My perspective

Around the time that I took my first "professional" job in the death-care industry was also the time I realized the importance of appearance on a daily basis. In college you would be extremely lucky to catch me rocking anything other than a jersey, Dickies, and flip flops. Maybe tennis shoes and a t-shirt if it was cold, but far from attire considered office-worthy by any means. I had no desire to put on my Sunday best ever, much less everyday for work. That all changed once I realized the difference in public perception based solely on outward appearance. It's almost like a greater sense of entitlement is given to those that dress professionally for work, whether it be from the bank teller, restaurant hostess, or airport security. Everybody seems eager and willing to help, and always with a smile. Waits seem to be shorter, lines tend to disappear, while the benefits seem to increase. It's easy to understand why the Italian mafia places such a high priority on the way they present themselves publicly. Grey, black and blue: the three power suits. It's a matter of respect!