Advocates of freedom of expression and speech say that it is an individual's right to dress, act and say what they want. There are some who take this to the extreme. They dress in a revealing manner in places such as the office and run the risk of offending others who think that a more conservative outfit is more appropriate. What we wear is also a sign of our respect for a country's traditions and culture. Freedom comes with responsibility. Do you agree?
It is indecent when women wear low-slung pants to work exposing their belly and undergarments.
It is indecent when women wear such clothes to work. While people should have a choice about what they can wear, they should dress professionally when they are working because otherwise they wouldn't be taken seriously, especially women. There are many recent graduates who don't care about others or what they can give back to society.
– Debbie Cruthley
UK
It's up to the person. But I think that managers would be uncomfortable with women who dress like that in the office. If people dress very casually it might take away from the quality of work that is being produced. Many large companies have certain dress codes but smaller ones might not have one because they might not be able to afford losing staff over such an issue.
– Ian Cruthley
UK
Women shouldn't dress like that in the office. They are there to work and not to put on a fashion show. They can dress professionally and still look good. When they do that it gives a good impression of both their company and themselves. If they want to show off they can do that when they go out with their friends.
– Ola Mryhij
Dubai
They should have the right to wear whatever they want. Women who want to wear such outfits do that because they are confident and do not care about others' opinions. I don't think that women who dress like that are indecent. I wouldn't care what a woman wore to the office as long as she does a good job.
– Tamer Al Hassan
Dubai
What you wear conveys your respect for people and the culture of the country.
A person who wears formal clothes or clothes that are not revealing shows that they respect both others and themselves. People in companies usually wear suits and other formal outfits because they respect their colleagues and the company they work in but there are some that don't, and I don't think that it is respectful. I'm more comfortable wearing formal rather than casual outfits to work.
– Blessy Dayrid
Abu Dhabi
In the Philippines, people wear formal outfits in the office as a sign of respect. Even if they wear casual clothes, they don't wear outfits that are indecent. People who wear more conservative clothes present a good image, not only of themselves but also of the company they work with. Also, if a person chooses to wear their national dress then they should be respected for their decision.
– Jeffery Buar
Abu Dhabi
Dubai is a very diversified city. I see many people who dress in their traditional clothes, such as from Pakistan, and I think it shows how much they respect their home countries and their cultures. But when I see women who wear skin-tight or revealing outfits, I don't think that they respect themselves or the culture of the country they live in.
– Zuheir Hemani
Dubai
People here like to practice the traditions of their home countries through things like wearing traditional clothes. Also, people want to stand out from the crowd so they might wear such outfits to be unique or so they can look good among their friends. But I think many people wear traditional outfits because they want to show their respect for other cultures or countries.
– Nadia Wazir
Dubai
Tight clothing and excessive make-up at the workplace is a sexual tactic deployed by women to get ahead.
It depends on the culture of the country and the workplace. Most companies first interview a person before hiring but there are some that might hire a female strictly on her looks. Some women are also given more opportunities because of what they wear and how they act. But there are also women who are promoted because of their experience and skills.
– Samer Al Qhatib
Abu Dhabi
If a woman is being hired or is working in a certain department, such as the reception or sales, then they might have to look a certain way because they have to deal with people face to face. Managers who want to promote an employee have to take into account other things like her achievements instead of focusing on her physical appearance.
– Assem Al Mor
Abu Dhabi
I've actually seen that happen in a company I used to work for. There are women who would go through a lot of effort to look good because they think that they could use seduction as a tool to get what they want. Some might try to wear tight clothes and a lot of make-up to the workplace but there are also some who work hard and are rewarded for their efforts.
– Abeer Amirdache
Sharjah
Many men would prefer hiring women who are dressed in a certain way, especially if it's for a promotional position or department. That way they can attract more customers. Also, even though things are changing there are still women who do that as a way for them to get ahead instead of focusing on their skills.
– Shalini Radia
Dubai
People fail to understand that a conservatively dressed woman could have a liberal mind.
I think that people nowadays are more open because of all the different cultures that they interact with every day. If a person thinks that a conservatively dressed woman isn't open-minded, then that is because they are ignorant of that culture or religion. But the majority of people don't judge others on their looks only; they try to get to know the person first.
– Shiranga Perera
Abu Dhabi
I know a lot of women who dress conservatively or wear the face veil and they are very open-minded. Because people are interacting with different nationalities daily, especially in cities like Dubai, I think they are much more open-minded and accepting of the different ways people dress than they might have been in the past. Because of that I don't think people would judge others simply on their clothes.
– Shivani Perera
Abu Dhabi
I don't think people judge others by their appearance only and those who do are very narrow-minded. You should never judge a book by its cover. People who think that conservatively dressed women are not open-minded might say that because they are either insecure or are covering up their own inadequacies by judging others in that way.
– Edward Singleton
Dubai
People might misunderstand or misinterpret the way a woman dresses for the way she thinks. It depends on how a woman who dresses conservatively acts. I have a few friends who wear the face veil and are open-minded but if I didn't know them then I might have a different opinion of them.
– Elias Odeh
Dubai
