Dubai
In a fast-paced life, we’re often too busy to be able to express ourselves. According to Subas Pradhan, a psychiatrist based in Dubai, your outfit gives you that outlet.
He told Gulf News: “There shouldn’t be any compulsion on what people wear, as the limitations stop people from being able to express who they truly are. However, whatever they choose to wear to work has to be acceptable by the majority or culture of people around them. We have to respect that.”
When asked about a uniform in the office, Pradhan expressed his disapprovement.
He said: “There are two aspects to this. You could be portraying that you are breaking all barriers with everyone dressed similarly. But, the other side of the coin is that you are forcing someone to not express their true self. It is very difficult to tell which is suitable. But, I personally feel there shouldn’t be a dress code, unless demanded by the profession. A person’s outfit should be his or her choice, but the individual needs to keep in mind that he or she doesn’t offend somebody else’s sensibilities.”
Pradhan thinks that he is a liberal individual. Having lived in Australia for 13 years, he was working with doctors who wore shorts to work. Even though he never wore shorts to work himself, he got used to the casual work environment. On returning to the UAE, he realised that people’s dressing sense was more conservative.
He said: “When I went for my job interview in Australia, the medical subordinate was wearing a tshirt. The women wore casual dresses. It was a cultural shock for me, but I got used to it. Having worked in such an environment, I can say that it is easier for people to adjust because they can wear whatever they like.
“I have never heard anyone complaining here either, but people might raise their eyebrows at such a casual approach. It’s a multi-cultural society and people have higher expectations. Sometimes you may not know if you are offending someone else’s culture by the way you dress. It’s better to be careful and wear something that is more acceptable to the person you’re going to meet.”
In his office, there is no dress code for the doctors. However, the nurses are in scrubs.
Pradhan said: “There are many studies on the way someone is perceived based on what he or she is wearing. For example, if doctors wore t-shirts to a hospital, they won’t look very professional. A lawyer who is not in a suit may not look competent. The traditional approach is engrained in our minds. So we have to follow it to a certain extent in order to maintain the professional appearance. However, we are slowly going away from this model.”
The clothes you wear don’t just portray your personality. According to Pradhan, they can also help doctors diagnose an illness.
He said: “Sometimes, we diagnose a patient with schizophrenia, a chronic mental disorder, based on their outfit. He or she could be wearing something warm in the summer, or the shirt could be worn inside out. Somebody with an obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) could be wearing a dress with absolutely no creases. It’s not definite, but it is an indication of their illness that helps us with the diagnosis.”