1. 1. Dress to Communicate Dress to Communicate MGMT102- Business Communications University of Wollongong in Dubai Report Submitted by: Arshed Aydrose ID: 3351166
2. 2. Dress to Communicate Abstract The purpose of this report is to understand the importance of individuals 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 donts 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 individuals 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. 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 1st 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. 4. Dress to Communicate on profession in this modern world as the ancestors have already set certain rule and codes. For example doctors 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 cant 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 1st 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. 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].