By: Auyana Aird
Dressed up in a suit and tie, dress or skirt, anxious to present your bill on the house floor or to ask a prominent question to continue the intensive debate. Could part of the delegates capability in being a strong debater correlate with the clothes you wear on your body? Youth government is a mock representation of the real world, but what if it consisted of no prominent dress code which means casual rather than business attire?
“Dressing in casual clothes could ruin the atmosphere or formality of debating.” Delegate Edwin Ling from Vic Coppinger YMCA said.
In Youth and Government, the way you dress is a major factor of believability, respectability, or getting the attention from other delegates minds and ears tuned in on what you believe in. You can tell a lot about a delegate just by what they have on their backs.
“If you are dressed informally, then people will judge you in a way, and won’t respect you as much as if you were dressed properly.” Delegate Sravan Mugada from Plano YMCA said.
Debating on the house floor requires focus, stability, engagement and many other factors. Wearing business attire stabilizes a form of professionalism that is needed and required in the government world.
“Dressing professionally is wearing clothes that represent your best self. These clothes are something that would be appropriate in debate,” Delegate Lesleigh Taylor from Oak Cliff YMCA said.
While wearing casual clothes on the house floor is not permitted, what if delegates could wear casual clothes? New research shows it actually impacts how you think. Professional dress, one study found, increases abstract thinking and gives people a broader perspective.
“Casual clothes on the house floor would be a more relaxed environment, maybe people would be a little less competitive about who is going to speak next and not be so focused on winning.” Delegate Lesleigh Taylor said.
The way you dress affects your performance and how others judge your performance.
So choose your personal presentation with care. The presentation includes not only your clothes, but your accessories, hairstyle, fragrance, posture, body language, tone of voice, and the level of energy with which you move and speak. Think of the person that you need to be in any particular situation.