What should a law school / b-school prof wear?

[lecturer]

The big question to me is: tie or no tie with suit or more usually sports coat? No tie pros: easier to be mobile around classroom without sweating, and may look better after jacket comes off. Also I understand the trend in the real world is big time away from ties. Tie pros are: (a) looks better with a suit (subject to looking out of date?) (b) why not dress well.

 

[Claghorn]

There is a conversation about this somewhere.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/504562/dress-in-academia

But the basic consensus is: wear what you want, especially if you have tenure (but even if you don't, in that environment, wearing a tie is unlikely to hurt you).

 

[WhereNext]

Yes, do check out the thread Claghorn has referenced. You'll notice in reading that thread how much factors beyond just discipline (though you've listed two of them, which makes it even more confusing) might matter in these things: geographic location, for example.

Just 'cuz I'm here: I hate the "suit with no tie" look (personal preference, obviously lots of people do it, though that doesn't make it right!), wear a sportscoat with or without a tie, your lecture theatres/classrooms must be enormous if you're able to move around so much that the wearing of a tie is going to cause you to dramatically overheat more than going tie-less.

 

[GBR]

Clothes are a good start. More seriously look about you and see what your peers/staff wear - that is your cue. If however you are a somewhat older person, the crumpled look is quite normal.