- Slacks or clean jeans with a button-up shirt or a polo = scientist;
- Slacks/skirt with a blouse or a dress = staff;
- Suits = management.
The perverse incentives of academia
6 years ago
July 19, 2009
The land of polos
My new work environment is far from formal, but it is also nowhere close to as informal as grad school. The way people dress here tends to fall into the following categories:
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I usually wear pants that are not jeans, and a button-up shirt with a collar. In the winter, I might wear a sweater, and in the summer, I'll wear blouses without collars. Generally everything I wear is a solid color, although I have a few stripes and one patterned shirt. My primary sources of clothing are Eddie Bauer and J.C. Penney (because they have tall sizes, but they sell a lot of stuff that is somewhat conservative and work-appropriate).
I do periodically get mistaken for a secretary or non-technical staff member. This has more to do with people's assumptions about women than anything else. I think the only way to avoid that is to stop bathing and brushing your hair, wear the same ratty t-shirt and old jeans every day, and walk around completely oblivious to everything around you. The only way anyone would put up with a woman who looked and acted (and smelled) like that is if she were a brilliant scientist! ;)
I work in a place like you (I think). But since the work we do involves both the lab and field as well as office work, we tend to be more casual. I wear everything from jeans with t-shirts and sweatshirts to nice jeans with nicer tops or sweaters. I typically wear solid knit shirts and casual sweaters. Stuff from Old Navy, Target, Gap because I don't have a big clothing budget. I dress more casually when I plan to do be in the lab and wear my nicer things when I know I'll only be in my office.
I think you can dress up very basic/plain clothes by wearing make-up and jewelry and fixing your hair a little bit. I'd rather spend time on those things in the morning than wear clothes that I find uncomfortable, which is pretty much anything that's not knit. Also I hate to iron, which eliminates anything not knit as well as anything besides jeans or corduroys.
The admin staff also dresses up way more than the scientists where I work. I too find that a deterrent to dressing nicer. It's a balancing act.
Wow I have had much the same quandaries in corp-world. I try to dress nicer than the interns (no t-shirts, no jeans every day) but like you said, not look like/be mistaken for support staff. I try to find a nice inbetween with slacks and men's style button up shirts with flats or tennis shoes. The support staff tends to dress a little more feminine, and a lot of the technical females around here will just dress very nice/stylish professional for the same reasons (but i'm so far lazy, and too cheap, to dress too nice). It is a difficult balance!
I find in some ways, women are expected to dress a little nicer than the boys. Around here slacks, loafers, and a polo is the "uniform" for mid-level men, and i find the women at the same level have to almost dress a little nicer to be taken seriously. Very complex.
A plain-colour t-shirt can work really well, with a shirt or cardigan in a different colour over the top. Goes with jeans, capris, smarter pants, and some skirts. In winter I am a little too fond of the cords+v-neck sweater+button-up shirt collar sticking out look!
Rebecca - I don't think I could go as far as to stop bathing, but I think I could pull off being oblivious to everything if needed ;) The gender assumptions are sad, though.
EGF - I think you may be right on that ;) I am in an office all day so I don't have the field work considerations, but I would like to be able to wear an (appropriate for work) cotton dress on a hot summer day instead of having to wear pants just to not look like an office assistant...
Jay - I agree, I think women are expected to dress a little nicer, but not too feminine all at once!
Cath - I too love layering in colder seasons, but it is pretty hot here this time of the year. I just wish other scientists around me would wear skirts so I wouldn't have to cook in pants all day! After living in the heat of the grad-school state for half a decade (way worse then my current state, actually), I do have a few nice and modest summer skirts and dresses, but they are just hanging in the closet during the week now. Also, I absolutely love the V-neck over collared shirt look!
I'm a big fan of cardigans, too. I get cold very easily, so I always need layers in the summer. Lightweight blazers are a good indoor option, too, like in linen or seersucker. Looks good with jeans without looking too stuffy.
UR - I keep a cardigan in my office at all times! I leave it in the office when I go to meetings/seminars though, since it always means a decent walk or a bike ride outside, where it is nice and warm. I'll be wearing them a lot more often in a few months!
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