Let me start this off by saying that since I’ve been at Jackson State University, the number of men dressing up and dressing decent has vastly improved. Obviously more people have begun to realize that people are around looking at you, and always remember first impressions are the best impressions.

Blue & White Flash

Kenny Bunch

This is just one example of how we, as young black college men, should be making improvements in our decorum and dress. If a [company] representative walks on campus and sees a person with a baby’s chew toy in their mouth, what do you think their perception of the men on campus would be? Remember impressions.
 
And we like to complain when people state that many of our African-American men will end up dead or in jail.
It’s due to the fact that those first impressions are not ones of exemplary young men. There are ways to dress and ways to look on campus that would create the image that we are about our business.   

There are several things young men should guard against doing as it relates to clothing on campus. 

First, young men, please pull up your pants. I know it probably sounds repetitive, but it’s a continuous problem.

Honestly, it really doesn’t look cool. And just a little insider: The quality females don’t like it either. I hear women say all the time, “If he would pull up his pants and put on a nice shirt, I’d give him a chance.” 

It also shines a negative light on all black men in society when people see us out in the world with pants below our waists. 

Secondly, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a shirt and tie, or polo and slacks at some point during the week.
Dress dignified, as if you’re anticipating a prospective employer to give you a job that day. I’m not trying to change anybody’s wardrobe, but I am letting you know that adding to your wardrobe would allow more diversity in what you wear, which is always a great thing to have.   

Third, don’t walk around campus with things in your mouth. That is very tacky. I mean nothing, suckers, straws, PACIFIERS. It makes us look like infants, little kids that can’t just go from one place to another without having something in between our lips. 

Finally, whatever style you choose to wear, make sure it is presentable. If you want to wear jeans and a t-shirt, make sure the t-shirt isn’t dingy. If you wear a polo, make sure there aren’t food stains on your polo. If you wear dress shoes, shine them. And try to keep your hair looking presentable because that accentuates that style just that much more.   

Men, we have to crush perception with good impressions. Start proving standards wrong. Remember we are a valuable commodity, one that the world is beginning to notice more and more. We have to keep up with the standard that our U.S. President Barack Obama has created for us all. Let’s clean ourselves up.

Kenny Bunch writes for the Blue & White Flash, the Jackson State University student newspaper, which originally published this article.

Articles in the Voices section represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not reflect the views of Black College Wire.