What would you wear?

Dimity

A couple of years ago, I left a management career to go back to do a master's and now a doctoral degree. I'm in my mid-forties and wondered how you would dress for study at uni, keeping in mind that in a few years, I'll be looking to build a career in research among the people I'm with. I tend to prefer a more polished look and wouldn't really describe myself as casual, but I don't want to look like someone's mother, either! Our climate here is predominately warm/hot, so summery looks are my main focus. What would you do?

11 years ago

Dressing

6 replies

Latest reply was from Dimity

Aziraphale

Veteran

I am a mature student too! I can actually answer this not hypothetically.

Although my university is likely wildly different from yours, I understand what you mean about being conscious of your sartorial choices. I too do not want to look like someone's mom, but I don't want to look like I'm trying (and failing) to be 19.

So what I do is I wear a tee shirt and jeans, like most of the students, but instead of Converse I wear much nicer shoes -- and, if I'm not involved in a messy studio project, a blazer. Or a button-front shirt with a collar, but I leave it untucked.

11 years ago

Dimity

Active Member

Yes! That's the issue exactly. And that sounds like a good solution. I only got my first pair of jeans ever two years ago when I left work (I felt it was probably obligatory, going back to uni, but I had always been quite formal in dress before that). I actually liked them! I've now got several pairs of varying styles but I wondered if I was trying too hard to be young and hip. I'm glad that you've given me the confidence to wear and enjoy them. Thanks! Do you ever wear denim skirts too? I found one that I really like at the thrift shop just a day or so before Angie posted about them coming back in, so I was very happy. Would you wear them with tshirts too? I'm thinking red and white striped three quarter sleeve length tshirt with denim skirt and pointy flats, perhaps in tan leather.

11 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

Well, keep in mind that I'm doing my degree in illustration, so I'm going to be wearing clothes that fit in at an art school -- but yes, as it happens, I do have a couple of denim skirts that I wear to my academic lecture classes. I have a few other casual skirts that I also wear -- a couple of plaid skirts (one straight, one A-line) and some stretchy pencil skirts. But for the studio I find that pants are just so much more comfortable. (You have to be able to sit with your legs apart!).

I wear the skirts with what Angie calls 'borderline tee shirts' -- they tend to have slash or v-necks and some shape cut into the waist. Or, if I'm wearing a stretchy pencil skirt, I'll wear a slouchy oversize top and tuck in one corner of it. I tend to wear booties with my clothes, but if it was a hot climate, I'd wear the exact same thing with sandals and more lightweight tops (and no topper).

11 years ago

Dimity

Active Member

That sounds good too! I think the dressier tee will work well with my A line skirts and pencil skirts will work well for warm weather with a fluid cotton blouse. When it's really hot I have to wear a loose cotton dress and sandals as anything else is just too hot and constrictive. We don't have aircon at home. Thanks again!

11 years ago

Dixie

Active Member

I say you should dress as you usually do

Everybody dresses as they want in university, at least in the one I went to, there were the super posh and stylish, the formal, the girly, the sporty, the goth, etc... I don't think anybody is going to judge you. At least it was that way in my uni. It could be different at yours. My bf studies at University of Arizona and there are two types of styles there, the girls that dressed everyday like they were going to the club and the ones that dressed with short shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt. In a place like that, I understand the little fear of standing out. My boyfriend felt self-conscious at the beginning to wear a simple blazer, and people actually asked him "Why are you so formal? Where are you going?". He doesn't care anymore. UofA is a extreme case, though. I still say, do what you want! You visit this site so I'm pretty sure you have an awesome style, anyway.

11 years ago

Dimity

Active Member

Ha ha! There's a lot of merit in what you say. I think part of me wanted to use this opportunity to re-invent or evolve my style a little, but I didn't want to feel that I was going too casual or looking too young either. Maybe nowadays there's no such thing as too casual at a university!

11 years ago

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