Need some honest advice! Should I dress my age?

You're confusing dressing well with dressing up. Learn how to dress well without using a tie or vest. You look completely out of place.

Also, vest without a jacket is a bit Justin Timberlake, no?

It's, Regional and university norms play a part, as does the fact that you are not just a student but also a TA. In your role as a TA, how you dress affects the learning environment and yet profs of science and math related disciplines in general (but by no means always) --and students especially--are not exactly known for sartorial flair. To be fair, it's also true of many profs teaching outside the professional schools (but again, not always). This, unless their campus includes professional schools--i.e., law and business, which tend to raise the bar a bit and especially at private schools, where there's an air of "professionalism" because they have professional schools. In your role as a TA, that you're dressing the part tells students you take the material seriously, and that they should, too (which bodes well for you in turn, both now and into the future). That said: take a look around your campus and see how the profs in your department and around campus generally dress--are they all casual? If so and you do not have a law and/or business school attached, then dressing casually should as a TA be fine--i.e., chinos or jeans with vest or SC instead of dress pants as has already been suggested or, if you prefer, dress pants with a sweater for e.g. instead of a shirt/tie and vest, etc. When leaving the lectern to take up a seat as a student so to speak, you can always trade your SC in for a leather jacket and/or lose the jacket completely, if you desire. The trick when it comes to smart casual is to combine casual and formal elements as others here have said, and yet make it look as if not a lot of thought went into it. The idea being to convey professionalism without drawing too much att'n over the way you are dressed so that the students focus on the materials but, at the same time, take said materials seriously. Make sense? I agree with Francisi: as a TA, you should be better dressed than the students; you're teaching them and, as such, they will discuss you (including your mannerisms and clothing, etc.) behind your back. It's the nature of the beast, and all the more reason for you to err on the side of professionalism as you are in fact doing. Kudos to you for recognizing this early in your career, and all the best! tl;dnr: when in doubt, err on the side of professionalism.

I think the problem is not that you're overdressed or something like that,problem is that you're thinking too much about it,you're thinking what will other people think if you'll dress like that,when somebody looks at you,you think that it's because you're dressed weird.I'm 18 and iwear blazers/sc with jeans and wingtips,but i'm not dressing so to impress someone i just like dressing like this and i think girls like it too The key is to feel good in your clothes,if you like dressing like that then do it,and don't give a f*ck about what people will say.I'd suggest you to wear jeans with sc and a shirt.

I second the advice to look at the denim and sportcoat challenge from this week.

Sounds to me like you need to start dressing to match the occasion and stop trying to hard. If you are on campus sports coats and dress shirts might seem over the top unless you are a college professor. On the other hand if it fits your personality others will like you as you are and soon get used to it. Its sounds like you need to get the balance right. Main thing is that whatever you decide you are happy with that decision

Wear whatever you like. Since you are teaching them, they are there to learn something.
Never lower your standards for idiots. Chances are, 90% of these students will shovel **** for the rest of their lives.
You will rise in this world and they will go nowhere with their bad attitudes.
The woman who loves you will defend you fearlessly and tirelessly as you would for her. You look great young man!
Stand your ground with a smile.

Since I just woke up and have not had my coffee, I read the title as: Need some honest advice! Should I dress my ape?

With apologies to the OP, I was disappointed that this was not the topic of discussion.

Carry on.

Originally Posted by Master Squirrel

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Since I just woke up and have not had my coffee, I read the title as: Need some honest advice! Should I dress my ape? With apologies to the OP, I was disappointed that this was not the topic of discussion. Carry on.
love it.

Originally Posted by Master Squirrel

Click to expand...

Since I just woke up and have not had my coffee, I read the title as: Need some honest advice! Should I dress my ape?

With apologies to the OP, I was disappointed that this was not the topic of discussion.

Carry on.

For God's sake yes, man!

Originally Posted by Master Squirrel

Click to expand...

Since I just woke up and have not had my coffee, I read the title as: Need some honest advice! Should I dress my ape? With apologies to the OP, I was disappointed that this was not the topic of discussion. Carry on.

Originally Posted by Man Of Lint

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Wear whatever you like. Since you are teaching them, they are there to learn something. Never lower your standards for idiots. Chances are, 90% of these students will shovel **** for the rest of their lives. You will rise in this world and they will go nowhere with their bad attitudes. The woman who loves you will defend you fearlessly and tirelessly as you would for her. You look great young man! Stand your ground with a smile.
Thanks for the confidence! It's not my friends that talk behind my back, my friends have gotten used to me dressed the way I do and

Originally Posted by Avocat

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It's, Regional and university norms play a part, as does the fact that you are not just a student but also a TA. In your role as a TA, how you dress affects the learning environment and yet profs of science and math related disciplines in general (but by no means always) --and students especially--are not exactly known for sartorial flair. To be fair, it's also true of many profs teaching outside the professional schools (but again, not always). This, unless their campus includes professional schools--i.e., law and business, which tend to raise the bar a bit and especially at private schools, where there's an air of "professionalism" because they have professional schools. In your role as a TA, that you're dressing the part tells students you take the material seriously, and that they should, too (which bodes well for you in turn, both now and into the future). That said: take a look around your campus and see how the profs in your department and around campus generally dress--are they all casual? If so and you do not have a law and/or business school attached, then dressing casually should as a TA be fine--i.e., chinos or jeans with vest or SC instead of dress pants as has already been suggested or, if you prefer, dress pants with a sweater for e.g. instead of a shirt/tie and vest, etc. When leaving the lectern to take up a seat as a student so to speak, you can always trade your SC in for a leather jacket and/or lose the jacket completely, if you desire. The trick when it comes to smart casual is to combine casual and formal elements as others here have said, and yet make it look as if not a lot of thought went into it. The idea being to convey professionalism without drawing too much att'n over the way you are dressed so that the students focus on the materials but, at the same time, take said materials seriously. Make sense? I agree with Francisi: as a TA, you should be better dressed than the students; you're teaching them and, as such, they will discuss you (including your mannerisms and clothing, etc.) behind your back. It's the nature of the beast, and all the more reason for you to err on the side of professionalism as you are in fact doing. Kudos to you for recognizing this early in your career, and all the best!

tl;dnr: when in doubt, err on the side of professionalism.
What you say makes a lot of sense. I dressed conservatively to take class seriously and to have my students take class seriously and up until now I think it worked. I'll continue dressing a bit better but try to take it down a notch with the ties. Having one tailored item seems like the best option here until I move on to either a different school or when I start working. Thanks for the advice.

Originally Posted by francisl

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Like all topics on this sort of thread I'm actually very surprised that the general consensus says that if you're young you can't dress smartly. Just because this guy's peers are wearing Abercrombie, Hollister, that doesn't mean he has to dress down to their level? Compare yourself only to the best, never to the worse. Unfortunately if your confidence is now knocked it will have a damaging effect. I overal like the outfit posted, and if people are mocking you behind your back, then so ******* what? Are you not currently *teaching* them Physics. Don't let the bloody small things get you down. Going back to the age thing, I'm 22, and typically wear nice selvedge, shoes - oxfords or brogues, dress shirt, vneck, blazer/sports. I stop myself from the tie because I don't think its suitable, but this is because I'm a freelance self-employed writer, and it doesn't feel quite right wearing a tie at home. You actively have a job where your professional peers, I presume, will be wearing ties. Keep it. The kids will mock anything, surely as a student yourself you should realise this. If it wasn't the tie it'd be something else. You can't be their friend and teacher.
Your right, I shouldn't really care how my students think of me. However, my confidence would be a little higher if I was the one grading them =). I'll continue with how I'm dressed, thanks for the advice and boost of confidence.

Originally Posted by Metlin

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As a few other posters have indicated, you need to dress your age and role, and dress to match your surroundings. I'm in a client facing role, and one of the advice that's consistently given to junior analysts is that you need to dress similar to the client, but a notch above. The idea is that if the client is in jeans and t-shirts, you wear khakis and a polo shirt. If the client is in khakis and a polo shirt, you wear slacks and a dress shirt. If the client is in slacks and a dress shirt, you throw on a blazer/sport coat and/or a tie. If the client wears a jacket and/or a tie, you wear a suit. If the client is in a suit, you dress as conservatively as possible. This is good advice for anyone who interacts with peers in an advisory role -- including TFs. At the end of the day, the students are your peers, and you should dress a notch above them. Of course, it's up to you to decide what that notch is, since they are your peers after all. If most of your students are in jeans and t-shirts with sneakers, just wear jeans and a nice OCBD with loafers. At the end of the day, it also depends on your school and surroundings. If you must ask...
This sound like very very good advice and I will remember it for the future as well. Thanks! Again, thanks everyone for replying, it's been a lot of help. My time's running short and I'll be a little busy today and tomorrow (I'm taking nuclear physics ) so I might not reply for a while.

Originally Posted by its299792458mps

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Thanks for the confidence! It's not my friends that talk behind my back, my friends have gotten used to me dressed the way I do and



What you say makes a lot of sense. I dressed conservatively to take class seriously and to have my students take class seriously and up until now I think it worked. I'll continue dressing a bit better but try to take it down a notch with the ties. Having one tailored item seems like the best option here until I move on to either a different school or when I start working. Thanks for the advice.



Your right, I shouldn't really care how my students think of me. However, my confidence would be a little higher if I was the one grading them =). I'll continue with how I'm dressed, thanks for the advice and boost of confidence.



This sound like very very good advice and I will remember it for the future as well. Thanks!

Again, thanks everyone for replying, it's been a lot of help. My time's running short and I'll be a little busy today and tomorrow (I'm taking nuclear physics

) so I might not reply for a while.

As the instructor, it kinda behooves you to dress a notch above your students anyway.

Dressing up does not equal dressing well.

Pair of good shoes, well fitting cloth, add chinos or slacks, and you are good.

Don't have to make it complicated - especially for college.

There's nothing wrong with dressing well but maybe turn it down a notch.

-Don't wear wool dress slacks, go with slim fit dark colored chinos instead - the change in fabric will make it less formal.

-Wear a sports coat but ditch the tie. Or wear the vest with a tie but ditch the sports coat.

-Avoid the FU loud plaid sports coat you may see on the WAYWT thread.

And dress for the occasion. As noted above, you should aim to be no more than one "level" of dressiness above anyone else.

Granted, you can take all this advice, chuck it, and dress as formal as you want.But you will stick out, and will have to deal with the consequences. Which if you don't mind, is fine.

My general thought for myself is that if someone at work doesn't make fun of my outfit, then I need to step up my game.