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。