Dress to communicate

have you ever end up with questions like " what to wear?" and "why am i wearing that?" on a sunny working day? you mite have not given any importance to the concept of good and clean looking, that mite be totally okay with you, BUT, you are wrong!! Peep into this presentation and related report to identify the importance of the right attire.

1. Dress to Communicate








Dress to Communicate



MGMT102- Business Communications
University of Wollongong in Dubai







Report Submitted by:
Arshed Aydrose
ID: 3351166

2. Dress to Communicate

Abstract
The purpose of this report is to understand the importance of individual’s
attire as a non-verbal communication. The importance of dress code in very well
explained and consequences of in appropriate dressing are discussed. The
interpretation of a person behavior based on his appearance is understood. The dos
and don’ts in choosing a attire based on company, profession and purposes are
detailed. The research methodologies are from the Internet articles, journals and
library materials published under the names of Hoover, M, Laurance K, Reiffenstein
K, White S and Sklar M.

Introduction
Communication is always far farther than verbal. For an effective
communication an individual should always be better off in his/hers nonverbal
communication skills. Most of the communicators emphasis on verbal oral
communications as the final mode of transferring the messages to one another. For
being an effective negotiator in the busy business world a person should be a good
communicator. Researches have proven that around 70 to 90 percent of the
communication spectrum is non oral or nonverbal. So all should be very much aware
of what are other dominant nonverbal communication mediums. Here comes the
importance of individual’s dress or attire when it comes to an effective
communication (White, 2014). It is always true when we come across the expression
“Clothes makes Man or Women”. However the expression might be felt highly
exaggerated but the degree of factorial truth is higher than the limits. Making the best
possible nonverbal impression thru the attire is imperative when it comes to meet with
the potential employer, boss, and family member or even in crowded places. The
things you wear or the things that have on you distinguish your identity to other.
Some cultures take dresses as their language of communication where as some others
take dresses as their symbol of pride and identity of society that they belong
(Lawrence, 2010).

3. Dress to Communicate

Importance and Consequences
Possible chances of making your first impression creates value in messages
that you deliver and all the messages are converted into statements that granted. It is a
disturbing anddubious fact that the receiver or the second party judges you in between
30 seconds to five minutes of the conversation. The importance of your appearance
based on the things you wear as a nonverbal communication is never to be judged
faultily. Not your skills, education, knowledge and experience solely matter but your
overall appearance counts too when is comes to the interview with the possible future
employer (Sklar, 2014). The attire is a silent method of asking the attention of the
other party whom you consider respectively important. As the dressing codes are
highly related with the culture that an individual belongs, successful communicators
always relay on the dresses a person wears in order to have a loose impression of
his/her culture. Strong attire with the sense of professionalism provides any sort of
people to be dominant and attractiveness inbusiness relationships (Lawrence, 2010). It
is very well understood that a proper choice of attire may not be able to bring you
success, but is it certain that proper choice of attire will never let loose terribly in a
professional communication. Where as there is less room for any individual to better
off in a negotiation with his poor groomed and inappropriate attire. The plus side in
this highly demanding corporate world your clothes can be your finestfriend and in
the other side clothes can be your basest enemy as well. With a poor dressing the
credibility, professionalism, self-confidence and competence are at stake and
questioned. The disrespect or non-acceptance from the second party is highly likely
when the 1
st
impression is failed. Theun-detailed attire can judge a person as lazy and
irresponsible which is the last thing that anybody should seekin a interview or a
presentation where needs a ration of judgment in order to survive successful. With all
the negative factors above the free flow of messages, information and ideas will be
halted between sender and receiver (White, 2014).`
When to Wear and What to Wear?
The importance of dress code is always defined in all work places around the
globe. It is also important to identify the right attire for job depending on company,
culture, profession, purpose etc. Identifying the right attire based on profession is not
always challenging but demanding. It is always easy to choose the right dress based

4. Dress to Communicate

on profession in this modern world as the ancestors have already set certain rule and
codes. For example doctor’s medical aprons and scrubs reveals the identity and helps
to attain the highest credibility by the patients who are his/her nearest clients.
Profession built attire eliminates confusions and free flows of messages are made easy.
As a boss it is important of dressing a little higher formal than his/her audience in this
case his/her subordinates. Purposes built attires are based on the nature of job. For
example and engineer can’t wear casual jeans and shirts while in office but he could
wear it while on site that are comfortable and safe for him/herself. A army men will
always have to wear the safety and utility wears while in warzone on the other side he
is infer to wear his official uniform for a meeting or conference (Hoover, 2014).
When going for interviews the candidate should make sure to study the company's
work place culture prior to the date of interview. The company expect its employees
to wear a formal dress as a traditional form of culture, a contemporary company will
ask its employees to wear casuals at work and a free cultured company will have no
specific rules set based on its employees appearance (Hoover, 2014). Its not only the
dresses that should be taken care of, but the accessories like jewelries, watches are
details as well by the interviewer. All sort of cosmetic makeups should be minimized
and odd body piercing must be eliminated. Tattoos are to in place where it could be
well covered by the attire worn. Because all the odds appears in the appearance will
create a negative impact on your communication and the person could be judged
wrong.
Conclusion
The nonverbal clues will help interact with people in a daily basis and will
help to attain the initial perception about a person at the 1
st
glimpse. It is always a
good idea to spend some time in front of the mirror or taking a modern ‘selfies’
looking at them that helps to evaluate and improvise the dressing styles. So it is clear
as William Thourlby stated in this book You Are What You Wear that, "Of course,
clothes will not compensate for weak credentials, poor work records or bad habits, but
a person who is dressed appropriately and is well groomed can open doors, where one
who is inappropriately dressed and poorly groomed, will never be admitted."

5. Dress to Communicate

References:


 Hoover, M. (2014). Dressing to Impress: The Secrets of Proper Attire.
[online] http://career.fsu.edu. Available at:
http://career.fsu.edu/img/pdf/guides/DressToImpress.pdf [Accessed 12 Jul.
2014].
 Lawrence, K. (2010). Dressing for a Presentation. [online] University Writing
Center. Available at: http://writingcenter.tamu.edu/2010/types-
communication/presentations-2/dressing-for-a-presentation/ [Accessed 11 Jul.
2014].
 Reiffenstein, K. (2009). Professionally Speaking...: Presentations: What To
Wear. [online] Andnowpresenting.typepad.com. Available at:
http://andnowpresenting.typepad.com/professionally_speaking/2009/11/presen
tations-what-to-wear.html [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014].
 Sklar, M. (2014). Men at work: using dress to communicate identities. [online]
Academia.edu. Available at:
http://www.academia.edu/1064861/Men_at_work_using_dress_to_communic
ate_identities [Accessed 13 Jul. 2014].
 White, S. (2014). Dr. Shirley Says... Effective Nonverbal Communication
Cues: YourMode Of Dress Plays A Key Role. [online] Successimages.com.
Available at: http://www.successimages.com/articles/sw11.htm [Accessed 12
Jul. 2014].