To be surprised that people are judged by the clothes they wear?

[JustGiveMeTheWine]

Myself and DP went to do our weekly shop last night in the local supermarket.
We had both been to work then I went to the gym, he went running. By the time we finished it was getting quite late so decided to just go in our tracksuits then shower and change when we get back home.
We regularly shop in this supermarket so never gave it a moments thought until last night.
From the moment we walked in the security guard looked at us and got straight on his radio, then the whole time we were in there the staff seemed to be milling around us. Got to the checkout and the lady who served us didn't even speak until she wanted payment.
Then we went to the customer service desk (they had an offer on if you spend over a certain amount you can get disney cards for the little ones) only to be ignored! The lady actually looked at us then carried on talking to her mate!
By this time I was frothing at the mouth!

Did they think we were chav's intending to steal something just because we were wearing tracksuits???

I don't know how it's much different. Calling me rude doesn't change the fact that you are admitting to judging people based on appearance. One is skin colour the other is just above the skin.

You acknowledge that racial profiling is wrong; why is it right to look at someone and think that they are more likely to commit a crime against you simply because they are wearing a sweater with a hood? Why is one offensive and the other acceptable?

If you think people don't get judged by appearance and the clothes they choose to wear then you are naive.

Agree -what you wear is a asignal to how/what choices ypu make, which conveys a whole bunch of information about you.

Whatmeworry The clothes I wear are ones that fit and make me feel nice. Some days, that's a pair of jeans and trainers and on other days it's slacks with a colourful shirt. Still other days (shock and awe) I'll go out wearing my hoodie. Funnily enough, I have never actually mugged anybody.

I don't wear clothes to communicate to other people anything about myself.

I don't actually
Know what to say to you apart from 'shut up about race. I'm just talking about clothes'

Don't bother replying to this because I find the insinuation that because I would think someone makes no effort with their appearance that I must therefore also judge on race to be frankly disgusting and you are bang out of order to I simulate that.

That is rude

Fucking autocorrect, you get te point

Whatmeworry So because I didn't change out of my gym clothes to go shopping I should just accept to be treated differently.

It conveys a whole bunch of information about me

How very naive indeed!

Have You ever stopped to consider maybe I have been mugged by someone wearing those clothes and now I am weary when I see similar getups?

I find the insinuation that because I would think someone makes no effort with their appearance that I must therefore also judge on race to be frankly disgusting

That was not my insinuation. I didn't think that you'd find racial profiling acceptable (most people wouldn't). It was only my intention to draw the parallels and ask how you see the difference. It's actually because I'd like to know, not because I am trying to illustrate you as some kind of biggot.

i once worked (for a very short time) at a fashion house on the island.....

I turned up for work one day, in a nice new blouse and the boss said...

what on earth are you wearing?

I said 'you dont even know what is is...' meaning the lable

she said ' i dont care what it is i know what it isnt!'

It was a plain white shirt from M&S!

I didnt work there long!

Also people choose their clothes, they don't choose the colour of their skin.

Argh am I allowed to say fuck off on here? No? Ok I won't then. That would not be nice

Whatmeworry So because I didn't change out of my gym clothes to go shopping I should just accept to be treated differently.

Not so much accept as expect.

How very naive indeed!

I am telling you about the world as it is, not how you want it to be.

From what I got from your posts Kayano is that because I didn't bother making myself look as smartly dressed as you would have I should accept that kind of attitude?

Were you serving me in that shop by any chance??

So it's acceptable, in your opinion, to judge someone who chooses to look differently than you choose to?

Whatmeworry

I'm not a child, I know what the world is like! But my point is noticing the difference in attitude from going in the same shop in my work uniform to going in wearing gym clothes.

Of course I shouldn't be treated differently, it's called basic customer service!

nice tracksuit?that's a misnomer
tracksuit as casual wear =Ned

and yes we all judge about clothes,conscioussly and unconsciously. clothes will determine how you're responded to

It's my opinion and I have been judged too

However I would never treat you differently. I would silently internally judge.

I do think if people want to be taken seriously they should put in a little effort (I'm talking extremes here like not going to shops or school run in pj bottoms)

of course people judge you (and others) by how you dress. everyone chooses their clothes to reflect something about them. people want their clothes to tell others who they are and therefore be judged based on that.

the people in your store sound awful. what terrible customer service!! i would complain.

Also agree... Nice track suit? No....?

So it's acceptable, in your opinion, to judge someone who chooses to look differently than you choose to?

I said Expectable, not acceptable. You can wear what you like, but there are consequences in that people will judge you. If you think its not going to happen, you are being naive.

nickname are you trying to say that you have never made an assumption or snap judgement about anyone?

I find this hard to believe.

Of course I shouldn't be treated differently, it's called basic customer service!

The store thinks differently, their view is clearly that people dressed like that should take their business elsewhere.

It may be worth reflecting on why they believe that.

Kayano & Scottishmummy

What would you wear to the gym?

Leotard? Crop tops? Because you want everyone to see how fabulous you are?

Of course you'll be judged Kayano with an attitude like that!

It's not my place to be reflecting on why they do that Whatmeworry
I don't work there!
I spend my wages there paying their wages.
They should treat everyone the same!

Of course people judge you by what you wear. That's half the whole point of dressing in a particular style (goth, indie, preppy...) it's a statement about your tastes and attitudes.

It's rude that you were treated differently, but not unexpected.

VegimalStyle I am not perfect, but for the most part, I don't make snap judgements on people based on nothing more than what they put over their skin. Or in their skin (tattoos and piercings). I have lived in too many places and known too many people to realise that clothes are not a good indicator of the character of the person wearing them.

If I do make those judgements, I don't justify it. In fact, I find myself feeling rather ashamed that I did it.