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How to Dress at Work

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-11526-9_17

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Chapter 17
How to Dress at Work

Rajkishore Nayak, Rajiv Padhye and Lijing Wang

clothes make the man

Abstract In addition to the thinking and decision making ability, the other distin-
guishing feature between humans and animals is the wearing of clothes. The initial
judgement of a person can be made from the clothing of the person. One’s clothing
choices, grooming, personality and body language play a crucial role for successful
work life. It is well documented that the way one is dressed plays a vital role for
a successful career in today’s workplace. Factors such as garment style, garment
fit, nature of job and guidelines for dress code are important considerations while
selecting the appropriate outfit for a particular job. Grooming is essential for both
men and women for a successful career. A suitable clothing selection for a particular
job is influenced by the job requirements, colour, design, fit and comfort. Special
clothing is needed for the people working in healthcare, fire fighting, defence and
other similar areas to protect from various types of threats. Hence, selection of
appropriate clothing is essential both for success, personal safety and wellness.

Keywords Clothing style · Successful career · Garment fit · Garment comfort ·

Job interview · Grooming · Personality and clothing · Clothing and emotion · Dress
code · Garment colour · Garment design · Warm colours · Cool colours · Neutral
colours · Clothing requirements · Clothing for healthcare people · Hospital acquired
infections · Type of job · Protective clothing

R. Padhye ()
School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University, Building: 512, Level: 1, Room: 11A,
Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia
e-mail: [email protected]
R. Nayak · R. Padhye · L. Wang
School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015 241

S. Patole (ed.), Management and Leadership – A Guide for Clinical Professionals,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-11526-9_17
242 R. Nayak et al.

Key Messages
1. The way one is dressed plays a vital role for a successful career in today’s
workplace.
2. Several factors such as garment style, garment fit, nature of job and rules
for dress code are involved while selecting the appropriate outfit for a par-
ticular job. In addition, grooming and the individuality/personality accen-
tuate the clothing.
3. The selection of appropriate clothing often depends on the nature of the
job. Special personal protective clothing is necessary for jobs such as fire
fighting, police, ambulance, defence personnel and various other specialty
occupations.
4. The way the doctors and nurses dress and address their patients is likely to
influence the development of the relationship between them.
5. It is important to know that health care worker’s attire and accessories are
potential source of hospital acquired infections and should be cared for.

It is well documented that the way one is dressed plays a vital role for a successful
career in today’s workplace [1–3]. The appearance of a person translates to the per-
formance. One’s clothing choices, grooming, personality and body language play
a crucial role for a successful work life. While selecting clothes, one should get a
sense what the office likes and which cloth would suit appropriately in that environ-
ment. The way one dresses and acts, determines what people think about the person.
The clothes one wears talk about the personality quietly. To wear the best outfit,
one first needs to know all about self. The best appearance always needs careful
attention to the clothing and personal grooming. One should be dressed in a well-
groomed and non-distracting fashion.
One’s inner feelings are often reflected outside by the clothing and action. If one
expects positive response from others, then he or she must be well-dressed, well-
groomed and act positively. Appropriate clothing helps in boosting the confidence.
It was established that the people dressed with doctor’s lab coats achieved higher
scoring on attention related tasks than those who had not [4, 5]. A survey of business
leaders published in 2012 by the Centre of Professional Excellence at York College
(Pennsylvania) showed that two-thirds mentioned that image makes a major impact,
when progress in the career is considered [6].

Major Factors for an Appropriate Dress

Several factors such as garment style, garment fit, nature of job and rules for dress
code are involved while selecting the appropriate outfit for a particular job. In addi-
tion, grooming and the individuality or personality accentuates the clothing. These
factors are discussed in the following sections.
17 How to Dress at Work 243

Garment Style

The style of a garment is a unique feature. Different garment styles express vari-
ety of expressions [7, 8]. Styles create an impression which reflects the outlook
of the times. The garments can be classified in styles such as casual, formal,
unisex, sophisticated and business wear. One specific style of clothing may not
be suitable for people of different personalities. Hence, one should be aware to
match the clothing with the personality. For example an extrovert is well matched
with bright coloured and attention grabbing clothing. However, bold coloured
and body revealing clothing is not appropriate for a shy and reserved personality.

Garment Fit

One should select clothing based on personal preferences [9]. However, it should be
always remembered that very tight or very loose clothing may not provide a good
appearance [10, 11]. An oversized-clothing makes a thin person to appear thinner.
Snugly fitted clothing reveals body irregularities by emphasizing body contours.
This can be minimised by using clothing with proper fit and texture, which does not
follow the body contours. One should wear clothes that fit appropriately and should
try to be dressed at par with the colleagues. Too small or too large clothing should
be avoided. If the pants can not be pulled in smoothly in the leg, it bunches around
the thighs and can not close the buttons/other fasteners, it means the pants are too
small. If one can not pull the sleeve smoothly over the arms or can not bend the
arm easily and the buttons can not reach to the button holes, the shirt is too small.
In addition, if the gaps between the buttons of a shirt reveal the inner clothing, the
shirt is too small. Similarly, the outfit should have proper fit without being baggy or
floppy [12]. If necessary, the hems of the trousers and sleeves of the shirts should be
shortened. If wearing glasses, one should make sure the glasses fit properly and are
not sliding down the nose. A pair of glasses with loose fitting becomes distracting. It
is a general fact that the sweaters, blazers or jackets should cover the clothing worn
underneath; vest length should meet or extend over the pants; collars should not be
baggy and the sleeves should be of right length.

Nature of Job and Clothing

The selection of appropriate clothing often depends on the nature of the job. Special
personal protective clothing is necessary for jobs such as fire fighting, police, am-
bulance officers, defence personnel and various other specialty occupations. Each
department should provide guidelines for the selection and use of appropriate per-
sonal protective clothing and equipment.
If working in a company where the job involves getting dirty, one may have
more leeway in clothing selection. If the job includes customer interaction with
244 R. Nayak et al.

casual style suits, a change of clothes around or something to add is ideal. Wear-
ing a blazer or sport coat (for women) and a necktie (for men) to a basic shirt will
supplement the outfit. Women should consider their body types while selecting the
clothing for best fit. If uniforms or work wears are in force, one should emphasize
perfect fit, neat and cleanliness of the dress. Ties should be worn while representing
the company in exhibitions or conferences or important consumer meetings. They
should be knotted firmly, not loosely around the shirt collar. If someone has tattoos,
they should be covered at work. Covering the tattoos is almost a definite during
hospital job interviews.

Dress Codes

Most organisations, including the health sector, have dress codes, which should
be followed. Selecting the dress at work as per the institutional guidelines is im-
portant. The dress codes relate to identification, professional appearance, safety
and hygiene. However, many companies are flexible on the dress codes. In these
circumstances, casual dress can be worn on Fridays or the days when there is no
special events or meetings. However, formal dress is mandatory for meetings and
discussion with customers. As casual wear is becoming more popular in the modern
workplace, often it could be challenging to select the outfit for a right appearance.
Observing the clothing style of others especially the boss(es) is very essential while
selecting the appropriate outfit. The clothing standards may be more relaxed in
some occasions, however a good clothing selection and good grooming is always
the standard [13]. Career and etiquette experts can be consulted to get better ideas
on these. Fulfilling the employer’s requirements needs planning and a set of new
habits, which can help in the career success.

Dress Code During a Job Interview

During a job interview, the potential employers seek the person who can represent
the values of their organisation in addition to the necessary skill and qualification
[14]. During the job interview, the appearance decides whether one will fit in with
the company’s culture or not [15]. The way one is dressed, reveals a lots of infor-
mation about self. Therefore, it is essential to make a good first impression with
the interviewer [16]. A planned outfit is essential for getting selected in the inter-
views. The first impression created with the employer can not be altered. Hence,
one should pay attention to all little details from head to toe during the interview
process. In addition to the clothing, the way that one acts, communicates and stands,
affects the performance. Hence, it is essential to always think positively and look
good to boost self-confidence. A positive thinking indicates a high confidence level
and maintaining a positive attitude indicates commitment to the job.
17 How to Dress at Work 245

Dress Code in Workplace

Once selected, the person is expected to represent the company’s culture. During
the first few days in a job, one can watch the clothing patterns of colleagues and
boss, and develop ideas on the dressing styles. If it is difficult, the person can dis-
cuss with someone who is easily approachable and has a good understanding on
the clothing. To the customers, the employees are the company. Hence, the clothing
style affects the relation of the company with the costumers. As a member of an
organisation, one should reflect the values of the company. It is essential to self-
analyse with the question “Will my clothes and appearance be matching with the
events such as meeting with the boss or head?” One should always start the work
fresh and neat and never let down the personal appearance.
A regular personal assessment of clothing is essential to show professionalism
at the work place. The clothing and accessories should also be updated regularly to
match the current fashion trend. Adding two/three clothing items every season is a
good habit for keeping in line with the fashion trend. Similarly, new shoes can be
added to the existing or the old shoes can be refurbished. A smiling face shows posi-
tive appearance and good feeling to co-workers. One should maintain a balanced
diet plan and consult to the doctor when necessary for a healthy appearance.

Grooming

Selection of the right outfit is not the sole thing for a successful career. For a com-
plete professional look, personal grooming and accessories are also equally impor-
tant. Grooming is the way of caring for ourselves. It is the way we represent our
hair, nails, skin and face. The physical attractiveness of a person can not be cre-
ated, it can only be improved. Well-grooming includes styled hair, healthy skin and
manicured nails, which help to improve the personality. Perfumes, mouthwashes,
hairspray, deodorants are all essential parts of grooming. Grooming and the use of
matched, clean and ironed clothes are always better.
Men: Men should trim the hairs in the nose, ear and neck. The nails should be
short and clean. They should brush and floss the teeth daily [17]. The belt and
shoes should match the selected outfit and the shoes should be well polished. The
most conservative shoe styles include black/brown colour leather shoes with cap
toe and wingtip designs [18]. The shirts should preferably be light coloured either
plain or with stripes (horizontal/vertical) in light colours. Suitable shirt colours
include white, off-white, cream, beige, pale and light yellow for office jobs. The
long-sleeved shirts should always be buttoned at the cuffs and never rolled up. Plain
shirt should be used with check or stripe trousers, whereas light colour shirts should
be used with the complementary dark trousers. The trousers should be long enough
to cover the leg but not too lengthy which fold over the shoes. Safari suits must be
avoided. The socks should complement the suit and white or sport socks should be
avoided. The tie should complement the suit and ties with huge patterns or cartoons
246 R. Nayak et al.

should be avoided. The front end of the tie should touch the tip of the belt, whereas
the back end should be properly tucked in. While not wearing a tie, the two col-
lar buttons may be left undone, but buttoning them into the button holes is a good
practice.
Women: The hair style selected by women should be neat, conservative and pref-
erably off the face. Shocking or unusual hair colours such as blue, green and red
should be avoided in office jobs. Furthermore, hair sprays and gels with strong odour
should be avoided. Women should keep the nails clean and they should be trimmed
or sculpted. The use of unusual or shocking nail colours should also be avoided. In
business meetings nail art and nail jewels should be avoided. The makeup should
be simple and appropriate. Wearing no makeup at all is as bad as wearing too much
makeup [18]. The jewellery and other accessories should be carefully selected. The
earrings should be small, simple and dangle above the earlobe. The jewellery worn
should not be noisy (such as metal bangles or bracelets) and too large. Wearing no
jewellery at all is better than wearing too much of them. All business women should
wear at least a nice and conservative wrist watch. The breath should be fresh and
clean so that there is no odour from the mouth. If the breath is smelly, a dentist
should be consulted. Frequent gargling with mouthwash especially after eating is
recommended. This also applies to working men. While selecting cologne, body
sprays and deodorants with fresh and tingling smells should be selected and heavy
smells should be avoided.

Clothing and Personality

Clothing also affects the degree of personal attractiveness, behavioural and physical
[19]. The smartest people are the people with the most attractiveness. The attractive
persons are expected to have better jobs and lead a happier life. People discount the
worth of a person who is poorly dressed. The personality continually changes with
the age and experience. The evidence of changing the clothing style with age is well
documented in history [20, 21]. However, the modern clothing does not make any
difference between the old and the young. The clothing we wear is often related to
the communities and cultures we belong [22]. However, it is essential to look into
the work culture while selecting clothing for work to avoid others identifying you as
being different. Table 17.1 indicates the personality indications from different types
of clothing. The clothing used by a person for adornment also reveals the emotions
and feelings in addition to the personality [23, 24]. A range of emotions and feelings
can be associated with the type of clothing as discussed in Table 17.2.

Things to be Avoided

There are certain things to be avoided people of both sexes, while working or select-
ing the right outfit for a work. The inner side of the handbag should be kept tidy,
17 How to Dress at Work 247

Table 17.1 Personality indications from clothing styles [25]

Clothing features Personality indications
People who emphasize comfort Have a secure sense of identity
A person who uses old and out dated Personality indicates rigidity and inflexibility
clothes
Tight and uncomfortable clothing Indicates tension, anxiety and inferiority
Loose and comfortable clothing Well relate to others and comfortable about self.
Cooperative, optimistic and adaptable
Choose to wear brighter clothing If somebody is sad and feel to wear neutral or
dark colour
Wear blue-green clothing If someone want to make a positive impression
If someone avoids fashion It indicates the person has much more things to be
done rather than worrying about the clothes
People who select dark colours such as Indicates they are depressed
black or brown
Women with plain pumps and sandals They want to understated and unobtrusive

Table 17.2 Clothing choice and emotions [25]

Emotion or feeling Clothing choice
Happiness Bright colour, fun-fashioned
Sadness Sombre hue, body concealing
Youthfulness The prevailing vogue for the teenage
Sophistication Severe, understated, cosmopolitan
Sexuality Body revealing
Superiority High fashion, expensive, jewellery, club insig-
nia, use of expensive symbols
Inferiority Inappropriate, sleazy, worn or too perfect

especially if it has no zipper, which can attract others to have a glimpse from time to
time. The use of too strong cologne or perfume should be avoided. A watch should
be carefully selected, as the watch is the most common accessory drawing attention
on both men and women. One should use socks with an appropriate length and try
to avoid ankle socks with slacks. When crossing the legs and the pants slightly lift
up, no skin should be visible. The use of excessive jewellery should be avoided.
Wearing multiple necklaces, rings or bracelets can create a negative appearance.
Wearing of dangling or multiple earrings should also be avoided. The use of body
piercing paraphernalia such as nose rings, eyebrow and lip rings should also be kept
to a minimum. Selection of an appropriate hair cut style is very essential as not ev-
ery cut is going to look good on every person. If one wears non-ironed and wrinkled
clothing and goes to work with untidy hair, people perceive that the person is care-
less. One should try to avoid: colours such as green or red, ripped jeans or skin fit
T-shirts, shirts showing chest, sports cloths with emblems or large designer labels.
Women should avoid contrasting undergarments under light tops.
248 R. Nayak et al.

Selection of Dress for Work

The selection of clothing depends on the type of job, clothing requirements, regula-
tions, safety level and cultural influences. Employees in some organisations use the
prescribed dress code (colour, design and style) as per the work wear policies. How-
ever, in many institutions people are free to select their clothing to express them-
selves. It is very hard today to predict the occupation of people from their clothes
due to flexibility of clothing in many occupations. However, it is easy to identify
certain types of work (such as a lawyer) if uniforms are used. In many occupations,
the clothing is influenced by the current fashion trend, in spite of reflecting one’s in-
dividual choices. Unless restricted, today’s working men and women are not limited
to the narrow range of dresses. A wide range of clothing differing in colour, design
and style are available for them.

Clothing Selection Criteria

The selection of clothing depends primarily on the type work in the office. In ad-
dition, the body type, the appropriateness of colour and design, climatic conditions
and other functional requirements are taken into consideration [26–28]. Clothing
affects one’s way of thinking. It has been shown that ladies dressed in a masculine
manner during a job interview are more likely to be hired [29]. A study revealed
that a teacher with formal cloth is perceived as more intelligent than the teacher
with casual dress. In this study it was also reported that clothes can reveal one’s
employment, ambitions, emotions and spending habits. The research explained how
psychology affects clothing choice and the ways to overcome key psychological is-
sues related to clothing selection.
Improper clothing can not only prohibit us from doing our job properly but also
change our perception by others at work. The physical appearance of a person plays
an important role in the selection of the clothing. One should analyse their own
features objectively in order to select the right clothing to enhance the assets and
camouflage the problems. The appropriate clothing selection and body postures af-
fect the degree of liking and attraction of a person. The following section highlights
the criteria for appropriate clothing selection.

Influence of Colour

Colour is the first and most important element to which consumers/clients respond
while selecting clothing [30, 31]. Colour expresses the language, reflects the per-
sonality and portrays the emotions [32, 33]. People relate personality to colour,
usually either selecting or rejecting clothing because of its colour appeal. Colour
affects personality because it causes emotional responses, and colour selection is
based on events in lives and culture. Each person has colour liking and disliking.
Clothing colours can reveal the ease or seriousness of a person [34]. The first im-
pression of a person is influenced by the clothing colours and the style of dressing.
17 How to Dress at Work 249

Table 17.3 Different colours and their suitability for various clothing types
Colour type Expressions Suitability for outfit type
Warm: red, yellow and orange These colours are associated Red: sportswear and evenin-
with fire and sun, and they gwear. Yellow: often difficult
are stimulating, aggressive colour to wear and used for
and lively. Red is excit- retro-reflective clothing and
ing, fiery and dangerous. It some other purposes. Orange:
indicates valentine, love and difficult colour to wear like
romance. Yellow is bright, yellow and limited to active
sunny, cheerful, friendly and wear and retroreflective
optimistic. Intense orange is clothing
irritating and overpowering
Cool: blue, green and purple These colours are associated Blue: used in very high (pale
with the sky and the sea and blue) or very low (navy blue)
are refreshing and represent values in clothing. Navy blue
coolness. Blue suggests quiet, is one of the most popular
restful and reserved. Green clothing colours for spring
is the most refreshing colour, or summer line. Green: least
indicating peace, rest and preferred for dresses, popular
quiet for interior design. Purple:
sparingly used for women’s
clothing
Neutral: white, black, gray, These colours present a Neutrals are part of every sea-
beige, tan and brown pleasing background for the son’s fashion picture. White:
wearer without competing for outfit for doctors and nurses,
attention. White is associated and summer wear. Black:
with purity and cleanliness used in isolation or combina-
for which doctors and nurses tion with other colours for
have traditionally worn it. many clothing
Also as white reflects light,
it is considered to be cool
for summer wear. In western
culture black is considered
to be associated with death
and villains. However, it is a
sophisticated and important
fashion colour

Colour can be classified as warm, cool and neutral [35, 36]. Red, yellow and or-
ange are considered as warm; blue, green and purple are known as cool; and white,
black, gray, beige, tan and brown are neutral colours. These colours create different
impressions and are suitable for specific outfit as described in Table 17.3.
While selecting suitable colours for clothing, the skin, hair and eye colours
should be taken into consideration [37]. Furthermore, colours should be selected
according to the season, occasion, climatic conditions and type of the garment.
Although, there is no governing rule for selection of colours, the colour combina-
tions should be judiciously selected to make harmony and enhance the personal-
ity [31, 33]. There is no limit to the kinds and varieties of colour combinations.
Colours create illusions, for example a garment in one colour creates the illusion
of height. Warm, light or bright colours advance visually, making a design seems
250 R. Nayak et al.

large; whereas cool, dark colours recede causing the figure to look small and slen-
der. The contrasts in tone and contrasts in chroma are frequently used to disguise
figure problems. Certain individual colours or colour combinations are more pleas-
ing to some people. Each person need to experiment with various colour combina-
tions by considering both physical and psychological self and establishing most
harmonising colour combinations.

Influence of Design

The arrangement of lines, patterns, colour and texture is known as the design. Lines
are an important element of design, which determine the direction of visual interest
in dress. Straight lines indicate crispness and curved lines imply buoyancy. Lines
have the power to create moods and feeling. Vertical lines indicate upright, majestic
figures and stability. Horizontal lines are like lines at rest and they suggest repose,
quiet and calmness. Soft curving lines express grace. Diagonal lines imply powerful
movement and vitality, and indicate the feeling of movement. Zigzag lines create
excitement but are often disconcerting.
Line should be properly interpreted for each figure type [38]. Long, unbroken
vertical lines are most effective in adding height. The longer and stronger the line,
the more effective it is. Vertical lines can be further strengthened by accentuating
them with contrasting trimmings or buttons. The eye judges any measurement of
length or width in relation to other measurements in the same composition. Longer
skirts make the wearer appear taller and slimmer simply because their length is
greater than their width [39]. Horizontal lines widen the figure i.e. they add bulk or
mass to the figure. A contrasting belt on a dress cuts the average figure in to two,
creating two chunky portions instead of one long and thin shape. The use of illusion
is important in men’s wear. Generally, men want to look taller and stronger. There-
fore, throughout history manufacturers of men’s clothing have tended to increase
men’s stature with vertical lines in jackets and trousers with built-up shoulders.

Functional Requirements

Functional requirements are an important issue in deciding what we wear at work.

There are varieties of tasks such as fire fighting, military, chemical and biologi-
cal industry, where the protective clothing must be used for personal protection
[40–42]. For example in biological industry the hazards are mainly caused by the
microorganisms or contamination [43]. In hospitals, exposure to hazardous bacte-
ria and viruses from contaminated blood, bodily fluids or other similar objects can
lead to the risks related to the biological hazards. In some instances the airborne
pathogens may cause potential threat. The protective clothing used for chemical
protection is mainly used for dermal exposure and lowering the risk of injury
or illness. In addition to the required level of protection, the protective clothing
should be comfortable to wear, should not restrict body movement and should be
easy to produce commercially.
17 How to Dress at Work 251

Comfort and Fit

While selecting clothing, in addition to the style and design, comfort and fit are
also important parameters to be considered [44]. One should avoid using uncom-
fortable clothes, as it overrides the professionalism of an outfit. Everyone should
have specific clothing items which are not only pleasant but also comfortable. In
addition, fit is also an essential criteria for the selection of clothing. Perfect fit pro-
vides good appearance, physical comfort and self-confidence. The clothing should
fit properly while seating, working, standing and bending. Clothing with improper
fit can never be attractive. One should always check the clothing fit both in motion
and stand still.

Clothing for Doctors and Nurses

The ways that the doctors and nurses dress and address their patients are likely to
influence the development of the relationship between them [45–49]. The patients
are also psychologically affected by the ways of clothing of the physicians [47]. In
many hospitals, the surgery staff are differentiated from the patient care and other
supportive staff by the use of different colour codes [50]. In some instances they can
be custom made with cartoon characters or cheerful prints for children’s hospitals,
veterinary offices or paediatricians.
The types of clothing used by physicians affect patient’s confidence. It was ob-
served in a study that the professional attire inspired the most confidence on patients
[51]. The confidence level of patients improved significantly with the professional
clinical attire compared to the casual or scrub outfit. In another study the trust and
confidence of patients was found to be significantly associated with physician’s
preference for professional dress [52]. The respondents were significantly more
willing to share their social, sexual and psychological problems with the physician
who were professionally dressed. The importance of female physicians’ dress ap-
peared to be significantly higher than the male physicians’ dress.
It was observed that the resident physician’s attire makes a difference to the pa-
tients [46]. The comfort level of patients and their perceptions of physician’s (both
male and female) competence were the highest in response to images of physicians
dressed in scrubs with a white coat and least for casual dress. Similarly, patients
expressed a preference for doctors wearing name tags, white coats and short hair but
disapproved of clogs, jeans, trainers and earrings [53].

Physician Accessories and Hospital Acquired Infections

Feldman et al. studied colonisation of purses of 13 women doctors working in a

hospital and of 14 non-health care women who had not visited a hospital in previous
252 R. Nayak et al.

six months (controls) [54]. Their results showed that 9/13 doctors’ purses were colo-
nized with bacteria compared with 2/14 of controls [54]. Gopinath et al. assessed
bacterial colonization rates among randomly selected pagers and stethoscopes [55].
They reported that 15 (25 %) pagers and 11 (27.5 %) stethoscopes were contami-
nated, with no significant difference in the colonization rates between shared and
personal pagers [55]. Abuannadi et al. reported that bacteria commonly colonize in
neckties and avoiding neckties may help in preventing nosocomial infections [56].
Lopez et al. reported significantly higher bacterial counts from ties that were rarely,
if ever, cleaned than from shirts that were washed every two days or more frequently
[57]. Weber et al. reported that an unsecured tie resulted in greater transmission of
pathogens, but the sleeve length did not affect transmission rate [58]. Kotsanas et al.
reported that identity badges and lanyards worn by health care workers may be con-
taminated with pathogens [58]. Wearing uniform at work, even if short sleeved, and
newly laundered, may not reduce the risk of colonisation of physician’s attire [59].
Wiener-Well et al. reported that up to 60 % of hospital staff’s uniforms were colo-
nized with potentially pathogens [60]. Burden et al. showed that bacterial contami-
nation occurs within hours after donning newly laundered short-sleeved uniforms
[61]. After 8 h of wear, no difference was observed in the degree of contamina-
tion of uniforms compared with the infrequently laundered white coats. Thus their
data did not support discarding long-sleeved white coats for short-sleeved uniforms
changed daily [61]. Dancer et al. point out that it is not clear whether colonisation
of physician attire and/or accessories actually increases the risk of hospital acquired
infections [62]. Overall, the current evidence indicate that physician’s attire and
accessories are potential source of hospital acquired infections [63]. It is recom-
mended that they should not be worn when leaving the hospital.

Summary

The first impression of a person can be made from the clothing of the person. The
attractiveness and appropriateness of clothing affect the managerial abilities, cred-
ibility, task performance and perceptions of competence and intelligence. The
positive psychological effects of wearing an appropriate outfit in a workplace are
experienced by many people. An appropriate outfit elicits positive comments and
compliments from others, which can boost the morale. On contrary, inappropri-
ate clothing in a job can generate negative evaluations and reactions from others,
which can undermine self-confidence. An appropriate dress at work not only helps
in creating an image of professionalism and discipline, but also helps in motivating
and communicating with colleagues at work. The perception of clothing depends
on the person making the judgement. Generally, people wearing similar dresses are
approving of each other; however, they are critical for those dressing differently.
Higher is the difference, the harsher is the criticism. There are several studies sup-
porting the old adage ‘clothes make the man’.
17 How to Dress at Work 253

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