It likely was not something that most members of the audience attending the Mayoral “debate” at Thomas College on Tuesday evening would be thinking about. To some it might have been of little importance. But it may have made quite a difference to others. The person introducing the event and the College moderator each wore a cost and tie. The College moderator was dressed in a suit. Two of the three seated at the candidate table wore coats and ties. The third candidate at the table was not wearing a coat and tie.
So what is the big deal about dressing in more formal attire in such a setting? Actually, a lot is at stake. Perception is a subtle, ingrained part of social acceptance. Most Mainers are more attuned to a casual lifestyle due to the rural character of much of the state.
Dress doesn’t seem to be a factor in social acceptance in Maine, but casual dress is actually a factor for social acceptance due to the dominance of casual dress at most events most of the time. So what is the connection between appearance, social acceptance and respect?
At a private school for boys in Avon Connecticut, students are required to wear coats and ties to class. During test sessions, ties are optional, but coats are not. When queried by an observer as to why the school had such a dress code, the Dean of faculty, at the time, explained that student performance was directly connected to mode of dress. That seemed to imply that if a student had a better self-image their academic performance was better.
Some may remember that in bygone days on Sunday go to meeting day, it was dress up day. Appearance seemed to matter, at least on Sundays. That flies in the face of public opinion these days.
Personal appearance now seems of little importance in the scheme of things. It is common to see all modes of casual dress in all settings, from entertainment events to formal government settings. So what is wrong with dressing casually all the time and at all events? The answer might be, “who cares.” Who cares what others think of my mode of dress? The answer ought to be, “you should care.”
Schools across the country now are adopting dress codes, so that it removes attention diverting behavior from attention by students to the learning process. The military has always had a dress code with insignia depicting rank. The police wear uniforms. In business settings, especially among upper management, suits and ties are normal attire. So could that possibly be the need to command the respect of employees?
Some might say respect is earned in other ways and has nothing to do with dress. But it can be shown that personal appearance is elemental to the unspoken perception by others. It often has been a byword for those seeking self-improvement, “dress for success.” In these days public decorum is in chaos.Might there be a connection between mode of dress and manners?
Can a candidate for Mayor of Waterville, Maine be more successful in seeking the office if dressed in a coat and tie as were all the others at the candidate table and at the podium? Will a long history of serving the city in many voluntary positions be sufficient to unseat the well-dressed incumbent mayor that garnered the subtle favor of the moderator? We shall see on November 7, 2017.