Thursday, May 10, 2007

Do Clothes Matter?


These days I wear dress clothes with a tie four days out of the week. I am even "cuffed down" occasionally. Of course if I had my choice, I'd own my own business and wear cargo shorts and a t-shirt with flip-flops every day, but I don't, so I can't (I'll always remember an experience I had while working in a warehouse years ago. The company I was working for had been contracted to help ship a bunch of video games for THQ Games. The vice-president of the company came out to check on the facility and meet the operational managers and he was about 25 years old and wore shorts, a t-shirt, sandals, and had on a backpack. He also gave me 8 Xbox games for free!).

It doesn't bother me (the fact that I dress up now), however, because in the field I have chosen to work in, what one wears does have an impact on how others perceive you. If I didn't care about moving out of the classroom to do other things within the realm of education, I wouldn't worry about it. I know plenty of teachers who are wonderfully effective at what they do and they don't dress up.

The way I'm treated, though, depending on how I'm dressed has really stood out lately. First of all, when I walk around the University, the "kids" (undergrads) on campus either eye me suspiciously OR they defer respect to me by saying hello and opening doors, etc. It cracks me up because I feel more like one of them most of the time. Also, when I step into a convenience store, to grab a soda or whatever, I get better service than I do when I'm dressed down. Sometimes the way I'm treated is not as informal and friendly, and it actually kind of bugs me. So, you dress like you're important and people think you are...not everyone responds this way, but it's interesting how many actually do.

Anyway, there are entire college courses of study dedicated to the subject. I found the following on the internet (don't pay much attention to the link...I think it's actually a clothing store. Talk about weird marketing...although I guess it makes sense if you're overly analytical like me.
Do Clothes Really Matter?
from: http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/Clothes%20Articles/Do%20Clothes%20Really%20Matter.htm

How important is what we wear? Can't people look through all the superficial fluff of fashion and see the real us?
The answer? Usually not.

"I don't get no respect!"
--
Rodney Dangerfield

Researchers have come up with some scientific evidence to support the notion that what you wear really does make a difference in how you influence the world around you. So now you know what you always suspected: The guy down the hall who didn't know poop and got the vice-president's slot got it not because he was smart, but because he knew how to look smart.

In situations such as job interviews, court appearances, sales presentations and first dates it is important to make not just a good, but a great first impression for maximum credibility and authority.

"You never get a second chance
to make a first impression."
-- Will Rogers

Behavioral scientists tell us that the effect of a first impression is a strong one. The process of sizing you up is something that goes on almost subconsciously. Your evaluation by a stranger takes 30 seconds or less, and can be so strong that it could take as long as five years to erase.

Why not take advantage of the research on human nature and utilize the knowledge to enhance and control how you are accepted? Since about 90 percent of you is covered by apparel, the clothing you choose makes a significant impact. This is such an important area, and one in which you can effect the greatest impression.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, of course this is true; and for women, it also makes a difference in how you're treated as to whether or not you dress nice and wear make-up and have a nice hairstyle. There's nice "pretty girl" discounts and treatments when you do it up.

Daniel T said...

Interesting. I guess I'll never know how it feels to get the pretty girl treatments!

Anonymous said...

Although your analysis is mostly based upon the interaction among adults, clothing has a huge impact on the interaction between youth, maybe even more so than adults. The rich kids can definitely tell who the poor kids are and vice versa. They (kids) even have a whole list of names for kids that dress a certain way.
Interesting topic :)

Daniel T said...

Smarty Pants,

You're absolutely right to point out how kids are affected by clothing...as a teacher I see it play out in living color everyday and it's frankly quite painful sometimes. I think parents should take on the responsibility to make sure their kids dress well, but to also avoid being caught up in the "drama" of it all which all too often overshadows their education and the making and maintaining healthy social relationships based more on friendship, not popularity. Thanks for the comment.