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Life

31st Jan 2019

Female graduates in ‘sexy’ clothing are less likely to become successful according to this study

Is this for real?

Denise Curtin

I genuinely cannot believe I even wrote that headline.

The fact that these “studies” still exist and women are still getting judged on how they dress despite the year now being 2019 is honestly class A bullshit.

But anyways, let me enlighten you with this study published by Frontiers in Psychology.

Scientists from four universities in Surrey, Perugia, Padua and Lisbon examined the response of 573 participants to photographs of 37 female graduates. In these photographs, the way the women were dressed was ultimately what was being examined.

Some of the graduates in the images were wearing long skirts, jackets, shirts that covered their “modesty” and flat footwear, the latter or ones that were seen as more “sexy” wore short skirts (their knees on show, god forbid!) As well as high heels and their collarbones “exposed”.

You can obviously guess what came next, the scientists found that participants believed the graduates covered up and looking more “professional” were the ones who’d excel in their career and be taken more seriously in the workplace.

Like, are you for real?

So, basically, if I wear a backless dress to my graduation and my best friend, Jennifer, wears a pencil suit my future is basically fucked or at best, I’ll be asking smart dressed Jennifer for a loan, right?

The way women dress is forever being judged and the misconception that a woman is “asking for it” by the clothing she puts on her back is something which firstly, is incredibly offensive but secondly, totally and utterly false.

Again, it’s 2019, why oh why do these studies still exist can someone please tell me?