What Kind of First Impression Are You Making?
5 surprising ways others judge you
When you meet someone for the first time or simply pass a stranger on the street, it’s human nature to make assumptions about them: He’s conceited and lazy, she’s rich and friendly, that little girl is a huge brat. And you may have wondered what people think of you the first time they lay eyes on you.
“When it comes to appearance, how you put yourself together matters more than being conventionally pretty,” says Brandy Mychals, author of How to Read a Client from Across the Room (McGraw-Hill, 2012). “A job interview can be over before you even sit down because the person has already made snap judgments.”
Some of the ways others come to those opinions aren’t what you may expect. Check out these five things people rate you by so you can make that tenth of a second count and wow everyone at first sight.
You can never have too many shoes—and people judge you based on every single pair. In a study published in Journal of Research in Personality, researchers found that people could accurately guess a stranger’s age, gender, and income simply by looking at what was on their feet. They also associated certain personality traits with different shoes. More masculine-looking pairs were thought to be worn by less agreeable people, while stylish or attractive shoes were assumed to be donned by rich, conscientious folks. And people rocking those ankle boots that are so in right now came across as aggressive.
