The Power of a Uniform to tell a story

Posted on November 15, 2021

The power of a uniform to tell a story

I recently watched the 2016 film, Sully, for probably the third time. There are films I will watch–and books I will read–multiple times, as I seem to pick up something new each time. Something I had not noticed before. This time watching Sully was no exception.

In case you’re not familiar with it, Sully is based on the true-life 2009 emergency landing of US Airways flight 1549 in New York’s Hudson River. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film stars Tom Hanks as captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. Even though everyone on board survived the emergency water landing, Sully still had to contend with an investigation into whether he had acted appropriately in the crisis. (That’s all I’ll say about the plot, if you haven’t yet seen it.)

A small detail in one scene stands out …

After the plane had landed and all passengers had safely exited, Captain Sullenberger went back one more time. He and his co-pilot wanted to make sure that no one was left, and that everything was ready for them to abandon the plane as well.

Right before he left the plane, Sully reached into the cockpit area and grabbed a folder of his official papers, and his uniform jacket. Up to that point, he was in his white shirt and tie. With the plane foundering in the water, he took the time to put on his jacket, button it, and straighten his appearance.

Sully wanted to exit the plane appearing as the captain, the man in charge. Not as a rumpled, frazzled, and desperate victim of an emergency. Sully understood that the passengers may look and feel that way. But as the captain, he also knew how he needed to appear to the passengers and crew, not to mention to the cameras that would soon broadcast his image around the world. He needed to be the captain, the man responsible for all 155 souls on board. This man was a leader, and he understood the importance of appearance in a situation like this.

After the rescue Sully was taken to a hotel for initial questions for the investigation that would follow. One of the first things he wanted to know is if he could have his uniform cleaned and pressed. Once again, he wanted to make sure that he came across as a professional, in command of the situation. Sully was aware of the power of appearance in how others perceived him. This was not just crass vanity. No, he knew that all eyes would be on him, and that to communicate his presence and authority the way he wanted, he needed to look the part of a competent airline pilot. His appearance was part of how he would accomplish his goals in this crisis situation.

What can we learn from Sully in this?

Obviously, we don’t want or need to dress like an airline pilot. I’m mindful of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in the film Catch Me If You Can, where he impersonated an airline pilot, among other things. To do so, wearing the pilot’s uniform was a key part of pulling off the ruse. So you see that even someone impersonating a role understands the power of the uniform to communicate.

Anyhow, there is of course a difference between actual formal uniforms, and the things that most of us wear everyday. We think of the uniforms worn by police officers, pilots, medical professionals, military personnel, athletes, clergy, bus drivers, park rangers, and so on. In each case, their uniform instantly communicates their identity, and we make certain assumptions about them based on that. That is actually the purpose of a uniform, so that the wearer quickly conveys their role and function. In many cases, those who wear uniforms take great pride in their appearance and how they maintain themselves.

I recently was in Washington, DC, and had a chance to visit Arlington National Cemetery, with the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I’ve been there several times, and it is moving and inspiring each time. Taking utmost care for their appearance, Tomb Sentinels spend up to eight hours preparing their uniform for a shift of guard duty. No detail is too small. They are aware of what, and whom they represent, and the power of appearance as part of that.

This past summer, my family visited Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Obviously, a very different experience than Arlington Cemetery. And yet, there are federal employees in uniform present in both locations. At Crater Lake, seeing the park rangers in their perfectly creased earth-tone uniforms, complete with badges and ranger hats, was rather comforting. It immediately identified them as someone you could approach with questions or for help. Their uniform conveyed that there is someone who has information, who knows the features of the park and its history. Oh, and the campaign-style ranger hats are just cool. But, you pretty much need to be a park ranger to pull off the look. The hat identifies them as an exclusive society.

On the other extreme would be something like looking like a rock star. The members of KISS, for example (who are now all in their 70s), crafted a certain look that became their instantly recognizable brand. Rock star outfits might not seem like a uniform, but they are.

Once again, most of us don’t wear an actual uniform on the day-to-day. But perhaps there are some principles we can learn from those who do.

Perhaps most importantly, simply recognizing that our appearance matters. It communicates something about who we are, and how we perceive ourselves. It influences how others will perceive us.

Even if we don’t wear a formal uniform, each of us can develop our own personal one.

Most people have a certain overall style that fits our personality, tastes, and everyday circumstances. Our clothing styles aren’t usually all over the place, but have a certain vibe that we curate.

We can cultivate that vibe with intentionality, or can just let it happen.

I propose that being intentional is better.

The things we put on our bodies, and the way we present ourselves, is the first thing people will see. In most cases, upon meeting someone, we make judgments about them within a few seconds.

How much better to control that narrative than to let someone else tell our story?

In the film, Sully wanted to create the narrative about his actions in the emergency landing of the plane, and to appear authoritative in control. He knew that his uniform was a key element of that narrative. Sully wore the jacket. He wanted it clean and pressed.

We can control our own narrative, and convey our own identity through our personal “uniform.” Likely, it won’t look like a uniform as such, and we can create it ourselves. But it will be an ensemble, even if it is casual clothing, that tells a story and communicates our identity and message.

Everyone wears clothes. It is one of the things that humanity has most in common. We choose to buy certain things, to pair them together, and choose what we will put on for a certain purpose.

I suggest that we simply be as intentional about this as possible, taking control of our own story and how we want to come across to others.

“Uniform,” for most of us, doesn’t need to mean looking the same as others. A personal uniform simply means taking control and curating how we want to appear. Taking control of our appearance is not weakness. It is a way of using one of the tools in our box of life skills to accomplish our goals.