Stranger's Reactions to your Clothes?

[Fade to Black]

the question is suspect. in five years of customer service i've learned that if you meet someone already expecting to dislike them, you probably will, and likewise the inverse. cf. confirmation bias, and these two papers.

from the second, "smiling will accentuate a positive emotional experience, but will have no effect on a negative experience."

allowing yourself the option of pre-judging others means you'll often be "right," but nobody should fool themselves into thinking the game isn't rigged.

...

all of this is very true. If someone is committed towards misunderstanding you, you can't convince 'em.

[Resonkuken]

"Have you seen A Knight's Tale? You look like Heath Ledger when he goes to the big ball and has all the--he looks ridiculous."

Not sure how to take this.

Well, heath ledger was a good looking guy, so I´d take it as a compliment.

[Faust]

all of this is very true. If someone is committed towards misunderstanding you, you can't convince 'em.

heh

[cjbreed]

the question is suspect. in five years of customer service i've learned that if you meet someone already expecting to dislike them, you probably will, and likewise the inverse. cf. confirmation bias, and these two papers.

from the second, "smiling will accentuate a positive emotional experience, but will have no effect on a negative experience."

allowing yourself the option of pre-judging others means you'll often be "right," but nobody should fool themselves into thinking the game isn't rigged.

...

this is all true but this is not all there is to it. i think the whole truth is a little more murky. isn't it possible that there are exceptions to every stereotype, or "rule", but that cliches and stereotypes exist for a reason? they aren't just invented for the heck of it?

i'm talking about little things. not big things.

i realize its a touchy topic fraught with pitfalls. but funny and interesting none the less...

[drew]

this is all true but this is not all there is to it. i think the whole truth is a little more murky. isn't it possible that there are exceptions to every stereotype, or "rule", but that cliches and stereotypes exist for a reason? they aren't just invented for the heck of it?

i'm talking about little things. not big things.

i realize its a touchy topic fraught with pitfalls. but funny and interesting none the less...

False assumptions are often anchored in flawed heuristics carried over from generation to generation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

^Some of these apply to human interactions

[MJRH]

this is all true but this is not all there is to it. i think the whole truth is a little more murky. isn't it possible that there are exceptions to every stereotype, or "rule", but that cliches and stereotypes exist for a reason? they aren't just invented for the heck of it?

i'm talking about little things. not big things.

i realize its a touchy topic fraught with pitfalls. but funny and interesting none the less...

yes, but pitfalls are caused by people applying stereotypes to individuals, instead merely of inferring them from. as soon as you lump somebody into a 'class' your attitude toward them changes and a feedback loop is set up. i wasn't saying this topic should be avoided, i was saying it's a much better topic for theory than for practice (and i was afraid you were suggesting the latter).

to relate this to fashion: one of the ways this comes into play is active involvement in and play with the manner in which your physical appearance conforms to or distorts potential stereotypes - the way you use your race, age, height, bearing and other visually ripe signifiers in the context of what you wear determines the extent to which you look like a walking cliche or goon. i think of the confidence with which katharine hepburn wore trousers in the 30s...

[Faust]

/\ bingo. well said.

[cjbreed]

^agreed. good post. well said.

.....i wasn't saying this topic should be avoided, i was saying it's a much better topic for theory than for practice (and i was afraid you were suggesting the latter)...

come on now. y'all know me better than that.

[MJRH]

i thought i did, but i never trust anyone with duck-face

i liked ftb's post as well, simply never stereotype anyone in a way you wouldn't wanna be yourself. (whooops...)

[Lane]

paul harnden jackets have some sturdy fibers to say the least

[kavaj]

How the hell can one look like a skinhead and a goth at the same time?

[VERY1]

I was wearing my Rick long, sleeveless knit. Basically a knee-length vest.

I ran into a friend who hadn't seen me wear it. He wondered why I was "wearing a dress."

Of course, the only thing that matters is that I love how it looks in the mirror.

[Faust]

A very pretty black girl did not charge me for the coffee at pret a manger. Must be the Harnden.

[noise]

at a party this drunk guy asked (well actually told) me if I read GQ then whispered that he wanted me to fuck all his female friends. terrifying experience.

[noise]

a lady never tells.