NORTHERN PLANNER

What you wear matters. You may well be one of those people who thinks it's silly to be bothered with what your clothes and shoes say about you, but it's simply a fact of the human condition.

Most of human communication is non-verbal. We respond to how people appear, how they make us feel. Not what they say.

Our instincts have been honed for millions of years to make instant judgements about what we see, without really thinking about it.

It saved us from wondering if we should run from a saber toothed tiger and help choose the women with child bearing hips and the men with broad, strong shoulders.

And anyone who works in the communications industry, who probably argues with clients over design detail like making the logo bigger and such, who then believes they are exempt from the rules of visual branding are kidding themselves.

Like it or not, how you dress has a massive effect on how others view you. You're a planner, you're supposed to have your finger on the pulse, an approachable nerd, someone with intelligence and imagination.

In short, you want to look like a planner- clever but with imagination.

Of course, many reject the idea of some sort of uniform, which is fair enough. Many try and push directly against the idealised image of what people expect them to be. But be aware of what that communicates to other people though.

So how might a planner want to come accross?

There's the hipster, so achingly in touch with what's happening in culture before it's even happening.

There's the bourgeois bohemian. Usually seen in obscure extreme sports wear. Despite being part of capitalism in a big way, they see right through it. They're beyond consumerism, which is why they're so good at manipulating it for clients.

There's the scruff. Usually found in faded jeans, t-shirts on their last legs and wearing jumpers with holes in. They haven't got time to worry about stuff like image, they're too distracted and intelligently useless to dress themselves properly.

There is the creative. Overtly trying to show they want to liberate great work, and could probably do it themselves. A variation on the Bourgeois Bohemian but with more Ironic t-shirts.

And finally,the character.Someone who carefully crafts a persona to make them more memorable. The novel choice of footwear, the motorhead t-shirts etc.

Which one are you? Or more importantly, which one do you want to be? Recieved wisdom tells us you shouldn't dress for the job you have, but the one you want.