Clothing option-full
Molly Strzelecki
Growing Up to be a Kid
There seems to have been a lot of talk lately on clothes and what they say about people. If you think about it, judging a person by the clothes he or she wears is a lot like the old phrase, "judging a book by its cover." It is what is inside that counts.
But really, I am sure you all know that anyway and none of you would ever dream of assuming that because a woman is wearing tight or revealing clothing it means she wants to hit it all night long in your dorm room.
But I digress. That kind of talk about clothing is not what I want to get into, because things get messy, people start assuming things, and we all know that when you assume something, you make an ass out of you and me — but especially you.
Anyway, clothing is something that I have been thinking about lately, because in looking for a job (which I still do not have) one of the things that I have been warned about is the phrase, "business formal attire." Frankly, this scares me. I don't do suits, I don't do heels, I don't do clothes that inhibit my breathing regularly. On a day-to-day basis, I am in jeans and a T-shirt, or on really great days still in my pajamas, going about my day perfectly happy with myself.
And you are trying to tell me that in just a matter of weeks I have to give all that up? I don't think so. There are many reasons I am an English major, and the fact that I can show up to class in track pants and a baseball cap and still make a valid point about the idea of the American dream in "The Great Gatsby," as well as have my professors take me seriously is high on the list. Really, it goes for any major.
So, does the fact that I do not regularly participate in the fashion show that plagues both Saint Mary's and Notre Dame mean that in essence I am a slacker, and a company should not hire me? Not in the least. Granted, playing dress up is fun every once in a while and it is usually accompanied with a, "Wow, Molly, why are you so dressed up today?" It has never been accompanied with a, "Wow, Molly, that suit and heels made your comments and theories in class today so much smarter!"
I like these companies that I hear about that do not require you to look like you are attending a funeral every day of the week. A friend of mine works out in Phoenix, and his company has the right idea. He can do his computer work in shorts and a T-shirt if he so chooses. They know he is a smart guy, that is why they hired him. They did not hire him because they liked his tie.
I really do not see the point of making myself uncomfortable in clothing. That utterly defeats the ultimate purpose. I think I will propose that all companies make the rule that clothing, while not optional, should at least be option-full.
If you want to come to work all dressed up and ready to rock the work week, great. And if you want to come in your favorite jeans and shirt that you have had since freshman year of high school, that is fine too. As long as you get your work done, what does it matter?
In a perfect world, this would work like a charm. Alas, as we all know this is not a perfect world by far, and people still seem to think that business formal means that the job gets done better and in a more "professional" atmosphere. Translation, in a more "boring" atmosphere.
And in general, this forces us all to spend more than a rational amount of money on clothing, because now, besides that $300 suit (and that's a cheaper one, too), you have to buy clothes for other times, like the weekends. You know — bars, clubs and other occasions that require the unspoken dress code that we all be perfectly put together, yada, yada, yada. If you think about it, it's pretty ridiculous.
Hopefully, when I find a job, and I wear my suit I bought for the sole reason of getting an interview, they will not even care what I am wearing and hire me because I have the smarts to be a great asset to their company. Hopefully, when I find a job, it will be because of all the work I have put into the last four years, and not because of how neatly pressed I am. And hopefully, when I do find a job, it will be with one of the companies out there that embraces individuality and has an office that is not thriving on navy, gray, black and pinstripes. Because honestly, I don't look good in pinstripes.
Molly Strzelecki is a senior English major. She can be e-mailed at strz73592@saintmarys.edu. Her column appears every other Tuesday.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, April 10, 2001
