Chess Fashion

So what do you think? Does what you wear matter if you want to be successful? I certainly think the clothing you put on can influence your mood, especially if your style contrasts with the people around you. If you go to a fancy wedding in jeans and a t-shirt, you might feel a bit awkward in the crowd, and this could influence your confidence when socializing with the other wedding guests. On the contrary, if you happen to dress your best at a social gathering, it might be just the boost you need to interact more with people who may have previously seemed intimidating to you. I am not saying that this is how it SHOULD be, but I think it is true for a lot of people that they feel more at ease when wearing attractive clothing.

What does this have to do with chess? When I look up chess grandmasters, more often than not, they compete at the highest level in formal wear. The men wear suits, and the women wear dresses or blouses and slacks. I think this can really help them with their mental focus when they take the time to look their best. Even in more casual attire, if the clothing of choice is clean, pressed, and suitable to the player's personality, I think the overall impact is the same. My conclusion is that clothing is important.

As rookies, I think we can take a page from the professionals' books and dress for success. What that means for each player is as different as the personalities of the players themselves. I think the important elements are that you feel comfortable in what you are wearing and that what you put on for a chess competition is different than your everyday outfit.

I have two examples when I think the clothes I wore actually had an impact on my chess meetings. The first example is when I come directly from work to the chess park to play. I am a teacher at a school, and so I try to dress in a polished and professional way when I go to work. If I do not have time to stop by my home, I will go directly to the chess club, and my outfit often stands out against the backdrop of the jeans and t-shirt crowd. In those cases, I do tend to play a little stronger since my brain goes to a more serious, no-nonsense mode. This is kind of interesting to me because I love to teach at my school in a fun, less serious way, but out in public, my work dresses speak to professionalism. The second example is when I had two chess dresses specially made for me. I drew the style of dress that I would like, bought the fabric, and paid my friend to sew the dresses that make me feel happy when I wear them. Originally, I was just going to have one made, but since I completely misjudged how much fabric I would need, I commissioned a second, and I am glad I did, because they really do bring me joy to put them on. The purpose of the chess dress was to stand out at a chess tournament I was hosting at my school. More than 100 people turned out for the event as players, volunteers, and spectators, and I knew there would be a lot of questions all along the way. By wearing my chess dress (and chess headband, chess earrings, and even chess socks!), anytime anyone had a question, they could find the "crazy chess lady" in the crowd. For me, wearing my chess outfit put me in such a silly happy mood that even things that would normally annoy me, didn't phase me at all.

Since the chess tournament, I have worn my chess dresses to the chess park, where I play often. When new players see me at the chess board, especially if I have my nails painted in a chess theme, I always get a smile or a positive comment, and that sets the dial on the atmosphere to FUN! And THIS is how I want to enjoy my time in the park.

I wonder if any of the men and women here ever wear chess-themed clothes just for fun. Or maybe something formal makes you feel fabulous? Feel free to share your story in the comments. Until next time...

Cheers!