Dress styles

Lately I’ve been noticing people’s styles, particularly what they wear. Men’s styles tend to be more neutral or unmarked with little variation on the clothes they can wear: t-shirt or sweater, jeans or slacks, running shoes or loafers. Women, on the other hand, have so many style options, from dresses to skirts, blouses to tank tops, flats to heels, accessories, jewelry, and make-up. Women are considered “marked” (opinions are formed) by their clothes and style in the everyday life, while men are not. The term “marked” refers to the way language alters the base meaning of a word by adding something. For example, actor to actress, where the latter refers to a female actor. As Alfre Woodard (K-pax, Desperate Housewives) says, she identifies herself as an actor because “actresses worry about eyelashes and cellulite, and women who are actors worry about the characters they are playing".

Too often, we perceive individuals in a certain way based on the image they project. When I worked in an office, I would dress business casual as this was the policy. I would never wear anything with a plunging neckline as I felt this would question my authority and I didn’t want to portray myself in a sexual way.

My co-worker, on the other hand, would wear inappropriate clothing to work, being too concerned about her image, thus undermining her authority to get the job done professionally.

Perceptions are intriguing. I was told the other day I looked “smart” because I have eyeglasses. I guess it is a compliment, although that person is making a judgment call only because I have poor eyesight. Too often, we judge people’s characters based on their appearance. Dress styles definitely make a statement about our style, whether it be conservative, casual, trendy or modern, just be aware of the connotation it creates.