Fields such as law, banking, medicine, sports, and accounting frequently have a stricter set of guidelines than say engineering or IT, which allow casual dress. Administrative positions in all fields have a more formal dress code than lower positions in the organizations.

When you think of a doctor, you expect to see a crisp white coat and a stethoscope. A dentist better have clean, white teeth. Would you entrust your dental hygiene to a doctor who wears baggy, dirty clothes and has yellow teeth? Would you entrust your money with a bank whose employees look like they have stepped off a Halloween set? Would you board a flight where the flight staff look like they need a bath? Your answer would be no. The reason for this is simple but important. A professional should not be just good at his or her job but should also look good. This is because we are unconsciously biased against the person who doesn't take care of his or her appearance.

Whom would you approach at your own workplace for a clarification-a person dressed in a formal suit with neutral tones seated gracefully, or someone dressed like a rock star slouched across the desk? Professional dress codes are increasingly becoming important in the corporate world.

In the book, "You're Fired: The IT Manager Guide for Terminating with Cause", the author Robert Papaj says that improper dress and lack of professional appearance can actually be a valid reason to fire an employee! The author argues, "IT employees are professionals, and that includes how they maintain their appearance in the work environment. Appearance reflects upon the basic character and work ethic of an individual. Isn't it conceivable that someone who does not take the time to present a decent appearance or wantonly flaunts indecency would have the same attitude carry over into his or her work activities? A professional environment should have some level of professional appearance. Structure begets structure. Professional appearance and decency tend to beget a professional work ethic."

First Impression Matters
In interviews, business trips, conferences, and project presentations, whether we like it or not, people will judge you based on their first impression. It does matter if the job, contract, client, or the project is important to you. Being well groomed is good for business and a pleasant appearance is always helpful during an interview. Therefore, in such situations, first impressions can actually help!

Dress code is important to convey others that we are competent in our jobs. However, it is important to understand where and when to emphasis it. Wearing a suit to the beach is taking the professional code too seriously.

The Downside
While dress code may be important, it becomes a problem when stereotyping starts to take place.

A fashion model for example endangers her life by becoming anorexic or bulimic because the profession demands not only she wears certain types of clothes but certain sizes of clothes.

Also by attributing certain dress codes to certain professions, we are inadvertently socially conditioning ourselves to attribute certain qualities to certain dresses. For example, a girl with her nose pierced is automatically assumed to be non-professional and unfit for an administrative position even though she may be extremely capable. A guy with pierced ears is assumed to be not competent for high-level programming. A girl from a small town dressed in a professional suit or in a salwar with bold colors is assumed arrogant while a person who wears eyeglasses and looks like a geek is assumed t be an IT genius.

This is what we need to protect ourselves against, as once we begin to stereotype we are closing our mind to reality.

Usually, women are targeted more by the cultural police or religious people when women dress up in formal dress like coat and suit or some other unconventional dress as demanded by their profession. Being an engineering or IT professional in the 21st century, it is important that we learn to balance rights and appearance. When some self-appointed keepers of culture try to meddle, it is also important to unite and support the people who are targeted.

Remember, appearance matters but actions matter even more.

Deepa Kandaswamy
The author is the founder-moderator of the IndianWISE e-group
maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in
The views expressed here are personal
© Deepa Kandaswamy.
© First Indian Serial Rights, CyberMedia 2007. 
Any quotes from this article must link to this article and credit both author Deepa Kandaswamy and Dataquest.
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