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Article: Casual dress at work.
- Article from:
- SAM Advanced Management Journal
- Article date:
- January 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Society for the Advancement of Management. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Casual dressing at work may be the result of two distinct trends: a return to "elegance" as a way of conveying professionalism, and a loosening up of formal dress codes, as demonstrated by casual Fridays and dress-down days. This paper addresses the origin and consequences of casual dressing.
The Role of Clothing
Dress plays an important role in the corporate world. For example, the business suit is the quickest signal of executive status. How does the management male distinguish the female secretary from the female executive? Clothing is the easiest way to tell them apart. Dressing in the corporate uniform identifies the woman manager as one of them. ...