Tuesday, 19 May 2020
The wardrobe choices of female leaders are being judged more than ever before, a new study by the University of Nottingham and Monash University shows.
Ongoing research by Professor Pat Thomson in the University of Nottingham’s School of Education and Dr Amanda Heffernan in Monash University’s Faculty of Education has highlighted the judgment women educational leaders continue to experience with their clothing, makeup, hair, accessories, perfume, tattoos and piercings.
More than 400 women leaders in the education sector from across the world, including the UK and Australia, have so far shared their insights and experiences about their wardrobe identities.
While the mental health and psychosocial impacts of gender discrimination are well documented, the researchers wanted to explore how the selection of garments and accessories disenfranchise female educational leaders compared to their male counterparts.
The study found that the blazer appeared to be a marker of identity for women leaders, such as a school headteacher, and a mainstay for women as part of their wardrobe identity. Women surveyed regarded the blazer as a “suit of armour” – a power-dressing move that instilled confidence in those leadership roles.
Women also described the financial investment required to “look the part” was exorbitant, especially for those in new leadership roles. They expressed feeling a sense of injustice at the energy and effort required to “meet expectations of appearance” in their jobs, compared to their male equivalents.
Taylor & Francis Group have published the preliminary findings in a book, ‘Theorising Identity and Subjectivity in Educational Leadership Research’.
Professor Pat Thomson, in the University of Nottingham’s School of Education, said the concept of corporate attire for women, as well as entrenched characterisations and perceptions of women leaders, needed to be revisited if women were going to seek and achieve full potential in their careers.
Professor Thomson said: “Bodies are most often seen as sites of struggle and illness. We learn about leaders who are stressed, not sleeping, anxious and overworked. More attention needs to be paid to the physical toll that leadership of today’s schools takes on head teachers and principals, which is significant and it impacts on their longevity in the job."
While wardrobe isn’t the sole determining factor of being a successful school leader, this research offers new insights about the experiences of leadership, life trajectories and the ongoing objective discrimination women face going for and within those high-level roles.
Researchers found women in academia reported a need to replace or update their wardrobes when moving into leadership positions, to assist in creating an image and identity to reflect their authority and professionalism.
Other participants said their body shapes and personal appearance didn’t suit corporate wear, and felt physically restricted by tight-fitting clothing, compared to men’s clothing styles which rarely cause pain or mobility constraints.
When asked whom they considered when making wardrobe choices, women said parents, staff and students respectively.
While women are disciplined to focus on their appearances, their energy and effort are being funnelled into directions that distract and deplete them, rather than help them advance their work and careers. We can see these frustrations reflected in our research.
Dr Heffernan continued: “In the time that it takes to find the right items of clothing: the significant investment into ‘smart’ and ‘professional’ jackets; the time that it takes to achieve and maintain the ‘right’ hairstyle; and the choice one participant made in the mornings between a long relaxing breakfast or spending more time applying makeup.
“We also see it in the pain, discomfort, and restriction of movement described by participants when referring to their wardrobes. As one participant commented: ‘I am torn between wanting to look good and be respected, but also angry that I have to do this a certain way’.”
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Pat Thomson in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham at patricia.thomson@nottingham.ac.uk; or Katie Andrews in the Press Office at the University of Nottingham at katie.andrews@nottingham.ac.uk
To download a copy of the report, please visit: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429032158/chapters/10.4324/9780429032158-7
For more information about the project, and to contribute to the global dialogue on ‘women, wardrobes and leadership’, please visit: https://womenwardrobesleadership.home.blog/
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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