What to Wear: A Guide for Creative Academic Women
I remember my first ‘real’ academic job as if it was yesterday. I was fresh out of my doctorate and had gotten hired at the same institution from which I’d just received my doctorate. I felt I really needed to ‘up the ante’ when it came to my attire so that I would no longer be seen as the teaching assistant in the program in which I was hired.
Enter high heels, pencil skirts, graphic t-shirts and any number of what I thought was ‘the way to look’ as a woman in academia. I mean, that’s how so many of my colleagues dressed. How so many Pinterest boards showed that was ‘the way.’ Not necessarily the exact outfit – but nicely. Dresses, skirts, dress pants…and heels.
Then, my job started. And I’m on a huge campus. And it’s hot because it’s in the south. And I’m walking across campus and climbing flights of stairs to get to my classes. And once I’m there I’m having to set up microphones and boom stands and rearrange chairs and move TWIN AMPS. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever lifted a twin amp for a guitar, but they weigh about 60 pounds. Try lifting and moving a few of those in 3-inch stiletto heels! I mean, really. Try it. Because I did that.
Somewhere about ¾ of the way through my first year there, at some faculty meeting, I remember looking around at what different people were wearing – especially those within my department. The men were generally wearing either jeans, t-shirts and blazers with sneakers, or button-down shirts with dress pants and sneakers (or comfortable men’s shoes…can we say Cole Haan) or something on that order. The women were largely wearing dresses, skirts, dress pants, and some kind of heel or dress shoe. In my uncomfortable clothing and shoes, sitting in that meeting, I decided to try an experiment.
The next day, I showed up in jeans, converse sneakers, a graphic t-shirt and a blazer. I owned all of these things – I just never really put them together in this way. And my day was glorious. My feet didn’t hurt, my back didn’t hurt, I could move equipment without worrying about anything, I could walk across campus and not think: gosh I wish I had different shoes with me. And most of all, I was happy. My mood was better. And no one said anything. So, I kept wearing different versions of this – finding shoes that were comfortable – sometimes still with a heel – but much sturdier and solid – and lower. I put combat boots with floral dresses, I paired dress pants with funky t-shirts and glitter converse (yes….I own two pairs of these). It was awesome. And I was a better educator because of it. Sometimes I missed my fancier clothes – but I would bring them out for audition days or special presentations – and that was enough. Today, I’m at a college where my commute is a 30-minute walk and them I’m on my feet all day. Heels aren’t even an option.
I’m writing this post because I have so many colleagues that have asked me for fashion advice on what to wear that I thought I’d share some thoughts about how to can navigate this weird world. Granted, maybe this is obvious for you – or maybe you don’t care about fashion – but I LOVE fashion and I love feeling good in what I’m wearing – so finding ways to not only imbue my personal style AND feel professional is something I continue to strive for. I also want to wear clothes that, on a moment’s notice, I would feel comfortable getting up and performing or presenting – should that happen. If you’re in a more conservative field, this might not be for you, but I’m a musician working at a music conservatory in a popular music songwriting department, so…that’s where my perspective lies.
If you’re at a loss as to what to wear, here are some things I’ve learned:
· Wear comfortable clothes. This is so important. I think for so many in education, comfortable equates with dowdy or frumpy. But comfortable doesn’t have to be either. It just means that you can move through your day and do all the things you have to do without your clothing getting in the way.
· Wear what makes you happy. This may seem obvious, but for so many people I speak with they’re worried about looking professional. You love funny funky graphic t-shirts? You love wacky tights and leggings? You love to wear all black? You love color? There’s a way to wear all of this that not only looks and feels professional and that makes you happy.
· Find pieces that really feel like YOU. This could be a really amazing black and white leather jacket. It could be a collection of bright colored scarves. It could be a t-shirt that has the perfect cut for your body and you own it in ALL the colors (tip: this kind of thing will help your wardrobe be easy to style). If you already have a large inventory, consider doing a Marie Kondo makeover and throwing out anything that doesn’t bring you JOY – and then work with whatever is left If you have less, consider what would bring you joy and add to your aesthetic.
· Work with what you HAVE. This year, I made it a self-mission not to purchase any new-to- me clothing. I’ve failed at this; however, I have made only four purchases to date: a Halloween t-shirt that said ‘Witch, Please’, a black holiday sweater with a heart, a black cashmere sweater (that I adore), and a pair of converse shoes. Of these, I know I could totally ditch the Halloween holiday themed sweater. Just don’t need them – which incidentally was what prompted me to not purchase anything – I was just buying things I didn’t really need. I have a feeling if you’re reading this you have a LOT of really cool pieces in your closet – but you might not be sure how to pair them together. Just toss what doesn’t bring you joy anymore and work with what you have remaining.
· Dress for the weather. A lot buildings have fluctuating temperatures that vary greatly from the outdoors. Layers are a really great way to get around this – whether it’s hot outside and cool inside or vice versa.
· Find shoes that are BOTH comfortable and fashionable. Yes. They exist. And there are some really great companies who are not only ethically sourced, but also care about comfort and style. Some of my favorites are: Cole Haan, Nisolo, Taos, Free Bird, Converse (with extra after-market insoles), Frye, Sorel, Rothy’s, and Vivaia. I’m a huge fan of boots and fun shoes that really add that extra pizazz to an outfit. My advice here? Invest in high quality shoes and boots that will last or that you can get re-soled should that part of the shoe go before the rest of the shoe.
· Balance. For professional situations, I’ve found a good rule of thumb that helps me balance things I’m wearing and help the lines I’m creating with my clothing really sublime. And they work regardless of what your figure or size is. Simply put: work with opposites. If you have something more fitted on top, pair it with something looser on the bottom. If you have something looser and flowy on top, pair it with something more fitted on the bottom. If you have a funky item – something like a silly graphic t-shirt or some patterned leggings, pair them with more subdued pieces. If you wear an all-fitted outfit, pair it with a loose sweater or blazer. Flowy dresses with boots or fashion sneakers are fun.
· Accessorize. This is the FUN part. Scarves. Jewelry. Hats. There are SO many ways to make an outfit pop. Try adding fun accessories to outfits you already wear! My favorites are to wear muted clothing and then add color with bright earrings or rings or scarves. Try working with different metallics together and see how it works. Throw on a colorful beanie with your outfit (works great when you don’t feel like washing your hair too).
· Here are some pairings I love:
o Skinny jeans/pants, t-shirt, blazer and either boots or sneakers, maybe a hat or scarf
o Flowy dresses and skirts with boots
o Jogger-style pants with flowy shirts and a slight heeled sneaker or boot
o A leather jacket paired with a dress pant and shirt
o Jeans with holes paired with a button-down shirt and jacket with sneakers or flats
o Graphic t-shirt with dress pants and flats
o Pencil skirts with t-shirts and sneakers or boots – maybe a jacket too!
o Faux-leather or patterned leggings with chunky sweaters and boots or heeled sneakers
· Things I think are really valuable to have in your closet. It goes without saying that you want to LOVE these pieces:
o A black blazer - ideally, a short and a long length
o A pair of dress pants
o A pair of black jeans
o A pair of blue jeans
o Some graphic t-shirts
o A leather jacket
o A long cardigan
o A few t-shirts you love
o A few dresses you love
o A few skirts you love
o Leggings with some sort of cool aesthetic
o A pair of brown boots
o A pair of black boots
o Two pairs of fashion sneakers – the ones with wedges are super fun!
o A pair of COMFORTABLE flats
o A pair of sandals
o A pair of heels for special occasions
o A hat
o A patterned scarf
o Fun jewelry
o Other pieces that you adore
o A suit. Yes. A suit. Pants or skirt. But have one. Make sure it fits well.
Whatever your personal style, you can find a way to work with what you have and make it feel both professional and artistic and comfortable! Spend an afternoon and take inventory of what you have and start putting things together that maybe you normally wouldn’t put together and take some pictures of outfits you find that you ADORE. Like your own Pinterest board! That way, when you’re getting dressed, you can look at your photos and choose an outfit for the day. The more that you work with these ideas, the more you’ll notice what in your closet is really great and what needs to go – and what you might want to put on a list of things you might want to get (I recommend waiting a month before you make the purchase – just to see if you really want or need that item).
Have fun and be you!