Thought Archive

Saturday, September 01, 2007

What to wear?

More observation on the item of clothing. We, conforming males, are prisoners - or shall I say - hostages of the system. Male fashion did not change in many years in the sphere of business and diplomatic etiquette. Bowties, neckties tuxedoes for official reandevoux and casual black and white for office run galore. Especially in banking, finance and law. And yet women, go to preposterous lenghts to make themselves attractive in the workplace. Maybe this observation is not true in "liberated" US, but is definetely true on the continent and further afield, where, risquee skirts, and plenty of makeup rule. Why can't a man bear his legs in the office, but a women can for instance, or for that matter why a woman in tight dress will be admired by all men, but a converse will not happen if man is dressed in bright colors, or wears shorts. Why makeup, mascara for women is acceptable in the office , but men with makeup applied will be thought of disgustingly ,as a transvestite, or at least as a paragon of decadence, and the prospects of career advance will be curtailed for them, even if, or in fact, because they are not homosexuals. How many board meetings are presided by men in Hawaian shirts? None. Paradoxically, men face more restrictions in what they wear and how they should be wearing it, unless they are artists or on the fringes of the society. This society still and will continue to judge people by what they bear on their bodies, be it hijab, miniskirt, tuxedo, or dirty overalls. Times have not really changed since Middle Ages.

2 comments:

CatWoman said...

Nice post. But.
In Hawaii you can wear a Hawaiian shirt to your board meeting.
And in most Western places there are dress codes for both men and women. Now if you're working in a cd store or tattoo parlor you can probably get away with the bright colored or tattered clothes and cargo shorts if you're a guy. But stores and offices want people to look a little classy. It is what it is. If you hate that philosophy so much you shouldn't be miserable. You should leave and live where you are comfortable.
I use to make similar comments when people made faces at a guy I was dating because he wore long hair. No earrings or tattoos or bolts in his face. Just long hair. And I'd say, "He's a plumber, he doesn't have to account to corporate America. I think he looks nice. And further more, men wore their hair long for more centuries than they wore it short. You're judging him by Anglo Saxon standards and you're not even Anglo Saxon."
I never got an argument.

Hazar Nesimi said...

Cheers my dear guest!
I am not miserable just a little amused. -its just an observation I like my job, and I never wear tie. You can do smart casual after all. If that was permitted by social mores I would have liked to wear shorts for my wedding, but alas. No big deal, though, since I am only a closet rebel :-)