Undeniable Proof That A Suit Makes You Smarter

by Peter White March 01, 2014

The world of work is a crowded place. You need a competitive advantage to stand out and looking great in a bespoke suit is one of our favourites. Amazingly, we have undeniable scientific proof that it works.

“What a strange power there is in clothing.”
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Noble Prize Winner

Northwestern University researchers Adam Galinsky and Hajo Adam found that wearing a scientists lab coat participants experienced significantly higher attention spans. Shockingly, when told the same garment was a artists smock, they experienced none of these benefits! Yet, the clothes we wear do not just influence others. Simply changing the colour of a sports team uniform can change performance (Frank & Gilovich, 1988) and produce dramatically different playing styles.

For example:

High schoolers clothing influences teachers perceptions of their intelligence (Behling & Williams, 1991),
Teaching assistants were judged more intelligent when wearing formal clothes (Morris, Gorham, Cohen, & Huffman, 1996)
Clients are more likely to return to a formally dressed therapist than a casually dressed one (Dacy & Brodsky, 1992).

So, how does a suit make you smarter? Researchers Joy V. Peluchette and Katherine Karl have revealed the same changes in self perception when wearing a suit - “Respondents felt most authoritative, trustworthy, and competent when wearing formal business attire”.

Thus, the influence of clothes depends on their meaning to you. So what should you wear to work? The simple process of getting dressed often seems trivial, but a piece of clothing can completely change the way we feel, think and act. Although the saying goes that clothes do not make the man, this research suggest that a great suit does hold a positive influence over its wearer!

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Considering Bespoke?

Every commission begins with a conversation. Here are answers to some of the questions we're often asked.

Business suits start from £999 for single or double breasted, and from £1,299 for a three-piece with waistcoat. Wedding suits start from £999, averaging around £1,500 depending on cloth and detailing.

The standard turnaround is 10 weeks from first fitting to collection. An express service is available in 5 weeks for an additional fee.

Yes. Alongside the York and London showrooms, Mullen & Mullen serves Sheffield and Manchester by arrangement, with fittings available at a client's home or office.

An independent, family-run business with over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on exceptional value: quality that speaks for itself without the inflated price tag. Fittings are in person and unhurried, built around a conversation about how a garment should look, fit, and feel, from a standout velvet jacket to a quietly sharp business suit.

The York showroom is at Unit 3, Middlethorpe Business Park, Sim Balk Ln, YO23 2BD, open by appointment Monday to Saturday, 9:30–5:30.

The London showroom is at 35 Sackville Street, Mayfair, W1S 3EG, open by appointment only.

Yes. Fittings can take place at a client's home or office instead of a showroom, at no extra call-out fee.

Bespoke shirts start from £180, made from English and European mill cloths with a choice of over 60 collar and cuff styles.

A bespoke suit is cut to a client's own measurements rather than a standard size, through a multiple-fitting process designed to get the fit right before it's finished. Cloth, lining, buttons, and detailing are all chosen individually rather than fixed in advance.

This individual approach also means better quality and longevity. A bespoke suit is made to fit and move with you, making it a garment built to last for years, not seasons.

Yes, alongside our bespoke suits, we also make bespoke shirts, overcoats, velvet dinner jackets, and shooting attire. Whatever the garment, the same approach applies: an unhurried, in-person fitting process built around getting the look, fit, and feel exactly right.