What does a Character's Clothes Say about Her?

The other day while flatlining a few pieces at work I had a lot of time on my hands to think. While sifting through things a question popped into my brain that greatly interested me. 

"How do costumes change or set an audience's perception of a character?"

The example I gave to myself was Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare's plays are easily adapted to many different eras; so much so that I would be hard pressed to think of an era in which I have NOT seen Much Ado set in. 

The above question soon lead to more specific ones.

"How does putting Beatrice in pants portray her?" -  Does the audience see Beatrice as an equal to Benedick now that she is not hindered by yards of fabric, corsets, or hoop skirts? I believe she does begin to enter a level playing field when matching wits at least. I'll admit that setting the play in 1860 or so does lend to some rather humorous hijinx with a hoop skirt, but comedy aside, what does the silhouette lead the audience to think?

"If Beatrice is placed in a more manly silhouette in an era when women wore predominantly dresses, what does that say about her?" -  I'm thinking Jo in Little Women or Sybil in Downton Abbey. Wearing pants in different eras meant different outcomes and reactions from society.  How would these social stigmas from eras past translate to a modern audience?

Humans are visual opinion makers. What we think of people is heavily influenced by how they present themselves, which includes how they dress. 

Would our perception of Beatrice change if she wore a slinky "Jessica Rabbit" style dress, or a peasant skirt and loafers? Would we see her as a strong independently minded woman in both situations?

This is something I would be interested in exploring further, maybe during my graduate studies.  

Question of the Post

How has a costume choice changed your view of a character? 

What does your own wardrobe say about you?