💸 The term "pink tax" highlights the fact that products and services often associated with femininity tend to cost more compared to those marketed to men. Contrary to popular belief, the burden of the pink tax is more than financial; it often costs women time and energy which impacts performance in their work and personal lives 🏃🏾♀️
Everyone in the workplace is expected to dress professionally, however, the female workforce carries a heavier burden of "aesthetic labor" whether it’s going shopping or getting dressed.
📖 When it comes to a professional image, women are also bearing the cost. According to a 2021 study by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, American women spend 40% more on clothing than men. This is not considering spending on beauty and personal care products. Companies that are striving for DEIB in the workplace must address the pink tax of aesthetic labor.
Hint: The solution is not employee budgeting or telling your employees that looks don't matter 🙃
🧮 Financial planner and educator, Pete Dunn of Pete the Planner® says that Americans should allocate 5% of their budget to clothing shopping. So let's do some math:
💰 If a woman is taking home at least $100,000 USD she can spend around $5,000 on her clothing.
This is the financial cost of maintaining a feminine, professional image to uphold her personal brand in and out of the office.
🕒 That's not just money, that also means $5,000 worth of hours searching the web or bobbing in and out of fitting rooms. Along with taking the time to figure out how to strategically style $5,000 worth of clothes.
All in hopes that her clothing purchases give her ROI on her time, energy, and money.
No one understands the phrase "people eat with their eyes" like a woman 👀 Beyond the mental clutter and labor to find the right dress, personal styling also means knowing how to maximize each piece a woman invests in. So now she has to be an engineering director, a present caretaker, and a personal stylist?!
😵💫 My head is spinning for her.
📌 Aesthetic labor falls off the radar all the time but it is a major contributor to gender inequity. So tell me, what is your company doing to address this inequity? Do you know any workplaces that are tackling this issue?
I’m an image consultant for professional women who want closets that are as brilliant as they are. The women of your organization are brilliant and they deserve brilliant closets. Let’s talk about providing image consulting support that will eliminate the aesthetic labor burden for the women in your organization! Learn more here.
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