What the Hell is She Wearing???

I find myself asking this type of question more and more these days.  As I sit under the dryer, preparing to start my second year of veterinary school, I wonder if dressing appropriately is a thing of the past?  When I was growing up, you had clothes you wore to school, clothes you wore to church, and clothes to play in.  My mother always wanted me to look my best.  I never understood it as a child, but I completely understand her reasons as an adult.  As a member of Culturama (a group for teens sponsored by the Delta Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.) we went through several workshops, including a "What Not to Wear" type of program.  As an undergraduate I went to the Minority Medical Education Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  There I took a class on how to interview successfully and there was yet again a "What Not to Wear" workshop.  It made me think about the cliche about how the clothes don't make the person, when clearly, that is not the case.  




After graduating, I found myself interviewing for hundreds of jobs.  I planned to go to graduate school at some point, so I wasn't looking for a career, but a job to pay for my personal expenses.  Whether it was a veterinary clinic, hospital, pharmacy, or just a retail store, I always dressed my best.  Suits, slacks and button down shirts, blazers and skirts.  But I noticed something strange.  Not everyone did the same.  I've seen people going for interviews in jeans and t-shirts, low-cut blouses and mini-skirts, you name it.  People wear the same outfits they would wear to the club to class or church.  Students roll out of bed and head to lecture halls without changing out of their pajamas. Is dressing appropriately becoming extinct? 

Apparently Morehouse College thought so.  This article explains that Morehouse enacted changes to the dress code last year.  I can remember seeing links to articles about this all over the place, including a community that I frequent on LiveJournal.  People were livid about the the dress code! I found it strange.  I was about to enter vet school, where I'd have to dress a certain way.  Unless we are in labs, we are to be in professional dress at all times.  Nothing less professional than business casual is accepted. I think that a lot of people who had a problem with the dress code were upset about the statement on not wearing items made for women-- but that's a completely different blog.  When I was growing up, even in South Alabama, you heard about Morehouse.  Men who went there went on to do great things.  There was a legacy there.  What I don't understand is if you go to a school with such a great legacy, why would you not want to dress the part.  Maybe requiring ties and dress shirts at an undergraduate institution is a stretch, but I don't see anything wrong with requiring students to have some pride in themselves.  You can wear jeans and a shirt without looking like a hoodlum.  There is nothing wrong with pants that fit properly and wear clothing that is meant for sleeping only in areas meant for sleeping.  


Even at my school I sometimes make comments about our dress code.  Wearing slacks, blouses, heels, blazers, and other professional attire can get a little tiring when you are sitting in a classroom about eight hours a day.  But what can I say... we look GOOD.  Here at my school, and a few other vet schools that have dress codes, visitors see us as professionals.  They see us as students who are serious about their careers.  Potential employers, students, and donors are impressed.  


Maybe clothes don't really make the person, but they can pave the way to success or hinder one from reaching their goals, and I wish more people took the time to dress like the person they want to be.