Should We Always Dress to Impress?

Yeah, the only way an impression interferes for me is when there's a lack of hygiene. Even then, I remember there was this man in an old job that obviously showered like 3-4 a week (outrageous in my book) and would wear the same clothes in a way that would make you wonder if he ever got home.. but he was wonderful, one of those rare politicians that are almost visionaires in many ways, and the moment people would see him, they'd speak so timidly to him even if they weren't sure of who he was.. he definitely had a way of impressing and accidentally intimidating that was more about the way he carried himself.

I love street food anyway, so I feel like no matter what I say, I'll just sound like a hypocrite. :lol:

One thing I believe in is that most people do express themselves through clothes, even as a way of fitting in or to showcase creativity, to not conform, to conform.. and this is regardless of their place in society.. it's an expression that's actually quite democratic, you see the same wishes of being a part of something in someone wealthy and in someone that eats every few days, except the way someone wealthy will dress tends to impress more easily a majority (those who are as wealthy or those who aspire to be as wealthy) whereas, because I assume no one wants to be poor, the poor man's look is detestable for most, any subculture that's born there (often associated with music and vandalism) has a dress code that is even condemned by society. And that's when impressions come into play.. tied to what we get impressed by, what we aspire to or what we don't want to acknowledge.

This takes me to certain impressions by people in services.. like where I live, people are likely to go back to a restaurant if they were served by someone white-ish and middle/upper-middle class-looking instead of a Chola. Because that's associated with cleanliness and safety. In high school I hung out with a girl that was/looked like a chola for an entire semester and I remember people asking me if I was going to have a meal that day too with my chola friend (sarcastically). She didn't talk to anyone but no one talked to her either, and because I hated everyone at that point, I decided to talk to her and she actually turned out to be quite possibly the only genuinely nice girl I met in high school.. the fact that she had greasy hair, no eyebrows, bad skin, awful English and hideous Spanish and an overall aggressive look had nothing to do with who she actually was.. I think she used to dress like that because she grew up in like the outskirts of Indio, I doubt she even knew how to use a knife for carrots. :lol:
 
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... " said Ms. Fales-Hill. "Though I never knew a 16th of the hardships my mother experienced, like many black women, I was raised to use elegance as a pre-emptive strike: Do not give people the opportunity to dismiss you or mistreat you by looking less than your best. That means everywhere, even to the grocery store." ...



Excuse me but as a mexican woman who has lived in the United States that is the most oppressive thing I've heard in a long time. "Oh dear daughter, since you're black you must know that people are going to judge you for your skin color immediately before they get to know you so spare them the horrible sight of you in effortless clothing by always being tied down to your wardrobe and make up products."

Because people shouldn't learn not to dismiss or mistreat you for being black, but instead you should wear your best Chanel everywhere to not give them the opportunity to do so?

I love fashion. I take very much pleasure in collecting amazing pieces by my favorite designers and looking good. I am also majoring in architecture. My mother has a PHD in Computer Science. Sometimes I'm in finals and haven't slept in 40 hours so excuse my sweats but I'm trying to turn something in. When my mother was finishing her thesis as a mexican woman living in the USA I'm sure she attended my school meetings without concealer on numerous times. I adore fashion but as a minority, and a feminist intellectual woman raised by another feminist intellectual woman, if someone is stupid enough to judge me because I'm not always dressed in couture that is society's problem and the solution isn't me never being spotted out of couture.

And it certainly isn't teaching my daughter never to be either.
 
@karina_zb: I understand some of what you say but not everything. I understand that dress shouldn't be the main reason to judge but that doesn't mean I should neglect how professional I look. My mother too had a PhD and she always look impeccable. She didn't dress with couture but she dress professional. How will I even believe you are a PhD when you show up to the office in sweats? Professional dressing is different from every day dressing. As a professional we all know better than show up in sweats.
 
Yes we totally should! Why?

Because every day is a fashion show and the world is your runway. So dress your best and walk with confidence. It shows you know how to take care of yourself, and people will respect you for that.
 
i like to dress up just b/c i want to...it's like a hobby to me. but i don't like some people stare at me head to toe and with some kind of look on their face....
 
even if he insists on playing the greatest hits of Genesis as often as he can.
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Hey, being friends with someone who enjoys Genesis (particularly Phil Collins period:yuk:) should be considered a severe crime against humanity:lol:.

Sorry but I had to make this comment because a) I hate Genesis music and b) this talk was getting to deep... Come on, we are talking about sense of fashion, etc, not a possible third World WarB).
 
Since I am always reading too much (or so some people tell me :P), I came across a little write-up of a study that reminded me of this thread. Basically it was showing people pictures of others and asking if they would work with this person to get xyz done. They were specifically examining people's prejudices, including prejudice based on appearance. What the study found is that people who are less prejudiced are much more open to opportunity.
 
^The findings of that study totally make sense to me. Anyone who's worldview is negative towards certain people (whether it be because of race, culture, or how they are dressed), is definitely going to be less willing to being open to new opportunities. I've found that those who don't have an open mind about other people and things are less willing to go out of their comfort zone. Often they are afraid of what they don't know.

I was thinking about this thread the other day when my dad was getting ready for work. He was wearing a sort of grungy t-shirt (in his job he get's a bit dirty at times) and I was thinking I wonder if anyone saw him if they would treat him differently because of what he's wearing at that moment. And that made me a bit sad, cause my dad is one of the sweetest people I know. But the thought that someone wouldn't pay him respect because of what he was wearing (even if it was part of his work outfit) is a bit low I think. So I guess, I do believe that we should dress to impress (when we can) but even if I wasn't dressed to the nines I would hope that someone would treat me with respect. And I would treat other's with respect too, no matter what they are wearing. Clothing can be a form of protection; from the weather, from society, and from ourselves but we shouldn't allow it to be used a weapon to treat people poorly because of what they are wearing. If you go around judging people because they aren't wearing, like, LV then it must be a very sad life indeed. But that's just my feelings on the matter.

P.S. Fashionista-ta, you can never read too much! Don't listen to everyone else. :wink:
 
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gentleman-forever.tumblr.com

That's all!
 
There can also be a pathological side to always 'dressing to impress' where keeping up appearances becomes such an all-consuming need, the person ends up spending beyond their means in order to project a certain facade.
 
"dress to impress"? i don't get the presumption of this statement. for me this expression just sounds like coming from a totally insecure thus negative place. "to impress others" definitely shouldn't be the ultimate goal when someone gets dressed up, cause it implies pretense and disguise, which is in total contradiction to any genuine personal style.

i mean anything less than authentic just can't be attractive, in my eyes. what makes someone appealing is substance from within, and your exterior should just reflect, and even better, emphasize on it.

i don't dress to impress, i dress to connect to my inner self. if i can fully manage that task on any given day, i'm a happy and fulfilled dresser. no matter how anyone else sees me, i'm comfortable in my own skin.

and to judge anyone on appearance (or even style) alone, well, that is just so, limiting...

plus style is not VALUE, style doesn't make someone a trustworthy person, VALUE does.
 
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^ Agree ... and I will also say that I occasionally see a woman who is 'perfectly' dressed to the point where reality seems obscured. I see the Chanel logo, I see this and that ... but who are you really?? The sense of facade and nothing but makes me feel very uncomfortable. And I think you're right that perfection points to insecurity. Imperfection is inherent to life, and when it's been hidden, there's obviously huge effort involved ... and what could be behind that but huge insecurity?
 

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