However, Kagy says the exigencies of corporate dressing have relaxed somewhat during the past decade.

"If the person. especially a young person is dressed in business casual, 10 years ago that would have been corporate taboo," he says. "That certainly is not the case now. however, if the person came in here sagging, and they're a 32-inch waist and they're wearing 42-inch pants...if you have body piercing, you need to take those things out. You need to somewhat adhere to business paradigm."

Never Second Best

Even with the decline of 80s power-dressing, some still see dressing, up as the road to success. In the 90s, as the cost of surgical procedures declines, "dressing" takes on a whole new meaning. Abdominal tucks, breast augmentations and face lifts are now less-expensive options for those convinced that improving their appearance gives them an edge in corporate culture and social life.

Although plastic surgery is still fairly expensive--with rhinoplasty, or nose jobs, going for about $3,000 and breast implants for about $2,500--costs are decreasing. In addition, as some professionals point out, price is commensurate with satisfaction and, given the traditional income increase with age, procedures become more affordable over time.

For one Harvard sophomore and her family, the benefits of plastic surgery outweighed the costs. In fact, Laura (name has been changed at student's request) says it was her father, who is generally careful with money, who first suggest- ed she have her nose redone.

"I had been teased since I was very little, andit was terrible," she says. "I didn't feelbeautiful--it made me feel different. When I wasat the movies, I'd always try to sit with my head[facing a certain way] so people couldn't see myprofile," she says.

But while self-consciousness motivated her toundergo the surgery, Laura's father was driven bydifferent concerns. He was worried that hernose--which she says he characterized as Jewishlooking--would subject her to harsh discriminationin the workplace. After considering the weight ofthe decision to alter her appearance, Lauraeventually agreed.

"Generally in the world, people are mindful ofyour appearance when looking for jobs." Laurasays.

Although religious discrimination was notinitially a factor in her decision to go intosurgery, Laura says since coming to Harvard shehas come to agree with her father. "I look aroundHarvard, and there are no people who look like Idid," she says. "In my community there were somany people that did, that [the difference of myappearance] didn't occur to me."

Religious discrimination and other stereotypesconstructed from appearances will not stop onceindividual features are altered. Yet, plasticsurgeons note that physical alteration can helppatients make concrete gains in the workplace.

Joel J. Feldman, a Cambridge plastic surgeonand associate clinical professor of surgery atHarvard Medical School, says the psychologicaleffects of such surgery can help patients getahead at work.

"If it makes you feel better about the way youlook, very often you'll act better," he says."When you look better, you feel better, and Ithink people very often project that."

Laura agrees. "I feel like I can I can walkinto more groups and be accepted," she says. "It'shard to know how much of that is sort of morevisible confidence, and how much of it is physicalitself. There's no way to tell, but I sort of putthe two together."

According to Gary H. Manchester, a prominentplastic surgeon in San Diego who graduated fromHarvard Medical School in 1964, plastic surgeryshould be used to correct defects in collegestudents only if the potential patient feelsespecially self-conscious about his or herappearance.

"If it bothers you, you should do it,"Manchester says. "You can't imagine the differencein your effect."