How we get judged by what we wear essay

ESSAY 01 The way we dress does have an impact on how we are viewed and categorized in society. Whether we are at work, school, the mall, or simply taking a stroll in the park, we are judged because of our clothing.

We are a society quick to judge because of the outside, which denies us the opportunity to get to know a person at times from the inside. The fact of the matter is clothing plays a key role in how we live our lives in many ways. From being judged on how we dress on certain occasions or in an atmosphere that is prim and proper to being judged by the colors of our attire. It is human nature to judge other people in all sorts of ways. We judge by spoken accents, social position, names, the vehicle someone drives, hair styles, tattoos, piercings, and yes, clothing. The reality is that experience tells us certain traits, mannerisms and preferences can be accurate indicators about people, telling much more than the person has any idea about. Quite often, people are completely unaware of the statement they make through those traits.

How a person dresses is one of those indicators contributing to that statement. Since we cannot avoid human nature, we should be as good as possible at taking advantage of it. Some would tell you it’s wrong to judge others, yet in telling you just that, they are judging you. Personal adornment and dress can also indicate certain things. Someone who likes to dress flamboyantly is probably an outgoing person. Do they have the Goth look? This person is probably broody and introspective, with tendencies toward a persecution complex.

Again, these are generalities and not every person will fit these molds. Perhaps that woman who always wears the colorful floral prints is actually a wallflower herself. Maybe the guy dressed in all black just likes the color.

Say a young girl is wearing heavy, loose fitting clothing in the summer. What does that say about her? She is very body-conscious, thinks she’s overweight and wants to hide it, has low self-esteem, and thinks it makes her unique to wear such out-of-place clothing. The statement she thinks she makes of being a bit rebellious and independent isn’t at all the statement others perceive.

What about the middle aged woman who wears tight clothes, high heels, and too much make-up? She’s probably recently divorced, looking for another man, and knowing every year older is a year closer to living the rest of her life alone. She’s probably very uncomfortable, not having dated in years, and feeling out of place. There’s a young man wearing nice, but wrinkled clothes, including a button-down shirt with the top button buttoned. His pants are solid and his shirt is plaid.

He is a nerd. He is smart with computers, is probably a whiz at computer games, and works at a bookstore, a computer store, or designs web pages from home. Obviously, these judgments could be off by any number of degrees.

Clothing alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Add in mannerisms and other physical characteristics, and you can build a reasonable profile of a person that can shape a first impression. I believe to a certain extent that people can be judged by their appearance. There are certain characteristics of appearance that can give you some insight if one knows what to look for.