Ilene ,
You have experienced first hand the power of a uniform , it carries rank and certain privileges and respect .
In my thirty years of being a self employed photographer I always wore a suit to photograph the weddings , I did it in respect for my clients and I received respect in return . This can work equally as well for women , I still remember my first in a passenger plane , it was on my honeymoon and we flew British Caledonian , the hostesses look stunning in their tartan uniforms , not only that it was the time when they had a great deal of respect . How things move on now we have budget airlines .
While I'm not a big guy I did face some tricky and scarey situations in my photography days and learned to deal with them , some wedding venues were held in tough no go areas . So far I've not had to deal with a tricky situation dressed , staying safe does take on a slightly different meaning and wearing appropriate clothes for the situation .