A person's worth is determined by his/her clothes. And, if one is not well dressed then it is assumed that the person cannot afford 'decent' clothes and hence a poor man. Well, if that that is the case then is monetary worth determined only by the appearance? History records that many geniuses never cared about their presentation in public: unkempt hair, dirt-filled nails, different footwear for each leg, button-less shirts and an open fly.
Having said all this, I would also hasten to add that it is quite impossible to blame the security as he with his limited knowledge of the world matches the outward appearance and the monetary worth. His world is limited to the equation: money=well-dressed and poverty=shabby clothes. He cannot estimate that sometimes there are also individuals who do not care about how they look for their mind is preoccupied with things that are far more important to then than smart dressing.
And, I also don't negate the fact that well-dressed people do have an edge in this world which gives importance to sheen and outward looks. Afterall, Clothes maketh a man in the world and Bacon's Reading maketh a full man is only limited to certain circles.
So, what is your take on this. Do you make first impressions based on clothes or do you wait before arriving at a conclusion?
Image 1: Internet
Image 2: Internet
It is so sad that the community judge people by how they look and dress. I have known a number of `poor` people who didn`t look or dress the part but had more money in the bank than you could ever imagine. Interesting thing was that money never changed these people, they stayed true to themselves.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Susan!
the way u r dressed definitely makes for a very strong first impression - u needn't wear branded, designer clothing however, I personally feel - you should wear clean, well ironed, well tailored clothes - not dirty and torn - hair combed - dressed suited to the occasion - this is a must - it's ok if somebody is dressed in inexpensive clothes but I find it hard to find reasons to justify shabbiness!
ReplyDeleteYes, many people do arrive at a conclusion based on how you dress. Especially the ones in the service industry. Personnel at the front desk of hotels, air-hostesses, stewards, etc. treat you on the basis of your appearance, rather than equals.
ReplyDeletei think to say that you do not is frivilous...we classify people and our presumptions come in to play when we see others...all you have to do is watch all the people steer clear of a dissheveled man sitting on a curb...or my mohawk...there are many that judge me for my hair cut...i dont mind though...
ReplyDeleteI don't make assumptions seeing a person's clothes,its the way that the person carries himself that makes me form an opinion..as long the person is neat and tidy..its fine with me.I have never been brand conscious(my daughter is....so I do consider all this very petty.
ReplyDeleteI always remember what my nan told me, the clothes are irrelevant if your shoes are filthy. You can be perfectly dressed but if your shoes are scuffed and filthy then it shows no attention to detail.
ReplyDeleteFor most people it is always going to be what is most pleasing to the eye rather than the content or quality because you are talking of first impressions.
I relate to people like I relate to books in a library. Those with perfect jackets and slight creases may look better looked after but no one actually wanted to find out any more. Give me the bashed and battered book,which is well read any day :)
These days, image is easily confused with the real thing...or person. Blame the advertising industry and Facebook profiles, but it's a reality in our society whose attention span is getting ever shorter.
ReplyDeleteI have a difficult time with it, as with that "quirky" professor. I'm more dowdy than dapper. I think people have judged me based on that many times. My only redeeming value in society's eyes are my Chinese features. People think I'm Chinese, therefore I'm rich! But that's an entirely different post, Mrs. Sus. :))
It is a sad truth my friend, people do most of the time judge a man by the clothes he wears. The security guy may be not that educated but even educated people have this wrong assumption that if you are not dressed well you are not worth even a glance.
ReplyDeletehttp://rimlybezbaruah.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-am-rose.html
It cannot be calculated by any calculator.
ReplyDeleteKindest regards,
Mike
My father, who is a very senior and well-respected psychiatrist was once not allowed to enter a conference where he was giving a lecture and presenting a case simply because the conference was held inside a five-star hotel's conference hall and he was not wearing a suit with a jacket and tie. His students decked out in Giorgio Armanis had to come out and argue with the hotel staff. I've always seen that he wears plain shirts with trousers and hasn't changed this habit. He thinks it's enough to dress tidily rather than dress expensively. Besides, he argues that three piece suits are really not an ideal match for our Bombay climate. :D An ironed cotton shirt is much more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteNow, I have often told him that people of a certain social standing are expected to dress a certain way in certain places but he always refutes me saying, "What matters about a person is not on the outside of their skin but on the inside of theirs minds and hearts."
I believe that myself and would never judge a person's intellect or worth by the state of their appearance but I think a certain neatness and cleanliness is a requisite, simply as a matter of good hygiene which is what we tell our patients, too.
But I do agree with my father, only the poorest judges of men would judge a book by its cover.
My thoughts are that nearly everyone says they don't do it and even more of us think it is mean, but it is a basic instinct that we cannot avoid. Judge is a harsh word. We are assessing the situation. If you looked at a strawberry that had been squashed in the dirt, it wouldn't look as yummy as the bright red one hanging on the vine. Our brain is hardwired to tell us to like the one image and not the other.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I don't always care what I look like, because as you said above, sometimes I have more important things to worry about. I think/hope that people realize that not everyone puts appearance first and don't rule out friends, etc based on appearance.
My thoughts are that nearly everyone says they don't do it and even more of us think it is mean, but it is a basic instinct that we cannot avoid. Judge is a harsh word. We are assessing the situation. If you looked at a strawberry that had been squashed in the dirt, it wouldn't look as yummy as the bright red one hanging on the vine. Our brain is hardwired to tell us to like the one image and not the other.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I don't always care what I look like, because as you said above, sometimes I have more important things to worry about. I think/hope that people realize that not everyone puts appearance first and don't rule out friends, etc based on appearance.
I have to admit... I can't help but take in first impressions based on appearance. But then, I check myself and remind myself that there is more substance to a person than what he wears. Still, I find that if a person is not dressing in what I would consider to be a presentable way, it's difficult for me to shake that first impression. I can understand if one does not have the means to dress well, actually. But, if one does have a good income and can afford it, the wardrobe is very important! Appearances do matter... well, that is just what I think, though!
ReplyDeleteThat was quite an interesting read, Susan. Thank you for that something-outside-the-box to think about!
Nevine
I do judge based on my first impression of how a person is dressed. I'm not particular about the quality of clothing or brands, but I am about cleanliness.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we all know we should not judge a book by its cover but nonetheless still do so. I generally think that people should be presentable but from experience, I have learned to look beyond people's appearance
ReplyDeleteYeah, we all know we should not judge a book by its cover but nonetheless still do so. I generally think that people should be presentable but from experience, I have learned to look beyond people's appearance
ReplyDeletei do believe that we should not just a book by its cover. they are still books that you can learn a lot from. Like human beings, the only way to know the person is by knowing him/her personally and not by looking at the way he/she dresses up.
ReplyDeleteIm guilty, I'm guilty!!!
ReplyDeleteFirst impressions are based on the very superficial, but in everyone's defense, we have very little to go by when we meet a person especially if we only see them and don't talk to them. I am guilty.
I saw a guy afew times at the gym running on the treadmill. He always wore a cheap tshirt that was almost see through from being washed so much. One day as I was advertising my race, I handed him an application only bc he was standing near by. I never thought he would even have the money to register. He looked at the application and said "it's the day after my family and I come back from England and I might be tired, but I'll try to make it". He has run it all 8 years in a row. Now we are friends. He is a prestigious lawyer and a wonderful man.
I am guilty.
Very interesting topic!
ReplyDeleteI think it's usually the simple, uneducated people that judge a person by his clothes.
I remember entering a jewelery shop after seeing something of interest in the shop-window. The saleswoman had a long look at my outfit (I like simplicity in dressing)and said the requested item is very expensive, showing some reluctance to take it out of the window.
She took it out ,however, and gave it to me. She got really shocked by my questions regarding the gold and the design. She could not answer any of my relevant questions.
Maybe at that moment she learnt her lesson not to judge someone by his clothes.
Hello.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how we might want to deny it, we all "judge a book by its cover". For example, I saw a young lad walking down the street a few days ago with his pants half way down his thighs & hat turned the wrong way. My immediate opinion was that he was a gangster or drug dealer. Now he might not have been either of those things, but because of his dress code I immediately associated him with those things. It's sad, but being imperfect humans, we all do it.
Nice write-up.
Thanks for sharing.
Imaginary Dreams
I am guilty of this. Sometimes, I do judge people by what they wear. I know that it is wrong but that always happens on me. A well-dressed man would really seem to belong in the upper class, which is not always the case, but most of the time right. (?)
ReplyDeleteBeing honest I must say that I have been guilty of this a time or two. For the most part I will stop myself and reconsider. I can honestly saythat the people I was treated the most poorly by in my job were the ones well to do in appearance. As a result I found myself judging in the other direction. I realized after a time I was as bad as they were, now I try to treat people as I would like to be treated no matter their appearance. I dress for comfort not to be judged, I am always clean but wouldn't know one label from another.
ReplyDeleteNelieta:
ReplyDeleteWell, Nelieta, it is sad but sadly sometimes even I plead guilty to this task.
Yuvika:
But some academics just don't bother. They can't even distinguish between the washed and unwashed clothes :) Phew.
Vinay:
ReplyDeleteService industry, yes. And, we don't even need to explain to them. None of our business.
Brian:
Mohawk!!! If I would have seen you, I would have called you a freak who does drugs and guns :)
Alpana:
ReplyDeleteYou're quite a human being. Bravo!
Luchi:
Thanks for coming out here. Glad to see you. Same here: dirty and smelly does put me off.
SJ:
ReplyDeleteAnd your nana was right. I reckon that she would've been a very elegant woman.
Age:
Quite true, Age. You? The camwhore is dowdy?!?!? No No. Don't think so. You might be underrating yourself. Your pictures don't indicate that at all.
Rimly:
ReplyDeleteQuite right. Even educated people tend to behave like this. Sad.
Mike:
:)
Karishma:
ReplyDeletePsychiatrist!?!? Wow. No wonder the daughter is equally brilliant with matters of the mind (and heart). He rightly says that our tropical weather is just not suited for heavy duty clothes.
Karishma, wouldn't it be lovely to meet sometime. Can't wait to meet you and talk on.
Rachel:
Good to see you after a long time :) The example was quite apt, Rachel. Our brain is definitely hard-wired to tell apart. Can't much blame ourselves!
Nevine:
ReplyDeleteI remember reading one of your posts about a girl who wore flip-flops with a sequin for a party and you didn't much approve of it. Even I tend to admire people who are dressed well but I also sympathise with academics who don't much pay heed to dressing and grooming.
Glad to see your comment here, dearest Nevine. Take care.
Angie:
Cleanliness - a definite yes.
Erwin:
ReplyDeleteWelcome here and thanks for your comment. Yes, but what about first impressions and if we don't get to meet that person afterwards, we are quite struck with the first impression that we made.
Myriam:
Most of us are guilty. Thanks for the story that you shared. Quite surprising! An, you don't have to be too guilty. We humans are "wired" like that as Rachel says.
DUTA:
ReplyDeleteSeems like a long time. Ah, no, Dutta, even educated people do estimate the worth by the appearance. Some lessons are picked up on the way in life.
Andy:
Welcome Andy and thanks for stopping by. Dress code does call out to us before we actually strike up a conversation.
Digitalballpen:
ReplyDeleteWelcome here. These days of higher income, the middle-classes are slowly disappearing. Even people belonging to the middle-income group can afford expensive clothes and cars. So the line is slowly dissolving.
Jan:
Blessed soul, you are my dear Jan. Good to see you here.
Blessings and joy always :)
I found this very interesting! I have never really cared about clothes or rather the clothes the world *thinks* looks quite chique or fashionable. On the other hand, I am superficial in my own way. I'm a bit of a Bohemian. Crumpled Cotton, barefeet,leather bracelets and dreadlocks catch my eye because I think it's brave and beautiful to allow yourself to just "be". I prefer people who read in messy clothes with messy hair to people who are supremely coiffed and pay more attention to the external world rather than the internal world. To each his own, I guess. :-)
ReplyDeleteGlynis:
ReplyDeleteWelcome here and glad to see your insightful comment. To each his own!!! But I wonder whether you judge well-dressed people as being snobs, boring and conforming. Would like to hear your response.
Hi Susan, how are u??
ReplyDeleteI personally don't make any conscious judgements lukiing at anybody's cloth. Yes, a stinking cloth will of course put me off at the first sight.... oops smell.And a low priced dress has till date never distanced me 4m anyone... probably d reason is I m myself not so serious abt my dresing!!!!
Sunny:
ReplyDeleteI read your post on clothes yesterday. Many men I know I not very serious about their dressing.
Nice post....And very true.!!
ReplyDelete