Table 4.
Focus Group Key Findings and Sample Participant Quotes
| Questions | Key findings | Sample quotes |
|---|---|---|
| What do attire style perceptions affect? | Participants reported that attire impacts first impressions and evaluations of others | I think that you create a general judgment and assumption or an opinion of somebody based first on their appearance, so how they're dressed |
| What are your thoughts on each attire style? | Participants reported mostly negative perceptions of casual attire, all positive perceptions of business casual attire, and both positive and negative perceptions of business formal attire | Business casual is a nice happy medium |
| People look down on [those who wear] blue jeans and sneakers | ||
| Based off of scams in the world, if you come in with a suit and tie, people can judge you … and say he’s probably unethical | ||
| Is one style more appropriate than others? | Some participants argued that casual attire was often perceived as inappropriate; however, most agreed that certain attire was appropriate depending on the situation | A few months ago, my laptop broke, and IT came to bring me a laptop. But he was dressed in a sweatshirt and all that, while everybody else was well dressed, so people went and told the office services and security. There was the idea that there was a suspicious person in the building, because of the way he was dressed |
| Does attire appropriateness depend on the situation? | Participants reported that appropriateness depends on situational factors such as: | Some industries have historical expectations |
| (1) Organizational level (e. g., executive versus entry level), | There’s a lot of context … | |
| (2) Industry type (e.g., management consulting versus informational technology), | In an interview you would obviously dress up | |
| (3) Position (e.g., lawyer versus maintenance worker), employment status/stage (e.g., candidate interviewing versus tenured employee) | ||
| What do attire appropriateness or inappropriateness perceptions affect? | Participants agreed that attire appropriateness evokes perceptions of trustworthiness, openness, approachability, and competence | Business casual… you’re not so dressed up to the point where someone would feel uncomfortable to approach you … [if] the director has on a suit and tie, that makes some people nervous |
| Does attire appropriateness relate to perceptions of ethics? | Participants were mixed, evenly divided between whether attire appropriateness is associated with being ethical or not, but argued that ethicality attributions should be based more on what individuals say and do than what they wear | I don’t trust anyone based off of how they dress because people could commit crimes in a suit and a tie; there’s white collar crimes…It’s more the way they speak to you and their personality and how they carry themselves |
| Can and should you judge based on attire? | Most participants reported people should not and cannot be judged based on attire style, but still recommend dressing up “just in case.” | You don’t get a [second] chance to make a [first] impression … that’s why I suggest it’s better to dress neatly if you can |
| What are likely outcomes of ethicality or the lack of it? | Participants reports several important outcomes associated with negative ethicality perceptions: | It can make others around you feel uncomfortable, it could lead to you not having a job, or people not wanting to work with you |
| (1) Unwillingness to work or do business with the individual | ||
| (2) Legal issues including fraud, | ||
| (3) Decreased individual and organizational reputation, trust, and credibility, | ||
| (4) Disciplinary action or termination, | ||
| (5) Negative co-worker relations |