How fancy can I get at college before I get ostracized.

Originally Posted by amplifiedheat

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I've never seen any reason to hang out with non-eccentrics.

Welcome.


- B

I wouldn't wear a suit or a jacket and tie on campus unless you had an important function otherwise you will look like a dork, a suck-up or someone trying to play pretend grown-up.

I think mixing and matching classic clothing with casual clothing will work. Cords with a tweed jacket or jeans and a corduroy jacket, maybe worn with topsiders or similar casual shoes. Forget a tie and pocketsquare and grab a scarf, something fun and not serious. In college you want to have fun dressing in a way that may offer you more personal expression than when you get into corporate life. Enjoy the freedom while you can. There are always other places to show off how well you can dress (weddings, formal functions).

I think "fancy" is probably the most least understood type of dressing at college.

I think the best way to figure out what you can get away with comes from a combination of figuring out what you are comfortable with and figuring out how others perceive you.

People aren't socially turned off as much by different clothes as by people who wear them with obvious discomfort. It is not so much a matter of clothes as confidence. If you can wear a sportcoat and be completely comfortable doing so, then go for it. Don't kid yourself, however, for if you are the least bit uncomfortable/self conscious doing so, people will perceive it very negatively.

The other consideration is how you are perceived. If you are thought of as a funny and outgoing person, then wearing something "stuffy" will come off as out of place. Keep this in mind when deciding how to dress. I have never been viewed as overly approachable, so I don't have to worry so much about looking too formal, but I still limit myself to sweaters and shirts as the height of formality when not doing a presentation.

Just some things to think about.

By the way, what are you (the OP) studying?

My university is divided into different faculties, and people dress different on those. The people who study at the faculty for philosophy, literature and similar, have its share of Oscar Wilde-lookalikes. Whereas the people at my faculty, Social Science, are more average, with some hipsters and some trying to pull off wearing a suit. Then you have the people who go to the business school, where suits are very often seen. It also seems that blue shirts with white collars and cuffs is the school uniform. Also, you have the engineer students, in another school, who are mostly sporting practical all weather jackets, hideous jeans, and white (yet dirty) sneakers.

I don't see why you want to dress up for class?

Chucks, raw jeans and an AA t shirt + a nice bag and some Wayfarers is all you need...

When you go out to the nice bars/restaurants/clubs wear a sport coat...

I am in biz btw

+1 on ^^^ All these threads about dressing up for class makes me think you guys just have no lives.

Seriously, save your nice clothes for going out at night. What do you think you guys are gonna accomplish by wearing a blazer and tie to class?

Originally Posted by nohomo

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What do you think you guys are gonna accomplish by wearing a blazer and tie to class?

Some of us are just more comfortable that way. Why change just to fit in with the herd? Especially when most of that herd isn't a very appealing group.

I'm disappointed that each of us is only allowed to post once in this thread.

Shame, really.


- B

I'm studying business, Unfortunatley I seem to have gotten rid of most of my crappy clothes and am now only stuck with nice clothes

Don't understand the stampede: you've probably a lifetime of wearing suits ahead of you so enjoy not doing so while you can.
On how far one can go, perhaps it's just a matter of seeing how long it takes for the football team to dole out a beating?

Ironically the one guy from the football team I've seen routinely wears sportcoats,

Originally Posted by kuwisdelu

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Some of us are just more comfortable that way. Why change just to fit in with the herd? Especially when most of that herd isn't a very appealing group.

Comfortable? In what way? Obviously it's not for actual comfort.

Seems to me that if people feel they need to dress up for something so trivial as class, it either means they have no other occasions to dress up and be seen by people, or they're just insecure. Just wear some nice, clean looking clothes that fit and be done with it.

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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Like, with a switchblade in one hand?

Or with a .32 in your pocket and a razor in your shoe.

Originally Posted by nohomo

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Comfortable? In what way? Obviously it's not for actual comfort. Seems to me that if people feel they need to dress up for something so trivial as class, it either means they have no other occasions to dress up and be seen by people, or they're just insecure. Just wear some nice, clean looking clothes that fit and be done with it.
Why do you say it's not for actual comfort? (I assume you mean physical comfort.) I find nothing uncomfortable about dress clothes. In fact, wool trousers and khakis tend to be more comfortable than jeans in my experience. It's been more than a year since I've worn a t-shirt, and I just don't feel comfortable (or "myself) wearing one anymore--I see nothing less comfortable about a soft cotton button-up shirt. A tie can be constricting, sure, but it can be loosened for a more casual look or lost altogether. There's no reason "dressier" clothes have to be any less comfortable than the t-shirt/jeans look everyone else wears. I'm not sure what you mean by "insecure"? Wouldn't those who are more tempted to dress down and sheepishly wear the standard college uniform be more insecure than those who are interested in branching out and trying new looks? Additionally I'm speaking just of comfort personality-wise. Goths and hipsters, etc., all seem to be comfortable in what they wear, regardless of whatever what everyone else thinks. Those who choose to wear baggy clothing with jeans falling down to their knees exposing their boxers for everyone seem comfortable with their attire choices, but I sure wouldn't be comfortable wearing that. I happen to be comfortable wearing sport coats, suits, ties, etc. And what is so wrong with that? Dressing down to traditional American college expectations would just feel like a betrayal of my personality, and I'd rather not do that. That is what I mean by wear with what your are comfortable with. To thine own self be true. Someone explain to me this cry to "conform! conform!"

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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This is a good post. Rejecting the norm for your peer group sends a pretty clear message that you don't want to be part of that group. That's fine if you really don't care, or if you have a sufficiently magnetic personality that people want to be part of your group. But if you advertise to people that you are not like them, don't be surprised when they decide you aren't like them.

It's really a matter of degree. A dude can be well dressed at college or a casual event without resorting to the full suit and tie, which tends to come across as try-hard. Whenever I see a dude so misread the social setting, I wonder if it's a reflection of a personality issue. Being "that dude" isn't a very attractive quality.

+1.

Honestly, a v-neck sweater with a button up underneath is a better look than trying to rock a suit to class. You'd likely be the best dressed person in class with either if the cloths fit, but the later says I'm trying to get you to notice me for all the wrong reasons.