礼节美语 Business Etiquette 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 psychology¹.  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 reminder² 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 makeup³ go on, they look in the mirror and their brains are able to shift into the role.

　　A: The symbolic⁴ 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。

1 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

2 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

3 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

4 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。