Clothes And Accessories That Communicate Secret Meanings

The way you dress says a lot about you. It can tell people what job you have, where you go to school, what religion you belong to, or what political party you associate yourself with.

Some dress codes are quite overt—we know that doctors wear scrubs and that policemen wear uniforms, but the dress codes on this list are more like secret codes. They only have meaning to people in the know. Read on to find out what messages your clothing might be projecting to other people.

How It Started

So, a Reddit user who goes by the handle Gradyleb asked the internet:

“What are some hidden dress codes people wear to identify themselves that you have to already know about to notice?”

How It’s Going

People were quick to chime in with their ideas and insider knowledge. As of now, the post has close to five thousand replies.

That’s a lot of secret dress codes! Here are some of the most interesting.

Engineers Wear Pinky Rings

It’s a tradition in Canada for engineers to receive a simple metal pinky ring on the day that they graduate.

If you ever see someone wearing one of those rings, you can be sure that they’re an engineer.

This Horse Kicks

All equestrians know that a red ribbon tied to a horse’s tail means you should watch yourself because this horse has a tendency to kick if another horse or a person gets too close.

Now you know, too.

Undercover Police In Japan

One Reddit user mentioned that there are undercover police all over Japan.

You can always tell who they are because even when not in uniform, they still wear navy pants and black shoes.

Ties Have Meaning

Reddit user brkh47 wrote:

“Ties in specific designs can signify which university you attended or private club you belong to, to such an extent that with certain tiemakers in the UK, you have to prove membership before you can buy the tie.”

A Shoelace Belt Means That You’re A Skater

Apparently, wearing a shoelace is a belt signifies to other people that you enjoy skateboarding as a hobby.

Maybe that’s how Avril Lavigne knew that she was dating a “sk8er boi.”

What Scientologists Wear In Clearwater

Reddit user bemery96 wrote:

“When I was working in Clearwater, Florida, all of the Scientologists wore white shirts and blue pants.” The guy in this picture is not a Scientologist, but he could have fooled me with that outfit…

The Same Shirt

Reddit user offthepoint added: “I used to wonder why certain people in my office would wear the same colors as each other sometimes. Turns out they were listening to a radio station here in NYC that would suggest a color for you to wear that day.”

Hats Have Meaning

Reddit user Dreamersvoid wrote:

“So this is probably a very specific Norwegian thing, but the color of your hat is signaling your availability when hiking in the mountains. Red hat means taken, green means available (and orange means that you’re open for a chat). This is important knowledge if you’re trying to pull a Norwegian because hiking is the only (non-alcoholic) activity where a Norwegian will ever talk to a stranger. Ever.”

Wearing Red In China

Reddit user dtnmango wrote, “In China, your zodiac year is your unlucky year (so your unlucky year occurs once every 12 years). The way to mitigate the unlucky-ness of the said year is to wear some form of the color red each day. Doesn’t need to be a completely red outfit, just something that has red as a part of the pattern.

“But wearing red every day is a dead give away for their age (24, 36, 48, 60) in the workplace, thus explaining the phenomenon of the red underwear gift. The red underwear is a way to beat the unluckiness of your zodiac year while blending in.”

A Gold Earring

Reddit user justalittleprickly wrote, “It’s an old sailors tradition to wear a golden earring. (Don’t know if it’s just the Netherlands or worldwide) but some of the mainly fishermen towns here have their own specific type of golden earring. So if you see a Dutch guy wearing a big golden earring with a detailed design, you know he comes from a fishermen town.

“(Golden earring tradition was historically done in case a fisherman would fall overboard, the golden earring could cover the costs of a proper burial).”

A Pineapple Print Shirt

Apparently, if you are spotted on a cruise wearing a pineapple print shirt, it means that you’re a swinger.

That means that you should be careful not to wear a pineapple shirt if you’re not into that sort of thing.

Cat Hair Means You Have A Cat

Some people took a more tongue-in-cheek approach to this Reddit prompt.

One user wrote that the fact that she has cat hair all over her clothes “secretly” means that she has a cat.

Socks With Sandals

Another user said that if a person is spotted wearing socks with sandals, it means they’ve pretty much given up on life.

Well, that’s a shrewd observation. Maybe this doesn’t apply to every person who wears socks with sandals…

How To Tell If Somebody Is Rich

Reddit user Time-box128 wrote:

“If you’re actually rich, you’re not flashing brands. The rich rich of California wear subtly expensive workout or hiking clothes as much as humanly possible. Patagonia, north face, Columbia, etc. Logos are gauche. Also, for women’s jewelry, you’ll see a lot of subtle wealth and minimalism—nothing big or clunky or super sparkly. My experience mostly in LA, Santa Barbara, and SF!”

Different Kinds Of Hijabs

Reddit user Concentrate83 wrote:

“Head coverings vary among observant Muslim women from different countries. The kind many people think of is the Saudi Arabian style that has become more popular in the last decade or so. A cool one is the different traditional head coverings between Kazakhs (white scarf with a part tied back like a nurses cap), Uighurs (colorful scarf and tied in front or behind the neck), and the Hui (a cap with cloth coming down the sides) — all groups found in China (depending on how you feel about groups leaving to be independent). I think it’s like people from different countries tying knots.”

Japanese Tattoos

Reddit user Belums wrote:

“Here in Japan, tattoos are related to the Yakuza. Meaning, whether you are a Yakuza or not, people with tattoos are not allowed in numerous establishments like public baths, etc. Yakuza don’t generally flash their tattoos to the public, so they generally use long-sleeve shirts. Sometimes when they use short sleeves clothing they would use arm sleeves to cover up the arm tattoos. It’s a dead giveaway that these people are, or have been, mafia-related.”

Military Hats

Reddit user GGayleGold wrote:

“Another little secret of the military dress code has to do with hats. A person in uniform wearing a hat indoors indicates that they are armed. The weapon may be concealed or carried openly, but it is a fast way to determine who in a room has weapons.”

Sideways Belts

Reddit user PCGamerSam wrote

“If someone is wearing a belt but has the buckle on either side of their hips instead of the middle, it means they spend all day leaning over engine bays of hot rods and don’t want their belt buckle scratching the paintwork.”

A Handkerchief In The Back Pocket

Reddit user Jenskal wrote:

“Handkerchief in the back pocket is something the gay leathermen (or women) wear to symbolize they are on the hunt for a date.” That’s super interesting.

Real Riding Boots

Reddit user fourteendogs wrote:

“Horseback riders know that real riding boots have the zippers on the back or outside.” That is very true. You don’t want the boot zipper rubbing up against your horse’s side.

A Mount Gay Baseball Cap

Reddit user SchnarchendeSchwein wrote:

“I grew up spending a lot of time in the Great Lakes and overall sailing culture. The height of manliness is a pink ‘Mt. Gay’ baseball cap. No, I’m not joking.”

The Meaning Of A Red Shirt

Reddit user WaltMysterious79 wrote, “Red shirt means you’re expendable and aren’t coming back from the away mission alive.”

That’s a very specific Star Trek reference for those of you not in the know.

Rich Red Socks

Reddit user sw3enytodd wrote:

“I remember being told once that (in the UK) when a man wears red socks, it means he’s made it or is financially secure or something of that ilk.”

Which Side Is Your Flower On?

Reddit user hotandchunky wrote:

“My mom is from Hawaii and wears flowers in her hair every day. She said that wearing your flower on the left side of your head means you’re taken, and wearing it on the right means you’re single.”

The Irish Claddagh

Reddit user psychie1 shared that:

“There’s the Irish Claddagh ring, which has like a heart in two hands or something, and if you change the orientation of the heart and whether it’s inside or outside the hand it signifies being single, going steady, engaged, or married.”

The Significance Of The Style Of Kippah

According to Reddit user punkterminator:

“the style of kippah/yarmulke Jewish men wear can tell you how religious they are, where their family’s from, their political views, which sect they are/which rabbi they follow, etc.”

Polka Dot Caps In West Virginia

Reddit user PrincessDianaFPlus shared: “When I was a teenager in West Virginia, working-class, multi-generational kids wore these funny-looking polka dot caps with a downward-pointing brim. They were mostly worn by the kids who already had decided they were not going to college, whether by their own choice, or their own circumstances.

“They were welders’ caps. Welder is an aspirational job in the area, if you plan to stay there after graduation. They were signifying to others that they planned to stay and work in the same field their dads did.”