Wearing the correct dress for any occasion is a matter of good manners.
– Loretta Young, American actress
I am compelled to write about the importance of proper attire in public after witnessing an incident yesterday. I was with a journalist friend from Kuala Lumpur having breakfast at a popular food court here in Kuching when a twenty-something sweet young thing (STY for short) walked in, flashing her butt cleavage in a pair of super short jean shorts or what we call hotpants in the fashion industry.
She was accompanied by her family, I believe. There were two senior citizens and three others who appeared to be her younger siblings; none of them looked old enough to be her beau.
On top of her cleavage-revealing denim shorts, she was sporting an almost see-through sleeveless t-shirt which revealed even the colour of her brassiere.
The family took their seats six tables away from where we were seated and it’s not surprising when patrons focused on them. Some naughty youth seated at one corner started ogling and wolf-calling at the direction of the table the family was seated.
But the SYT and her family seemed oblivious to the unwanted attention. Honestly, I had this feeling that at times they appeared not to mind the attention.
They finished their breakfast and left in about 20 minutes. As they were leaving somewhat hurriedly we could hear more wolf calls.
My friend had a poor impression of the family, particularly the pretty SYT. I know one can’t judge a book by its cover, but one can set some form of standards of dress when entering public places. I always believe that the type of dress one wears conveys a positive image or certain ideals and traditions one upholds.
Many will argue that the requirement to wear proper and decent clothing when entering places like companies, restaurants and government agencies, not to mention educational institutions, goes against their right to dress as they please.
By all means, dress as you please. But have some form of decorum, for goodness sake! Would you walk into a house of worship scantily dressed? Would you as a parent meet up with the teachers or principal in a frontal slit skirt or in a miniskirt that would reveal your undergarment. Certainly not, right?
So, let’s have the decency to wear something pleasant and respect the people around you.
I certainly am not one who would advocate Italian-French actress Sophia Loren’s view that a woman’s dress should be like a barbed-wire fence, serving its purpose without obstructing the view!
On the contrary, a woman should look after the sanctity of her human body; not to be exposed for cheap attention. The following quote by Suzy Kassem, writer, poet and philosopher sums it up all about a woman:
“A woman’s body is a sacred temple. A work of art, and a life-giving vessel. And once she becomes a mother, her body serves as a medicine cabinet for her infant. From her milk she can nourish and heal her own child from a variety of ailments. And though women come in a wide assortment as vast as the many different types of flowers and birds, she is to reflect divinity in her essence, care and wisdom. God created a woman’s heart to be a river of love, not to become a killing machine.”
Beautiful words indeed!
At the workplace for example, wearing proper dress is necessary as a female executive – applies to male staff too – will never know who she has to meet. How the clients see the representative of the company speaks a lot about the company she is working for. The dress that the executive wears speaks a lot about you too, it may even help to seal a deal.
Forget about dressing to kill to seal a deal. It could have worked two decades ago, it doesn’t anymore now. These days, the attire of an individual leaves an impact on the business people dealing with the representative.
Recently, two incidents of inappropriate dressing made headlines in the country.
The first was on Jan 30 this year when a woman wearing a pair of shorts which did not cover her knees was denied entry into the Kajang police headquarters to lodge a report about a road accident.
The personnel at the police station advised her politely to change into proper attire and she drove out of the compound and came back later wearing a pair of longer pants.
Everyone should be aware and clear of the dress code for government premises.
The second incident happened at the Kampar Hospital in Perak when woman, aged 21, was stopped from entering the emergency room in the wee hours of the morning for wearing short shorts.
A friend of hers had to drive out and get a pair of long pants for her and she was allowed to go into the emergency room to be treated for severe stomach pains.
The moral of the story is simple: we just have to uphold courtesy and morality when dealing with government agencies. Government offices are places where businesses should be conducted in an orderly and polite manner.
Government dress code is in line with fifth principle of Rukun Negara – ‘Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan’ (Courtesy and Morality) which we must understand. The principle is related to the question of manners, ethics and morals and being courteous is part of the principle which should be practised by everyone.
So, the next time you enter a government office or a public place, dress appropriately. If you need to show off your assets make your way to the nightclub or a dancehall.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
