Over the summer, while trying to land jobs, I have had the opportunity to see actual offices during interviews. To prepare for the interview, my mom had taken me to the mall to shop for more professional clothing.
Men clothing are so much simpler. Really, there only option is a suit. Yet, I have noticed, at the office too, that for women, we have a variety of choices to choose from. There are so many combinations: skirts, dresses, blazers, blouses, dress pants, etc. Then aside from clothing, because most women have long hair, each look goes with a certain hairstyle. Makeup is a whole other world: eyeliner, mascara, blush, lipstick, etc.
When I went to my first interview, one of the female interviewer dragged me to the side after it ended. She began to comment on my appearance, about how I didn’t apply any makeup, which was apparently bad, and that I should wear heels instead of flats, so that I can make a much more memorable impression to the other interviewers, who were all male. And no, I didn’t get the job.
But I feel that, while it is important to look well-groomed because it is a form of respect, I should not have to change my appearance and the way I would like to express myself because my boss and my co-workers expect me to look that certain way.
Taking this into another example, I was speaking with my friend about the parties at College Ave. I see couples walking on the street, where the girl is all dressed up for the guy, in nice clothing, makeup and hair done, and yet, the guy is wearing basketball shorts and a worn-out T-shirt that has gone through the washing machine at least several hundred times. It makes me feel that the guy does not respect the girl at all.
One thing that caught my attention in the article, and I didn’t know about it until now, is that shoulder pads were added to make women seem more masculine so that they can be somewhat treated more equally in the workforce. So there is still the preconceived notion that masculinity means getting a job and being good at it. Honestly, it pisses me off that most people determine whether or not this person lands a job just by the appearance. The appearance, while it can reveal one’s hygiene habits and leave a better impression, does not necessarily convey one’s ability to perform the job well. #KP15