268 You Are What You Wear 2

Cathy 跟同事Adam 正在讨论,一个人的穿着是否会对他的精神状态产生影响。Adam 说,

A:  Have you ever heard the saying, "clothes make the man"? It might be truer than we imagine.

C: When a police officer or firefighter puts on their uniform it must affect their psychology.  It probably gives them a sense of responsibility and authority.

A: Absolutely. When a judge puts on that heavy black robe it transmits an image of power, but it also serves as a reminder to the judge of the responsibility of their position.

C: I know when I'm wearing a nice suit I feel a lot more confident. If I'm going out for a night on the town and I'm all dressed up I feel a lot better about myself than if I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
 
英语里有一种说法叫 clothes make the man. 相当于中文里说的人靠衣服马靠鞍。Adam 说,这句老话恐怕比我们想的更有道理。警察穿上警服,消防员穿上消防服,法官穿上黑色长袍,都会平添一种使命感和权威感,Cathy 说,她每次穿西装,也会倍感自信,还说,晚上出去吃饭消遣时,如果 dressed up 精心打扮,就会自我感觉更好。Cathy说的, go out for a night on the town, 是一种固定说法,意思是出去吃饭,喝酒,看节目,消遣。

A: Yeah, I think everyone recognizes that part about the power of clothes....but that's not exactly why I wear a tie to work every day.

C: You wear it because you think it makes you smarter.

A: Yes. I think putting on a shirt and tie actually affects the way my brain works.

C: That's a very interesting concept!

A: My eyes look down and see what I'm wearing and my brain gets a reminder that I'm a businessman.... and I think the brain responds to expectations.

Adam 说,他每天都穿西装打领带,不是给别人看的,更多的是在提醒自己,随时提醒自己是商界人士,这样大脑就会做出反应,做出的事,说出的话都会更加得体。

C: It's kind of like an actor trying to play a role...you have to have the right costume!

A: I think that's a good way of expressing it! I'm sure it's much harder for actors and actresses to get into character before they put on the right costume.

C: Yeah....but after the clothes and the makeup go on, they look in the mirror and their brains are able to shift into the role.

A: The symbolic meaning of a tie is "business" and so for me it's an identifying symbol that I think affects both how others see me and how I see myself.

C: Interesting.....hmm.....maybe I should start wearing a suit.

这就跟演员穿上戏服,才能进入角色一样。Adam 觉得,这样比喻恰如其分,that's a good way of expressing it.  演员穿上戏服,化好妆,看着镜子里的自己,他们的大脑就会做出反应,help them to shift into the role. 帮他们进入角色。Adam 最后说,西装领带,对他来说就是一种定位的象征符号,不仅影响到别人对他的看法,也会影响到他自己的精神状态。 Clothes make the man, 也可以说,you are what you wear, 人靠衣服马靠鞍。