In a way that’s mildly subtly intimidating, in order to bring out the Bruce in the other person. I seem to recall a study that showed that when randomly dividing sports players into wearing red jerseys and blue jerseys, the red team won a statistically significant larger percentage of the time—maybe a 1% edge or something from red?
So I’d go clean, straight lines on a strong red clothing, maybe with a little black mixed in, impeccable grooming, and otherwise just look you’re going to win. If it makes someone say “fuck it” and not do the combat math in their head just one time because your opponent has mentally crumbled, then your odds are improved.
I seem to recall a study that showed that when randomly dividing sports players into wearing red jerseys and blue jerseys, the red team won a statistically significant larger percentage of the time—maybe a 1% edge or something from red?
I have a female acquaintance who has a special outfit that she wears to the normally male-dominated Magic drafts and tournaments. This outfit is designed to distract her opponent to the point where he is not able to compete effectively. I can personally attest to its effectiveness.
If you have a deck that gives the opponent the opportunity to make stupid mistakes of carelessness, such that him underestimating you increases your chances of winning, then think up the stereotype of the worst magic player (whiny stupid arrogant rich kid?), and dress like that.
Though indeed, unlike many situations (work, romance, being a teacher in front of a class, going to a LessWrong meetup), that’s one situation where you don’t care much about how people will judge you in general. So you don’t care about how you dress (also, you don’t care about Belching loudly and spitting on the ground, you can do those too).
If you want to have friendly conversations at a Magic tournament you may want to avoid giving a bad impression, you may still want to care a bit about clothing, though since that aspect doesn’t matter much (unlike in dating or for job interviews), people won’t expect each other to pay that much attention to it and wear whatever’s comfortable.
(Some people go to Magic tournament with “being admired” as a goal they wouldn’t mind reaching; clothes can help for that)
Dressing like a mathematician will not make you one. Dressing like a clown will make you a clown.
Fashion will not affect your skill, outside of making you more (or less) comfortable, which in turn could affect performance.
A socially calibrated sense of fashion could help you get noticed and gain reputation among peers in any community.
How should I dress to improve my chances of winning a Magic: the Gathering tournament?
In a way that’s mildly subtly intimidating, in order to bring out the Bruce in the other person. I seem to recall a study that showed that when randomly dividing sports players into wearing red jerseys and blue jerseys, the red team won a statistically significant larger percentage of the time—maybe a 1% edge or something from red?
So I’d go clean, straight lines on a strong red clothing, maybe with a little black mixed in, impeccable grooming, and otherwise just look you’re going to win. If it makes someone say “fuck it” and not do the combat math in their head just one time because your opponent has mentally crumbled, then your odds are improved.
2nd and 3rd articles mentioned here
I have a female acquaintance who has a special outfit that she wears to the normally male-dominated Magic drafts and tournaments. This outfit is designed to distract her opponent to the point where he is not able to compete effectively. I can personally attest to its effectiveness.
Don’t wear jeans, I hear they’re bringing denimwalk back.
If you have a deck that gives the opponent the opportunity to make stupid mistakes of carelessness, such that him underestimating you increases your chances of winning, then think up the stereotype of the worst magic player (whiny stupid arrogant rich kid?), and dress like that.
Though indeed, unlike many situations (work, romance, being a teacher in front of a class, going to a LessWrong meetup), that’s one situation where you don’t care much about how people will judge you in general. So you don’t care about how you dress (also, you don’t care about Belching loudly and spitting on the ground, you can do those too).
If you want to have friendly conversations at a Magic tournament you may want to avoid giving a bad impression, you may still want to care a bit about clothing, though since that aspect doesn’t matter much (unlike in dating or for job interviews), people won’t expect each other to pay that much attention to it and wear whatever’s comfortable.
(Some people go to Magic tournament with “being admired” as a goal they wouldn’t mind reaching; clothes can help for that)
If you’re female… in a sexually revealing manner.
[note: any implicit assumptions intended for the purpose of humour.]
I have “Tap: Take control of target player’s girlfriend” tshirt from Essential Magic just for that.
It may distract the opponent just enough.
Dressing like a mathematician will not make you one. Dressing like a clown will make you a clown.
Fashion will not affect your skill, outside of making you more (or less) comfortable, which in turn could affect performance. A socially calibrated sense of fashion could help you get noticed and gain reputation among peers in any community.