Effects of Clothing Characteristics in the Workplace: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Perceptions of clothes can be distinctive, varying across individuals, situations, cultures, and time. Evidence from daily life and from existing literature across disciplines, although disparate, all point to the importance of clothing in the workplace. With a systematic inductive approach, we identify three universal and distinctive clothing characteristics at work - formality, provocativeness, and fashionability - as well two other categories - uniforms and religiosity of clothing - which are tied to particular social groups. Drawing on attribution theory and the stereotype content model, we provide a cohesive conceptual framework in which clothing characteristics influence observers’ perceptions of wearer’s competence and warmth through observers’ dispositional attribution process. These perceptions, in turn, influence performance appraisals and supportiveness directed at wearers. We conclude by offering suggestions for future research and implications for employees and employers with regard to managing clothing practices and avoiding potential biases.