What can spiderman 2 teach us about self presentation?

I watched Spiderman 2 last night with my kids.  I love costumes in movies and how they reflect the emotions the characters are going through.  As you know, Harry Osborne, Spiderman’s best bud, makes a transformation from preppy college student to businessman to a rebellious criminal, and his clothing reflects the change.  When watching the movie, what he is wearing blends so well with the attributes of the character that you hardly notice the clothes.  Harry is the college student because he looks and acts like one. Take away the costume or change his appearance and it becomes much harder to sell the character.  Are we much different than the characters in the movies?  Do we not have our own unique roles and goals?  Just as the actor's appearance puts him into character, our appearance has a direct impression on how we, not only look and are perceived by others, but also by how we feel about ourselves.   

Below Harry (right) and Peter (left) are on a college campus.  Harry's clean hair cut, slim fit jacket, narrow tie and vest show that he is young, hip, and has money.  Which are all true characteristics of Harry during this scene.  

Below, Harry is speaking in the board room to a group of older men.  His dark suit, white shirt and dark tie communicate that he is in authority, which he is.  He was just made president of the company with his father's passing.  

In this last picture, Harry is rebelling against the company and being escorted out by guards.  What's he wearing?  A leather jacket and t-shirt.  Remind you of anyone else?  

How about the "Rebel Without A Cause"?  

So how does this movie end?  Well Spiderman wins, of course, and Harry ends up in jail….for the moment.  But as the audience, we completely buy the transformation of Harry from college kid to deranged villain.  Dane DeHaan, the actor who plays Harry, is talented and performed well in the movie. Consider how talented he would have appeared had the costumes been switched….dark leather jacket and tee as the college student and clean cut preppy blazer and tie as the criminal about to be put in jail.  The messages would have been confusing, would conflict with the character's role, and would not be believable.  

The moral of this story?  Your self-presentation tells others what you're about, what your roles and goals are.  The problem is that so many can't get out of their own way enough to see what others are seeing and refuse to acknowledge the affect their appearance has on themselves.   If you feel like you are sending mixed messages, book our Personal Style Clinic to get a fresh look at who you want to be and how to get there.  

Unfortunately, stereotypes are alive and well.  If you don't want to be seen as a stereotype, then don't dress like one.