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The Chronicle: Colloquy: A fetish for fashion? Response
As seen from www.chronicle.com
By Thomas Landefeld
This article really "hit home" for me! I am an accomplished academician, scientist, and administrator. So as someone who enjoys nontraditional attire, I have experienced the prejudices that were discussed in the article, not only in job interviews but in official and unofficial evaluations.
First, let me qualify "nontraditional:" I do not mean wearing tank tops, or cut-off shorts, I mean wearing suits that are not the typical, traditional grey or navy blue with a white or off-white shirt.
Second, this issue is important not mainly as a fashion statement, but as a statement to those who are considering a career in the academy, especially in the sciences as it is very important for us to convey a message to young people who may have an interest in education and in particular, in science. Science is a field where the stereotype is the conservatively dressed "nerd or geek" (a fact that actually will prevent students from choosing this area of study), which is certainly not the case with all scientific academicians! In fact individuality is a very important quality for a scientist and can often be demonstrated by independent "thinking" such as what one wears; I take it as a compliment when someone tells me that, "I don't look like a scientist!"
Either way, "frumpy or chic," should not be the measuring stick for the person's ability to "do the job." In fact, in the year 1998, it is a sad statement for academia, that an accomplished academician would be critiqued on a job interview or for tenure considerations, on the basis of their clothes (i.e. not "conforming" to an outdated standard) instead of their scientific accomplishments which should be the most important criterion. Unfortunately, when the comment was made in the article, "if you don't know how to dress... ," the only reason that the people who say that others don't know how to dress can do so is because of their position of "control" -- not because they know how to dress!
And the academy is to lead us into the 21st century? Based on the attitudes displayed, perhaps the strongest statement might be that we at least "look good!"
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