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From: ames!claris!apple!netcom!onymouse@ncar.UCAR.EDU (John DeBert)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: The issue of physical appearance
Message-ID: <18423@paris.ics.uci.edu>
Date: 21 Jun 89 18:46:05 GMT
References: <16684@paris.ics.uci.edu>
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Approved: tittle@ics.uci.edu

in article <16684@paris.ics.uci.edu>, sun!apple!mas1!jimb@decwrl.dec.COM (Jim Burke) says:
> Approved: tittle@ics.uci.edu
> 
> In article <5041@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV> tan@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Greer Hsing Tan) writes:
>>
> 
> I have often wondered who it was that defined the "appropriate" male
> attire in the workplace as being a conservative suit (grey or navy)
> with white or pastel shirt and conservative tie.  Not a lot of
> variety.  Seems to me that the purpose behind such "rules" is to
> demonstrate to customers a level of maturity in order to obtain their
> confidence.  Thus, any mode of dress that achieves that goal should be
> appropriate.  Guess I'll have to leave my plaid pants in the closet a
> while longer...
> 

(This reply is probably not what some would consider appropriate to
the discussion of feminism but there are connections which will no
doubt come up soon in other discussion, such as how women and feminism
threaten men.)

The reason for making men all dress the same way is to make them all
appear the same. By dressing the same as all the other men, you show
that you are reliable, dependable and predictable. You show that you
are like all the other men, thatyou are what society expects a man to
be, i.e., mature, responsible, "masculine," entirely predictable and
therefore dependable. In business, such conformity is essential to the
smooth running of "men's" business world.  Nothing frightens a
businessman so much as being unable to predict what a colleague or
another person with whom he deals will do. If you want to intimidate,
distract or cause him to be insecure and uncomfortable, dress
appropriately. :) It is especially effective with salesmen and
subordinates.

J DeBert
onymouse@netcom.UUCP


> 
> -- 
> Jim Burke (mas1!jimb)                   Measurex Corp.
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