How seriously are you taken based on what you wear?

[Osito]

I don't know and I don't really care. But I guess some things are natural, such as being over-dressed in a warehouse and underdressed in court or an office.

[Utopian Slums]

Originally Posted by Cmfrtblynmb

Based on your post, it only adds more proof sexism is still VERY strong here. Dresses of course are seen as "feminine" and by being a woman dressing your role as "feminine" people accept you because on an unconscious level they realize you "know your place in society."

I for one, can vouch seriously for this judgmental social demographic. I am what people would consider a goth. AKA, weirdo, freak, depressed all the time wtf is wrong with you etc. Goth is a style based on music, literature, and film. Some take it as just a look and could care less about how it came to be.

I can't tell you how many times a day people, even doctors, try to joke or ask "does that hurt" because of facial jewelry. I mean come on how stupid are-....ok fine I live in FL people are really stupid here holy ****.

Ive had things thrown at me, I've been asked "what are you" like I'm not human and kids don't smile back at me. However, take out the jewelery, dress in jeans and "normal" clothes...oh, NOW I'm a human being! I get responses, I don't get GLARED at, harassed by people....Oh and kids smile back at me, guys open doors etc. However, this response is ONLY from WHITE people!!! When I wear my comfortable wear, my goth clothes, I get compliments all over from black people!!! They love my shoes, they love the dreads, they love the jewelery, the men open doors for me, the women all want to touch my hair ask me how I did it, comment/compliment on my makeup etc. I don't know why but I have always gotten along better with black people in general. Maybe its because of where I lived, by boyfriend lived in a higher middle class all white area, he can't talk or relate to black people, but is always amazed when we go out how I get attention, GOOD attention and start conversations with only black people lol.

So like I said, it really is a social demographic thing. Some races really do take what you wear SO much more seriously about who you are as a person. Coming from a Colombian/Swedish background, my Swedish side of the family is very open, very tolerant. However, the Colombian side is MUCH more judgmental, and the times I have worn my goth clothes and times I've worn "normal' clothes and dresses MY OWN FAMILY responds to me so much differently. I mean in a more perfect world people wouldn't be so ignorant and realize that they are in no position to judge anyone, especially by the way you dress.

I'm so glad you (and another poster above) mentioned the difference in treatment by different races as a female- in skirts or not.

I usually dress jeans or even more casual 24/7. Back in the hs and college days, i would try to dress DOWN as much as possible because I didn't want ANY attention or unwanted advances. I was very shy and introverted then and of course it was "cool" to not give a F in my circle. The last 10yrs or so, I've become less shy and introverted but i still just do jeans casual (besides work where i used to dress like I do NOW as my norm professional look.)

Although I have no piercing, I'm "goth pale" by default w dark hair and tend to lean to a pseudo goth like look- eg, all black, army type comfy boots, etc. My hair sometimes has fake red streaks or is dyed black.

Over the last decade or so, I've noticed almost anytime I go out ANYWARE I get hit on by Black guys only. And usually they are in groups of 3-5 w 2-3 at a time hitting on me. This fascinates me because they are usually the minority in any places I'm at so it seems a statistical anomaly and i wonder what else is going on here? I also have 1 particular shirt- it's just red w a rose that AT LEAST ONE Black man or woman will complement me on EVERY time I wear it.

Since April, I've started dressing in comfy and more feminine styles- eg, sandles, flowy skirts, etc. This was a conscious choice and an actual attempt at being taken more seriously (for various personal reasons reflecting some stuff I have to attend to in my life right now.) I now work at home and started to miss how i used to dress for work. I am trying to get back into my art and feel a need to be more creative w my color and form combos. And finally, ive been trying to raise my self-esteem as i had a very depressing winter.

What the OP said is true- more males of all races open doors for me, older men of all races are more likely to smile, compliment and start conversations with me. Very few people overtly try to pick me up except random blue collar White males who appear 5-15 yrs older than me in random bars or coffee shops. Younger Black males have completely stopped hitting on me and i wonder what's up w that?

[Wry_Martini]

I generally wear a lot of dresses and skirts. I'm usually accessorized, too. (I have days when there's a work crisis and I have to pull on my sweats and drive in at 5 a.m. and I look sloppy all day, too.)

I've definitely noticed that when I'm wearing a dress, heels, etc, complete strangers will go out of their way to open doors for me/hold doors open. This happens at the office as well as in stores, doctors offices, etc.

Men are more likely to defer to me ("The lady was here first") when waiting for the hostess in a restaurant or the salesclerk at the deli. And I tend to get more attentive service in restaurants.

To be honest, it's part of why I take the effort to dress up a bit more. The end result makes my day less stressful.