I’ve decided while watching TV in my living room, to watch my three roommates. Of course I see them everyday, and know a lot about them, but it hasn’t occurred to me that if I did not know that, what would I think about them based on their dress and body language? All of us, lounging around after a long day, are comfortable wearing pajamas or sweats that we may not wear in public. This gave me a chance to fully observe their character. Because we are all comforted with each other’s presence, their body language is relaxed and so is their dress. However, one has a midterm this week and I can see she is not focused on the show, and is debating the importance of her studying. This specific roommate is more often at the library, and dresses quite conservatively every day, instead of the rest of us who normally wear sweatshirts because our priorities after an early morning consist of thinking when we can find the next window of time in our day to sleep. Therefore, the one roommate who dresses and studies away from the apartment more often tends to have better grades, and to be more organized. Obviously, her values revolve around academic success. She also comes from a large, strict family in the East coast. Her background has lead her to be focused and constantly goal-seeking/achieving. These assumptions testify that I judge based on appearance. It must be true when people believe others to be more or less successful and confident based on how well or poorly they are dressed. When I see well-dressed people, who also stand up straight, I believe them to be healthy and confident individuals. These kinds of realizations can actually help me in my future if I want to appear more confident.
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Where are your roommates from? I feel as though most students from the state of Oregon do wear and feel comfortable wearing sweatpants in public.
Also, I urge you not to rely on just the well-dressed people to be the successful one’s in life. Steve Jobs hated wearing suites, button up shirts, or even shoes. He would rather be barefoot in any setting if he had the choice. And Nike is known for having a relaxed attitude in their work place. Everyone there comes into work in athletic shoes, shorts, and a t-shirt. What I’m saying is some of the most successful people and companies do not depend on looking nice to be prosperous.
I have one roommate from Pennsylvania, one from Maryland, and one close to home, Oregon. I have noticed that it is not only at this University that people feel comfortable wearing sweatpants in public, but it is typically a college student trend. I agree that not all success depends on how nicely one dresses. It seems to be a stereotype that people who dress nicer tend to achieve more goals. One of my roomates, the one who is from Maryland, falls under this stereotype. Many assumptions are made from her East coast style of dress and mannerisms. I still know of people who do just as well on tests or achieving a goal who may not dress as “well”. It is all about attitude and doing what you love. The specific look that someone has only provides people with developing judgements and perceptions.
I can definitely relate to what you are saying when you say that dressing nice is shown as a value of successes and showing that you are serious and have class. I do believe that to be very true. I know when I am going somewhere important that I truly try to dress to the occasion, and that is something that I pride myself on. However I never do get to dress nice in college. I have practice everyday besides sundays so I have to wear my workout clothes. I wish I could dress nice more, but unfortunately not. The study structure, in my belief is how your house is. I go to my room a lot of the times because it is a calm and collected place. But it just depends on your how your house is set up.