Women, go dig out your sheath dress…
Jessica Grose writes that women have to walk a behavioural “tightrope” to advance in the workplace. Women, according to Grose, are analysed in their dress and behaviour to a greater degree than men. So much so that Barbara Lee has written a comprehensive guide specifically for women in politics. Women need to be both assertive leaders and approachable, likeable individuals. They need to be adept in both policy and parenthood. Oh and another thing, make sure you’ve always got that perfect “sheath dress” and jacket combo to hand. (No, I didn’t know what a sheath dress was either). Safe to say, being a woman in politics is certainly no mean feat.
Writing this sitting in an office of mainly women tells me that, in other professions at least, we’re doing a pretty good job of walking that tightrope. Maybe, in the twenty-first century, men could do with a few comprehensive guides as well? In view of the flack Ed Miliband (just for want of an example of course…) gets over his self-presentation, perhaps this dilemma isn’t limited to the female of the species?
#GraduateDressCode 