Fashion Sense Needs Serious Common Sense

“I have a dream.”

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for you country?”

What do these famous quotes all have in common?

They were all given by influential figures in suits.

Let’s face it—attire can entirely influence a statement. Throughout history, the most famous quotes ever uttered are said by people wearing an outfit that reflects the statement. Moreover, a powerful statement made by an individual in a pair of shorts that read “Juicy” completely loses all credibility and makes the listeners question if the speaker is only speaking satirically.

There’s a reason president Barack Obama doesn’t stand up in front of thousands of people and deliver moving speeches in a t-shirt and ripped jeans. Talking about the devastation in Haiti or the recently devastated Japan requires a certain sophistication. Obviously, someone who wears a tuxedo or a suit is not automatically going to be a genius. Speaking politically incorrect while wearing a suit and hat doesn’t make anyone sound smart. However, the listeners may be more inclined to hear what the speaker has to say as a direct result of his or her sense of fashion. This philosophy is true in the opposite situation. If one is doing stand up comedy for a Comedy Central event, it is unlikely that that person would be wearing a tuxedo.

At the end of the day, fashion alters what someone says to a large degree. If one wishes to be taken seriously in a mature conversation, that particular individual should try to wear something that makes him or her look smarter.

Who seems like the more reliable source for an interview: someone wearing a polo and khakis, or someone wearing ripped jeans and a Calvin and Hobbes t-shirt?