Fashion for Thought Leaders

Thirty-five years ago, you probably wouldn’t have recognized Michael Dell, 1989’s Inc. , walking down the street. Today, it would be hard to miss Mark Zuckerberg in his signature zip hoodie, Jeff Bezos in his leather bomber jacket, or Michelle Obama in a floral dress.

Steve Jobs famously wore the same gray suit every day (black turtleneck, jeans and trainers) to reduce decision fatigue. But people saw it as more. They saw it as a sign of his authenticity and as a reflection of the Apple brand – clean, minimal and easy. Signature style has evolved into a thoughtful, deliberate way to reflect individuality as a professional and a leader.

More CEOs, entrepreneurs and thought leaders are beginning to recognize that fashion isn’t just a superfluous or superficial part of leadership; it can actually be used to help advance both an individual’s and an organization’s brand. You can see this with examples like Snapchat creator Evan Spiegel’s appearance in the pages of Italian Vogue and the 2024 Wall Street Journal article titled, “Wait, when did the schlubs of Silicon Valley learn how to dress?” Even Mark Zuckerberg’s style is evolving – into shearling jackets and ribbed cardigans.

The business suit isn’t a business suit anymore

For most of the modern business era, the brand, material and cost of your suit directly reflected your level of success. Formal attire was a requirement and a mark of status, not a choice. A professional working in finance and looking to land a high-paying client would wear Ermenegildo Zegna or Brioni. Today, dressing for thought leadership doesn’t necessarily mean dressing expensively. It means dressing with authenticity and intentionality.

“Dressing well" no longer means “dressing up”. Clara Gaymard, the head of G.E. France, once received viral attention for meeting with French President Francois Hollande in a leather biker jacket. Dame Dash released a sneaker called “The CEO” in 2023 [graphic]. And Next Level Wardrobe’s “5 CEO Outfits to Copy” doesn’t include a single suit.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic and the evolution of “work-from-home style”, people have become much more willing to embrace leaders dressing “down” or dressing differently -- as long as it’s done with intentionality and not indifference.

In one experiment by researchers at the University of Exeter Business School and Bradford University School of Management, subjects were asked to rank people’s leadership ability based on what they were wearing. The study found that those sporting suits and ties didn’t always rank highest. Instead, the study concluded, people tend to identify with leaders who look like they do. Audiences who favor jeans and t-shirts, for example, will rank a Mark Zuckerberg-type higher.

A March 2024 Custom Ink survey found that “CEOs dressed in casual, modern attire are perceived as 224% more approachable than those in classic, elegant outfits.” And employees with managers who dress in a casual, modern attire style reported 15% less work-related stress than those whose managers wear classic, elegant attire.

This doesn’t mean the business suit doesn’t have its advantages. The survey also found that “managers dress in a classic, elegant style earn 10% more than those with casually dressed managers” – which could mean suit and tie or something simpler, like turtleneck and jacket. And Jamie Dimon, who typically dresses up, won the spot of Best Dressed CEO.

While identifying with people who dress like us may seem obvious, as the traditional framework for where we work and “do life” merges, that trend is spilling over into the general workplace. Most U.S. companies now allow casual attire at the office. A pivotal moment in the transformation of the workplace dress landscape occurred in 2019, when Goldman Sachs famously announced male employees no longer needed to wear tailored suits, a look once considered an integral part of the company’s brand.

Female leaders especially are commended for repeating the same outfits. Ariana Huffington, for example, has made repetition the defining mark of her fashion. She tags her outfits on Instagram with "#repeat" and urges women to wear the same outfits to work and events. Kate Middleton is often featured in fashion blogs and magazines specifically for recycling looks from past years.

Entering a new fashion era

Interestingly, the pandemic actually drove up luxury online fashion sales. Amazon Luxury Stores launched in 2020, and according to Farfetch CEO José Neves, the average purchase of a Farfetch shopper during the pandemic was $600, although “what is in the shopping basket has changed. Before we would see a pair of stilettos and a long dress. Now you’ll have a pair of sneakers and a blazer and maybe a T-shirt, but still very high-end.”

Designer and CFDA president Tom Ford pointed out to WWD, “What happened after the Spanish flu? We had the Roaring Twenties. We had consumption and flappers and makeup and exuberance.” Now is an ideal time for thought leaders to consider exploring new fashion choices that articulate their identities and values.

Fashion trends are also skewing more sustainable than ever before - and people are taking notice of thought leaders’ sustainable choices. Fast Company noted that designers are “thinking about how to rebuild the supply chain in a more ethical, sustainable way, to end the cycle of overconsumption and overproduction… If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t need to be constantly chasing the latest trend. And this means that consumers may finally cure themselves of their addiction to fast fashion.” Sustainable clothing is a new mainstay in the pages of Vogue and other fashion magazines.

A McKinsey study echoed these findings that the consumer of the future will “champion fairness and social justice.” Thought leaders will likely be noticed and supported for choosing clothing made by smaller, up-and-coming designers, as well as rented and secondhand clothing.

What the science says about clothes and leadership

Don’t shun formal dressing entirely. A Columbia University study found that formal dressing led to a greater feeling of power and proactiveness. And a team of psychological scientists from California State University, Northridge and Columbia University found that professional dress increases abstract thinking and gives people a broader perspective.

The color of your clothes can change your blood pressure. A 1974 study found that colors can change our heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. They can also impact performance. Another study in Frontiers in Psychology found that viewing red prior to a challenging cognitive task has been shown to undermine performance, while light blue facilitates performance and alertness.

Bold or different fashion choices can have a positive impact on how you’re perceived.A 2021 Journal of Business Research study found that “leaders who wear clothing that contrasts their organization’s cultural norms” are considered more charismatic, and “intentional deviance from etiquette can elicit ascriptions of higher status and competence.”

Something to think about:

In a culture where casual dress is the norm, does breaking the mold now mean wearing a three-piece suit?

Clothing and identity

Clothing has long been associated with identity. When a person puts on a piece of clothing, they are often wearing the emotions, ideas or identity attached to it. A study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that the symbolic meaning of clothing is linked with the physical experience. In one experiment, "wearing a lab coat described as a doctor's coat increased [the subjects’] sustained attention, compared to wearing a lab coat described as a painter's coat ..."

The intersection of psychology and fashion is becoming a respected field in its own right. The American Psychological Association recently recorded a podcast on “The Psychology of Fashion”. Fashion Institute of Technology now offers courses in psychology. And students at The London College of Fashion can major in the psychology of fashion.

In 2010, UBS was largely mocked for issuing a 44-page dress code to its employees with guidance like, “Make sure that your jewelry be matched to the metallic color of your glasses' frames” and "Do not wash, nor ever iron your shirts yourself." But according to Inc., “UBS got one thing right: every detail about your presentation communicates something.” Fashion choices can be tailored to make a specific impression or reinforce a specific kind of identity.

For example, when President Barack Obama spoke to working class Americans, he often wore no jacket and rolled up his sleeves – which both embraced his working-class roots and identified with his audience. Michelle Obama often mixed “high” and “low” fashion (like pairing J.Crew gloves with an Isabel Toledo dress at her husband’s inauguration), appealing to women of different income levels at once.

Thought Leadership and dressing for an on-camera interview

What is often known as “first impressions” is known in psychological science as “thin-slicing” – people process visual details and make assumptions instantaneously. For example, studies have found that age and income can be accurately judged solely from a picture of a person’s shoe.

This means that in a television interview, whether they know it or not, viewers will make immediate judgments about a person based on what they’re wearing. This human tendency can be an asset to thought leaders, because the way a person dresses can be a valuable source of non- verbal communication about themselves and their brand.?

Tips for Dressing for On-Camera Interviews

• Wrinkles can show on high definition cameras, so make sure to wear pressed or wrinkle-free clothes.
• If you have a limited budget, use it to have your outfit professionally tailored. The fit of an outfit is more important than how much it costs.
• Wear solid colors that highlight your skin tone and make you feel comfortable and confident. Rich colors like black, blue, grey, pink, purple, etc. look best on video or film cameras. Try to avoid wearing bright white clothing, which can dominate the screen. Instead, wear a color that is not-quite-white (i.e. light beige, light grey or pale colors).
• Stay away from patterned apparel, as it can make the camera dance, causing the viewers to lose focus on what you are saying.
• Avoid wearing logoed appeal unless you are purposely trying to promote another brand.
• Less is more. So, when wearing jewelry or eyewear, drop the statement pieces and wear something simple that will highlight your facial features. You don’t want the viewer’s to pay more attention to what you are wearing than what you are saying. Also be prepared to take the glasses off and put on contacts.
• Not going into a studio for your interview? Choose a backdrop that is simple and highlights the professionalism you are seeking to portray. Find a location that offers good lighting and include some plants and/ or bookshelves in the backdrop.
• Consider wearing makeup for the interview to eliminate shine on your face. Women should keep your makeup simple and don’t over complicate things. If your interview is through a news program, ask if they have a makeup artist who can do your makeup for you, since they will understand what looks best on camera. If not, bring your own and choose a lip and eyeshadow color that highlights your facial features but doesn’t take away from the clothing or accessories you are wearing.

What It All Means

Thought leaders shouldn’t dismiss the importance of style in today’s workplace. Fashion can be a potent tool for leaders and can have an impact on confidence level, employee opinion, and even how a customer feels about the brand.

Dressing for thought leadership doesn’t mean dressing expensively. The cotton t-shirt can be just as powerful a form of communication as an Italian suit. Today’s fashion-forward leaders dress with purpose and authenticity, giving careful thought to the image and identity they want to convey to those around them.

Fashion should no longer be an afterthought of leadership. As the public clamors for more insight into leaders’ personal lives (from what to eat to their morning routines to what they wear to sleep), every part of a leader’s image becomes critically important. A recent study by Stanford University even found that “shareholders pay attention to matters involving the personal lives of CEOs and take this information into account when making investment decisions.”

This level of scrutiny by stakeholders can be stifling, but it can also be freeing. There is no “norm” in fashion anymore. Leaders are not just able but encouraged to wear clothing that aligns with their identities and values. This is a remarkable opportunity for personal brand building.

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