Dress

[attrapereves]

I will be a graduate instructor in the fall. I have very little teaching experience expect for some tutoring, but I'm ready for the challenge.

I do have one question regarding dress code for men. I obviously want to look more professional than wearing jeans and a tee. However, I think wearing a suit and tie is a bit overdoing it. Will khaki or black pants and a short sleeve polo be acceptable for warmer weather? For cool weather, I was thinking about khaki or black pants with a button up shirt.

Thanks

[ktel]

I think a combo of less dressed top and more dressed bottom or vice versa would be perfect (i.e. black pants with a polo, or jeans with a button up)

[ATart84]

I think so, too. You could easily wear jeans and a tee but, I think you will be taken more seriously if you choose to dress up a bit more than the average student.

[heyles]

Agree with ktel. As a girl, I thought "casual church Sundays" -- a casual dress and flats, or slacks and a casual shirt, or dressed up some dark jeans with a nicer blouse, jewelry, and heels. I always tried not to overdo it because I wanted to seem approachable to my students, but I also didn't want to look like a student myself.

I used to work in a semi-formal office, and my boss (a man in his late 30s) would say that if he didn't shave that day, he made sure to dress up. If he was clean-shaven, he could get away with more informal attire. I always thought that was funny, because it was true! He always looked well-put together.

(Edit): PS. I would definitely, at all costs, stay away from athletic shoes/sneakers (ie. Nikes, Reeboks, or anything you use at the gym or to run around the track). Even a pair of decent Converse or Pumas can work instead. But I would consider investing in a good pair of black or brown shoes. They go with everything (jeans, slacks, etc), and can make you look really polished regardless of whatever else you're wearing.

Edited March 14, 2012 by heyles

[Sigaba]

I'd like to throw in another two cents in support of the comment in post #4 regarding a pair of black or brown shoes. Please do remember to get also socks and a belt to match your shoes.

[ktel]

^ Socks and belt are key. I recently made my boyfriend replace his green Moosehead beer belt with a nice brown leather one, he's a working professional now. And white socks with nice shoes just look terrible.

[attrapereves]

I'm thinking some nice plain jeans without holes or designs and a polo should be sufficient. I'll also consider khakis. For shoes, I'm thinking some slip on leather moccasins.

Should I tuck the polo in or leave the tail out? What about when wearing different colored dress shirts?

[Andsowego]

My advice for new teachers is to start off more formal, then relax the attire after you've been teaching for a few weeks. I'd always stay away from jeans (no matter how new they are!). Once the students have pegged you as "too casual to take seriously" you can never really go back. It's better to start off a touch on the formal side, then start dressing it down once you're a few weeks in and your authority has been established.

[new_to_kin]

I would also start a bit more formal, but I think that as the term wears on, a button up and (nice) jeans would be ok. I think the key here is to always wear a button up shirt, myself. IMO a tie is overkill unless you're recording you're teaching for a job application.

It also depends on what you look like. If you look young, then I would def dress up more. If you're an older student or have a grizzled beard and basically look like a prof without trying, then I'd not owrry too much.

[sam_1]

Many, many of my lecturers dressed terribly during undergrad, so I will have to be careful:-) One prof

came in late a few times and lectured in super skimpy cycling shorts, seriously... he only got away with it because he was

actually a great lecturer.

Dressing well is also important for your own confidence - if you feel neat, presentable and in control, you will

project confidence and credibility. But don't overdo it.

[Sigaba]

Another issue to consider is your own state of mind when you're standing in front of undergraduates. That is, what may be comfortable while you're in the audience may be unbearably hot and confining when almost everyone is looking at you. Even if you're generally cool in such situations, there can be an "uh oh" moment when you get anxious and start to sweat profusely.. So maybe one could spend some time thinking about undershirts and color combinations that do a better job than others when it comes to such moments. Or one can figure out teaching tactics designed to manage one's own stress.

Additionally, do what you can before you stand in front of undergraduates to manage your allergies. Young people these days were some ghastly fragrances (from an allergen point of view).

[ktel]

I will second what Sigaba delicately said about the sweating issue. I TAed my first lab on Friday, and luckily wore appropriate clothing, as I spent a good chunk of time in the very hot mechanical room for the supersonic wind tunnel trying to fix the valve. Somewhat of a different issue than stressful sweating, but relevant nonetheless.

[ANDS!]

If I were teaching undergrads, I would maybe opt for jeans, a casual dress shirt and Timberlands. If I were lecturing graduate students, I'd opt for much of the same, with maybe a school t-shirt or other tee thrown in now and then.

I've had some pretty poorly dressed instructors, and some pretty top notch (roll up in suit and tie, Rolex, shined shoes. . .whole nine-yards) - never did I stop to think "This guy knows/doesn't know" what he is talking about based on what they had on.

Id wager it really all depends on the discipline.

Edited March 20, 2012 by ANDS!

[Frostfire]

Taking into consideration any department/discipline specific issues (for example, anything involving a lab is well outside my experience), I think you can take a bit of a cue from your professors. For example, I'm the TA for an introductory language sequence this year, and there's a bit of a variety of dress styles among the professors in the department. In the end, I modeled my teaching dress style a bit after the (only) woman in the department, who happened to be teaching the course the first semester. So I wore business-ish slacks and business-casual appropriate tops with my go-to simple brown heels. That pretty much held true the entire first semester. This semester I've eased my "code" a bit, since the class size went from 30+ last semester to officially ~8 this semester. Since it's really more like 4-6 that I ever see on a regular basis, I've definitely gotten a great deal more familiar with these guys. I'm still on the no-jeans stance, and still on the go-to shoes, but I've allowed nice (ie, non-ratty, non-logo, just the occasional floral or geometric graphic) tshirts into the mix.

If I'm getting it right that the OP is a dude, the heels are obviously not for you. But I do have a few words of advice! First and foremost, they've got to be comfortable enough to stand / walk around in for however long the class is. If that means that you wear something "less fancy" for a while, in favor of something that's functional for whatever you're teaching, so be it. I chose heels in part because I'm short, and the heels add a few more inches of board space for me. (Yes, seriously. Even in the heels, the top of the board is out of reach.) That said, I'll second the resounding "NO" on athletic shoes. It's a small thing, but students notice. Think of every time you've ever looked at a professor and thought "oh, dressing down today?" for whatever the reason. As the TA, you're the one getting that level of attention.

Also, good luck! I hope you enjoy the teaching experience. It's been a wonderful eye-opener for me.

[far_to_go]

NO WHITE SOCKS. EVER. This is a strange pet peeve of mine, but I always feel that an otherwise perfectly professional or casual look is completely ruined if I can see even half an inch of white sock. Just don't do it.

I tend to dress more formally during the first several weeks of the semester (black pants with button-up shirts, professional-looking skirts + dresses), and then introduce more casual outfits from there on in (jeans, the occasional sundress with cardigan, etc). I see my students three days a week, so I also try to avoid wearing the same outfit twice within a 2-3 week span of time. Variety is the spice of life.

[virmundi]

I will be a graduate instructor in the fall. I have very little teaching experience expect for some tutoring, but I'm ready for the challenge.

I do have one question regarding dress code for men. I obviously want to look more professional than wearing jeans and a tee. However, I think wearing a suit and tie is a bit overdoing it. Will khaki or black pants and a short sleeve polo be acceptable for warmer weather? For cool weather, I was thinking about khaki or black pants with a button up shirt.

Thanks

I don't wear a suit -- but I always teach in a sports coat, tie, and dress pants. I am always complemented on my professionalism by students and faculty alike. In warmer weather, I wear a tropical wool blend blazer. I hardly think that this is strictly necessary -- but it won't hurt you unless your department is *super* casual and people frown upon those who dress more formally.

[Agradatudent]

I generally dress casually (see dockers and tee, tee and jeans, jeans and button up), but most people in my field (math) do. If I feel like the students aren't respecting me, the graded assignments get harder. Nothing like failing a quiz or two to get a student back into learning.

I am also not TA-ing per say but teaching a class.

Edited May 1, 2012 by toypajme

[imonedaful]

I will second what Sigaba delicately said about the sweating issue. I TAed my first lab on Friday, and luckily wore appropriate clothing, as I spent a good chunk of time in the very hot mechanical room for the supersonic wind tunnel trying to fix the valve. Somewhat of a different issue than stressful sweating, but relevant nonetheless.

I third this. I am generally not a hot-natured person but I did teach at a two year college and I realized once I started teaching and I was walking around the classroom a lot talking to the students that I did get fairly hot. So I try to stick to lightweight fabrics. And if you do know that you are going to sweat avoid wearing anything that shows it... pit stains and the like. It will be distracting for both you and the students!

[Zencarrot]

My rule of thumb: Don't look like an undergrad student. If they can't tell you apart from one of your own, you are not dressed to teach.

[ANDS!]

My rule of thumb: Don't look like an undergrad student. If they can't tell you apart from one of your own, you are not dressed to teach.

That's just silly.

[margarethale]

For the first few weeks I would say you should try to dress up a little bit (meaning don't look too much like an undergrad) but as the semester progresses you can loosen up. If you're not comfortabel in what you're wearing, chances are you won't be as comfortable as you could be with your teaching.

That being said, I don't think showing up to class in sweats would ever be appropriate or professional.

[herbertmarcuse]

Do they have a Burlington Coat Factory in your town?I highly recommend some of the Kani Gold brands for men's clothes they usually have on sale there. There was a time I used to spend $40 dollars per item at the mall and later realized that my adjunct income was not cutting it anymore.

I recommend Burlington Coat factory!

[randompsychologist]

Do they have a Burlington Coat Factory in your town?I highly recommend some of the Kani Gold brands for men's clothes they usually have on sale there. There was a time I used to spend $40 dollars per item at the mall and later realized that my adjunct income was not cutting it anymore.

I recommend Burlington Coat factory!

That was my exact thought. They're not paying me enough to overhaul my wardrobe

[11Q13]

Do they have a Burlington Coat Factory in your town?I highly recommend some of the Kani Gold brands for men's clothes they usually have on sale there. There was a time I used to spend $40 dollars per item at the mall and later realized that my adjunct income was not cutting it anymore.

I recommend Burlington Coat factory!

I hear they're more than great coats...

I'm also in a bit of a wardrobe conundrum, because I'm only 26 and look young for my age as well. I'll be actually teaching a class, not just TAing. Waving my Harvard degree around usually gets people to shut up about my qualifications, but I've invested in plenty of professional clothes. My issue is that I'm in a particularly warm climate, and while I'll be on campus probably every day, the class will only meet twice a week. Should I go the extra step of dressing up every day I'm on campus, or in the Starbucks nearby where are the students are for that matter, or should I only worry about class days? On the one hand, it might be awkward to run into a student when I'm wearing a Metallica tank top with skateboard in hand, on the other hand, I AM young, and don't want to be forced to adopt unnatural geriatric dress in my day to day life!

Edited September 13, 2012 by 11Q13

[Arcadian]

I would definitely, at all costs, stay away from athletic shoes/sneakers (ie. Nikes, Reeboks, or anything you use at the gym or to run around the track).

Uh...why? You think casual dress in general is fine, but the moment you wear athletic shoes, that's crossing the line? Newsflash...that line is arbitrary.

I'm of the opinion that academics should be concerned with academics and not fashion. If you happen to like fashion, then by all means feel free to dress up. But don't think for a second that "underdressed" people are less professional. That's nonsense.