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One day, three-month-old Elizabeth Holmes fraud case It will be fodder not just for tech experts or historians looking at how we got to this point, but for anyone who considers how we have shaped the perceptions and subconscious biases of others. There has been a case study of the use of clothing and style to influence opinion (public and judiciary) and at least to influence people, if not make friends. Or try.
Once the verdict is out, the transformation of Theranos’ great founder from black-clad genius to proper milquetoast will be an integral part of the story. Did it work, or was it a seemingly transparent effort to play the associative card? Rarely has there been a sharp example of Before and After.
The reinvention began before the trial officially began, when Ms. Holmes first appeared in court in San Jose, California, to appear in court in April.
he was gone signature black turtleneck and black trousers; Gone are the bright red lipstick and blonde hair that has been ironed flat like a board or pulled into a bun. In other words, the look immortalized on it is gone. magazine covers Fortune, Forbes and attractiveness (and yes, T: The New York Times Style Magazine). inspiring look ironic imitators at the beginning of his case. A look that makes a famous nod to both Steve Jobs (but glamorous!) and Audrey Hepburn. Drawing on the Silicon Valley myth of the beloved mind of the tech world, that owning a uniform means having more time to think about the important things rather than clothes.
Instead… there was sartorial neutrality in the form of light gray trousers and a light blue button-down shirt. More like a college student working on an adult interview look than being the brainchild of a multimillion-dollar scam scheme.
By the time the opening discussions began in September, the new look was perfect: a nameless skirt suit (or dress and jacket or pantsuit) in a color so casual that it almost disappeared into the background. Her hair was gathered in loose waves around her face like Christie Brinkley or the “The Bachelor” contestant. The face masks were light blue and green, the colors of nature. There was no strong heel or strong shoulder in sight. The only piece of her outfit that was branded in any way was her diaper bag backpack (her son was born in July). freshly picked and costs about $175.
It’s not cheap, but it’s not like the Hermès bag Martha Stewart carried During her insider trading lawsuit in 2004, she sparked the allow-eat cake comparisons and became a classic example of what not to wear in court—especially when you’re accused of misusing funds. (On the other hand, when Cardi B He went to court with Hermès to reject a plea bargain in a misdemeanor assault case, the over-the-top bag serving as a symbolic response to the idea that the rapper was a street brawler.)
The net effect of Ms. Holmes’ makeup was as a mid-level executive or backup secretary character in a streaming series about the lords of the universe (but not she! It was the most capable kind of code changing. It was relevant.
After all, one of the stereotypes of Silicon Valley superstars is that they’re different: talking in little bits, being more about machines than people; literally living in a different reality. When you want the jury to sympathize with your plight, you should get them to imagine themselves in your place. This means that if you don’t like them, you should at least look like someone they might know.
as an article in the magazine American Bar Association Say: “How you dress affects how a jury or judge treats you. The goal is not to appear appropriate and threatening without distracting from the case. ”
Author Brenda Swauger advises clients to avoid bright colors (check) and keep it simple (check) and conservative (check). Gloria Allred, famous lawyer including her clients Rachel Uchitel and Bill Cosby’s accusers advise people to dress as if they were “church,” as he once said, for court. New York Times.
Such images touch our lizard brain, conjuring up impressions of power (or lack thereof), threat (or not), and agency. To put it simply: if in her previous incarnation the image of Miss Holmes was crafted for confidence, control and a determined, perhaps brutal, pursuit of a goal – and it clearly worked, it’s part of the case for investors – now conveys softness. and addiction was so unpretentious that he could have been the perfect target for a man to reach Svengali, as his defense claimed.
(Mrs. Holmes’ lawyers did so, although she described her ex-boyfriend and Theranos partner Ramesh Balwani’s efforts to control what he ate and how he encountered it, and offered a text that said “I shaped you” as proof. Don’t say it, which at least suggests that the image creation is entirely his own.)
In this, her makeup is like version 2.0 of the techniques she uses. Winona Ryder in the 2002 robbery caseWhen Peter Pan wears a Marc Jacobs outfit, complete with a collar as well as a variety of knee-length hemlines and headbands, making him look like a classy schoolgirl; or anna sorokinIn the final days of the 2019 trial, the socialite crook wearing sweet doll dresses that almost screamed “innocent”.
While interesting to follow, these strategies did not ultimately prove effective. Both Ms. Ryder and Ms. Sorokin were found guilty. Maybe Miss Holmes will be more successful. On this, the jury is already out.
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