From Undergrad to Grad School--how should clothing choice change?

wannabe mdphd wrote:

i work in a science lab that regularly publishes in world class journals. one morning, one of the postdocs was refused entry to the insitute by a new security guard who thought he was homeless. in science, no one really cares how you dress.

thats awesome, a tenured prof at my school, poli sci prof, was almost kicked out of the library because the new guy on staff didn't think he belonged in the building... this guy used to wear the same 2 sweaters everyday they were completely soiled to the point where I am sure a charitable organization would not accept them.

To be sure, if I am not in class and just doing research or studying at the library I am in comfortable clothing and not to concerned abotu my appearance.

wannabe mdphd wrote:

i work in a science lab that regularly publishes in world class journals. one morning, one of the postdocs was refused entry to the insitute by a new security guard who thought he was homeless. in science, no one really cares how you dress.

I'm a phd student in engineering that "regularly publishes in world class journals."

If you were to come to our school looking homeless, people would care.

there is a difference between being comfortable but respectable, and being a slob.

Your a lucky mdphd. Wish we could get away with that. Although, I seriously doubt I would dress like a slob.

I guess I don't have it as bad as a friend of mine. At the Mayo Clinic you they have to arrive in business suits and skirts at which time they can change into scrubs if not seeing patients but must leave in business clothes when finished for the day. I know the post docs there publish in world class journals as well.

whateverwhat wrote:

I'm a phd student in engineering that "regularly publishes in world class journals."

If you were to come to our school looking homeless, people would care.

there is a difference between being comfortable but respectable, and being a slob.

Agreed. I also am a grad student in engineering, and I had no idea so many Letsrunners were in groups that published regularly in world class journals.

People will wear jeans and sneaks, but nobody walks around with smelly clothes or anything like that. Most of us try to occasionally interact with people outside the lab, and that's tough to do while looking like a bum.

whateverwhat wrote:

I'm a phd student in engineering that "regularly publishes in world class journals."

If you were to come to our school looking homeless, people would care.

there is a difference between being comfortable but respectable, and being a slob.

I didn't say he wasn't a slob. I just said that's how the guy dresses. Granted, he's probably the worst in the lab (and he's since gotten a hiarcut so he doesn't look so scraggly) but the caveman look is pretty popular amongst the guys in our lab. I try to dress in at least clean, well fitted jeans, decent shoes and a tshirt/cardigan or button down - more so i can leave the lab and do whatever i want without feeling underdressed.

Engineer wrote:

Agreed. I also am a grad student in engineering, and I had no idea so many Letsrunners were in groups that published regularly in world class journals.

People will wear jeans and sneaks, but nobody walks around with smelly clothes or anything like that. Most of us try to occasionally interact with people outside the lab, and that's tough to do while looking like a bum.

there's no need to be a dick - i was just saying that we've had a few papers in nature and science over the last 5 years (not me personally) and the guys doing that caliber of work still dress like crap at work most of time. maybe engineering is different from biology - it was as surprising to me as anyone when i first started in the lab.

Most of the grad students here look like they get all their clothes at REI. The style could probably be called 'climber wannabe yuppie'.

I'm in an Ivy PhD program in the humanities. Most students dress "nicely", as you put it. When grad students are teaching, they break out the natty sport coats and dress pants. Otherwise, chinos/khakis/nicer-non dress pants and a non-crappy shirt work fine.

Yes, you are correct about us scientist. We usually are the most casually dressed on the whole. Even us beyond grad school. Although, then there will be the odd literature or history student or professor who looks and smells like he just walked in from panhandling at the train station for a weekend. But, as mentioned by someone in engineering, casual clothes are much more practical in a lab. I don't make enough money as a scientist to replace dress pants or shirts when they get machine grease, acid, blood, mouse poop, or flourescent dyes on them. Sure, we have lab coats to preotect ourselves, but they stop above the knee. Also, with a lab coat on, it can get quite hot wearing nice clothing underneath.

wannabe mdphd wrote:

there's no need to be a dick - i was just saying that we've had a few papers in nature and science over the last 5 years (not me personally) and the guys doing that caliber of work still dress like crap at work most of time. maybe engineering is different from biology - it was as surprising to me as anyone when i first started in the lab.

I was just joking around. Relax.

Some people try to look like a slob which defeats the purpose of being a slob.

A lot of the time I would wear sports gear to my lectures. I wouldn't wear it for a presentation or anything though.

Also a hydrogeologist, I wore jeans and tshirts most of the time in grad school, even when teaching. The final year of my degree though, I started dressing a little nicer... good jeans, nice shirt, nice shoes, and the change in appearance helped my work attitude as well.

I can't speak for all schools, but I went to a top-5 graduate b-school after going to a state university, and dressed the same at both, except for presentations. When I say "dressed the same", I mean I wore whatever was comfortable for the weather, never thinking 2nd about it (sweat pants, hoodies, flip-flops, and other things considered not classy).

i'm in a top 20 MBA program and there absolutely is no dress code, formal or informal. i'll admit that on the first day, everyone dressed up (not including me), but after the first few sessions, people just started wearing normal clothes. why would you want to wear such formal clothes to sit in a classroom. on the other hand, if you had a classroom presentation or interview, we will dress accordingly.

grad school wrote:

should I plan on needing to dress more nicely, or will no one care either way?

I'm at a School of Medicine in Virginia. I wear T-shirts and jeans 99% of the time. And I've worn the same pair of Saucony sneakers for the past three (four?) years. No one complains. Though, I think buying some khakis and "boat shoes" would work better with the ladies.. but I don't care, and that's what I look like.

Don't try too hard; the social norms of a graduate school in the Ivy's is probably a bit beyond you and anyone on Letsrun, you'll find out when you get there.

I'm an undergrad at Princeton and the grad students here dress like normal people.

you're going to grad school in the ivy-league? just wear the clothes mommy and daddy bought you

1500 wrote:

Your a lucky mdphd. Wish we could get away with that. Although, I seriously doubt I would dress like a slob.

I guess I don't have it as bad as a friend of mine. At the Mayo Clinic you they have to arrive in business suits and skirts at which time they can change into scrubs if not seeing patients but must leave in business clothes when finished for the day. I know the post docs there publish in world class journals as well.

You are correct! My uncle does research at the Mayo Clinic and he "has" to wear a suit everyday. I'm a mathematics undergrad and most of us are dressed "normal". North Face jackets are VERY common around here.