The Contribution
of Appearance to Women in the Labor Market

A Contribuição da Aparência para a Mulher no Mercado de Trabalho

Marielle Pistorello

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4376-2115

Graduada em
Administração. Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS) – Brasil.
[email-masked]

Vandoir Welchen

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7042-1239

Doutorando
em Administração. Mestre em Administração. Universidade de Caxias do Sul
(UCS) – Brasil. [email-masked]

Juliana Matte

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0945-2479

Doutoranda
(UCS) – Brasil. [email-masked]

Daniel Hank Miri

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0765-6868

Mestre
em Administração. Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS) – Brasil. [email-masked]

Cassiane Chais

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1922-9273

Doutora
em Administração. Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS) – Brasil.
[email-masked]

Paula
Patricia Ganzer

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4006-6517

Pós-Doutora
em Administração. Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS).
[email-masked]

Pelayo
Munhoz Olea

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2183-8112

Pós-Doutor
em Gestão Ambiental. Doutor em Administração. Universidade Federal de Rio
Grande (FURG) – Brasil. [email-masked]

ABSTRACT

Appearance is an aspect
that contributes to the professional development of people, considered a
competitive factor in the labor market and an essential requirement in building
successful careers. Women who work in executive positions can be responsible
for decision-making in companies, such as hiring and promoting professionals,
two moments in which appearance assumes an important role. They are also
professionals whose positions tend to require significant care with the
personal image. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the
contribution of appearance to women in the labor market by analysing
female executives of a class council in southern Brazil. Through a generic
qualitative study, five executives were interviewed. As a result, good
appearance is related to adequacy, way of dressing, hygiene care, and
communication skills. Besides, appearance is necessary to build a credibility
image in the labor market, and it interferes, in a pleasing way, both in job
interviews and in the promotion of professionals.

Keywords: Appearance. Beauty. Labor Market. Executive Women. Generic Qualitative
Study.

RESUMO

A
aparência é um aspecto que contribui para o desenvolvimento profissional das
pessoas, considerado um fator competitivo no mercado de trabalho e um requisito
essencial para a construção de carreiras bem-sucedidas. As mulheres que
trabalham em cargos executivos podem ser responsáveis pela tomada de decisões
nas empresas, como a contratação e a promoção de profissionais, dois momentos
em que a aparência assume um papel importante. São também profissionais cuja
posição tende a exigir um cuidado significativo com a imagem pessoal. Portanto,
o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a contribuição da aparência para as
mulheres no mercado de trabalho das executivas de um conselho de classe no sul
do Brasil. Através de um estudo qualitativo genérico, cinco executivas foram
entrevistadas. Como resultado, a boa aparência está relacionada à adequação,
vestimenta, cuidados com a higiene e habilidades de comunicação. Além disso, a
aparência é necessária para construir uma imagem de credibilidade no mercado de
trabalho e interfere, de forma agradável, tanto nas entrevistas de trabalho
quanto na promoção dos profissionais.

Palavras-chave:
Aparência. Beleza. Mercado de trabalho. Mulheres executivas. Estudo Qualitativo
Genérico.

Recebido
em 20/11/2020.  Aprovado em 09/04/2021.
Avaliado pelo sistema double blind peer review. Publicado conforme normas da ABNT.

https://doi.org/10.22279/navus.2021.v11.p01-18.1477

1 INTRODUCTION

The concern with appearance has followed the
human being since the Ancient Age, and, over time, this concern has taken on
new forms. Studies have shown that appearance can significantly impact people's
attitudes and mentality, as beauty is often related to intelligence and success
(HAMERMESH, 2011; HAKIM, 2011). All people can perceive beauty, even those who
claim to have no concern for appearance will feel the need to think about it on
some occasions throughout their lives (MARWICK, 2004).

Besides being a matter of adequacy, maintaining
a good appearance is also a way of manifesting beauty (HAMERMESH, 2011),
considered essential to human beings, and defined by Dweck (2006) as the
maximum expression of personal appearance. Economists found that appearance is
a relevant economic factor in the labor market, as people considered attractive
are also considered more reliable (WILSON; ECKEL, 2006), more likely to be
hired in job interviews (ROOTH, 2009), considered more competent by their
employers (MOBIUS; ROSENBLAT, 2006), and also have better wages (HAMERMESH,
2011).

Hamermesh (2011) and Hakim (2011) published
researches about appearance and their reflections in the labor market, which
support, with different approaches, the same thesis: both in personal and
professional life, beautiful people obtain quantifiable economic advantages.
Even in jobs in which appearance should not matter, it does. Frieze, Olson, and
Russel (1991) found that handsome men had higher initial wages and faster
growth in the first ten years of their career. For women, although appearance
had little effect on initial wages, it did influence the increase in earnings
over time. Wong and Penner (2016) presented the same results: people rated as
more attractive had salaries about 20% higher than people classified as less
attractive.

Competitiveness in the labor market requires,
especially for women, meeting all demands, even subjective ones such as beauty.
According to Ramos (2012), the wages paid to women are still lower than those
received by men, which means earning good wages is even more difficult for
women. Hamermesh (2011) stated that appearance has a more significant impact on
women's earnings than men: more beautiful women earn 8% more than the average,
while men considered more attractive earn 4% more.

Betiol and Tonelli (1991) and Bruschini (2007) point to women's progress in
the labor market in predominantly male job positions. The participation of
women in these jobs has become not only an economic necessity but the result of
a change in women's profile, who have started to seek personal satisfaction and
the reinvention of their role in society (BETIOL; TONELLI, 1991). In contrast
to the beginning of the 20th century, 21st-century women, who take care of
their appearance, are more successful (HAKIM, 2011). According to the
sociologists Wong and Penner (2016), women who spend more time and money to
care for their appearances, such as hairdressers, manicures, and makeup, stand
out more than women who do not keep these aesthetic habits.

Sant'Anna (2014) pointed to the twentieth century as the era of beauty,
especially from the 1950s, when beautification became necessary. In Brazil,
this need is one of the economy's biggest drivers nowadays. Łopaciuk
and Łoboda (2013) referred to Brazil as one of
the world's engines of the beauty industry, which consistently demonstrates
high efficiency in beauty consumption, presenting one of the most recent
growths in the world when it comes to this market. To have an idea, according
to the Brazilian Association of Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics
Industry (ABIHPEC, 2017), Brazil was the fourth global market in beauty, behind
the United States, China, and Japan. Brazilians spend 1.5% of their budget on
hygiene and beauty products, having handled $ 42.6 billion in 2016. These
investments can be justified, among other factors, by people's need to build a
credibility image in the society and the labor market.

The choice of this research topic is related to
the intention of understanding whether the proposed theory can be observed, in
fact, within an executive women class council. Furthermore, the  relevance of the research is supported by the
need for theoretical contributions regarding the topic (SIERMINSKA, 2015).
Reflecting on such considerations, on the appearance, how people perceive it,
and its repercussion in the professional field, it is possible to identify that
it can be an essential resource, not only for professional advancement but as
an advantage in job interviews, when the first impression is determinant
(ROOTH, 2009; SANTOS, 2016).

Thus, this research's objective was to
investigate the contribution of appearance to women in the labor market,
according to female executives of a class council, from a city in southern
Brazil. A generic qualitative study was carried out and described women at the
executive level. We sought to understand how appearance is perceived, in the
professional field, by executive women of the Council; in addition to
identifying whether interferences, based on appearance, occur in the promotion
of professionals in the sector under study and assessing whether appearance can
favor a candidate, in a job interview, in the investigated business context.

2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 Women and the Labor Market

In the past, women were born and educated to
take care of the family, the house, and food. During the 19th century, some
women, from less favored classes, were employed in textile factories, with
children and adolescents, as a way of cheap labor, subjected to workloads,
apparently contenting themselves with their condition as workers (NOGUEIRA,
2004). Female work was little valued, and many of these women still performed
extra activities at home (CALIL, 2000).

Capitalism is a milestone in the separation
between the domestic environment and the labor market. The family went from
being a production unit to becoming a consumption unit, and women responsible
for its administration (COSTA, 1984). The actual introduction of women into the
labor market took place with the First and Second World Wars, when men went to
war and women started to assume not only the role of wife and mother but the
family business and the position of men in the labor market (LEONE; BALTAR,
2006).

In Brazil, only from the second half of the
1980s, according to Bruschini and Lombardi (2002), the growth of female
activity in the labor market occurred, and also a change in women's profile
which, later on, had access to new opportunities, including admission to
universities. Bruschini (2007) points to women's evident progress in the labor
market, especially in traditionally male fields, such as medicine, Law,
Architecture, and Engineering.

According to the World Bank, Brazil has already
made considerable progress and has a better environment than the average for
Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of difficulties and challenges for
women in the labor market, but is still well below the average for the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries (OECD). More
than 50% of the Brazilian population are women, and 43% of the workforce
comprises women. However, women only occupy 37.8% of management positions.
Nevertheless, even when more qualified than men, women's salary is equivalent
to 25% less (WORLD BANK, 2018). This differentiation in income does not change,
even though the average female enrollment is higher than men in Brazil (IBGE,
2017).

Similarly, Gipson et al. (2017) found that, despite the lack of a significant
difference in style and performance between men and women in leadership
positions, prejudice against women in selection and access to development
opportunities are clear and remain a problem. For Sousa and Guedes (2016),
although the increase in the participation of women in the Brazilian labor
market is visible, such an advance has not been able to equalize the gender
division of labor in the country. For example, although they occur at all
levels of education, income differences are more significant in higher
education, where women represent more than half of the population with this
level of education.

Besides, there is still greater difficulty
raising women to leadership positions (LEONE; BALTAR, 2006). Rocha-Coutinho
(2004) points out that, although the barriers imposed on women are sometimes
due to traditional gender stereotypes, one can mention the difficulty women
still face in reconciling careers and family. This scenario means that some
women do not aspire to leadership positions since they are often unwilling to
give up their family and personal well-being in favor of professional
advancement. Finally, Hakim (2011) states that we cannot ignore the importance
of education, qualification, intelligence, and experience for professional
success, but taking care of appearance can mean a competitive advantage in the
labor market. Therefore, by turning this discriminatory factor into a
competitive advantage, women can increase professional success chances.

In Brazil, it is still possible to observe the
discrimination and the limitation that predominates throughout the women's
career, which shows the ineffectiveness of the current judiciary power in
ensuring equal opportunities among genders in the Brazilian labor market
(ROQUE; BERTOLIN, 2021). Women's position in the labor market still has
challenges to be overcome to equalize the genders (FERNANDES et al., 2019). For example, Dzubinski, Diehl, and Taylor (2019) mentioned that executive
women must exercise strong gender self-control to break the glass ceiling in
organizational leadership contexts with intensely masculine norms.

2.2 Beauty and Appearance

The fascination caused by beauty is part of
human history and the favoring it attracts, especially for women. The power of
beauty is undeniable (DUBAY, 1999). However, the aesthetic standards are not
eternal; they vary in time and space and from one region to another. Climate,
religious beliefs, historical factors, political regimes, and economic systems
can influence such differences (KURY; HARGREAVES; VALENÇA, 2000). Marwick
(2004) says that, despite small variations, the perception of beauty in the Western
has changed very little since antiquity and that beauty has always been valued.

For Mahajan (2007), society is obsessed with
beauty, so both men and women, recognizing the value of a good appearance,
continually strive to improve it. Nevertheless, according to Bourdieu (2001),
appearance has, for women, a different relevance than it does for men, and,
therefore, they invest much more time, money, and energy with their
presentation. Hamermesh (2011) differentiates the concepts of beauty and
appearance, stating that beauty is a genetic characteristic, natural to those
who have it. However, a pleasant appearance is something that anyone can achieve
through clothing, hair care, and even with an adequate diet.

For Hamermesh (2011), lousy appearance is not a
crucial disadvantage, but it is something that, with some effort, can be
overcome. Such statements indicate that all people can build a good appearance
since it is not only related to beauty. Similarly, Mahajan (2007) had already
stated that, in addition to facial characteristics, society measures appearance
in variables such as: dressing up, dressing well, and even making use of
cosmetics. In early interactions between individuals, appearance often causes
judgment and comparison. Not only does a person's appearance tend to overshadow
other characteristics, forming the basis of first impressions, but it also
influences people's perception of the person's attributes (GRAHAM; HARVEY;
PURI, 2017).

2.2.1 Halo Effect

Physical appearance is a factor that can play
an essential role in people's judgment. Thorndike (1920) created the term
"halo effect," which refers to human beings' tendency to classify
people based on first impressions. In his research, the psychologist concluded
that after creating a first global impression about a person, the tendency is
that the characteristics captured, later, about that person, will confirm that
first impression.

Wilson and Eckel (2006) analyzed the effects of
appearance on people's perception of reliability. In their study, they suggest
whether or not people trust unknown people based on their appearance. Sorcher and Brant (2002) evidenced the influence of the
halo effect in the business world. The study approached that presidents and
executives, and other high-level positions in companies decide to hire job
candidates based on a first impression. Besides, Kahneman (2011) believed that
first impressions are also important in professional development when combined
with the performance factor.

Standing (2004) explained the halo effect,
commonly known as "the stereotype of physical attractiveness," or the
principle "what is beautiful is good," as a human tendency to favor
beautiful people, associating them with a positive personality. Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2012) proposed that, at work, the halo
effect is also manifested in employees' performance evaluations by their
managers. For the author, the phenomenon is the most common bias in performance
evaluations.

According to Wilson and Eckel (2006), people
use physical attractiveness as a shortcut in forming an opinion about an
individual's reliability and performance. Although this cooperation increases
job performance, the effect of beauty disappears, according to Andreoni and Petrie (2008), when information about the
employee's real work performance is revealed.

2.2.2 Beauty Premium

Research has shown that people with a better
appearance tend to be more successful (BIDDLE; HAMERMESH, 1998; MOBIUS;
ROSENBLAT, 2006). This reward is called a "beauty award," or beauty
premium. Mobius and Rosenblat (2006) research found
that 4/5 of the effect of beauty on people refers to physical characteristics,
while 1/5 is because the most attractive people are more confident, another
benefit of beauty. Besides, about 15% to 20% of the beauty prize results from self-confidence,
while oral communication and appearance contribute about 40%.

Sierminska (2015) addressed the beauty award from a different perspective, stating
a salary reward involving appearance, which is more significant in jobs where a
productive resource is plausible. According to Sierminska's
research, a grand prize exists in jobs that require substantial amounts of
interpersonal interaction, but such a prize could not be identified in jobs
that deal only with information and data analysis.

In the research by Bóo,
Rossi, and Urzúa (2013) on beauty-related awards, the
existence of beauty premium was evidenced in the initial job search stages. The
study identified that beautiful people receive 36% more feedback than
unattractive people and suggest that beautiful people include photos in their
resumes, increasing the possibility of interviews by around 30%. Besides, the
survey recognizes that, in occupations that require interaction with customers,
administrative and service areas in general, the existence of a beauty premium
is even more relevant.

2.3 Relationship between Executive Women and
Appearance

Hewlett (2014) questioned executives what was
most important in executive presence. After ethics and communication skills,
appearance was identified as one of the essential aspects. The importance given
to appearance was highlighted in the research by Habermann-Horstmeier
(2007), which is more important for women who want to achieve a leadership
position than for men, and related this aspect to vitality, high performance,
and success. However, she treated the topic with concern, since these women may
become mentally disturbed and expect too much from themselves and develop
psychosomatic stress disorders, with the concern of maintaining their
appearance (HABERMANN-HORSTMEIER, 2007).

Betiol and Tonelli (1991), analyzing the executive woman in the labor market,
affirm that dressing well is an external indicator of positivity and that many
executives associate professional success with a good appearance. In dressing,
sloppiness can indicate a person's carelessness, internal disorganization, lack
of confidence, and self-esteem. The authors state that, in addition to
professional training, intellectual competence, and work capacity, it is also
necessary to invest in appearance, as physical appearance and dressing are
indicators of the individual's degree of disposition.

According to Grzybovski,
Boscarin, and Migott
(2002), a good appearance is one of the human resources most required by
executives. Barros Neto (2005) argues that some people are distinguished from
others by personal characteristics that make them natural leaders and cite a
physical appearance as one of these characteristics. Hakim (2011) states that
appearance makes a difference even at the top of the business pyramid.

Estevão-Rezende, Nascimento, and Alves (2018) identified that labor relations
in the events industry are guided by physical and aesthetic criteria that do
not necessarily involve the professional qualification and competence of the
selected casting. This perception that appearance and/or aesthetic standards
influence the job market can lead to consumption focused on the body (beauty
treatments, fashion, surgery), as it represents a symbolic and material way of
positioning oneself within societies. Additionally, it can also become a way of
relating to the world - becoming visible, recognized as valuable, and favorably
regarded as any other citizen (GORDON, 2019).

Although beauty and appearance concepts are
different (HAMERMESH, 2011), they are sometimes treated as synonyms (MAHAJAN,
2007) and may also assume other terminologies, such as physical appearance
(GRZYBOVSKI; BOSCARIN; MIGOTT, 2002), good looks (WONG; PENNER, 2016), personal
appearance (DWECK, 2006) and attractiveness (TALAMAS; MAVOR; PERRETT, 2016).
This research adopted the term appearance to refer to these concepts.

3 METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES

This study is characterized by qualitative
approach research, exploratory and descriptive objective, and generic
qualitative study strategy (PERCY; KOSTERE; KOSTERE, 2015). This research used
primary data, interviews and non-participating observations, and secondary
data, such as the previously discussed theoretical background.

The research was carried out at the Council of
Businesswoman of CIC of Caxias do Sul, a non-profit class council that brings
together legal entities active in business from the northeast region of the
state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Council has as members approximately
one thousand legal entities of micro, small, medium, and large size,
representing the segment of industry, commerce, and services. Founded on July
8th, 1901, the entity belongs to the civil class, and is one of the largest
class entities in the south of the country and it is considered the oldest and
most substantial business entity in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul (CIC,
2021).

CIC brings together more than 20 employers'unions through its members, representing around
25 thousand companies, which formally employ over 160 thousand workers and
generate a GDP of approximately R$ 21 billion (FEDERASUL, 2016). Since its
foundation, CIC's primary objective has been to act proactively, serve as a business
community model, strengthen free enterprise, and undertake and compete. In
addition to monthly and free attendance, the entity promotes different courses,
designed according to the companies and the market needs (CIC, 2021).

The Council of Businesswoman of CIC, which
currently has the participation of 23 women, was founded on April 14th, 1997,
created to increase female participation in the economic and community life of
the city, encouraging the sharing of experiences among businesswomen. With  focus on female entrepreneurship, the Council
seeks to develop schedules of activities that contemplate the business
community's interest (COUNCIL OF BUSINESSWOMAN OF CIC, 2017).

The women interviewed were chosen to
participate in the study because of their hierarchical level, having been
selected only female executives or acting at the board level, in order to meet
the proposed objectives. The proposal of this research was exposed to the
counselors on July 24th, 2019, in the weekly council meeting. Among the
twenty-three women who are members of the Council, five were willing to
participate in the study.

Data collection was carried out through
semi-structured interviews, and non-participant observation since the interview
leads the researcher to the observation, while the observations can suggest the
necessary depths for the interviews (FLICK, 2018a). The script used for the
interviews was prepared based on the theoretical framework, bringing together
the themes and key elements highlighted in Table 1. The interview script used
in this study was adapted from Gomes (2010) research, and the protocol for
non-participant observation used was built based on Bencke
(2016) research. The interviews were conducted from August 29th, 2019, to
September 14th, 2019, in the  workplaces of
the women interviewed, which allowed them to act naturally and eliminated
traces of shyness, reducing the risks of bias in the results guaranteeing
better perceptions for observation.

Table 1 - Themes and key elements of the interview script

THEMES

KEY ELEMENTS

Personal data

- Age, place of birth, marital status,
education.

- Profession, the company you work in, how
long have you been in this company, and how you did you get to your position?

Role / Meaning of appearance

- Talk about the role of appearance in the
lives of executive women and your life.

- How do you define, and what does looking mean for you?

- Do you consider that the concept of good
looks changes over time? Has that concept changed for you?

- If you could advise a professional at the
beginning of her career about appearance, what advice would you give?

Stereotypes

- Is there a woman you admire professionally
/? If so, mention the reasons.

- Do you identify any patterns in the
appearance of successful women?

- Among the women you live with, how do you
perceive appearance? What are the characteristics in common among them,
regarding the appearance?

- Do you consider that appearance can
interfere in hiring / promoting a professional? Comment.

Habits

- How do you enjoy your time outside the work
environment?

- Do you have any habits when it comes to
beauty and health care? Which and why?

- How do you reconcile your personal
presentation with your agenda?

Source: the authors (2020).

The interviews generated a total of 5 hours and
25 minutes of recordings. The interviews' content was transcribed for later
content analysis, using the theoretical basis, aligned with the research
objective and problem. The content analysis phases followed the recommendations
of Bardin (2013): a) organization of the analysis; b) coding; c)
categorization; d) treatment of results, inference, and interpretation of
results. Content analysis was performed with the aid of the NVivo 12® software
(FLICK, 2018a). It is noteworthy that the final categories that composed the
data analysis emerged from the organization of the data in the software, during
the study, as a posteriori category.

In providing quality to the qualitative
research, validity and reliability criteria were adopted. The research validity
is related to the confidence with which it is possible to draw conclusions
based on its analysis, while reliability relates to the research procedures
consistency on evaluating a phenomenon (FLICK, 2018b). One strategy to promote
quality in research is triangulation (DENZIN; LINCOLN, 2018). In this research,
triangulation occurred through the interviews' analysis and relationship and
non-participant observation with the theoretical background.

4 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

4.1 Personal and Professional Profile

Initially, the interviews sought to outline the
interviewees' personal and professional profiles:

age between 35 and 55, married
women, mothers, and businesswomen who work in different areas such as
metallurgy, civil construction, fashion, international trade, and information
technology (IT). Table 2 shows a summary of the interviewees' profiles.

Table 2 - Interviewees' profile

Interviewee

Age

Place of birth

Marital Status

Children

Business

Job position

I1

40

Caxias do Sul

Married

2

Metallurgy

Director

I2

35

Caxias do Sul

Married

1

Construction

Director

I3

50

Nova Pádua

Married

1

Fashion

Director

I4

55

Caxias do Sul

Married

1

International Trade

Director

I5

35

Caxias do Sul

Married

1

IT

Director

Source: the authors
(2020).

When asked about their positions and
professional trajectories, the interviewees expressed the need to manage
different areas of their lives: work, family, and volunteering activities. They
also commented on the woman's ability to take on these diverse roles and
reconcile family and professional life. In opposition to the perspective of
Rocha-Coutinho (2004), these women do not seem to see this as a difficulty, but
as a competitive advantage for women, as described by I4: "We are used to
solving matters at home, at work [...] we are used to thinking about several
areas at the same time during the day [...] we need to understand that we have
this competitive advantage".

However, I2 and I3 agreed with the author when
mentioning that having children interferes with women's professional career. I2
reported that she left motherhood for later, in favor of her career, while I3,
similarly, talked about how motherhood happened in her life, in a late way:
"I got pregnant at 40, I had my son at 41, and my pregnancy was a surprise
pregnancy, it was not planned".

Despite the different trajectories in their
professional careers, there was, among these women, evident security regarding
their role in the labor market. The interviewees reached prestigious positions
in their careers and, even those who inherited the management of family
businesses, before reaching the position of directors, had to show themselves
capable, many times, overcoming the predilection for the male figure in the
direction of their companies, as stated by Gipson et al. (2017):

I used to
question why my brother was already working at my father's company, and I had
to graduate to work there while him, since he was 13, already was? So, there
was this questioning, and there was this chauvinist tendency from my father to
want to pass the company on to his son, and not to his daughter [...]. So, at
that moment, I visualized this tendency for the succession to be for the male
son and not for the female daughter. And the position in which I find myself
today, which is above my brother's position, I conquered it, I conquered it
together with my father. Unquestionably he, at that first moment, did not
believe me either (I1).

I have a
brother a little younger than me, and I would say that my father's dream was
for my brother to take over the company, but my brother has no profile and did
not want to. He declaredly did not want to take over the company, which was
left for me. So, at this point, I believe that if my brother had shown a little
more interest in the family business, I would not have had this opportunity
(I2).

This difficulty in ascending to leadership
positions, which is even higher for women, is based on Leone and Baltar (2006). Concerning the differences between men and
women in the labor market, there were also some occurrences in the professional
career of these women that reaffirm the existence of such differentiations.
Bruschini (2007) points to female activity growth in predominantly male areas,
as happened to I1, I4, and I5. However, these women's reports show that the
female presence is not equal in their fields of activity.

I2, for example, stated: "I work with
civil construction ... I go to several sector meetings and, in general, I am
the only woman among 15 to 20 men". Similarly, I5 reflected: "In my
relations, I have   many contacts with
customers [...] There is a company in which my interlocutor is a woman, the
rest are all male interlocutors". With this, it is possible to verify that
some women experienced discriminatory situations without actually realizing
them. Although I2 and I5 stated that they never felt any prejudice for being
women, they admit that the sectors in which the interviewees operate are still
predominantly male and that, sometimes, the treatment is differentiated, and
even improved, because they are women. In these masculine environments,
executive women must exercise strong gender self-control to break this
discrimination barrier (DZUBINSKI; DIEHL; TAYLOR, 2019). Women's position still
has challenges in the face of gender equality (FERNANDES et al., 2019).

Women who ensure that they have not suffered
any kind of direct discrimination, or acknowledge that it exists and possibly
goes unnoticed, or end up revealing during the interview that they experience
discriminatory situations but abstain from them. "As a woman, I think I
even have a different treatment, with more kindness. It is often unnecessary,
because I think I should be treated as a colleague, and they treat me like a
woman" (I2). This is in line with Israelsson's
vision of women's respectability in the labor market (ISRAELSSON, 2017).

4.2 The Role and the Meaning of Appearance

4.2.1 The Role of Appearance in the
Life of an Executive Woman

When asked about the role of appearance in
executive women's lives and their own lives, the interviewees claimed to be an essential
factor, agreeing with the perception of Habermann-Horstmeier
(2007). I2 said that appearance is essential for all people, in all areas, but
that it plays an even more relevant role in the life of an executive woman:

More
generally, I believe that appearance matters in anyone's life, not just the
executive woman. Much in the life of the executive woman, indeed, but in the
life of the executive man too. In any job in which you are, in any position, of
any salary, the appearance makes the difference. It would be hypocrisy to say
no (I2).

I1, I3, I4, and I5 mentioned that the executive
woman is the image of her own business and, therefore, carelessness with her
appearances could prejudice them by transmitting the wrong message. "There
must be consistency between what you want to transmit with what you show. If
you do not have that consistency, you cannot reach your goals "(I4). Also,
according to I4, an executive's way of dressing is a form of communication, and
the speech and appearance must match. A similar relationship of interaction,
between interior and exterior, is addressed by Betiol
and Tonelli (1991) when they affirm that the appearance reflects the person's
interior and that a lousy appearance can denounce the lack of organization and
disposition.

In the same sense, I2 mentions that "as a
business owner, your company reflects what you are, a fact! You go into a messy
place, you meet the owner, he is messy", and I4 stated that
"appearance is very important, it is a construction, especially in my case
as I take the name of the company."

4.2.2 Definition of Good Appearance

When asked to define good appearance, all
interviewees used the term adequacy, synonymously used by Hamermesh (2011),
when referring to what is appropriate. Other characteristics mentioned as
essential parts in building a good appearance: posture, clothing, makeup,
discretion, hygiene, communication, and tone of voice. Their points of view
corroborate Mahajan's (2007) and Wong and Penner’s (2016) definitions of what
looks good (MAHAJAN, 2007; WONG; PENNER, 2016).

Supporting the definitions given by the
interviewees, during the interviews, it was observed that all of them seemed to
be concerned with their appearance since they were in good shape, were elegant
in their dress, used discrete makeup, and communicated very well with security
and eloquence. Table 3 provides a summary of the concepts elaborated by the
interviewees about good appearance.

Table 3 - Good-looking concepts according to the interviewees

Interviewee

Definition of good appearance

I1

It
consists of good posture and fitness. The appearance must be following the
interests of the woman. Good appearance should generate a positive impact of
a serious person, bringing him/her closer to the respect he/she desires.

I2

It
means being adequate with what you expect from the labor market. Appearance
must match the expectation of being taken seriously or not.

I3

It
is adequacy, clean clothes, scented clothes, well-ironed clothes, good hygiene,
well-kept teeth, wearing makeup. A good appearance will never decrease
someone. It will always add up. However, it must have content: the appearance
must match the speech; otherwise, it does not make sense.

I4

It
is a matter of adequacy, and it is the way to communicate, behave, dress, and
discretion, not to be distracted by exaggerations. It is a softer tone of
voice. This set is also a way of making communication more effective in
business.

I5

It
is adequacy, hygiene, not smoking, not biting nails, not wearing clothes that
do not fit, or conveying a wrong image, as clothing tells a lot about who we
are, what we believe in, and how we position ourselves for the labor market.
It is the elegance in speaking, not speaking too loudly. It is feeling good
and looking like that.

Source: the authors (2020).

4.2.3 Good Appearance Concept over
Time

The next question referred to the appearance
concept over time. The interviewees talked about how their opinions about
appearance changed over the years and with maturity. They all agreed that the
concept of good appearance has changed over the years and through experience.

11 mentions her daughter's birth and joining
the Council of Businesswoman as events that motivated her to be even more
concerned with her appearance. I2 said that, during one of her professional
experiences, as a teenager, she received feedback from her manager to improve
the care with her appearance: "That day, I didn't like hearing that, I
confess it was horrible [...] it was a milestone for me, it was bad at that
time, but even today it stays in my head, that you really should dress
according to what you expect, with what you intend to transmit to people".
This testimony from I2 corroborates with Mahajan (2007) when stating that, once
the value of good looks is recognized, people strive to improve it.

I3 reported that the concern became greater
after a professional experience in a bank, in which the appearance issue was
highly demanded of the employees. I4 revealed that, over time, a lower level of
rigidity had been established in her professional life concerning appearance:

I wanted
people to see that I was okay so that I could pass on good things to them.
[...] When I entered the bank, the bank gave me a uniform, I worked with a
uniform, which was very important for me because I did not have suitable
clothes to work in the bank [...]. Moreover, the bank paid for a 15-day course
in Porto Alegre, so I could learn how to put on
makeup, how to behave, how to look well, how to deal with the public [...] for
me, it was a lesson. It was very good! It became an addiction that I still have
(I3).

The concern
has always existed, in the beginning, more, today less, because I have already
internalized what the business environment wants and approves. It wants and
approves in the sense of being taken seriously and that my communication is
effective. So this is easier for me. I don't need that
much rigidity. I allow myself to visit a customer with jeans and a shirt, which
before, in the beginning, I did not. In my head, I had to wear a suit [...],
but this is a matter of experience (I4).

The recognition of changes in aesthetic
patterns over time and space is an event supported by Marwick (2004) and Kury, Hargreaves, and Valença
(2000). All interviewees had a specific occasion or event in their lives, which
I2 referred to as a "watershed," a moment that led them to reflect
more on the issue of appearance or from a different perspective. The feedback
of a manager, the requirement of a company, the need to transmit greater
credibility, adapt to their means, and even motherhood were situations that
influenced these women's appearance standards.

4.2.4 Appearance Advice for Young
Professionals

When the interviewees were asked to answer,
what would be the advice, on the appearance, that they would give to a
professional at the beginning of her career since women still have unfair
disadvantages on the career advancement (LEONE; BALTAR, 2006; HABERMANN-HORSTMEIER,
2007; GIPSON et al., 2017).  I1 stated that managers are always observing
the small details and that appearance is a factor that builds credibility and  does not go unnoticed:

[...] for a
woman who wants to grow professionally, who wants to run for more notorious
positions, she has to demonstrate that she cares, because the manager will
always analyze this type of thing and women, like it or not, still have
disadvantages over men. She will have to be more competent than him, she will
have to be more knowledgeable than him, and I think that today the issue of
appearance, posture adds up to many points for a choice if you are competing
with a man. So, I think it is essential (I1).

I2 and I4 commented that it is necessary to
reflect on what appearance is conveying and whether it conveys the intended
message, as expressed by I2 in advising "that this person should seek to
fit in the best possible way, within her work, within what she desires, that
she should not use the appearance against her, but that she should use the
appearance in her favor. Transmitting the wrong message can slow down and even
hinder professional development. In this regard, I4 stated:

[...]
always look for a match between whom you communicate with, and whether you are
effectively communicating with your appearance. Appearance is speech, gestures,
clothes, hair. It's all; it's the way you behave. If you go to an environment
and keep screaming, or if you speak more elegantly. So
appearance is all of that together. Worry about it: getting to know the segment
in which you want to work in, or which you alreay
work in, how they are, how they speak, gesticulate, dress, and if that is what
you want to succeed, [...] this is the most important thing, it looks like
this, you have to understand and adapt to be successful. If you don´t change
and adapt, you will lose time, lose business, but you will learn this, you
either learn it or will not be able to be as effective as you expect (I4).

4.3 Stereotypes of Interviewees

4.3.1 Appearance Patterns

We verified if the interviewees could identify,
among the successful women they know, if there is some kind of pattern
concerning appearance. The women interviewed showed a concern to present
themselves well and look good, but I3 defended that each one can do it
independently. There was a consensus among the interviewees that all successful
women care about appearance; above all, they adapt to their environments:

The vast
majority of executive women I know have a pattern, special care with this issue
of aesthetics, posture, the way they dress, care for their bodies. I don't know
anyone successful who doesn't take this care [...] each in their way (I1).

Yes, at CIC
we have doctors, we have advisory women, like me, company directors, commerce,
everything, event organizers ... I believe that the most successful women are
more effective in this combination: of speech and appearance [...] including
some women, in the beginning, as soon as they joined CIC here, they did not
have this concern with appearance, now they have it. Because the environment
ended up warning, they start to see one, two, ten, twenty times, and then they
start, themselves (this is the testimony of women here), they see the need to
adapt (I4).

This perception of the interviewees that all
successful women are concerned with appearance, considering themselves were
successful women and notably concerned with appearance, is consistent with
practice. Such an event is following the theory of Graham, Harvey, and Puri (2017), that there is a relationship between
appearance and ascension to the CEO position. In addition to framing Hakim's
(2011) and Hamermesh's (2011) theory, appearance influences professional
success (HAKIM, 2011; HAMERMESH, 2011).

4.3.2 Influence of Appearance on
Hiring and Promoting Professionals

When asked about the existence of appearance
interferences in a job interview, all interviewees agreed that appearance is a
determining factor at the time of selection. I1 said that even the appearance
of candidates on social networks influences hiring in their company:
"Today social media is also used for this, we look at what is posted, how
the person is dressed on social media. All companies do this [...] many people
end up not being hired because of social media". I5 reported: "[...]
I have personally barred hiring, and gave preference to other people, due to
the way the person behaved, was dressed and appeared to be".

The statement that appearance influences job
interviews, increasing the chances of hiring, confirms what Rooth
(2009) and Santos (2016) propose. Following its theories, I3 added:

The
interviewer may think this, at that time, he/she may see this as a slopiness, as a lack of concern, since this is also a point
in the recruitment evaluation, and it adds points. In a job interview, things
are more radical; you have to be adequate to earn points. In that story, we
must use our appearance as our advantage in all situations (I3).

Properly, I3 stated that, sometimes, she is
afraid to talk about appearance because, depending on how it is interpreted, it
may seem that it is futile, "and appearance is not futile, we live on it,
live with it, we show ourselves to people through our appearance [...]
appearance is not just clothes". The relevance that the interviewees
attributed to their appearance at the time of the interview also reinforces the
theories of Sorcher and Brant (2002), Wilson and
Eckel (2006), and Kahneman (2011) about the influence of the halo effect in job
interviews, when first impressions influence people's judgment. Perhaps this
concern becomes eminent since physical and aesthetic criteria may mark labor
relationships, which do not necessarily involve the qualification of this
professional (ESTEVÃO-REZENDE, NASCIMENTO; ALVES, 2018).

Regarding the promotion of professionals, I2
stated that she takes into account the issue of appearance: "You can be
very competent, have the best technical knowledge if you don't dress
appropriately in the company, you may even remain there because you are very
good, but you won't get a promotion, you won't earn a higher salary, you won't move
forward." This thinking can encourage a consumption focused on the body
and appearance because it is a way for this professional to become as visible
and valuable as any other employee who would be eligible for promotion (GORDON,
2019).

I4 and I5 agreed that in operational areas,
appearance does not have the same relevance: "In the operational area, I
don't think so, because the operational does not visit customers and suppliers.
Usually, many are still university students in the operational area, as I was
one. So we don't have that concern". This point
of view is consistent with the theory of Sierminska
(2015), which proposes that appearance is more relevant in occupations that
require interaction between employee and customer.

5 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

This research points to some relevant findings
on the contribution of appearance to women in the labor market, from a class
council executive women's perspective, in southern Brazil. Among the
contributions of this research, the following stood out: a good appearance can
boost careers because it not only makes people more confident, but it tells
about the degree of willingness of a professional. Appearance also contributes
to providing greater credibility to people in the labor market, bringing them
closer to their professional goals. The different business areas of the
interviews come together through the Council of Businesswoman, where they
practice common interests. The counselors reported entrepreneurship stories in
their careers, about the need to prove their worth as professionals and the
development of their technical skills to gain a prestigious labor market
position.

Even for women who seem to have an established
professional destiny, as is the case of those who inherit family businesses,
the need to demonstrate their skills is a reality, mainly because the
expectation in the business world is still higher for women than it is for men,
even in the highest hierarchical levels. The differentiation between men and
women in the labor market was confirmed by the interviewees' reports, who also
recognize the existence of predominantly male fields. Such fields still
differentiate women, as is civil construction, metallurgy, and IT companies.
Even if it is not discriminatory, some areas still differentiate women,
perpetuating a segregated labor market. Wage differences and the reduced number
of women in business are examples of this. To break down these barriers in the
business world, women need to stand out even more than men in terms of their
ability, highlight their skills and competencies, and take care of their
appearance.

Regarding the understanding of appearance in
the professional sphere, appearance was considered an essential factor,
analyzed under different aspects. Adequacy proved to be a central factor in
determining what characterizes a good appearance, even more for a person in the
market who wishes to rise. It is a matter of knowing the market in which you
intend to operate, of the customers you intend to reach, of communication in each
area. However, there seems to be an established pattern about successful women,
which, besides adequacy, is also linked to elegance.

Another aspect of the appearance that proved to
be important is dressing. Besides adapting to the environment, dressing is
related to the cleanliness, size, and discretion of clothes. Anything
exaggerated distracts the listener and diminishes the women's speech
credibility, making their communication much more difficult in the labor
market. The consequence is that the goals may not be achieved or possibly take
more time to be achieved. The appearance was also related to the tone of voice,
which must be soft and related to elegance. Communication, which is also part
of the appearance, must be formal in the labor market.

Aesthetic care is also a factor in people's
appearance, even more significant in business activities where there is
interaction with customers and suppliers and in frontline positions of the
companies, where the person's image is also the image of the company. This
association between the image of the company and the image of its employees and
managers occurs. There seems to be a standardization between the company
profile and the employee profile, a filter performed at the interview moment.
This research also revealed that appearance interferes in promoting
professionals and is considered for promoting employees, even though it does
not overlap the person's technical capabilities.

It is often necessary for a specific event to
occur in women's lives to recognize the value of a good appearance. However,
there is no need to wait for that to happen. If the stereotype of a successful
woman is elegance, why not trying to approach that stereotype? Appearance is
not just a beautiful outfit. It is our communication with the world, and it
tells us about who we are and where we intend to go. Appearance can also favor
a candidate in a job interview. It means the first impression is decisive in the
hiring processes. It is an occasion when the halo effect manifests, and the
candidate must be careful not to let the appearance sabotage her since a bad
appearance can stand out over the person's skills when the first impression is
crucial.

In addition to the academic contribution, from
the point of view of management, this research can serve as a guide to support
women inserted in the labor market. Its results can help women obtain better
remuneration, win more representative positions, and increase the chances of
hiring in selection processes, which includes the search for new opportunities
and professional replacement. The research results confirm that a pleasant
appearance acts as a propellant in these situations and that the business
environment responds, in a pleasant way, to an attractive personal image. Good
looks and fitness are essential assistants in building successful careers.
Companies value those who look good and are concerned with adapting themselves
to their profile. It is an effort that does not go unnoticed and does not
require significant investments. However, everything indicates that investments
will return in the form of greater professional recognition.

Despite the merits of this research, as
discussed above, the study has limitations. It is noteworthy that the
interviewees were women who, upon receiving the proposal to participate in this
research at a meeting of the Council of Businesswoman and having prior
knowledge of the topic that would be addressed, were willing to participate in
the interview. Perhaps women who are not so concerned about appearance have not
shown interest in the research. However, it is worth mentioning that some
interviewees commented that all women on the Council are references in terms of
appearance and adequacy. That said, another limitation of the research resides
in delimiting to women who act as counselors in a class entity and, also, to
the fact of having considered only the opinion of women. Additionally, the use
of different terms referring to the appearance by the authors and the
interviewees, sometimes treated as appearance, sometimes treated by other
terms, such as image, personal image, and beauty, is also a limitation.

As suggestions for future research, it is
proposed to research the same topic outside a class entity, with women from
other hierarchical levels, or according to men's perspective, since there are
authors who do not differentiate gender when referring to the appearance in the
labor market. Quantitative research on the topic is also suggested, with a
larger sample of people, to identify relationships between investment in appearance
and positions held, or investment in appearance and salaries received. Finally,
we suggest analyzing the issue of predilection for the male figure in
administrative areas and the issue of differentiation between men and women,
highlighted by the interviewees, in other positions and specific areas.

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