Clothing and workspace design as nonverbal communication

¶ … Communication

The color and style of a person's clothing can reveal much about their lifestyle, profession, or personality. For example, a man wearing a business suit would not be mistaken for a construction worker. Someone with a blue Mohawk declares his or her taste in music and attitudes toward authority.

Clothing is often event-specific. For example, the same woman might wear a jogging suit while at the gym but then changes into a skirt suit when she goes to the office. When in her jogging suit the woman sends nonverbal cues such as, "I care about my health so I exercise." If her jogging suit is from an expensive designer then she also sends a nonverbal message about her income level or what she values in general.

Regardless of what a person wears, their overall appearance also sends nonverbal communication cues. For example, a person's hair style and color can send nonverbal messages. Generally, grooming tends to send more cues than actual style. For example, a person with long hair can look unkempt and therefore signals a lack of self-respect or confidence; or a person with long hair that is beautifully brushed and coiffed may signal vanity. Whether or not a man shaves, and general grooming patterns including smells can reveal a lot about a person's lifestyle, the message they are trying to send about themselves, and the impression they are trying to make on others.