Musings on dressing for my environment

Hi everyone. Today I unexpectedly found myself crossing streams, scrambling over boulders and squeezing through thickets after work…in a wrap dress. Thank goodness I decided to wear legging underneath when I got dressed this morning! For those of you that don’t know, I’m an archaeologist. I spend most of my time in my office or classroom, but there’s always the chance I’ll get a last-minute invitation to take a look at someone’s property.

This is the wardrobe dilemma I’ve been wrestling with over the last six months – do I alter the way I dress for teaching and office hours or dress so as to be prepared for the rare occasions I might be invited into the field. It seems extreme, but these invitations are becoming increasingly common. On other days I’ve found myself scrambling in my Aquatalia riding boots and cashmere sweaters, and there was a particularly unfortunate day with a very full cream midi skirt.

These invitations are always very impromptu: “Hey, jump in my truck and I show you such and such…” There’s no time for a full wardrobe change, but at the very least I need to keep a change of shoes in my car (and probably snake gaiters). I could also keep a jacket or
pullover handy. But I’m seriously considering keeping my work wardrobe pretty casual from here on out. I need to save the dresses and skirts for other days. Pants need to be denim or material that does not easily snag (and need to be at price points where I won’t cry if they do snag). I think I could stick with dressier tops as long as I have something to put over them.

Even though the college where I teach has a very casual dress code for faculty and staff, I still want to look polished and put together. I don’t want to wear gear or t-shirts. I need to find a happy medium. So you’ll probably see more frequent posts from me as I try to figure out this balance. Thanks for reading and feel free to offer any guidance or wisdom! I’m going to comb the brambles out of my hair, check for ticks, and pray I didn’t step in poison ivy!

Today’s outfit (after the scramble, so looking a bit disheveled) and a historic postcard showing the area I visited. I will scuff my shoes for that view.

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9 years ago

missvee

Veteran

What about keeping a pair of coveralls and work boots at the office?

Anonymous

I have duties in the office and in the field. I have a field box. It is always packed and contains every single thing I need. One trip to the bathroom and I am changed and ready. I don't think it takes more than five minutes.

Oh, my field box also contains sun screen, insect repellent, first aid kit, pens, notepad, steel toed boots, hard hat, safety vest. Everything I think I might need at a moment's notice.

I mean no disrespect, but if you are trying to do your job in a wrap dress, are you suggesting to your audience that you are not qualified to do the work? For example, I might be thinking you are a safety hazard. I would feel I had to babysit you.

I know this sounds harsh and I apologize, I want you to come across as qualified and professional as possible.

My apologies if I offended you in any way.

MuseumGal

I also keep a field bag in the car - boots, pants, gloves, jacket insect spray, sunscreen, a hat, my favorite small shovel and file, a couple of trowels, a level and string, folding meter sticks, stuff to take notes, etc.

Meredith

Missvee: Yes, easily accessible work boots are a good idea. I hadn't thought about coveralls, those could definitely work.

Sterling: No offense taken at all! Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. The "job" is teaching. So anything from polished casual to business casual is expected. Fieldwork is during the summer only and for that I will dress completely differently. The situations I'm referring to occur after work hours (although they are related to work). I guess I'm just trying to think about a sturdier version of polished casual.

Let me help you.

MG: I'm glad you chimed in. Maybe I need to be better about finding a place to a superman style quick-change.

I should mention that these property visits are informal and preliminary. I'm not doing any survey or excavation - just taking a quick look at things the property owners think are noteworthy.

catseye

Cannot you just change in your office?

Sterling: I'm very open to suggestions. I didn't realize you had a field component to your job.

Cateseye: If I have advance notice, yes. But I'm not always at my office or by my car when I get these invitations. Today I was at a local businessman's office for a meeting when he invited me to see his land, so I would have felt uncomfortable changing in his bathroom. Maybe I need to get over it.

Bonnie

I think that you are right, that there must be a style of dressing that would work for the classroom and for impromptu field trips. Maybe dresses are the problem. You could try wearing nice shirts that with go with dressy pants and skirts for work and just change the bottoms for sturdy pants for the field. Keep a tote with boots and field pants in your car or office.

Bonnie: The dress was definitely a problem. I normally wear jeans or some other pant. But it was 70 degrees today and I was giving exams, so I thought I was safe! I think I could get away with jeans, polished casual top or casual t-shirt with topper.

Maybe when you know you have this type of meetings, you can dress more sturdily. Have a change of clothing in the office so you can dress more nicely for teaching.

Don't give up on dresses. I'd just throw my boots on with the dress and go. When I started in archaeology, I was the only one in a dress, but now it's much more common. I find if I act competent, I'm treated as competent, no matter what I'm wearing. And if you're invited to come look at someone's property, they probably assume you're competent. Oh, PS - I ALWAYS wear something under any dress so that a gust of wind or climbing ahead of someone doesn't reveal more than I want. Now I wear bike shorts, but when I was younger, something like a pair of cheer briefs worn over my knickers made me feel more than adequately covered.

As uncomfortable as it might seem, I think you do need to get over the idea of changing in someone else's restroom. Hopefully that won't happen all that often. But always remember that people are so much more accommodating than you might imagine.

You will look more qualified if you are dressed correctly for the situation. I somehow think that business man would feel exactly the same way.

I don't agree with changing your wardrobe for the classroom. You sound like you have that nailed down. Don't weaken that aspect of your professional image. Up the field portion of your image by having a travel box.

From experience, I know exactly what I need in my box. Through trial and error you will learn what you need in our box. You won't be perfect your first time. Initial thoughts: good solid shoes; good study jeans (Old Navy makes really good jeans that hold up); one single tee shirt. Sun screen, bug spray, note pad, pens, maps, gloves, sun glasses, first aid kit, chapstick. I like a GPS as well.

Sterling: You're giving me a lot to think about. I am conscious of wanting to be dressed appropriately for my environment (which is why I felt so uncomfortable in my dress today), but I wouldn't say I've been particularly concerned with looking "qualified." Maybe I should be more aware of that aspect of my image. In general I'm more concerned with appearing friendly and approachable because the community is rather skeptical of outsiders and had some negative experiences with archaeologists in the past. Lots to think about.

MG: Glad to know you wear dresses as well. I'm on the dressier end of the anthropologists, but not in a stand-out way. Bike shorts and leggings are a must in windy states!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You've received GREAT advice from those in a similar field, Meredith. I love the idea of a travel box! And keep your lecturing style what it is. You look adorable.

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