Anybody else "on stage" at work? - YouLookFab Forum

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Anybody else "on stage" at work?

Mae

With a new academic year upon us, I'm recalling a conversation I had with April earlier in the summer. She had been wondering if it was more challenging to dress when you know you'll be standing in front of a large group every week.

Now that I'm back to this reality, I'm wondering if any of you have tips/tricks for dressing when you know you're going to be "on stage"? Do you stick with the same "go to" outfits or try to switch it up? Ever repeat an outfit on a day you know you'll be seeing the same group?

General

28 replies

Latest reply was from Mae

Jonesy

Veteran

I was just mentioning (on my SYC thread) that I have this little voice in my head that tells me that certain pencil skirts-tucked shirt combos are too sexy for the classroom (I'm a professor). So yes, I do put some thought into what I wear when I'm going to be teaching. I tend to dress pretty formally, and I favor tailored, structured pieces. I wear more casual looks on days at the office when I'm in meetings, etc., but not in the classroom. And I always, superstitiously, wear a tailored jacket on the first day of class.

In answer to your question about sticking with go-to outfits: I usually try to mix things up, though I do have a go-to look (jacket, slimmer-cut pants or pencil skirt, wedge booties, bold scarf or necklace).

I wonder exactly how many academics are YLFers?

bj1111

Veteran

hehehe...i would wear exactly the same outfit and see if anyone in the class notices!

lynne

Veteran

When I taught 4th grade I felt I was on stage every day, and I was. Those kids notice everything, and weren't afraid to let you know what they thought.

taylor

Veteran

I feel like I am on stage everyday...seriously...:)

Lynne

Veteran

I would be careful to switch it up at times, just to be interesting. I don't want to be too predictable. Having said that, I have no problem rotating the outfits that work well! I agree with staying away from revealing or overtly sexy looks when you're teaching...it feels irresponsible to me.

Rose

Good post.. I am a prof in academia too and am on stage for sure this semester, I think many of us on ylf share this profession. I try to find the right balance between nice but not sexy. I enjoy dressing up for my class because other days I am in the lab, which requires a strict dress code of more or less dressing down (pants, closed toe shoes, etc etc).
I rotate outfits too, with some thinking about not wearing the same thing/formula every time..

crwilson

Veteran

I'm a prof too - I didn't realize how many of us there were. I definitely am very aware of this and try to avoid anything that's too alluring. I quit wearing my pencil skirts for this reason, even though they're perfectly modest. In fact, I'm not going to wear skirts and dresses this year and am going to stick to trousers and probably jackets.

For me, I feel best in jackets and cardigans, which is hard at the beginning of the school year when it's so darn hot outside (even though it's freezing inside). One of the things I hated most about my last pregnancy was teaching until my 38th week and being forced to be on stage at a time that I didn't want anyone to notice me. One of my students said, at the end of the term, "I can't believe how enormous you are. I mean, at the beginning of the term, you were pregnant, but now you're REALLY pregnant." Talk about feeling self conscious!! Apparently college students say whatever they want to say too.

Which brings me to another point - do those of you in academe wear skinny jeans with boots to work? I know jeans are fine for my workplace, but I'm uncertain about skinny jeans...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hah, Taylor! I bet you do. In my line of work, I do too.

Mae, I think it totally depends on your audience.

Jonesy

Veteran

Now this is intriguing, CRWilson (I'm sorry I don't know your first name!): You're giving up all skirts and dresses? Is it a matter of comfort, or departmental/institutional norm, or some other factors? I'm very curious.

Re. wearing skinny jeans to work in an academic setting: I do it. I've even worn a black pair in the classroom, along with tall black boots and a very conservative charcoal jacket. I just make sure that my top layers fall below my crotch line (for lack of a better term) and then I feel okay with it.

I think these sorts of issues are very interesting. On the one hand, I do want to be true to myself and allow myself to be creative with my clothes. I used to be a very creative, eccentric dresser when I was younger, and now I am trying to get some of that spark back, while being role- and age-appropriate. On the other hand, I don't want what I'm wearing to be distracting in the classroom, or somehow reduce my authority.

crwilson

Veteran

The skirt/dresses decision came into being because I am one of two female faculty members at a small school. I am pretty young, especially compared to most of my colleagues, and I look younger than I really am. I tend to like pretty feminine clothes - if I had my way (ie it were practical and socially acceptable) I'd probably wear skirts and heels everyday. For the sake of trying to look "stronger," I guess, I'm trying to de-emphasize my femininity. I'm still not fully comfortable with that; nor am I comfortable with the alternative.

It is a strange balance - trying to be true to one's sense of style while still trying to project a particular image.

Jonesy

Veteran

Very interesting... I totally understand your thought process, given the demands of your context! It's funny: I just earned tenure, and I find myself feeling much more free to do what I want in a variety of ways, including how I dress! Also, I am very tall (almost 6') and am now in my early 40s, which does help (or at least I think it helps) in terms of establishing authority in the classroom, so that gives me a bit of leeway too.

bj1111

Veteran

jonesy,

tenure has a way to letting you let yourself be a bit freer. it's the secret handshake, official seal of approval and secret decoder ring all rolled into one. what a feeling when you get it!

congrats, btw, very important hurdle in the life of an academic.

Sihaya

Veteran

I teach executives frequently and it all depends on my audience. So my outfits range from business formal to smart casual. I do repeat every once in a while just because I can't keep track of all the groups I speak in front of with that level of precision. My priority when I"m going to be in front of a group is to ensure that my outfits are non fussy - i'm not having to frequently check to see if my bra is in place! I also proritize comfortable shoes and usually one statement piece in my outfit. If I'm in front of a larger group - say 150+ then I keep the lines more classic, less small patterns, a bit more makeup, and bolder statement pieces that can be seen at a distance.

Mae

Thanks for the thoughts, everyone!

Jonesy, congrats on tenure, and welcome to the YLF academics sub-club. We must be in the exact same place... trying to get the spark back while maintaining appropriateness.

CR, I completely understand where you're coming from. But I also completely agree with the others who have noted the freedom that tenure and age bring. For my first 6 years or so, I stuck to trousers and button downs. Now I'm trying to add back in some of my personal style while still staying appropriate. It's a tricky balance. I started off the first day of teaching this semester with a pencil skirt and a sweet pea top, which was probably borderline. But I felt confident, so that's 1/2 the battle.

I started my faculty career after having given birth 10 days prior, so I was in NO sense stylish for the first year (ahem, or so). And I was GIGANTIC when pregnant. I know how you feel. Please. I had 1 pair of shoes that fit me by the end, and they were terrible sneakers. They went straight to the trash can as soon as my feet had lost the lovely swollen pregnant look.

I haven't gotten over the fear of wearing jeans when teaching, but I'll probably try my white ones next week. And I checked today... my new shiny boots DO fit over my BR Martin skinnies. Yay! Can't wait to trot those out. They are way out of my academic comfort zone, but I'm determined to wear them anyway. I'll have to tone down the rest of the outfit so it's not over the top (nod to Lynne; these boots are sex-y).

Taylor, are you a hair stylist? That's a *completely* on stage profession. At least I have some time to hide in my office during the week.

Lower-case lynne, I'm pretty sure there is no harsher critic than the fourth-grader. And is that a dachshund in your photo? (Mine too, if you enlarge the photo.)

Sihaya, I wish I had the wardrobe flexibility to consider patterns and statement pieces by size of the group! *Jealous*

I'm teaching back to back this semester, so I'd have to do a major superwoman/wonder woman wardrobe maneuver in 10 minutes to move from my class of 40 to my class of 110.

taylor

Veteran

Yes , I am Mae:)

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

I'm a dog trainer, so I'm on stage at work too, believe it or not. My classes are small (never more than 8) and I tend to do more one on one work but still very much "on stage".

Because what I do involves hair, slobber, food, and sometimes dirt my clothing is casual and practical. And due to silly puppies with sharp teeth, sharp nails and who are still learning to have manners I cannot wear scarves or anything dangly. Squatting, kneeling and leaning over are also frequent and I have to be careful not to display cleavage on either end!

Typically I wear jeans and a decent knit top with sneakers or Docs, much to my chagrin as it gets very boring. I've been trying to add some interest to my work wardrobe but I'm hesitant to put much cash into it. Mostly I concentrate on making sure my hair and makeup look nice and that I have an over all neat and professional appearance. People are often resistant to what I have to say (especially in private behavioral consults), so I do need to look like I know what I'm talking about.

I would be surprised if my students noticed what I was wearing. I don't worry about repeats. My canine clients sure don't care!

crwilson

Veteran

Taylor - I'm sure there's a lot of pressure on you to look great and stylish. It's an entirely different kind of being on stage I think because I'm not actually expected to look pulled together, necessarily. It would be very hard for me to look nice, all of the time. I'm with Mae. I treasure the days I get to hide in my office.

Jonesy-congratulations on tenure. I do think that it is liberating, and I look forward to that relief. Mae - I love Sweet Pea tops, and I bet you looked great. I can't believe you started teaching 10 days after giving birth. That must have been so challenging.

Perhaps I'm being too serious, and I don't want to take this into politics too much, but I do find this question of dressing when on stage intriguing, and it's something I've thought about quite a bit. I've become convinced that it's essential to be authentic to be an effective teacher. I've also been trying to dress in a way that reflects my personality, however fluid that may be, instead of trying to blend in. That is to say, I want to dress authentically too. I like clothes that are feminine, whimsical, and a bit different (sometimes in a bad way - see my velvet tunic post), and I'm not at all drawn to masculine looks. But, given my work situation, I feel like it's more prudent to stick to trousers, blazers, etc. I teach English and women's studies, and given that background, I feel like caving to the pressure to dress in a particular way suggests that there's something incompatible about femininity and strength, whimsy and authority, and I don't think that those things are mutually exclusive at all. I also have to confess that it annoys me that my husband doesn't think, or have to think, about ANY of this at all. He teaches at the same university but has tenure (and is 6'5 and male). He wears jeans and a black t-shirt to teach every day (different ones at least). He never worries about looking authoritative or being perceived as "weak."

Now that I read all of this, I think that maybe the reason I have such a hard time getting dressed in the morning has nothing to do with my closet and everything to do with viewing each choice as a philosophical stance that must be undertaken with great care. And maybe this is why I love thinking about style, shopping, and playing with looks but would never be able to honestly say that I have "fun" with fashion (I'm sorry Angie!).

FiestyWife

I'm not in academia (did I spell that right, what a funny post to incorrectly spell that word) but I currently volunteer with a Marine Corps orginization where I teach other spoused, active duty Marines & their families about the Marine Corps lifestyle. We cover things like paychecks, how to move, deployments, etc. When I get up and have to teach I'm very consious about what I wear b/c I'm trying to let them see that I am an expert in this area and they can trust what I'm saying. I do tailor my style of dress to the audience. If a group of spouses I can be a little more fun but sophisticated but with the Marines I need to be sharp, professional and not seem like a girly-girl. With the families I need to seem calm & capable. Thank goodness we don't teach all three groups at once!

FiestyWife

On Angie's fashion blogroll is a great blog from 3 women in academics and how they deal with wanting to be stylish but still taken seriously. I would recommend a look at them and their "lesson" on fashion.

lynne

Veteran

Mae, yes that's a dachshund in my picture. We have 2 smooth red ones and both are on my lap right now. Is yours dappled? Speckled?

Mae

lynne, Lucy is a mini, dappled. Most often found on laps or curled in nooks made my legs and arms. That is, when she's not barking and running after the cat or annoying the big dog.

CR, I appreciate your philosophical "rant". It's a major challenge, I think, for women in academia. I have male colleagues who don't think twice about showing up in ratty jeans, Birkenstocks, and t-shirts every day- teaching or not, tenured or not. Teaching days for me are a big deal. What did I wear the last time they saw me? Is this *too* dressy? Too "out there"? Too sexy, revealing, tight, short? Interesting enough that I won't die of boredom looking at myself all day? (Then, add in all the other style rules... flattering to body type, PPL, proportions are right, ... and you have my morning closet routine on teaching days. Ugh.)

CR, up for a challenge? How about trying to integrate ONE whimsical piece (top, accessory, shoe, scarf, etc.) next week and seeing if that feels more true to who you are? We'll be here to cheer you on.

Anybody else want to join us on this trip out of the academic comfort zone?

Jonesy

Veteran

Mae, good grief, teaching 10 DAYS after having a baby?! I can't even imagine! I did teach when I was in the first trimester with my second. I had lots of nausea, so I remember sneaking saltines throughout the class. Kudos to you for starting this thread and adding such insightful comments. I would love to see your new shiny boots paired with your new Martin skinnie pants :).

It's so interesting to read about other people's challenges in how to dress for presentations to executives, Marines, and dog owners. It's such a tricky balancing act. And Taylor, does that mean that you are on your feet for many, many hours each day in those fab heels? Miraculous!

CR, again, I completely "get" your decision-making. I don't think you're being too political or serious at all--your authority and your status at your job are critical to your success as an academic, IMHO. And of course there are gendered expectations, and there is this crazy idea that you cannot be both creative/stylish and have intellectual heft/authority, as you discuss in your post.

I love the idea of us cheering each other on as we navigate all of this!

I think someone upthread mentioned the academicchic blog, which is great. Has anyone read the "In Professorial Fashion" blog? I just stumbled onto it recently, and it's great.

Rose

FYI- I wear skinny jeans @ work, but not on the days I teach

bj1111

Veteran

cr and mae,

so true about men getting a pass on having to think about the semiotics of clothing. heck they get a pass on having to think about camel toe during lectures/meetings.

Kate

Veteran

As a PhD student this has been a great thread to read. I start teaching my own class next summer, but I am a TA now and was last year as well. I really started getting interested in fashion when I got to grad school and realized that the clothes I had worn as an undergrad did not put forward the professional image I wanted to convey to my professors and other grad students. I found academichic.com and have been a loyal follower for a year now. Even though I'm not nearly as on stage as I will be when I start teaching, I am working on creating a wardrobe now so that the transition to being on stage is a bit smoother.

It really is amazing how this can be very different for men at women. I have a good friend who is 24 and taught his first class this past summer. He's 6'2" and has facial hair, and he had no problems with students doubting his authority even though he regularly wore graphic t-shirts, cargo shorts, and croc flip-flops to teach class!

April

Veteran

When I was a grad student and teaching statistics lab, I didn't have any sort of wardrobe whatsoever and so I rarely thought about it. I had one student who was an expert knitter (in class, she would knit complicated things like argyle socks). I am the most basic knitter imaginable, and one day I wore a scarf that I had knitted. She asked if I had made it and I jokingly asked if it was that obvious. She sniffed, "It's your basic beginner scarf."

So yes, Christine -- college students will say just about anything!

I can verify that Mae started teaching with a ten-day-old baby. And I think she was attending faculty meetings when he was three days old. (Ya think female academics worry more than their male colleagues about being taken seriously?)

crwilson

Veteran

Mae I'm definitely up for the challenge, but I'm on trimesters so I won't be teaching until after Labor Day. I'll definitely do it the first week I'm back though.

Mae

Hooray! I'll be joining you.

April is right- I went to the first all-college faculty meeting with a 3-day-old. It's all a blur. I'm *so* glad that DS is now 9.

Kate- good luck with your own class! And good for you for getting a start on your wardrobe in advance. I wish I had been 1/2 as prepared!