Apparel and its Implications in Organizational Life: Clothing as a Regulatory Tool in Organizations

Authors

Keywords:

organizational atire, standardizing effect, disciplining, power relations

Abstract

This essay aims to deepen the understanding regarding the role of attire and its implications in organizational life by proposing that organizational attire and its standardizing effect are essentially instruments of individual and collective disciplining and control, serving as integral components and conduits of power relations in organizational life. We argue that in a society where appearances play a fundamental role, what is worn on the body extends beyond functional and aesthetic layers and serves as a significant mirror of the functioning of social mechanisms, indicating deeper connections related, for example, to culture, social function, belongingness, and desires. The theoretical framework underpinning the discussion is primarily based on Foucault's work (2006), wherein the contribution lies in the proposal of a theoretical perspective composed of four phases of attire's influence on individuals, ranging from the moment the body is dressed to its effects when they become generalized and collectively internalized.

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Author Biographies

Lysia Maria Memória Viana , Universidade de Fortaleza - UNIFOR

 Master in Business Administration from the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR). She graduated in Fashion Design from the University of Fortaleza and was a tutor in Women's and Children's Flat Patternmaking.

Márcia Duarte, Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo - EAESP/FGV

PhD in Business Administration from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, São Paulo Business School (FGV/EAESP). Doctoral internship at the University of Leeds, UK. She conducts theoretical and empirical qualitative research in the field of Organisational Studies, on topics such as organisational practices (organising), creative industries, careers and work.

Fábio Freitas Schilling Marquesan, Universidade de Fortaleza - UNIFOR

PhD in Business Administration from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Postdoctorate in Innovation for Agribusiness (UFRGS). His current research interests include the contradictions of development in semi-arid regions and socio-environmental studies, with an emphasis on climate change, (new) extractivism, conflicts over all kinds of resources and the risks associated with the Anthropocene.

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Published

2025-07-28

How to Cite

1.
Maria Memória Viana L, Duarte M, Freitas Schilling Marquesan F. Apparel and its Implications in Organizational Life: Clothing as a Regulatory Tool in Organizations. Organ. Soc. [Internet]. 2025Jul.28 [cited 2026Jan.3];31(109). Available from: https://periodicos.ufba.br/index.php/revistaoes/article/view/52546

Issue

Vol. 31 No. 109 (2024)

Section

Articles

License

Licença Creative Commons

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