The Ultimate Body Language Book

especially as the evening progresses. Having un-pressed pants, dirty shoes or even no shoes, at all
provide details of other people’s disposition. Using inappropriately loose or tight clothing can also give
us clues as to the nature of the person. Removing a tie midday under a strict dress code indicates that
the person is rebellious and defiant or unbuttoning a blouse to show more cleavage could lead to being
labeled easy or a seductress. Even wearing casual clothing by superiors can be seen as a power-play.
We call this dressing “against the grain” and it gains its full meaning when it is done in a calculated
way. The boss, due to his status, can show up in his tennis shoes and shorts – late for a meeting,
because it is him that sets the rules and not his employees. Dressing against the grain says, “I’m a
powerful person, I make my own rules.”
Certain new policies in new age companies allow more relaxed dress which, not only shows their
progressive attitudes and desire to act entrepreneurial, but also the force new age employees are
demanding. Dress plays a big part in first and daily impressions and also provides excellent cues to be
read in others. To read someone in their entirety and give off the best impressions possible, we should
be mindful of the nonverbal cues we give off with respect to dress and also those that are given off by
others. Just remember that while judging people by the way they look and being judged for the same is
not fair, but very little in life is, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Ignoring nonverbal signal
emitted by clothing, piercings, tattoos, chains, baggy pants and dirty worn clothing is a surefire way to
alienate and turn people off. Do so at your own peril!
Chapter 2 – The Basics Of Understanding Body Language
Preening
Preening between two people is a sign of affection.
Preening includes anything done to maintain our physical appearance such as fixing our hair, washing
our bodies, wearing clean, matching clothing, brushing our teeth and so forth. In an evolutionary
context, preening signifies that we are healthy and in a good state of mind. Have you ever thought
about why birds usually have white under-feathers especially around their rear ends? It has been