A recent publication by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) addresses concerns regarding the common norms of men’s apparel in the workplace in a piece titled, “What Happens When Men Don’t Conform to Masculine Clothing Norms at Work?”
The management magazine of one of the most prestigious business schools in the country sought after the opinion of Ben Barry, an Associate Professor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Ryerson University School of Fashion in Canada, to answer their question.
According to his article, Barry is a staunch advocate of a peculiar concept known as “fabulousness,” which is defined as “a way of dressing and styling the body that not only disrupts gender codes but also introduces new forms of identity into the world.”
The men in the workplace he’s referencing aren’t just contradicting generally accepted dress codes, however; they’re defying and shamelessly resisting gender norms in the workplace for personal cause.
“In Britain and North America, the suit is the most culturally accepted form of office wear for men. But what do we make of the men who reject the solid-color suit and opt for, say, an embellished jacket and sequined leggings?” Barry asks HBR readers.
The answer is quite simple: defying conventional dress codes does not help men who are seeking to land a job nor will it help men succeed in the workplace.
While many would assume sequined leggings are simply inappropriate and distracting, Barry states that “Wearing fluorescent pink or leopard-print tights” leaves men “open to critique for looking ‘unprofessional’ — a euphemism for not fitting into white, straight, middle-class masculine norms.”
According to the professor “holding onto the ‘superiority’ of masculinity at work just isn’t worth it: It alienates many employees, requires them to act inauthentically, and creates environments that stifle productivity and innovation.”
Barry has conducted his own research on the topic. He has found that for many men “clothing was essential to their sense of self: It was how they expressed their identities, beliefs, and personalities. By censoring their fabulousness, my participants felt forced to mute core aspects of themselves — and so their organizations are unlikely to fully tap into their unique mindsets.”
What’s shocking is that the HBR fails to mention anything about the business side of men’s wacky fashion choices. Men are hired, presumably, because they are needed to work and fulfill their respective duties to the best of their abilities. Businesses won’t prosper off of men expressing their inner selves. It’s possible most employers don’t permit their male employees from wearing women’s clothing because it’s considered to be ridiculous by the vast majority of the population and therefore drives away a good sum of consumers.
The fashion professor isn’t doing anyone a service by convincing young men that their feelings and fashion whims come before their employer’s requests and customers’ needs. Simply put, if men cannot complete the tasks of their job because they cannot dress in the fashion they prefer, then it’s in their best interest to find another employer.
