It is the most pressing choice collegiettes make before starting their day, what to wear to class? Walking from class to class, we’ve noticed girls in all kinds of get-ups. The two most popular options are polar opposites, but wardrobe staples: the comfortable yet scruffy sweats and t-shirt combo and the hair-done-nails-done-everything-done-you-fancy-huh look complete with outfit and coordinating makeup. This edition addresses what is more important to girls throughout their day, as well as what look is most beneficial socially.
Comfort
A typical day in the life of a college student (aka my Bio-major roommate): Wake up at 7:30 a.m.. Go to 8:00 a.m. class. Work out. Eat Shively Grab ‘N Go. Shower. Go to class from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.. Eat dinner. Go to S.I. or the library from 7:00-9:00. Relax until 11:00. Go to bed. Repeat Monday through Thursday.
This schedule isn’t unusual for the college girl on the go. Life is hectic and sometimes looking your best isn’t always possible. That’s why Emily Camuset invented sweatpants. (Fun fact: Emily invented sweatpants in France in the 1920’s. Originally, she had planned for them to only be gray.) I’m not saying that dressing like a man twice your size is the ideal way to look each day, but wearing a dress to class isn’t exactly necessary. There are many in-between alternatives to these options that are cute, comfy and classy. Leggings, yoga pants and Victoria’s Secret sweats are all affordable ideas.
“I love slidey pants (leggings)!” said Casey Gordon, a junior studying exercise physiology. “Every girl should wear them. They make butts look great.”
Keep in mind that this was said in regards to cute sweats, not XXL sweats that you stole from your brother over break. Being comfortable and still looking attractive at 8a.m. is hard, but absolutely possible. It only takes five minutes each morning to swipe on a little mascara and brush your hair. That’s not too hard, is it? Plus, it will make all the difference when you see the man of your dreams walking next to you up Jeff Hill. Guys understand that the way you look on the weekend isn’t the way you look the majority of the time. (They also understand that the way you look at Pig Skin at 2AM isn’t the way you look all the time, either.)
“Personally, I don’t care what I look like at 8a.m.. I just rolled out of bed and I don’t care if everyone knows it. I’m guessing they did the same thing,” said Sarah Chantler, whose schedule is listed above. “Most of the guys in my class are wearing the exact same thing I am, so why should I have to dress up for them? Biology isn’t exactly the ideal place to meet a man anyways.”
Try these from Target with a white tee and a denim jacket for a comfy yet chic ensemble.
Style
We all know waking up early to get ready for class is a challenge. When your alarm goes off before 8:00 a.m.. the last thing you feel like doing is flat ironing your hair and putting on a full face of make up. But, and this is a major but, do you like boys? Especially for all of Beyonce’s single ladies out there, making yourself presentable before class is an absolute must. How many times have you been pajama-clad in class when the pre-med major with the irresistible dimples decides to sit next to you? “I used to wear sweats all the time, but then I started getting dressed [for class] because a cute guy started sitting next to me and I cared what he thought,” said OU freshman Megan Sherman, who is studying Interior Architecture.
Not to mention that looking attractive all day raises your self-esteem. Personally, I always feel way better walking from class to class when I feel confident; and I feel confident when I know I look my best. “I feel better when I get dressed and a little extra. I feel like I do better on tests,” agreed Sherman. Catching a guy check you out on your way to Bio lab is also a sure-fire confidence-booster, but no one is going to stare admiringly at your bedtime retainer.
This dress from Forever 21 is less than $20 and perfect to quickly slip on for those spring classes!
Research, and by research I mean an informal poll of South Green’s undergraduate male population, shows that Ohio University men are more interested in women who look cute during the day. Three out of five said they would notice girls wearing jeans over girls in leggings or sweats. The same ratio applied to girls wearing makeup versus no makeup and hair down versus hair up; the majority preferred the more polished option over the comfortable option. “Sometimes the ‘spring cleaning ‘ look is alright, but sometimes it’s just ratty,” said freshman Fine Arts major Andrew Lloyd. Sophomores Max Grimme and Chris Zwerger agreed that the look depended on the girl. Girls who can pull off the so-called “spring cleaning” look scored bonus points for natural beauty with the guys, but they admitted that the look did not grab their attention in class or around campus. However, four out of five polled preferred bespectacled girls to those without, saying that most with glasses could potentially have contacts. “It’s like the best of both worlds,” said Lloyd.
But getting all dolled up is time-consuming you say? You just don’t have time between swim team practice, cramming for your psych exam, writing articles for HerCampus, and catching the latest episode of Glee? Then it is time for you to get your priorities straight. So back to my main point: you do like boys, right? Collegiettes, you have got it all goin’ on! Now it is time to dress like you do!