Annotated Bibliography Confusion reigns in workplace fashion. (2003, May). USA Today Magazine, 131(2696), 6.

In this article by USA Today Magazine, it starts out asking the question have you ever been inappropriately dressed at work or a business function? That question outlines the problem many are having in the workplace as regards dress and grooming. People are unsure of what business casual means, as well as the younger generation bringing college attire to work. The article quotes the research of Marketing professor, Dennis Tootelian, from the California State University, Sacramento. According to Tootelian, the biggest fashion problem for workers today is the concept of business casual (Confusion reigns in, 2003). There is a section that outlines what business casual is for men and woman. It then goes on to express how the study found dress is also a confusing topic among the generational lines. Younger people have a different impression of whats business casual. The thought of a suit jacket and tie does not enter into their ideas of workplace fashion. However, Tootelian does make the observation that dressing appropriate for work is still important for workers who want to make a good impression and advance their careers (Confusion reigns in, 2003). The article sums up with describing various fashion mishaps that have occurred in the workplace such as; skirts unwrapping, slips and pants falling down and a belt leaving a mark on a table. Overall dressing inappropriately can put a cap on their careers quickly. I intend to use this article to show how dress and grooming are not that confusing and there is a standard.

Gardyn, R., & Fetto, J. (2002) Dress code American Demographics, 24(5), 13. Gardyn and Fetto in this article report on the results of the American Industry Dress Code Survey. It was a poll conducted in 2011 made up of senior executives at companies that had an annual revenue of over $500 million. Of the companies in the survey 56% of them maintain a business attire policy which means suit and tie for men and suit or dress for woman. The executives surveyed believe a professional image can translate into improved work ethics and growth in overall productivity says James Ammeen President of Mens Apparel Alliance (Gardyn & Fetto, 2002). In addition, the article outlines the actual percentages the survey reported on how the senior executives felt about employees dress in professional attire such as; a. Project a better image 70% b. Are more likely to be noticed 68% c. Tend to command more respect 60% d. Feel more confident 49% e. Appear more organized 46% f. Are more likely to get promoted 22% (Gardyn & Fetto, 2002) Overall, the research finds that unless you work from home or a start-up company that the days of wearing casual clothing is over and inappropriate. Companies that are in the fortune 500 category want their employees to dress in a business professional manner because it gives the perception of increased productivity. This article will aid me in showing my readers that successfully companies are looking for well- dressed professionals.

Burgess Wilkerson, B., & Thomas, J. (2009). Lessons from ugly betty: business attire as a conformity strategy. Business Communication Quarterly, 72(3), 365-368. This article considers how conforming to business casual attire is necessary in order to get ahead. They use the example of TV character Betty Suarez to demonstrate how not conforming effects ones chances of promotion or being taken seriously. Students were asked to watch an episode of Ugly Betty and then a lively discussion began on conforming to workplace appropriate dress. Some of the comments included Although she would be more successful, her dress should have nothing to do with her ability, and Conformity is not a bad word (Burgess Wilkerson, & Thomas, 2009). As the discussion continued some of the students mentioned that we all are looking for individuality and it comes out in our wardrobe. Those thoughts are supported by prior research that stated for women, clothing is an extension of self and assists in expressing who they are, even going further to say a womans identity is realized through clothing and that garment selections are made to fit a certain role (Burgess -Wilkerson, & Thomas, 2009). This idea of individuality is also consistent with descriptions of Generation Y (1977-1998) which describes them as self-inventive and individualistic. In conclusion business students have to think of professional attire as an indication of conformity. They felt that the impact of Ugly Betty could be used as a teaching tool of how conformity is necessary to a degree in the workplace. However, companies are lowering their dress code to attract younger talent. Finally, if there is a doubt as to what to wear err on the side of conservative business attire. I choose this piece because the younger generation will relate to the character of Betty Suarez, and that conforming to workplace appropriate attire does not make you a sell-out.

Chaney, L., & Martin, J. (2007). Business dress and grooming. In The Essential Guide to Business Etiquette (pp. 13-24). Westport, CT: Praeger. Chaney and Martin breakout the standards and tips for business dress and grooming considerations in various areas such as; gender, age, geography, fabric, color, culture and industry. In addition, they discuss research findings related to business dress. Their review of literature on the importance of proper business attire yielded the various points; dress is a major factor in hiring decisions, employees who disregard the companys dress standards will probably lose out at promotion time, good grooming projects a positive image; it conveys respect for self and for others (Chaney & Martin, 2007, p.18). The main goal of Chaney & Martins work was to provide advice on how to dress appropriately in the workplace. As the entire chapter is devoted to dress and grooming they outline the psyche behind grooming choices. The guidelines are separated out for women and men things that should be avoided and stressing the most important accessory for both genders are shoes. They convey a positive impression when they are leather, well shined and well maintained. The reverse is also true, unkempt shoes leave a negative impression (Chaney & Martin, 2007). They relate an experience of a company who lost a client after they made an office visit, the CEO of the client company mentioned that the final decision came down to the fact that the competitors employees dress and acted more professional and in a business manner (Chaney & Martin, 2007). They sum up their work by stating that the reality of the workplace is that you will be judged first by your appearance and

while that does not guarantee success it will often end in failure. This book gives a step by step guide to what business casual is and how it can be achieved. It also states a clear expectation. Entzminger, A. (2005). Briefing: dress down or up? banking dress codes continue to evolve. ABA Banking Journal, 97(10), 7. Entzminger discusses the swing from casual to business casual in the banking industry, citing the dot.com (influx of internet companies) era as one of the biggest reasons for change in dress codes. At that time casual wear became the standard in many industries. Bankers need to make sure they look professional but still dress in a way that relates to their clients. With that in mind companies must take many things into account when establishing a dress code such as; their specific job type, how customers will view employees and the image they want to project. According to a 2005 Benefits Survey 51% of organizations in 2001 had a casual dress code policy in place every day, compared to 41% of organization in 2005 (Entzminger, 2005). Her research finds that many banks have opted for a business casual dress code versus the professional attire in their branches to be more in touch with their customers. In the banking industry brand image matters coming across professionally is very important (Entzminger, 2005). A helpful way to convey the standards for business casual and its defined meaning is to put the dress code in writing, this way employees have a guideline to follow. Overall her research shows the banking industry wants to a have a professional image without coming across stuffy or higher than their clientele, the solution business casual. This information is banking specific because as a business major and Charlotte being a banking capital a lot of students potential employer will be a Bank of America or a Wells Fargo. Peluchette, J., & Karl, K. (2007). The impact of workplace attire on employee selfperceptions. Human Resources Development Quarterly, 18(3), 345-357. doi: 10.1002/hrdg.1208 The research of Peluchette and Karl is directed to the Human Resource Development Professionals and how they can help an organization determine the type of dress code they want for their business. The study examines employee preferences and how dress can support certain organizational values. Workplace attire serves as a symbol and provides consensus in meaning to others influencing their reactions to the wearer (Peluchette & Karl, 2007). In their research they addressed the following questions; what type of workplace attire do employees prefer? How does wearing certain modes of dress influence self-perceptions? How do attire preferences influence? The point of this line of questioning was to assist HRD professionals grasp the connection between workplace attire and employee self- perception (Peluchette & Karl, 2007). Several examples of prior research were provided on how people feel dress is directly related to selfperception. One example was that both males and females indicated that the appropriateness of their clothing affected the quality of their performance and their mood in the workplace. Other studies show that self-perception of job effort were lower for those who were working in a formal environment but preferred to dress more casually (Peluchette & Karl, 2007). In conclusion since their work indicated that there is a connection between dress and selfperception the role the HRD professional was to provide a helpful strategy when assisting businesses develop the appropriate workplace attire. It was also their responsibility to help companies realize that organizational culture would be impacted by workplace attire. In addition,

they should look to hire individuals that comfortably bought into the dress code of the business. I thought this research would add the other perspective of what a HR professional is going to encourage a company to look for in an employee. So as they are starting their professional career path they would know what will get them through the door. Nichols, A. (2014) Actual vs. Reported Behavior Increasing Handwashing in Public Restrooms. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 73(1), 41-46 doi:10.1024/1421-0185/a000119 The research of Nichols suggests that many students do not wash their hands when using a public restroom. The research was conducted in two phases, one was a written survey and the second phase was actual observation and signage. When the students took the written survey woman 99% and men 93% stated they washed their hands. However, when they observed the handwashing behavior of students 73% of women and 58% actually washed their hands with soap (Nichols, 2014). Finally, when a sign was put in a prominent place the number of men who washed their hands increased. The one thing Nichols admits is not covered in his research or any other is why or why not people do or do not wash their hands. There are some theories one is social desirability- acting in a way that is favorable to others. Two cognitive dissonance- two contradictory ideas, attitudes or behaviors simultaneously, people experience an uncomfortable tension that motivates them to eliminate the inconsistency. Third availability heuristic- people predict the frequency of an event based on how easily an example comes to mind (Nichols, 2014). This part of the article is interesting I always thing people dont wash their hands because they are nasty and there are no direct impacts for not washing your hands. I chose this article because it clearly shows that the behaviors of people change when they are watched or under observation. In this case it is handwashing hygiene, in the workplace it is business appropriate dress. While there is no dress business appropriate sign placed prominently in the workplace, like handwashing it is an expected behavior.