Brain | ELLE.” YouTube, 21 July 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqaM7bQFFic.

Rampley & Co. “What Is Enclothed Cognition? Your Clothes Can Be a Super Power.” YouTube, 23 Mar. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxCTYPpNsqQ.

Monde, Le. “Shein and Temu Products Found to Contain High Levels of Toxic Chemicals.” Le Monde.fr, Le Monde, 14 Aug. 2024,

www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/08/14/shein-and-temu-products-found-to-contain-high-levels-of-toxic-chemicals_6715032_4.html#.

Rogin, Ali, and Harry Zahn. “Why Fast Fashion’s Allure Comes with Environmental and Human Costs.” PBS NewsHour, 2 July 2023,

www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-fast-fashions-allure-comes-with-environmental-and-human-costs.