There’s a long and persistent debate on campus with no settlement in sight. A controversial subject for years on end, the topic of classroom attire arouses contentious and agreeable students alike.
Walking about campus, you catch glimpses of the flowing dresses, the grungy gym shorts, the designer boots, and, most notoriously, the sweatpants. So how do you choose in the morning? “If I have an exam or I’m in a rush, I will throw on sweatpants, but I usually try to look nice and presentable,” answers sophomore economics and theatre double major Lauren Beatty. “Not as a means to impress people, but rather because looking nice makes me feel better about myself.” Many students agree that dressing nicely can actually make a day more productive.
But if it’s that one day of the week where you have just that one lecture right near your dorm room, is it worth taking the time to get ready thoroughly? Sometimes, it very well could. “Whenever I don’t dress well, I feel lazy and don’t get as much done,” says Beatty. If this is the way you operate, maybe throwing on a blouse instead of that free T-shirt you picked up at last year’s 5K run. It might inspire you to hit the library after class or go do something advantageous.
A few years ago, a poll taken by major law firm Jackson Lewis LLP found that tardiness and absenteeism increased at companies that adopted dress-down policies. However, polls in an 2004 issue of CareerThink found that 54 percent of readers believe dressing up has no effect on productivity.
In the end, it all comes down to self-motivation. If you can feel good in a pair of sweats, youcan have just as productive a day as if you donned your best outfit.Such is the sentiment of Meghan Cecil, an undecided sophomore who believes that productivity has everything to do with comfort. “I normally wear sweatpants,” says Cecil. “It’s a waste of time to get cute in the morning, and you should be comfortable.”
Of course, another important factor to consider is who you expect to see throughout the day and the impressions you’d like to convey. Freshman journalism major Suyeon Son emphasizes the importance of clothes in making an impression the first few weeks of school, and then adjusting a wardrobe to what seems appropriate. As a new student at the beginning of thesemester, she made a point of dressing nicely to class for both teachers and students to notice. “Now, I usually just throw on a t-shirt and jeans,” says Son. “I only definitely try when there’s someone I need to look cute for!”
If looking good keeps your spirits up, take the time to pull out a presentable outfit before class. Professors and classmates definitely take note on appearances, even if some do so subconsciously. Arriving to class neat and clean-cut helps deliver the message that class is being taken seriously. On the other hand, it is hard to argue with the cushioned security of sweatpants.