Do professors care if you wear sweatpants all the time?

[InquilineKea]

Well, some of the professors and grad students here are even more horribly dressed. I know at least *three* professors who regularly wear socks with sandals (although they're all in different departments), and a physics grad student who goes *both* barechested and barefoot.

So.. Would they care about a lowly undergrad who simply wears sweatpants and oversized sweatshirts all the time?

[rsldonk]

Think of the situation and whether that is appropriate or not. Sitting in an office or the library, studying, it shouldn't matter. Presenting a paper at a conference, you will want to dress nice.

[newms]

Think of the situation and whether that is appropriate or not. Sitting in an office or the library, studying, it shouldn't matter. Presenting a paper at a conference, you will want to dress nice.

I absolutely agree. Maybe its my field though, but I was at a conference in December and some PhD candidates who had won student awards made their presentation in front of the ~1500 people that were there in jeans and t-shirts or hoodies. I was like, Mark Zuckerberg much?

Edited February 7, 2011 by newms

[qbtacoma]

Personally I never got the people who couldn't pull on a pair of jeans to go out. I definitely witnessed the creation of the leggings-as-pants craze at my university. Dressing up for anything formal is a definite must. I even dressed up for class presentations.

[Eigen]

I try to dress a bit more professionally to help my interactions with students/faculty... Setting yourself up as a grad student instead of an undergrad can be quite helpful.

[communications13]

Although they may not care, others will not think higher of you because you do not take effort in your dress. Conversly, dressing professionally holds the opposite. If there is a chance someone you want to have a favorable view of you will be around, whether you see them everyday or once in a lifetime, dress with thought, at the Library cramming? Maybe not so much.

[Archaeo_Anon]

I think this one will depend more on the atmosphere at your individual school. At some schools extreme casual dressing (like, roll out of bed and go) is the norm, or at least common enough to not attract comment. At others, dressing at least somewhat nicely or professionally is expected, and dressing casually will raise a few eyebrows. In either case, try to look at least moderately professional when it counts (conferences, presentations, if you're teaching, meetings with your advisor/potential advisor, etc), and err on the side of overdressing if you're really unsure.

That said, even if your school is pretty casual, try not to go too overboard. I previously worked at a university where not even the staff had any particular dress code, and the one grad student who was extra greasy, never changed clothes, and occasionally walked around the department without shoes definitely attracted comment and derision behind the scenes.

[rising_star]

Yes, people care. Don't wear sweatpants every day. At least put on a pair of jeans!

[Eigen]

I will add that scrubs (pants, at least) can be a nice way to be comfy without dressing down too much. They're nice and utilitarian in the lab, and don't look that out of place in a med school.

There's also a difference in how I dress if it's 4 am and no one else is there, or if it's normal working hours. I even keep spare clothes in the drawer of my desk.

[singlecell]

I will add that scrubs (pants, at least) can be a nice way to be comfy without dressing down too much. They're nice and utilitarian in the lab, and don't look that out of place in a med school.

There's also a difference in how I dress if it's 4 am and no one else is there, or if it's normal working hours. I even keep spare clothes in the drawer of my desk.

I love this idea! I am going to buy some scrubs for long lab days

[RNadine21]

It depends on what I'm doing. I wear decent clothes on days that I teach or meet with people. If I'm just taking classes, I'm in sweatpants or yoga pants. Haven't figured out what I'll do once I move into more of a lab setting. I'll probably dress nicer just to feel more professional.

[cadisfly]

You know the message you're sending out to the world with these sweat pants? You're telling the world: "I give up. I can't compete in normal society. I'm miserable, so I might as well be comfortable."

At least that was Seinfeld's take on it

[TXTiger2012]

I definitely always wear jeans and a top that isn't a t-shirt to class and work everyday, but I also feel a little more confident and prepared for the day when I took some time in the morning on my appearance. Besides, when you start enrolling in smaller, upper level classes where you are more likely to be noticed than a 1,000 seat intro biology class, do you really want your professor to remember you as the kid who wore sweatpants all the time when you go asking for a rec? Someone also said to me one time that it was a matter of respect that you look presentable in class since, usually, teachers will be wearing slacks and a button down, or even suits in some instances. There are always the "wacky" ones who wear Hawaiian shirts and socks with their Birkenstocks every day, but you won't look sloppy in jeans and there is a chance you may do yourself a disservice wearing sweatpants, so why risk it?

[DrPepper-olic]

You know the message you're sending out to the world with these sweat pants? You're telling the world: "I give up. I can't compete in normal society. I'm miserable, so I might as well be comfortable."

At least that was Seinfeld's take on it

Good one!

Other things you might be telling the world if you wear sweat pants:

(1) I feel sick, today.

(2) I am pregnant. (Or feel pregnant. Whatever.)

(3) I am an exercise science/leisure management major.

(4) I moonlight as a P.E. teacher at the local elementary school.

(5) It's been so long since I've done laundry that even Febreeze won't help my jeans.

(6) My pants don't fit anymore. (Too true.)

(7) [if there is a big logo across the back] - Look at my ass!

(8) I just came from the gym. (And probably smell bad.)

Jesting aside, I received a wonderful tip from a visiting professor, who had recently completed his Ph.D.: "Grad school isn't about fashion statements; it's about learning. Pick a uniform, learn how to launder/de-wrinkle it, and don't think about clothes again until you are tenured." IMO, his advice is a little extreme, but I think the advice was well-meant. You can find comfortable clothes that aren't sweatpants and wear them in rotation. To some extent, the clothes you wear reflect the respect you have for the people around you. I am sure your professors will appreciate that, *at a bare minimum*, you put forth the effort of wearing pants that fasten.

[qbtacoma]

I am sure your professors will appreciate that, *at a bare minimum*, you put forth the effort of wearing pants that fasten.

Whoa. Let's not reach too high here. Icarus and all.

[flotsam]

When you consider how much money the school is spending on us with grants, etc., it is probably expected that we look nice enough to represent them. The profs can wear what they want, especially if they have tenure!

[kotov]

I have another question. Would it be in poor taste to wear a t-shirt touting the football achievements of my alma mater? I mean, if I'm somewhere that's never played Auburn and never will, does anyone care?

As for the OP's question, in my experience, professors are always looking for any excuse to dress more casually. Also, some of them are like, What Not to Wear worthy bad dressers. However, me being me, if I'm teaching or doing anything important, I'm too anal not to at least wear slacks and a button-down. Then again, as you can tell, I'm the kind of guy who watches What Not to Wear and comments on a girl's clothes to my guy friends before I get to mentioning her looks, so...I may be a bad person to take advice from.

[fsmn36]

I have another question. Would it be in poor taste to wear a t-shirt touting the football achievements of my alma mater? I mean, if I'm somewhere that's never played Auburn and never will, does anyone care?

I wear stuff from my undergrad (heck, even my high school) all the time. No one looks at me strange. Now if your alma matter were a huge rival (i.e. Big 12 schools), wear it at your own risk. I have a friend who thrilled in wearing his KU stuff. He got some testy looks, especially on game day.

Regarding whether professors care about sweats, well...I think it depends on the prof. There's one prof in my dept who often wears baseball hats, and jeans or sweats. Then there are those who wear Oxfords every day. Most are really relaxed, though. A lot of the older (male, interestingly) TAs are more "dressed up" than the profs. My TA prof asked only that I don't wear jeans on the day I teach, lecture days she doesn't care.

Perhaps ironically, I am often teased by profs because I am the most dressed up person in our entire dept. Even on jeans days I'm usually wearing lots of jewelry and curl my hair and I never go to campus without make up. (What can I say? When I was 13 I wanted to be a fashion designer.lol)

Edited February 21, 2011 by fsmn36

[MoJingly]

I was like, Mark Zuckerberg much?

haha! nice.

I have another question. Would it be in poor taste to wear a t-shirt touting the football achievements of my alma mater? I mean, if I'm somewhere that's never played Auburn and never will, does anyone care?

One of the grad students who escorted me to my first interview was wearing a sweatshirt of his undergrad school. I remember commenting on it and thought, gee, maybe you should wear the logo of your current school in front of interviewing students? In other words, it all depends on the situation.

[Eigen]

One of the grad students who escorted me to my first interview was wearing a sweatshirt of his undergrad school. I remember commenting on it and thought, gee, maybe you should wear the logo of your current school in front of interviewing students? In other words, it all depends on the situation.

Heh, I know I've worn shirts from my undergrad lots of times when interviewing/touring prospective grad students. It's simple: I have lots of shirts from my undergrad, and I don't seem to be hitting the "free t-shirt" events as often as a grad student. Nor do I really feel like spending the cash to buy something just to identify me as a grad student of the institution... That's what my ID's for!

And it's not like the prospective students don't know where you're a grad student.

[Nurse Wretched]

I love this idea! I am going to buy some scrubs for long lab days

You might want to consider that there is a fair amount of mocking of med students who wear scrubs everywhere, possibly in the hope that they will be recognized as med students.

[eat.climb.love]

As an undergrad, I wore my boyfriends oversized sweatshirts all of the time. No one cared. I had a professor who joked about my huge clothes but it never was an issue. I would dress up from time to time if I had meetings or presentations and I feel as if my constant scrubbiness would make people think I looked more dressed up than I was.

I doubt I will be able to pull off the oversized clothing next year but I will invest in some "dressier" yoga pants. I am one of those people who curls up in a ball while maniacally taking notes. If I have presentations or anything, I will definitely keep something nicer in my car.

[Langoustine]

You might want to consider that there is a fair amount of mocking of med students who wear scrubs everywhere, possibly in the hope that they will be recognized as med students.

I worked at an Ivy school for a bit, very well known for their expertise in the med fields. You would not believe how many med/nursing students wear their scrubs EVERYWHERE. It was more than a little ridiculous. It reminded me of DC when the Hill interns (unpaid, paper shufflers) wore their red badges proudly on display everywhere. Grocery store, gym, weekends, doesn't matter

[qbtacoma]

I would mock the desire of med students/government interns to show off how important they are, but if I become a professor I am totally getting a vest and a watch fob. And I'm wearing spats.

[Ludwig von Dracula]

Or one of those brown tweed jackets with elbow patches.