You may have always suspected that what you wear has an effect on how you are perceived by others, especially when it comes to business, but did you know that the type of clothing you put on could make you behave in a certain way? A recent study reveals that clothes may have a greater impact on you than you ever imagined.

Apparently, it is not so much what you wear, but characteristics you personally associate with the type of person who would wear what you are clothed in that counts. If you perceive the clothing you have chosen to put on as being suitable for an intelligent person to wear for example, you are more likely to behave as though you have this characteristic.

The study which uncovered this information revealed that people wearing lab coats are more attentive. This finding has led to the assumption that what you wear goes, at least part way, to making you feel bright, sexy, dumb, creative, or any other characteristic you can imagine.

Findings are important because they could change the way people think about dressing. In the future, for example, if someone wanted to carry out a task that required a great deal of attention to detail and focus, they may wear a lab coat, but when they want to be artistic and creative, they may slip into floaty layers of clothing or a smock.

Although fashion designers will be able to provide examples of the type of clothing to wear to increase a certain mood, and thus behavior, what really matters will be individual thoughts about clothing, as what one person thinks of as being a sexy outfit for example, another may find crude. Wearing the same outfit could make one person ooze sex appeal, while the other becomes dumber.

A lot of this is speculation at the moment, as more tests need to be done. However, it is clear that what you wear, not only affects how you feel, but also makes a difference to how you act. Therefore, when considering fashion and style it could be beneficial for you to separate clothing in your wardrobe into how it may affect you, rather than simply by color and preference.

For example, if you want to paint a masterpiece, you may be better off wearing clothing you would imagine a master painter might wear, rather than overalls, and if you want to beat everyone at quiz night in your local alehouse, you might want to consider ditching your jeans and tee shirt, and wearing a power suit.