YouAlberta
It is that time of the year once again and there are many of us that haven’t been on campus in person since the lockdown came into effect in March 2020. So, a lot of us might have gotten too comfortable in dressing in pajamas and attending online classes with a formal shirt up top and leggings at the bottom. In case you find yourself struggling to think of what to wear now that we are somewhat back to in-person interactions, well, I am here for you! With just a few suggestions, I share possible outfit ideas to help guide your outfit planning for back to on campus classes.
Outfit 1: Day to Day
As a graduate student, depending on where you are within your program, you have core mandatory courses to still complete and this outfit is a perfect combination of a smart casual outfit.
Outfit 2: Thesis defense
You’ll need a serious and smart outfit as you get ready to face your committee. This serious outfit is suitable for a serious event such as a thesis defense as this decides the nature and direction of the project you have been working hard on. You want to dress as you wish you to be addressed. So whether you are preparing for your Masters or Doctorate defense, having your outfit already set can remove one less stressful task to complete. A spacious handbag can hold your laptop as you may need to transport yourself from one spot to another.
Outfit 3: Going for a Conference?
This bright outfit screams Fall and showcases Fall colors. It allows you to bring the little sunshine you can to other places. A large tote bag is useful for carrying all the essentials you may need while attending a research conference (as well as for collecting the awesome freebies they tend to share at these conferences!). Smart to take a jacket with you because as we know in Alberta, the weather can change at any time to any odd temperature, so be PREPARED!
A turtleneck is always in season, especially during Fall!
Outfit 4: Studying All Night At the Library?
So you’re on a tight deadline. You have to send your assignment at 11:59pm tomorrow and you are yet to complete your work (although we do not condone this level of procrastination!) Or are you trying to force yourself to finish your proposal draft to send to your committee team and you have determined within yourself to spend dedicated time at the library or in your lab space? Comfort above all else!
A Spacious backpack is necessary to carry your laptop, books and of course snacks for your late night study sessions!
Outfit 5: Socially Conscious outfit.
You have a cause you stand behind strongly? You want to represent that in your clothing? As long as it is not offensive or derogatory, feel free to use your outfit to support the cause you are supporting and to spread the news about an awesome organization. Whether it's a youth program you took part in during the summer and would like to promote, or it could be for a sustainable brand that you support - whatever the case may be, dress to make a statement!
Of course we are not oblivious to the climate of our city and we must always have a pair of good winter boots on deck! Some tips for selecting a great pair of winter boots is to ensure that they have great traction, good lining for insulation and look at least somewhat stylish so that you would not be opposed to wearing them throughout the winter months! Of course functionality will always win over design at every point, because guess what? Edmonton weather does not care about your fashion!
These are just a few suggestions to inspire your creativity and get us a little more excited for all we have to look forward to in the Fall season. As someone that is done with classes and not really meeting physically with my peers, dressing up and selecting my outfit motivates me to get my mindset ready to prepare for how I would like my project to progress. For all my fellow graduate students in this interesting portion of our degree, you are not alone. We dress how we wish to be addressed, and sometimes we go with what is most convenient. But while we may not have assignments or exams right now, we can still foster an environment and mindset that can be very conducive to the forward movement of our program.
