Career and Technical Education Administrators’ Perceptions of Secondary teachers’ Attire as Indicated by Selected professional Attributes

Many times in life situations a person may be judged by how well dressed they appear. The same holds true for teachers, whether in the classroom setting, during a job interview, their appearance at a parent conference or open house.Gorham, Cohen, and Morris (1999)reported on the importance of teachers to dress "professionally" and be attentive to impressions made during the first few weeks of class. According toMolly (1975), clothing can be regarded as a primary impression management tool.Delisio (2006)reported that, "dressing appropriately" was once considered to be a phrase with universal meaning. However, in an age where flip flops appear in White House photos, some school districts want to make it clear how they expect all staff members — including teachers — to dress" (p.1).Damhorst, Miller-Spillman, and Michelman (2005), noted that, "dress is an essential part of human experience. Perhaps because of its closeness to the body, dress has a richness of meanings that express the individuals, as well as groups, organizations, and the larger society in which that person lives" (p.XIV).