Women in pants
 

Father lectures me that people and particularly men never takes a women who never wears dresses/skirts seriously and is viewed as a she-man...particularly in business.

I completely and utterly disagree with that.

I think people from older generations actually believe, but please tell me that younger people know better.

The bad experieces of guys trying to look up my dress, sometimes being successful, and other things, has really detered me from wearing skirts/dresses, unless there is a formal event.

I know that doesn't hurt me know, but when I get out of school and get a more professional job will my predominately slack wardrobe hurt me?

Everything I've ever been told about dressing for business, both in college and in law school, is that women should wear suits with skirts to interviews. Unfortunately, women in pants suits just aren't as accepted as we'd like them to be.

I think it really depends upon the corporate culture of the particular organization. At some place very conservative, women would absolutely be expected to wear dresses and skirts.

Personally, I prefer to wear dresses or skirts to work. They look better on me, and I just think its more "acceptable"

Since I'm assuming you want to work in PR or Advertising, I don't think you need to worry about your preference for slacks. I personally think a woman can look fantastic in a well cut pants suit; not "masculine" at all.

I don't know how common this is, but a former neighbor is an attorney and she mentioned once that, whenever she appeared in front of a certain judge, she always wore a skirt suit because everyone knew that he didn't approve of females in pants :rolleyes:

The very first of the Southern Truths for Daily Living from What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should) :

Femininity is a plus in the business and social worlds.

Which means, wearing a skirt just reminds everyone that you're a woman. And that ain't a bad thing ;) Men are naturally drawn to women, and I think it's a good idea to play that up as much as you can.

Although I do agree with KillarneyRose, a well-cut pants suit can be absolutely stunning and professional! It's just a matter of choosing THOSE types of pants suits above those other types... you know, the ones that make even attractive women look like monochromatic, gray-pinstripe blobs.

CarolinaCutie-"... It's just a matter of choosing THOSE types of pants suits above those other types... you know, the ones that make even attractive women look like monochromatic, gray-pinstripe blobs.
I also agree with Killarneyrose-". I personally think a woman can look fantastic in a well cut pants suit; not "masculine" at all.''
You just need to read the landscape before you assume the fashion demands for your situation.

You should have seen how LONG it too for those polyester pant suits to DIE in the late 60's!!! I don't know if they were even biodegradable!!!

Not exactly the situation you are speaking of, but an interesting situation. At a party, when cocktail pants were really the rage, I decided to wear a dress. Some guy came up and said how great it was to see a woman dress like a woman for a change.

My sister is the manager of a company and she does TV promos frequently. She wears a dress suite every time...it's professional.

I think it depends on a couple of factors. Who is hiring/promoting and who are you trying to appeal to. If your business atmosphere and boss are really laid back then there will be a more casual office attire policy. If it's more high powered, well you need to dress in the same manner or you won't be taken seriously...AT FIRST.

Like Collin said in another thread-Know your audience. That pretty well stands as truth in every aspect of your public life.
Start out as classy and well coifed as your financial situation allows...even to the point of hitting consignment shops for some
"classic" wear.

Exactly. Although, some women wear skirts that are way too short to an interview. A business skirt should be no shorter than knee length when standing. Also, cleavage is not an asset to the interview contrary to popular belief. ;)

I was always told this as well. However, I see women breaking out of this stereotype all the time. For some reason, I feel more confident going into an interview in a skirt suit, but that's me. I think it's really to each her own.

I think the intiial question was how men perceive you. And in answer its YUP, men will take you more seriously in the skirt.

I cannot think of a single interview I've been on that I didn't wear a skirt to. Even when I interviewed for ResNet (really laid back, don't need to dress up for interviews) I wore a khaki skirt and a polo shirt. I think it just makes a better first impression.

I will wear pants to work though, because there is no way I am wearing a skirt everyday - esp. in the Wisconsin winters.

In my experience, nobody gives a crap whether I'm wearing a skirt or pants. I used to wear skirts to job interviews because it was drilled into my head in law school that it was the only appropriate choice. I gave that up a long time ago. I wear skirts when I feel like it and because I like to sometimes, but I mostly wear pants. Even if I thought anybody would take me more seriously if I wore a skirt, I wouldn't wear one for that reason because that's just me changing my behavior to fit someone else's outdated stereotype of what a woman should wear. I think it's about damn time we stopped letting our fashion choices (or any choices for that matter) be dictated by others.

I don't understand why men would take a woman more seriously if she's in a skirt. My gut reaction would be that he'd take you less seriously because if anything, he's going to be staring at your legs. Believe me, it happens. As a woman, you can always use that to your advantage if you want, but that's your choice.

I really hope that's not the case!!

I'm just not comfortable in skirts. I wear pants to the office and pantsuits to interviews. I'll wear a skirt or dress for a wedding, a nice dinner out, etc., but 99.999% of the time I wear pants.

I don't know that I could bring myself to don an uncomfortable skirt that restricts my range of motion just because it's "the norm."

Hey, most IT professionals don't wear skirts :p

I wear pants to work simply because my office is kept so darn cold! I need all the coverage I can get.

Luckily, a newspaper newroom is very casual, especially for those of us who aren't reporters and don't go out and interview people. I did wear skirts when I was reporting, but now, on the weekends, it's jeans and tennis shoes on the copy desk, baby!

The reason is that men are intimidated by women that look assured and powerful and don't play up their femininity as a qualifying factor.

I'm all about pantsuits that have long wide legs, worn with stilettos and an appropriately low cut jacket with blouse underneath. It's sexy and chic.

When I used to go on job interviews, I against my own judgement would wear a skirt suits. I would have rather worn pants suit since I would have felt more comfortable than those wearing those damn skirts. I also didn't feel it was right to continue the outdated stereotyped that women should wear only skirts and dresses. One day, I had a interview and it was extremely cold out and snowing. I was wearing a woolen skirt suit, but I wanted to experiment with wearing pants. My legs nearly froze. I still want to experiment with wearing a pants suit for a job interview though.

http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmili.../pinkieone.gif http://216.40.249.192/s/contrib/blac...milecrunch.gif

I went to the university co-op dept. early last semester in hopes of finding an internship somewhere and we had a pre-interview type thing with the person who was in charge of dealing with students in my particular major.

Anyway, I was told it was 'professional dress' so I wore this really cute pantsuit and a really cute scarf. I thought I was smashing!!!!

The intern-guy didn't think so. He said when interviewing for co-ops or internships that I should wear a skirt suit.

I thought he was just being a pig! hehehe

But I guess he probably meant it in the way you described.. women in pant-suits aren't as accepted as we'd like them to be.

One of my friends is really active in pageants and during a prelim for Miss Alabama (some forum weeks before the pageant) someone told the contestants that people view women in skirt suits as being somehow less intelligent. I don't know if this is true or if it came from a scientific poll, but that is sort of disturbing. Especially in this day and age.

THis is only true up to a certain point. At a certain corporate level, men are not going to take you seriously if they see you as their little sister or someone they want to have sex with. One headhunter I know talked about how women who used their femininty like this were complaining because they weren't being taken seriously and she had to tell them to cut it with the little girl lost act.

Skirts are necessary at interviews and depending on the formality of the office, formal business settings. In business casual and on an everyday level there is nothing wrong with wearing pants.

Sorry, Prefer Women out of Pants!:cool:

But, if worst comes to worst, dress like a man and try to be successful!:(

Is it the Clothing that makes you what you are?:confused: :eek:

Yeah I'm going to call BS on this. Once again, dinosis made up a story on GC to pretend she's cool and you all respond.

-Rudey
--I'm sure people look up your skirt all the time you retard.

At least you're good at one thing, you're good at lying.

You make no sense corky.

-Rudey

Keep it on, that gap between your teeth is going to get bigger and bigger...

I think this is one of those things where you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. If you always wear pants, you're going to be seen as "too masculine" and intimidating . . . if you always wear skirts you're not going to be taken seriously and you'll be seen as an airhead.

Impressions only with no provable basis in fact:

1. As a hiring manager, I prefer women to be wearing skirts. It strikes me as more formal -- and the job interview is a formal occassion.

2. As much as I love great legs, short skirts really strike the wrong cord in a professional environment.

3. In the workplace (as opposed to the interview), slacks, pants are OK. It's nice to see a mixture.

4. If TV really does "mirror" what we think life should be (I'm not saying it does, by the way, but some have), I think that "professional" women generally are portrayed wearing skirt suits in situations like lawyers in court, etc.

5. You generally can't go wrong with some degree of conservativism in the way you look on the job, and I think that means skirts.

Most of the above are simple opinions, but have grown out of a lot of years in the professional world.

Here's to being your own person.I can totally see that. When we play to a man's desire to see a feminine woman, we backhandedly enforce the stereotype that women are weaker and less competent than men.AMEN! I mean, hell, look what happened to Hillary Rodham Clinton. I'm not saying that I agree with her politics or life choices or anything like that, but HRC is definitely a woman who knows what she wants and will fight to get it. Instead, she was seen as a man-eating you-know-what and was derided for not "staying in her place." Granted, it wasn't because she was wearing pants suits-- though she does sometimes wear pants suits-- but because she is a strong woman.

I like pant suits because they are easier than skirts. I think that a skirt suit is better for an interview.

What she said. :)

Just so I understand your point, are you saying that a strong woman can't be feminine? Or Vice Versa?

I don't buy that.

Delt Alum-Just so I understand your point, are you saying that a strong woman can't be feminine? Or Vice Versa?

I don't buy that.

THANK YOU!
I see myself as BRILLIANT, STRONG, CREATIVE and SUCCESSFUL!
When I talk to men, in most situations, I hold my own and then some. I am feminine. I dress feminine...actually, I dress to the occasion, but it is ALWAYS feminine. (Unless I'm pushing dirt around)

Good points. In the nearly 15 years I've been a journo, I always wore skirt suits when on job interviews and in formal settings. But if it's informal, I wear pants or pant suits. In fact, today, I am wearing pants although I have an interview.

As an aside, I loathe seeing women in the professional environment with bare midriffs. There are more than a few women who work in my building who do this. Time and place, people.:rolleyes:

Absolutely. Professional suicide.

In addition, where did the impression that all women in pants come across as masculine?

I don't buy that either. A good pants suit can be very feminine.

And I also don't buy that women who "always" wear skirts aren't taken seriously?

Where do these ideas come from?

I apologize in advance if this is convoluted.
 

No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that if a woman plays up her femininity, she's emphasizing other stereotypes, whether she means to or not. I wasn't talking about attire so much as behavior, but attire can sometimes prompt others to make assumptions about our behavior. Like I said, I don't think I've ever seen Hillary Clinton in a pants suit.

My social psych professor has done loads of research on ambivalent sexism. Basicly, it suggests that subjectively positive attitudes towards women aren't benign, but promote inequality.

I could explain this better, but I'd need charts and an easle. :D

JAM, I consider myself both strong and feminine. However, I've been around plenty of men who assume, just because I'm pretty, that I have nothing in my head. It's important to realize that our feminine behavior in one area can cause others to make assumptions about our competency, and our non-feminine behavior in one area can cause others to make assumptions about our warmth. It's tricky, because I like to dress like a girl and I let men open doors for me on occasion, but I am aware of the fact that these behaviors might be enforcing other stereotypes. I think that this poem, Not A Pretty Girl, tidily sums up how I feel on the issue. I want to be more than a pretty girl.

Back on-topic: People should dress nicely and professionally for interviews. You should wear whatever makes you feel the most comfortable so that you can present yourself the best. And please, less is more when it comes to showing skin.

:eek: :eek: are you serious?

I think she is, and I agree. Remember, we're talking about PROFESSIONAL situations here, not all jobs.

I think KappaKittyKat's comment below is absolutely true in the professional environment:

And please, less is more when it comes to showing skin.

I have no problem with short skirts and bare midriffs -- but they look terribly out of place (some would use the word trashy) in the office setting.

Yes, I am. We're located on the bottom floor of a high-rise office building, and some -- not all -- young women come out of the elevator, jiggly and stuff on display. It does amaze me, but then again, I'm 38 and was raised in an old-fashioned, ladylike fashion.


And DeltAlum, you're right. If you have the figure for short skirts and bare midriffs, that's OK. But it's just not OK in the professional setting, IMO.

I think skirts and dresses make me feel more comfortable and sensual
Pants seems so hardcore and ready to get down to business
That's not my personality

Maybe instead, we should try to dress like our personality
I see guys at work who wear bowties instead of ties
To me, it's all comedy

Wow! I can't recall the last time I wore a skirt suit to an interview! I almost always wear a really great tailored pants suit. They fit me well and look great on me. To the point, I've always done well with interviews; I don't think my fashion choices have ever made a difference.

I'm just not a "girly girl" - I would honestly feel less comfortable if I tried to wear a skirt to an interview. In my office, we didn't have to go ultra business or anything. I usually wore nice slacks, with dress shoes and a smart looking blouse/top.

On the other hand, my co-worker used to be a fashion designer. She got tired of that industry and switched to higher education. However, her fashionista tendencies remained and she liked to wear these *very* form fitting suits with short skirts. She wasn't dressed trashy or anything, but she definitely stood out.

She was very smart, very capable, and great to work with. However, I felt like some of the men in the office treated her a little bit like she was "sweet but needs my help." Even though my colleague was intelligent, some of the guys seemed to focus on her clothing as a measure of her ability. Sometimes they even talked down to her.

I think the thing is that, as long as one is dressed professionally, then it's all good. I've seen others lined up for an interview in an office setting and they're wearing something casual. I've *always* dressed nice to interviews...even when I was in college and I was going to a food retail place to ask for an application form. The whole ultra-short skirt, big cleavage, and bare midrif concept just doesn't cut it for me!

.....Kelly :)

Re: I apologize in advance if this is convoluted.
 

Actually, Hillary Clinton has a considerable amount of pants suits in her wardrobe (most of the time when she's on television, she is wearing a pants suit). I don't think I can recall the last time I've seen her in a skirt suit.

I haven't followed this thread but want to add my comments: I think women look a lot more proffessional and better if they wear a skirt and appropiate blouse instead of trying to look like a man.

I made reference to this in White_Chocolate's journal, but...

one thing we're not taking into consideration is temperature. I'm a skirt girl. I love dresses, I love skirts, I love how I look and how I feel with them.

But my office is <b>COLD!!!</b>. It's the middle of July and I'm wearing pants, a turtleneck, and a cardigan sweater.

I hate wearing pants, I don't think I look good in them and I think people are nicer to me when I wear dresses, but I simply have to wear pants every day. There's only so much layering a person can do to a dress, and legwarmers just aren't in my vocabulary :p