And appropriate. I lost my chance at my first job by people telling me to wear heels, hose, gloves and a hat. I was just out of high school and trying for a clerk's job at the dime store. Duh! Somebody else also told me to negotiate for my first wage. That did not go well either! LOL. I caught on quickly after that.
Have you ever noticed that people who can’t tell which end is up feel qualified to tell other people how to conduct their lives lol?!
In George Washington's "Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior", one of the timeless things he said in it was: "...Let thy ceremonies in courtesie be proper to the dignity of his place with whom thou conversest for it is absurd to act the same with a clown and a prince..."
That covers a lot of area, including overdressing for the occasion!
You are spot on...appropriate is the word.
Some people (including some on this thread) think it is wrong to judge someone on their appearance.
Personally, I don’t care what people stick in their face or tattoo on the surface of it. If I walk down the street and they don’t bother me, it isn’t my business.
But if I am hiring someone to do a job, especially if they have to interact with anyone in or out of the company, I am going to pay close attention to their appearance.
And if someone comes to interview for a job with things that look like big wooden curtain rod rings in his ears, I won’t hire him. That tells me his ear decorations are more important to him than any job.