The way you dress indicates in what profession you are to a certain extent and it reflects on your personality. Perceptions might vary and exceptions are always there. In India, it is trouser/shirt for the office goers and for household chores. For women, it is saree or suit, for the both, working and non-working. For boys and girls, it is jeans tee-shirt/tunic and sneakers.
For leaders it is the payjama/kurta and a half jacket, all whites. Sometimes it is the traditional Dhoti/kurta and jacket. And this is their dress code for over half a century even while attending international conferences.
Formal
In the U.S., the dress code is different. The people in West are happy in casual clothes and prefer to wear jeans and tee-shirts with jacket in their offices also. On the East coast, people prefer formal suits and tie, the traditional London style dress. The U.S. Senators, top business executives, doctors and lawyers always wear suits and tie whenever they attend meetings or are in public view.
The suits are mostly blue. Barrack Obama, the President of United States is mostly seen in his immaculate blue suits, white shirt and tie , which is with blue or red stripes. He looks good wearing the black bow also, with the graceful first lady, Michelle Obama by his side. (And I wont mention his picture, sans shirt, splashed all over the world).
He stands out in all the meetings, well dressed cheerful and energetic. After all, the dress does makes a difference to the man-in-charge. He was immaculately dressed, when he gave the speech on Health Reforms, telecast live on CNN News channel, and was looking cool, calm, calculative and had commitment, courage and charishma, visible all through.
Women
Six yards wonder
In India, the six yards wonder, the saree, was considered as the most graceful attire. A saree has no rival and is an iconic image of
Indian femininity. It is a graceful attire and was worn almost daily. I dont know why it is dying a slow death.
Despite it’s grace and elegance, the saree is now worn only on weddings, functions and kitty parties. In Indian soap operas, the saas-bahu (MIL_DIL) quarrel serials, every actress wears a saree, impeccably ironed and draped, while scheming against someone. But in real life, few Indian women have the time to wear it and maintain the wardrobe of starched cottons and silks.
In U.S. women prefer jeans and t-shirt or skirts with tunic.
Indian Bridal Dress
Girls
Girls have now almost abandoned traditional clothing. They dont buy sarees – they buy jeans. It is sad that saree is gradually dying out with time. The day is not far off when a proud papa will give his newly wed darling daughter – eleven jeans and eleven tops, instead of sarees, as a farewell gift on her wedding. Her friends would probably be jealous!. Yes – neighbours’ envy – owners pride. For the weddings, girls prefer heavy Sarees ar lehenga-choli in India. The girls in U.S. wear the tradional white wedding gowns.
How much effect does a dress have on performance? I think a lot. Appropriate dress projects your personality and gives you the requisite confidence and uplifts your morale. A neck-tie was considered a dignified apparel in India. But nowadays, its’ status has downgraded a bit by the door to door salesmen and restaurant waiters.
U.S. Bridal Dress
I am of the opinion that the performance of a person is directly attributed to the way he presents himself or herself and should always ‘dress’, befitting the occassion.
To conclude, – ‘a man is he who shaves daily, polishes his shoes daily and reads the newpaper daily’ – all good things will follow.
Ravi Matah