TOEFL essay:Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific examples to support your answer.

People do behave differently depending on what they are wearing. The reason is not because they have changed, but because people’s reactions to them has changed.

Certain clothes are appropriate for certain situations. A man can wear a suit to work and a woman can wear something professional looking like a skirt and jacket. When everyone dresses the same, there is no problem. It is like a uniform. Imagine going to a law office to hire a lawyer. One of the lawyers is wearing a suit; the other is wearing jeans. Which lawyer do you want to hire? Similarly, a mechanic works on cars all day and wears clothes that can get dirty. It would be strange to find a mechanic wearing a coat and tie to repair and engine.

People will treat you differently depending on what you are wearing. It will depend on how well they know you and where you are. If your clothes are unusual for the situation, they may treat you with disrespect. I remember once I had an old army coat. I wore it into a fancy candy shop to buy some chocolates. The woman was very suspicious and a little afraid. I couldn’t understand her reaction since it was still me underneath my big, old ugly green coat. I was dressed like a bum and this caused the salesperson to react negatively to me. Consequently, I was even more polite than usual.

This experience shows me that sometimes I do behave differently because of what I’m wearing. In this case, I had to balance my appearance. Still, that doesn’t mean that I’m rude if I dress up.