For October's newsletter,we explore an aspect of nonverbal communication and learn 7 functions of clothing. We'll discover that the functions are obvious, complex, and evolving.
Note: this updated newsletter article is based on my original essay (of the same title) first published on February 28, 2015 here on LinkedIn.
Clothing has many functions
Nonverbal studies have explored the connection between clothing and communication. What we’ve discovered is that clothing has many functions. I’m sure this isn’t surprising to you.
Perhaps you have worn uniforms for school or work, for example. Maybe you have felt over- or underdressed in some scenarios. So, you have learned that certain situations have certain expectations for what you should or shouldn’t wear.
When I teach a workshop or class on nonverbal communication, we ask the simple (yet foundational) question, “What does our clothing communicate?” The answer to this can be both obvious and complex. Knapp and Hall (2010)* provide these 7 functions for clothing in their textbook on nonverbal communication:
7 Functions of Clothing
1. Protection and concealment: This is the most practical aspect. We dress to shield ourselves from the elements (cold, heat, sun, rain, etc.). We conceal parts of our bodies that we don’t want to be visible to others. There is a seemingly endless variety of styles to help us achieve these goals.
2. Decoration: Sometimes we wear clothing simply to decorate ourselves. The first thing that comes to my mind for this are holiday sweaters. In this aspect, specific clothing items are worn to add to the festive mood of the occasion.
3. Attraction: What do you wear on a first date? You likely give thought to what will make you look attractive in order to make a good impression on the person that you find attractive.
4. Identification: Styles can identify you as belonging to a certain group. Sports teams sell their jerseys so that fans can wear them and identify with their favorite team.
Having grown up in Pittsburgh where the hometown sports teams are a source of pride, it was common to see people dressed in their Steelers (football), Pirates (baseball), and Penguins (hockey) jerseys. College students and alumni may also wear clothing emblazoned with their alma mater’s logo and colors in order to identify themselves as belonging to their university.
Fashion can also be used for de-identification when an individual intentionally sets themselves apart from a group. For example a seminar leader at The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC said in a class that I had attended,
“In California if you want to be cool, you wear what everyone else is wearing. In New York if you want to be cool, you wear what no one else is wearing.”
As someone who lives in New York City, I agree with this statement. I think that the culture of our city promotes that it is desirable to be seen as unique and to standout from the crowd.
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5. Ideology: This basically refers to a person’s worldview. It’s how people make sense of and give meaning to the world that surrounds them. Someone who dresses like a hippie, for example, may be expected to hold the stereotypical values of the group. So, people may stereotype you and your ideology based on how they interpret your attire.
6. Status and role display: Designer labels play off of this aspect. Name brands, high prices, and high style can be associated with higher social status. By wearing these labels or styles, people aim to ascribe the status of the clothing or brand to themselves.
We each play multiple roles every day, each with their own expectations. And as we switch among roles for the day, we also often switch clothing to fit and reflect each role.
Our culture recognizes this -- we refer to switching among multiple roles as “wearing many hats” where a person puts on a new hat (clothing item) as they end one role and begin another.
7. Gender differentiation: As we expand our awareness about gender, we learn that some people have the goal to differentiate based on gender and others do not.
Note that the updated (2021) version of the Knapp and Hall textbook adds these additional functions of clothes: comfort, self-assertion, self-denial, persuasion, attitude, mood reflection or creation, and authority. So, the reasons why we wear clothing can be more than the seven presented in this article.
Fashion sends messages
You can see that the functions of clothing are obvious, complex, and evolving. By bringing awareness to our nonverbal choices, we increase our ability to communicate consciously. Fashion sends messages about who we are, what we value, and what we think. So, the next time you dress, consider which of the functions of clothing align with what you choose to wear.
About this newsletter:
Conscious Communication is a tool that connects us to ourselves and to others in meaningful ways. As with any tool, the more skillful we are at using it, the better the results we achieve. Communication is an important tool because when we do it well it leads to better relationships.
For more than 20 years, I’ve worked with thousands of people from all over the world to increase their consciousness and improve their professional communication and public speaking skills so that they can better connect with themselves and others in confident, meaningful, and inspiring ways.
So, my goal with this newsletter is to share my expertise in the field of interpersonal communication as an expert, award-winning educator, creator, and speaker who helps people transform their work and lives through conscious communication.
These lessons are concise highlights from the intensive work I do in my Ivy League and top tier collegiate classrooms and with private and corporate clients. I'm happy to share these with you here to help you become a more effective communicator.
Source:
*Knapp & Hall (2010). Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction (7th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Wadsworth.
