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Shakespeare had Polonius truly say, "The apparel oft…

“Shakespeare had Polonius truly say, "The apparel oft proclaims the man." (Hamlet, act 1, sc. 3). We are affected by our own outward appearances; we tend to fill roles. If we are in our Sunday best, we have little inclination for roughhousing; if we dress for work, we are drawn to work; if we dress…” quote by Spencer W. Kimball
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““Shakespeare had Polonius truly say, "The apparel oft proclaims the man." (Hamlet, act 1, sc. 3). We are affected by our own outward appearances; we tend to fill roles. If we are in our Sunday best, we have little inclination for roughhousing; if we dress for work, we are drawn to work; if we dress immodestly, we are tempted to act immodestly; if we dress like the opposite sex, we tend to lose our sexual identity or some of the characteristics that distinguish the eternal mission of our sex. Now I hope not to be misunderstood: I am not saying that we should judge one another by appearance, for that would be folly and worse; I am saying that there is a relationship between how we dress and groom ourselves and how we are inclined to feel and act. By seriously urging full conformity with the standards, we must not drive a wedge between brothers and sisters, for there are some who have not heard or do not understand. They are not to be rejected or condemned as evil, but rather loved the more, that we may patiently bring them to understand the danger to themselves and the disservice to the ideals to which they owe loyalty, if they depart from their commitments. We hope that the disregard we sometimes see is mere thoughtlessness and not deliberate. [Ensign, Mar. 1980, 2, 4]””

Spencer W. Kimball

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Clothing influences behavior and self‑perception, shaping how we act and are judged by others.

In simple terms: What we wear affects how we act and are seen.

Key Takeaway

Dress mindfully to align behavior with values.

Themes

identity appearance behavior conformity judgment

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

  • job interviews
  • religious gatherings
  • social events
  • personal branding

Key Concepts

social psychology symbolic interaction self‑presentation

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does your attire affect your confidence?
  • Can you separate appearance from character?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on appearance can lead to superficial judgments and exclude authentic self‑expression.

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