Exemplification Essay

How many times have you heard the saying “It’s not the clothes that makes the person, it’s the person that makes the person?” I know it’s a mouth full. And we’d all like to believe that, right? But unfortunately in today’s society that’s not the case. How you dress is a representation of you. Like a first impression and we all know you only get one. But exactly why does it matter? Why would anyone care about how I dress? Well that’s what where here to find out. In today’s world how you dress is a reflection of you. It defines how people will react or treat you. Possibly even stereotype & judge you. Luckily it all depends on the type of social situation you are in. If you dress appropriately for the right occasion you’ll have nothing to worry about. Let’s use me for an example. I went job hunting for the first time when I was 16. I didn’t know any better. I went to different stores in the mall wearing a pair of ripped up jeans with my American Eagle striped polo shirt and my most favorite pair of black and white low top Chuck Taylors. I felt like I could conquer the world, or at least the mall. I went to the mall around 2pm and left around 5pm with no job applications. I didn’t understand it, every store I went into had a “Now Hiring” sign, but I kept getting turned down. Soon my “conquer the world” attitude disappeared as I took the bus back home. When I got home my grandma asked me how the job search went. When I told her what happened she sat me down and explain something to me that use to this day. “Even though you looked cute in your outfit; managers are looking for people who appear serious. When you walk into a store looking for a job, you’re supposed to walk in there like you already have it. They want people to look professional; It makes you appear more serious. So next time you go job hunting put on some slacks and a button up shirt and watch you get a different result.” What I difference it made! I ended up getting my first job the very next day. I would never have thought that a simple change in clothes could change what people thought of me. Most people don’t think of these things when they put on their clothes, when they should. Another example is one I’ve seen on television, its more extreme then the first. I was watching “Couples Therapy” On VH1 a few nights ago, and there was this 17 year old girl and her 53 year old husband seeking help for their marriage. Most people would think that the age difference would cause a problem, but it was quite the opposite. When everyone was introduced the first thing they noticed was her outfit. This girl had on a very tight gold and black mini skirt, with a matching tight fitting crop top and 6 inch stiletto heels. When I first saw her I automatically thought she was a stripper or prostitute, and I thought of all this before I knew her name or heard her speak. The same goes for the people on the show, 5 minutes into everyone meeting she was called trash for the way she dressed. Never mind how old she was or why her husband was old enough to be her father. The first thing everyone saw was her slutty clothes. Judging people off how they dress can be extremely unfair at times. Only because you never know what a person’s back story for the way they dress. It may even be a cultural thing, lack of means to buy new clothes, or just there personal style. Back when I was in elementary school we had this new girl come to my class. Every day she would wear this scarf that covered her entire head except her face. None of the kids understood why she had to wear it and would constantly pick on her for it. They would tease her and make fun of her every day. I never understood why she just didn’t take it off, it was a stupid scarf, and she could always put it back on later. I would later find out it was called a hijab and she wore because she was of Muslim faith. It was never as simple as I tried to put it. Over the years I learned that how you dress would determine how people would react and treat you. Sometimes I would be a fair judgment, but others times it would just be mean and cruel. It took me quite a few years to learn this lesson, and it even partially affects how I dress today. Unfortunately there’s a big problem in this, do we conform to the way society tells us how we should dress or do we stick to our own rules and do as we please at the expense of others judgment?