How much does clothing tell you?

Excerpted from Schuman's blog, regarding the pictures below:

“Where to start? - the "retro" extended shirt collar - the 3-pc. suit worn without a hint of stuffiness - the simple brown/grey color story - the playfulness of purple socks But the single most important element of this look! - the masterfully/effortlessly rolled (almost punched) brim of his hat. Really, doesn't that one element of his look tell you everything you need to know about this gentleman?”


These photographs are very much in the style of Schuman. His pictures are much like the style that he describes of the people of Milan: many variations on a single style. Nearly all of Schuman’s pictures follow the same format: a clear subject taking up most of the foreground, and a blurred background that complements the rest of the photograph nicely. I especially like the placement of the cardboard box in the second photograph, which provides necessary balance.
But these pictures cause me to wonder how much we can learn about somebody through their clothing. Not as much, I believe, as Schuman thinks. I realize that clothing is a mode of expression, and that what we choose to wear does, to some degree, affect how we are perceived. But is our attire really such a definitive indicator of our personality? Theoretically, if this well-dressed gentleman were to find another man who is homeless and dressed in tattered rags, the two could switch clothes. Now, which one is the classy, understated, collected, somewhat playful gentleman? Though clothing is a reflection of our persona, I think that Schuman ascribes it too much power.