What should a hypnotist look like?
Well, in terms of physical characteristics, people of all shapes, sizes and races can be hypnotists and hypnotherapists. There are no specific ‘physical attributes’ required. And no, you don’t even need a piercing 40-yard stare and a neatly manscaped goatee beard, contrary to popular belief!
So, as our physical attributes don’t necessarily need to fit with established ‘stereotypes’, how then do we, as hypnotists and hypnotherapists create an appearance that conveys what we do?
It all comes down to clothing…
Hypnosis clothing
There are some clients who might expect you to be wearing a formal ‘shirt and waistcoat’ style outfit, as that fits their expectation of what a hypnotist should wear, based on how we’re often portrayed in the media. Others may expect you to wear a branded shirt that says ‘hypnotist’ or ‘hypnotherapist’ on it, in order to convey your profession, just as many other professional therapists and service-people do. Some hypnotists choose to wear non-branded clothing, but with hypnosis-related images and hypnotic phrases to get people’s attention.
At the end of the day, what you wear when doing hypnosis is entirely up to you. As a hypnotist/hypnotherapist, there’s no rule that says we must all look like hypnotists. However, sometimes it can be beneficial to convey what you do by altering your appearance.
Styling yourself as a hypnotist
It’s worth weighing up the pro’s and con’s before you pick a style. When deciding on your clothing an important thing to consider, if you’re running a hypnosis business, is your company branding/image. If you have professional pictures of yourself on your website/socials, then it’s a really good idea that your overall image when seeing clients matches the way that you portray yourself online and in your marketing materials. If you have a bunch of pictures of yourself online wearing a luxury three-piece suit complete with fob watch, and you rock up to a hypnotherapy session in jeans and a t-shirt, there’s immediate visual incongruence there which can break rapport with your clients (who likely expect you to look the same as you do on your website).
Another key point to remember, is to make sure what you’re wearing is client-appropriate. So, if you’re seeing high-paying clients, you might be more inclined to wear smarter clothing, rather than being dressed more casually. Conversely, if you work with less-privileged individuals, turning up in a business suit might not be as relatable, and could negatively impact your hypnotic relationship.
Whichever style of clothing you choose, it’s worth sticking to that style as you will then become recognisable, especially as you develop your marketing presence. People will come to associate you and the way that you dress with hypnosis. So, by affecting a particular style, you are creating your own hypnotic ‘look’. As an example, you’ll most often see me wearing a t-shirt either branded with a ‘Rory Z Hypnosis Academy’ logo, or something else hypnosis-related, such as my ‘hypnotist definition’ shirt:
If you want to look like a hypnotist, figure out what you think a hypnotist should look like, couple that with your own personality as well as factoring in your comfort and the overall practicality of the look (e.g. if you’re wearing suits, you might need to buy more than one, and regularly have them dry-cleaned). After all, your image has to be practical and comfortable for you, as well as looking good, because you’re the one who’s going to be working in your ‘hypnotist clothing’ every day.
Finally, if a specific style of clothing is too much to commit to, then you always have the option of accessorising. Whether you choose to have a badge/button, a cap/hap, or even a branded hypnosis bag or coffee mug, there are many accessories that you can use alongside your standard clothing style to let people know what it is that you do.
Buy hypnosis clothing
If you’d like to get yourself a ‘hypnotist definition’ t-shirt, or browse a whole range of modern hypnosis clothing (and accessories!), check out the Premium Hypnosis Apparel store, with new designs that are perfect for hypnotherapists and stage/street hypnotists too!
