but it is

  If clothes make the man do uniforms make the professional? That was something I thought when learning my grandsons' fiancé would be graduating nursing school. To my surprise I learned that she would not be getting a cap, rather a pin. I looked it up and found that "capping" went out of fashion in the 1980's. I read that some nursing programs still have a cap but the majority have switched to pinning only. Nurses today are generally wearing scrubs, in a variety of colors and prints, without any head covering at all. A far cry from the nurses I remember when I was younger. I do remember when the nurses all wore white and a cap. Yes, some wore a pantsuit while other still wore a more traditional dress, but they were immediately identifiable as a nurse. Today they could be mistaken easily enough for the cleaning lady or a surgeon. They might even be the receptionist on break! Many of those wear scrubs for reasons I have yet to understand. Do they get called into surgery at a moment's notice when they aren't confirming appointments? Well, it's all just a bit too casual for me. That's my feeling.

 I remember when the service station attendant wore a sort of uniform. You could trust your car to the man who wore the star. I had a milkman and a postman, and both wore a uniform. I wasn't aware that a great deal of those uniforms were supplied to the employees as a sort of advertisement and incentive. It did advertise the business and the employee didn't have to buy work clothes, a kind of win/win situation. About the only ones I see now are the fast-food places doing that. I suspect that is to their benefit more than the employee. A method to control the manner of dress without being direct about it and so avoiding conflict. I remember policemen wearing slacks with a pressed shirt and tie and of course their hats. Today it's more likely fatigues and a ball cap, combat ready!  

 Uniformity used to be something that was strived for, expected even, but today it is all about individual style. The employee dictating the standards more often than not. Comfort and fashion being of primary importance these days. It has even extended to the military to a certain degree. When I was in the military you didn't leave the base in your working uniform. You were either in the dress uniform or civilian attire. But that has been relaxed and you see servicemen and women in their fatigues at Walmart. Is it professional? Well, I don't know but I know I don't like it. 

 In the story of clothes make the man the message was, people will form opinions about you based on the way you dress. It's true, they will indeed. In more modern times that was expressed as, dress for success. The thinking is the same, look the part you wish to play. But beyond that is the phycological aspect of that. We do feel a bit different when dressed for the part. That was the reason behind getting dressed for certain events. We dressed in a certain fashion to match that event. Going to church? You dressed for church. You didn't go dressed like it was a party, you went in a rather solemn way. Weddings, funerals, meetings of all types, required a certain degree of dress and decorum. That isn't the way it is today. Today we have decided that it doesn't matter how you dress. That's the progressive way of thinking. If you don't like the way I'm dressed that is your problem and I shouldn't be concerned with that at all. You should change to suit me. No pun intended. It's a different attitude altogether. And an attitude I would suggest that invites confrontation rather conformity. That's what uniforms are all about, conformity, in case you hadn't realized that. 

 It's what is expected. Your manner of dress is a signal to others. It's why parents would say, you ain't going out of the house looking like that! It was a reflection on them. In the movies when people are involved in a joint endeavor, say exploring space, they all wear uniforms. That's supposed to be in the future. Why are they wearing uniforms? Are they not progressive enough to understand that uniforms are restricting the rights and individuality of the people? Gang members wear certain colors and have distinctive ways of dressing. Not exactly uniform but identifiable. We do expect a certain appearance from certain professionals. The feeling is if they look the part, they probably will play the part. It's what imposters do. If I don a three piece suit and carry an attaché case, what am I? A professional. A professional what? You don't know, but you think I'm a pro. That's the expectation.

 Realistically I think we have to come to understand that uniforms display a certain professional appearance. They are still an identifier. But do we need to be all professional all the time? Yes, we just don't need to show that all the time. It is our actions that make us professionals, not the uniforms. Indeed, uniforms should be designed to be compatible with whatever the profession is. The traditional nurse's uniform was a display of cleanliness. That is what is projected. Doctors wore white coats for the same reason, unless they were actually engaged in some procedures requiring a higher degree of sanitation. The nurse's caps were identifiers to those that knew the code. Each cap meant something, the degree of education and the school attended. The pin, I would imagine serves that purpose today. Doctors still post their degrees on the wall of their office. Maybe it is a legal requirement, I don't know about that. 

 I do think it is amusing that we have uniforms for our recreational activities. Now they aren't anything official that is true, but they exist. We have attire for every activity. It started with those old grey sweats. Remember when everyone wore them when engaged in a sport or exercise? Then they became colorful outfits, they became tights and leg warmers. Soon we had outfits to fit the activity. Everything from mountain climbing to bicycle riding. If you're "serious" about the sport, you have the proper uniform. These uniforms are designed specifically for the activity. But do the uniforms make the athlete? Well, makes you feel like one anyway. Makes anyone looking at you think you may be one. It projects an appearance. A certain degree of expectation is fostered as well. Should I have a question about baseball I'll ask the baseball player. I can identify him by the uniform. Yeah, it's all about looks isn't it. But it shouldn't be. But it is.