Dressing the Part . . . for Girls!

[UnlikelyGrad]

You have the sales tax a bit mixed up. It's actually just 9.75% (not 8) and there is no plus other tax. That is your tax on whatever you buy.

No, it's 8.75% as the base state sales tax, plus counties are allowed to add up to 1% sales tax. Most bay area counties do, which is why you're accustomed to paying 9.75% sales tax.

Trust me, I used to run a retail business in California; I've filled out enough sales tax returns to know how the darn thing works. (Actually, what I wrote above is the simplified version...it gets very messy. California sales tax returns suck.)

eta: and no, staple food items are not taxed. If I remember correctly, it's only ready-to-eat foods (restaurants, deli meals at the supermarket, etc.) which are taxed.

[joro]

No, it's 8.75% as the base state sales tax, plus counties are allowed to add up to 1% sales tax. Most bay area counties do, which is why you're accustomed to paying 9.75% sales tax.

Trust me, I used to run a retail business in California; I've filled out enough sales tax returns to know how the darn thing works. (Actually, what I wrote above is the simplified version...it gets very messy. California sales tax returns suck.)

eta: and no, staple food items are not taxed. If I remember correctly, it's only ready-to-eat foods (restaurants, deli meals at the supermarket, etc.) which are taxed.

Wow, I didn't know any of that. I really am used to just paying the 9.75% sales tax.

[RNadine21]

Thanks for starting this post!

I don't know if anyone here can answer this, but I'm trying to figure out what to wear when I TA for biology labs. I obviously won't be wearing my best pieces, but I don't want to look like one of the undergrads either (I completed my undergrad in FL, so my basic attire has been shorts/jeans, tees and flip flops. I also look younger than I really am.....I get excited when guesses are only two years off).

[UnlikelyGrad]

I don't know if anyone here can answer this, but I'm trying to figure out what to wear when I TA for biology labs.

Buy yourself a cheap lab coat and you'll automatically look 10,000 times more professional than your students. That's what I did.

[mindfulgrad]

Has anybody had any good experiences with makeup, mineral or otherwise? I'm looking into finding a brand I like and I thought you ladies might have suggestions.

From a person OBSESSED with makeup I believe you have quite a few options. Ofcourse there is Bare Escentuals, its like the NIKE of mineral makeup these days. It can be pricey though but it I think its worth it. Almost every other supermarket brand has a line of mineral makeup as well. In my opinion Almay and L'Oreal have very good mineral brands. If you just want a light coverage and want to add a shimmer I use a translucent powder from CoverGirl $7-$8. It doesn't provide the coverage as mineral makeup but it does add a little shimmer and with blush it really looks about the same as if I were wearing mineral makeup.

A couple things you should know about mineral make-up. If you have an olive to dark skin tone and tan easily, one color may not work for you. (this is especially true with bare escentuals) In this case you can mix the colors. Supermarket brands tend to have more color options so you can experiment.

Lastly, I would recommend going to a Sephora (the candy land of beauty product aficionados) it carries bare escentuals and they will help you find your match and experiment with other make-up. Good Luck!!!!

[Halfpasser11]

Has anybody had any good experiences with makeup, mineral or otherwise? I'm looking into finding a brand I like and I thought you ladies might have suggestions.

Normally I try not to wear a whole bunch of makeup...but when I was working as a waitress I was expected to "look like I was going out on the town". Ugh, bummer. I have tried what seems like a fair share of makeup. I don't use anything that I cannot get at Wally World/Target. So far the best has been Physicians Formula, for just some powder to even out my skin tone and a bit of mascara (maybe some eye shadow if I'm going to get crazy). They have both mineral and "normal" makeup. It doesn't make me look "WOW" but it stays put all day and comes off with some face wash, and that's all I need for most days.

I have a question- namely, winter footwear.

What are you ladies wearing for the icy/snowing parts of the year? Will you be sporting winter boots the entire time, or do you have other footwear that works well in less-favorable conditions?

Coming from New Mexico I'm not quite sure how to handle my feet and fashion in snow and ice.

I've lived in WI my whole life and I did my undergrad in Northern WI. What I wore to classes regardless of weather was generally cowboy boots (being an Animal Sci person). But, generally, it was wise to either get a pair of winter boots (that you can stick your pants in!! Very Important!! Or you will have salt stains on your pant legs halfway up your calf) and change when you get into your building or just brave the weather and hope you can find a close spot to park your car. I will say that because I had a small campus most people just wore what they normally would and braved it. The sidewalks were scraped and salted so it was only icky right by your car, but I don't know about a bigger campus.

*As a side note, I didn't have a chance to visit my program, so part of my uncertainty stems from the fact that I have NO IDEA what current graduate students there dress like. If anyone has any experience in this regard, that would be really helpful, too. (Somehow these questions make me feel like it's freshman year of high school all over again... )

I have never visited NMSU either, so I feel like I am floating in the dark too. My area of study allows for a different kind of "dressy" however. I can get away with a clean pair of jeans, clean cowboy boots, and a western shirt tucked in, a blingy belt, and be called "dressed up" for most things. I'm still worried about my first day (TA training for all the new TA's for the whole school). I'm thinking I'll just wear a black knit skirt, a solid T-shirt, some black mary janes with some jewlery and throw a wrap in my bag in case it's cold. But not like I've thought about it or anything .

I will say that I have a collection of knit skirts that I have made myself which has expanded my wardrobe a lot (blk, grey, kaki, and some fun colors). I can dress them up or down and they are really lightweight (I hope it's good for NM). As well, I found that slacks that LOOK like jeans but are fitted like dress pants (you know what I mean?) can be used for any occasion. I have also expanded my wardrobe as an undergrad with more tailored grey skirts/pants and colored tops. I have just 1 suit and 1 blazer...I have never worn the suit and I have only worn the blazer once while I was interviewing at a different school. I'm glad I have them but I don't know how often they will get used. I used the blazer more when I roll up the sleeves and put a t-shirt on under it.

[red_crayons]

I think there's a lot of over-thinking going on in this thread. Grad students at my undergrad/future grad dress worse than the undergrads. Frumpy, nothing fits, old things from the 90s when we were freshmen in high school.

I think anyone who's worried enough to still be reading Grad Cafe will be juuuuuust fine.

Plus, remember how so many of the posters on this forum showed up to campus visits wwaaaaaaayyyyyyyy overdressed? We'll all be fiiiine.

Last year, I got a couple pairs of skinny, non-jean pants (Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, and Old Navy). Now I just wear those with tunic/belt/sweater, or with hipster blouses, or with a fitted and/or embellished t-shirt. Think the cheaper side of Anthropologie (same shapes, but not as much silk/expensive prints). It works for my casual university jobs, and I'm SURE it will work for grad school. I was middle-of-the-pack dressed up at my department visit weekend, and more dressed up than the grads normally dressed (...I took a class in their building).

So my advice would be to go a step up with your pants/skirts and see how you fit in. You'll instantly feel more adult, and you'll probably realize you're fiiine.

[chickadee21]

If anyone has advice on where to buy nice yet practical shoes, that would be great! I always have the hardest time finding a pair that fit and don't hurt me. Sandals are just about impossible for me to wear, and so are any shoes that are not a perfect fit. Anything that is even slightly loose ends up making my feet bleed in a hurry.

I'd check out DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse), if there's one near you. I hate hate hate wearing high heels, and I get all my shoes from DSW - they've got good prices and lots of comfy styles to choose from. I'm so glad flats are in style, I don't know how I would have survived work this past year if I'd had to hobble around on high heels all the time! You might also want to check out some of the outdoorsy stores like REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, and LL Bean - since shoes in those stores are primarily aimed for comfort, you might find some good pairs for you, and they have some nicer styles as well.

[coyabean]

Of course this is all nitpicky and overblown...BUT IT'S FUN!!! LOL

I, too, have considered my "first day of school" outfit. Granted, I set the bar pretty friggin' high with the acid-washed denim dress jumper and shell pink blouse I rocked on the first day of Jr. High.

So, I love beautiful things...but I refuse to be uncomfortable. I'm too old for anything on me to hurt -- my feet, my teeth, etc. -- itch, chafe, or poke.

I have bought some nice sandals this summer to start off with. Lots of the dressier Clarks and Aerosoles. I also saw the most perfect boots from Nine West at the mall tonight that I am emailing my Mom about. Easy gifting. They are comfortable but quality leather and a good sole and can work with dresses and slacks.

Speaking of dresses, I love them as they are the easiest dressing for my...excessively female frame. I've got nice ones from Soma for the first time this year. Easy, one step dressing that can work dressed up or down and layered through seasonal transitions.

I am also a fan of perfect jeans, stacked heel shoes and a knit top or nice collared shirt (often accessorized with a funky belt and jewelry as my waistline has to be defined lest you think I'm a 360 and because they make me happy). The problem is that I haven't found perfect jeans! I've been trying. I want dark wash, good fit, no gap, perfect length. I've had great luck with DKNYs and Hilfigers but right now its all crops and slouchy boyfriend fits. Slouch doesn't work for me. Again, see: importance of waistline.

My biggest issue are shoes. I plan to walk to school as much as weather permits and I am hard on shoes. I wear a good pair all the time and I walk alot and I apparently walk very hard, so, I cannot do poorly made shoes.

[poco_puffs]

Amen to it being fun, coya.

I think in a lot of cases here, this is a big change of life. Lots of responsibility, new cities, and new people, and worrying about what we're going to wear on the first day DOES seem fun and much more manageable than all the packing and moving I should be working on. Not to mention the fact that I'm viewing this as a new chapter in my life, and no one will know me or have any preconceptions. Sounds like the right time to punctuate some equilibrium and embrace a lot of new priorities-- including spending more than $10 on a piece of clothing at a time.

Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.

[American in Beijing]

Amen to it being fun, coya.

I think in a lot of cases here, this is a big change of life. Lots of responsibility, new cities, and new people, and worrying about what we're going to wear on the first day DOES seem fun and much more manageable than all the packing and moving I should be working on. Not to mention the fact that I'm viewing this as a new chapter in my life, and no one will know me or have any preconceptions. Sounds like the right time to punctuate some equilibrium and embrace a lot of new priorities-- including spending more than $10 on a piece of clothing at a time.

Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.

I 100% agree, poco_puffs, !

I guess I ideally would love to dress as stylishly as people in the 1930s - 1950s, !

[matcha]

Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.

I love the chance to re-define myself and start off with a clean slate. Plus, style is fun! I'm super excited about clothes shopping and getting a brand new haircut with my last paycheck.

Style icons for me:

Audrey Hepburn

Grace Kelly

Scarlett Johansson

Reese Witherspoon

I love the classic/romantic looks and those ladies have it nailed!

[VictorianTess]

Thanks so much for the helpful replies, ladies (and gentleman) I definitely feel more at ease knowing that others are curious about these same issues, and I think the advice to dress as you would for an admissions visit is probably just about perfect for the first day. The "uniform" of the female grad students at Cornell is also an excellent suggestion, as it's stylish without being overdone -- and I think I might even be able to pull it off! Suppose I need to go shopping for some cute flats now (maybe peep-toe ones like yours, choidy)...

Regarding matcha's question about winter footwear, I would second joro's comment: buy some practical winter boots, and change once you get into the building. If you're going to class in your department's building, you're likely going to have an office (or at least a cubby) in that very same building where you will be able to store your "outdoor" footwear. I have a close friend/colleague who taught me this principle well: she would wear Wellingtons or other similarly unattractive boots while in transit on rainy and snowy days, only to change into absolutely gorgeous, but reasonable, high heels the second she stepped into our building. No one ever knew the difference... in fact, I think there were many who wondered how she managed to pull off such style in the midst of such nasty weather!

That being said, I'm still going to invest in a pair of semi-cute-but-practical boots to get me through those days when changing footwear mid-morning just isn't an option (i.e., days on which I'm teaching and won't have a place to store my wet boots), but I think all in all, buying a pair of "outdoor" boots and a pair of "cute-but-practical" boots, in addition to your regular heels and nice flats, should address most all winter footwear needs. Hope this helps!

Another upside to this is the ability to wear heels, even if you're walking to campus. I would also suggest doing something similar if you want to wear heels but don't want to have to walk long distances in them. Wear flats, then change into heels in your building. I'm with coyabean on wanting to look cute without sacrificing comfort. Sure I would have worn shoes all day that hurt my feet even five years ago, but now I frequently carry flip flops with me if I'm wearing shoes that I may find uncomfortable before returning home.

[VictorianTess]

From a person OBSESSED with makeup I believe you have quite a few options. Ofcourse there is Bare Escentuals, its like the NIKE of mineral makeup these days. It can be pricey though but it I think its worth it. Almost every other supermarket brand has a line of mineral makeup as well. In my opinion Almay and L'Oreal have very good mineral brands. If you just want a light coverage and want to add a shimmer I use a translucent powder from CoverGirl $7-$8. It doesn't provide the coverage as mineral makeup but it does add a little shimmer and with blush it really looks about the same as if I were wearing mineral makeup.

A couple things you should know about mineral make-up. If you have an olive to dark skin tone and tan easily, one color may not work for you. (this is especially true with bare escentuals) In this case you can mix the colors. Supermarket brands tend to have more color options so you can experiment.

Lastly, I would recommend going to a Sephora (the candy land of beauty product aficionados) it carries bare escentuals and they will help you find your match and experiment with other make-up. Good Luck!!!!

It's not the fastest or easiest way, but I would suggest not sticking with one brand and finding products that you like, regardless of the brand. I also second Sephora, if there is one near you or if you will be near one when you're in grad school. You can try just about everything. Just to give you a heads up, it's a bit pricey (some of it really, really pricey).

[artist_lily]

Another upside to this is the ability to wear heels, even if you're walking to campus. I would also suggest doing something similar if you want to wear heels but don't want to have to walk long distances in them. Wear flats, then change into heels in your building. I'm with coyabean on wanting to look cute without sacrificing comfort. Sure I would have worn shoes all day that hurt my feet even five years ago, but now I frequently carry flip flops with me if I'm wearing shoes that I may find uncomfortable before returning home.

Good point. Walking to campus, or even from one end of campus to the other, can be hard on feet (and on heels), depending on how often you're doing it. Now that you mention it, I may purchase some cute flats or comfy shoes to wear not even on the days with nasty weather, but just for every day, in order to avoid the discomfort or need to re-heel shoes regularly (like a previous poster, for whatever reason I seem to be really hard on my shoes).

As for makeup -- and specifically make-up that one can purchase fairly inexpensively at Target or Walmart -- I've had good luck with L'oreal Infallible Foundation. It claims to last the whole day, and in my experience that's been fairly accurate (though I do do a bit of a touch-up at the end of the day if I'm going out for drinks or dinner). And no fear if you're not used to wearing much make-up: in my opinion, this foundation isn't heavy at all, but in spite of that, it does a great job of concealing imperfections. Also look out for Maybelline -- there are a couple good foundations in their line (I particularly like the Instant Age Rewind... not that I need it at 25, but I think it does the best job out of all the Maybellines I've tried! ). I haven't ever had any luck with CoverGirl -- too orangey in my experience. Good luck!

[Infinite Monkeys]

...in reading the thread so far, I'm getting the sneaking suspicion that I have to seriously reconsider some of my fashion choices. I tend to dress comfortably but conservatively, with jeans or khaki pants paired with sweaters or blouses layered over shells, all accented with a scarf or something like that. I keep it basic, but I'm wondering if I should be dressier? I've never been a fashion plate, and fashion's never interested me much; I like looking nice or put-together, but it's first and foremost a comfort thing. I do fancy, business-type stuff for conferences and the like, but day-to-day is definitely low-key.

Sephora is good as long as you stick with their house brand. Otherwise, I stay with whatever I can get in a drugstore.

Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.

Um...Abby in NCIS? If I had the money, that is. I'd need to add some significant pieces to strike that general look completely, but that's what I aim for. Not quite that goth-y, but I'm definitely far removed from pink and pastels and business skirts, and I like wearing darker colors (a relic from a long period spent in theatre).

Edited July 18, 2010 by Infinite Monkeys

[joro]

Amen to it being fun, coya.

I think in a lot of cases here, this is a big change of life. Lots of responsibility, new cities, and new people, and worrying about what we're going to wear on the first day DOES seem fun and much more manageable than all the packing and moving I should be working on. Not to mention the fact that I'm viewing this as a new chapter in my life, and no one will know me or have any preconceptions. Sounds like the right time to punctuate some equilibrium and embrace a lot of new priorities-- including spending more than $10 on a piece of clothing at a time.

Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.

I guess that means you'll be going to Banana Republic?

http://www.stylelist.com/2010/07/07/mad-men-banana-republic-again/

[poco_puffs]

...in reading the thread so far, I'm getting the sneaking suspicion that I have to seriously reconsider some of my fashion choices. I tend to dress comfortably but conservatively, with jeans or khaki pants paired with sweaters or blouses layered over shells, all accented with a scarf or something like that. I keep it basic, but I'm wondering if I should be dressier? I've never been a fashion plate, and fashion's never interested me much; I like looking nice or put-together, but it's first and foremost a comfort thing. I do fancy, business-type stuff for conferences and the like, but day-to-day is definitely low-key.

I seriously doubt I'll go full-out for anything more than the first week and special department/academic occasions. For example, one of my classes is at 9 in the morning and I'll have to commute by bus to campus. I am NOT a morning person, and beyond a new cardigan and some non-scuzzo shoes, I don't think I'll be looking like a fashion plate either. Buuuuut, I do know that I only have enough professional stuff in my wardrobe right now to make it to two "events" before I start repeating myself. Thus, the bargain-hunting begins.

Side note: In my efforts to pack for moving, I came across all the clothes I used to wear for this high-end retail job my freshman year of college. Surprise surprise, none of it fits me seven years later

[Infinite Monkeys]

Side note: In my efforts to pack for moving, I came across all the clothes I used to wear for this high-end retail job my freshman year of college. Surprise surprise, none of it fits me seven years later

I had a random growth spurt partway through undergrad (abnormal for most, but very normal for my freaky family) and had a similar problem. Suddenly, full-length sleeves are a good 2 inches too short, and all my pants were juuuuust too short to be reasonable by the time I got to the MA program. I recently did a closet purging, and some of the skirts I found in the depths have become way too short to be business appropriate. I think I have one left that might be serviceable, and it's the only one I bought after I gained height and weight. Oh well. Time to surf the clearance racks and major sales.

I'll see what the norm is at orientation, and I might ask around closer to then, since I have a kind-of acquaintance or two there already. I don't want to have to do "all-out" if I don't really have to; I do it enough for work right now when I have to impress the donors. And I hear you on the whole "not a morning person" thing. I earnestly hope and pray that the classes I'll be TA-ing in the winter quarter aren't morning courses. I can be presentable, but don't count on coherent before 9 am.

[so47]

I'm a bit amazed reading this thread, but I guess things must be different in non-science fields. I'm in chemistry, and all the grads students at the schools I visited and the school I am attending dress VERY casually. As in like jeans, and T-shirts, and a minority may actually wear a button-down or sweater. But since the grads main function is lab, no one expects you to wear dress clothes in lab because they would just get ruined! Pretty much the only rules are wear closed toed shoes and long pants. At the grad students at my undergrad institution dressed the same, so I am really not worried about it. Yeah, we don't look as authoritative as if we dressed up more, but we when teach lab we generally are the only ones who wear lab coats which helps.

I'll have nicer clothes for conferences and poster sessions and such, but other than that I'm pretty much going to be dressing the same as I did in undergrad, other than the fact I will prob be more careful with wearing short/tight clothes since I will most likely be teaching freshmen, and I don't want to give them any excuse to oogle or say anything inappropriate of that nature.

[UnlikelyGrad]

I will prob be more careful with wearing short/tight clothes since I will most likely be teaching freshmen, and I don't want to give them any excuse to oogle or say anything inappropriate of that nature.

They do it anyway. Even if you tell them you are old enough to be their mother and, in fact, have a son their age.

But oh well.

[poco_puffs]

Good article about Dress Codes

Specifically for interns, but it seems applicable. The comments are also interesting.

[artist_lily]

Good article about Dress Codes

Specifically for interns, but it seems applicable. The comments are also interesting.

Great article, poco_puffs; thanks so much for sharing! I particularly liked the reassurance that even if you're dressed overly professionally on the first day, the worst that they'll think of you is that you're committed and serious. I mean, how true can that be? Of course we're simply going to look committed and serious. Or at least that's what I think until the voices in my head start saying, "Yeah right! They're going to think you look like a ridiculously nerdy professorial wanna-be who doesn't understand the grad school climate!" Yikes. And I thought the application process was the hard part!

[coyabean]

Amen to it being fun, coya.

I think in a lot of cases here, this is a big change of life. Lots of responsibility, new cities, and new people, and worrying about what we're going to wear on the first day DOES seem fun and much more manageable than all the packing and moving I should be working on. Not to mention the fact that I'm viewing this as a new chapter in my life, and no one will know me or have any preconceptions. Sounds like the right time to punctuate some equilibrium and embrace a lot of new priorities-- including spending more than $10 on a piece of clothing at a time.

Just for funsies, lets talk about style icons: I'm aiming for some sort of balance between Mad Men and the ladies of Indiana Jones.

We are on the same wavelength, poco. This entire journey has been one long lesson in perseverance, maturing and working hard. And that was just to get to the part where I begin to do the actual work! LOL So, yes, thinking of clothes is something I can both manage and enjoy.

This is also, for me, an opportunity to really reinvent myself. Or, rather, be more myself than I've ever been because I've always been a reflection of my family, my school, my peer group, my own image issues, blah, blah, blah. Now I'm like, hells yeah, bring on the cowboy boots and quirky jewelry! No one there will know me from a piece of dirt and I am very excited about that.

Style icons...ooohhh. Ok, lemme think.

While I think about it let's share some polyvore scenes, shall we? LOL

So, it's casual but if I could find a cute little denim jacket like that with some

personality I would be happy.

And here's a doctoral student I actually know with a killer sense of style that I covet so. I'd love to pull something like this off.

[poco_puffs]

And here's a doctoral student I actually know with a killer sense of style that I covet so. I'd love to pull something like this off.

Love that blog! The outfit from the previous day is one of the looks I am very comfortable embracing-- nice jeans, nice shoes, and comfortable tops that are both stylish and appropriate. I can see wearing that top/necklace with maybe a darker pair of jeans or khakis, with ballet flats or clogs, and teaching as a grad student without any worries of being confused with my students. I really don't imagine myself wearing a blazer everyday, and cardigans are certainly an alternative I'm familiar with!