June 13, 2025 | Read Online​

The Red Sneakers Effect: How Strategic Nonconformity Builds Your Personal Brand

When Jenny Wood arrived for her interview on The ONE Thing podcast, she sported a pair of dazzling sneakers. “I love your shoes,” I blurted, even though I’m not really a shoe person. They were just remarkable without being obnoxious. Jenny embodies one of the traits she writes about in Wild Courage –Weird. It’s having the courage to be authentic and stand out from the crowd. Her kicks reflect that she practices what she preaches. And the Red Sneaker Effect.

In 2014, Harvard Business School researchers gave this phenomenon a name after studying how people perceive deliberate rule-breaking. They found that when someone intentionally violates dress codes or social norms—like wearing red sneakers to a black-tie event—observers often assume they have higher status and competence.

Think about it. If someone is confident enough to break the rules, they must be successful enough to get away with it.

You can quickly think of dozens of examples:

• Actor Jack Nicholson and his trademark Wayfarers. Cool, detached, with a dash of mystery.
• Designer Iris Apfel’s oversized glasses suggested deep confidence in her taste and vision—literally and figuratively.
• Savannah Bananas’ owner, Jesse Cole, signals silliness and fun with his yellow suits. (Whether that's strategic branding or a cry for help remains unclear.)
• Vogue’s Anna Wintour’s signature bob and consistent uniform underscores fashion authority that transcends trends.

The Red Sneaker Effect is a step beyond having a personal style. It’s like a logo for your personal brand.

It’s worth asking, what are my red sneakers?

A few caveats.

1. The research suggests that nonconformity only works when observers are familiar with the rules being broken. Break norms where norms are known. A Kindergartner wearing his shoes on the wrong feet isn’t a maverick, he’s a five-year-old.
2. The boost in perceived status is moderated by how confident and in control the person seems. Own it.
3. If your audience values innovation, independence, or disruption, nonconformity can elevate your brand. If they value tradition, it can backfire...

Finally, nonconformity works best when it aligns with your authentic self and is backed by credibility. If it feels performative, it erodes trust. And may generate memes. Looking at you, every guru posting shirtless gym selfies with motivational captions.

One question to ponder in your thinking time: What authentic part of yourself are you hiding behind "professional" expectations?

Make an Impact!
Jay Papasan
​Co-author of The ONE Thing & The Millionaire Real Estate Agent

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