Clothes Make the Difference
People have a lot of different perceptions about the way that people dress these days. When you see a man or a woman in a suit, what do you normally think? Most would say they look like a “business person” or they look like they are going somewhere “important”. This is one of the many out looks people have about people and their dressings. Whether people like to admit it, the way you dress says a lot about who you are and they type of personality you hold.
This is shown in many ways having to do with things in the media, the school environment, and just everyday life around us. Being looked upon as a business person is obviously not the only way that people are perceived. Throughout the years, people have generated many stereo-typical names or concepts for people based off of the way they dress every day. Some are good and some not so much. When it comes to working in the professional setting, there is usually a strict dress code of what is acceptable and what is not. They have this set of guidelines for a good reason.
For instance, if you are Working in an office building or maybe at a corporate office, you would most likely be required to wear business suits, or for women a skirt and a dress jacket over the shirt. Clothes are a very important way to look respectable and to represent the line of work you are in. According to Bill Greehey, chairman of Valero Energy Corp, “Whatever you’re wearing, you’re representing not only yourself, but also the company.
And more companies nowadays are interested in the way their employees are representing them” (Thiruvengadam 3).This is a good way of showing how much it affects you if you dress badly in the wrong setting. On the other hand, the problem of women dressing too “sexy” in the work area has been a growing crisis throughout the years. When women wear sexy or provocative clothing when at work, people look down upon that and find it hard to take them seriously.
In a sense though, it is possible for men to dress sexy at work also. A man can wear his shirt unbuttoned a little too much at work and that can be taken as offensive or too sexy, but usually goes unnoticed.Although it may be hard to believe, it is shown that more women dressing provocatively at work are looked down upon more then when males do. When a woman dresses out of the ordinary at work, it raises an argument. That is a whole different argument though.
Researcher, Peter Glick tries to argue the other side of this. “What makes men attractive to women; being industrious, ambitious, having a good job and a high status, being a powerful leader—are also the same traits that make them successful at work” (Thiruvengadam 3). Is this really the truth though?In most office settings, plunging necklines, very short skirts and very high heels are not appropriate attire. “You want to get noticed for your achievements, not how high your heels are or how tight your skirt is”, states Diane Gottsman, a work force etiquette expert (Sewing 3).
When you start a new job you want to send the message of power and prove to people that you are worth having as an employee. If you dress too sexy or in provocative garments, you start to lose your voice and power. Today’s society had become very easily influenced by many things in the world.In the above picture, it shows a group of business personnel in their work uniforms. This is the type of clothing that is usually acceptable if you are working in a business related place. You see that the women are required to wear skirt suits or pant suits and the men are required to wear dress suits.
All of them have covering that is appropriate and doesn’t show too much skin. The media, in my opinion, is the biggest influence that affects people. People are influence by violence, sex appeal, and other people in the media the most.When a show like The Apprentice, or shows with business people comes on, what are they usually wearing? They are all dressed up in suits and skirts and shirts. This is because they are trying to make a good impression on people and make a good impression for their position they are working for. This picture is taken of the group from the show, The Apprentice.
This shows a more casual style of dressing for the business scene, but it is still a modest dress to represent them and the company they work for. Most people view dressing in this way as the ideal way to dress when working in the business field.If a person walked into a business building for an interview wearing sweat pants and a sweatshirt, do you think they would get the job? Probably not, because what people are looking for when they want to hire someone is someone who takes pride in the way they look and gives off the message that they will take pride in this job.
According to Barbara Greene, an executive, “As a worker, you’re serving as a role model for other members of your organization. When you dress inappropriately, whether it be in provocative clothing or dressed-down clothing, your authority is questioned and your credibility is questioned (Thiruvengadam 3).Her advice Is, “The closer to the CEO you are, the more conservatively you should dress” (Thiruvengadam 3).
Perceptions are a big part of today’s society, and they are continuing to have a big impact on people. No matter where you go, how you dress says a lot about the type of person you are. Many things influence people to dress in certain ways such as the media, other people, and the types of careers we enter into. If you care at all, you’ll get some results; if you care enough, you’ll get incredible results- Unknown quote.
