What's wrong with the clothes we wear?

In my Business Communications class today, we read an article about a stigma that goes with the clothes you wear. The article talks about this 17-year-old who was wearing a hoodie had been shot to death by a neighborhood watch volunteer who thought he looked suspicious. There was an uproar about this incident that lead to many angry Americans. What's even worse is that the volunteer was not charged by the authorities.

The issue about the stigma is that most people think that a person is gang related if they wear baggy clothes, hoodies, bandana, ear rings, and many more. The person who is actually wearing those clothes might think it's the latest fashion and like what they wear or they probably can't afford new clothes. Many people quickly assume the person is gang related by the clothes they wear or the way they look.

An example of the stigma would be an individual who didn't wear professional clothing to an interview. Most people knows that they should be dressed professionally during an interview. The interviewer will quickly have their answer about hiring the person or not. The answer would be most likely be no because of the clothes the person wore. The individual might not be able to afford professional clothing, but on the positive side, they might be very smart, nice, and they might have all the soft and hard skills the company needs.

My friends wear clothes from Foreign Exchange, Armani Exchange, The North Face, and many more brands. I don't know a lot about the latest fashion because I'm not into fashion. My friend wear their rings, ear rings, necklaces, and their hat backwards. Whenever I go into a store with them, the store owner or employees always stare at us like we are about to steal something when we look around to see if we want anything.

One time, I went to Bank of America to cash out my checks with my regular clothes. The employees that worked there were nice and asked me if I needed help. I told them what I wanted to do and they helped me. They had good customer service and I left after that. The next time I went in with my professional clothing that I wore to Year Up, they gave me excellent service. They told me I looked professional and started conversations with me. They asked me where did I come from, what I do, and about the Year Up program.

I believe that people's reaction depends on which neighborhood you are in. For example, a person might be comfortable in a rich and nice neighborhood, but if they are in a poor and bad neighborhood, they might watch their back constantly to see if someone is following them and keep their belongings closer to them. They might act differently at a neighborhood filled with people in the streets than an empty neighborhood

I reinforce this stigma by getting to know the person without judging them by the way they dress or look. Sometimes we unintentionally judge a person by the way they look, but once we get to know the person, all the stuff goes away