So I'm a college student. I have to go to class. It's boring, sitting in lecture for three hours straight every day. It's just awful. Worse than that, though, is sitting through three hours of lecture in too-tight pants and a shirt that's less than comfortable, worrying about whether or not my hair is okay or if my nose is shiny. Being in class could be compared to being on a stage, and though that's a rather tired metaphor (thanks, Shakespeare) it's a good one, for when I'm conscious of my appearance, my participation in said torturous classes (or at torturous work) is affected.
Let's start from the bottom up. Shoes. They are the base of the outfit, literally. They depend first on the weather, then on the mood, then on the color (if you even get that far.) Nice shoes go with nice things, less-nice with less-nice. Shoes can tell you, instantly, my attitude towards my day. Flats communicate a desire to be cute, casual, and approachable. High Heels mean there's some serious business at hand. Boots - well, it depends on the weather. Gym Shoes also fall into two categories - athletic and fashionable. Athletic could mean two things - one, that the wearer is athletic. Two, the wearer likes to be comfortable. Stylish gym shoes, those less functional than athletic shoes but more serious than flats, are our neutral, the control in this "experiment."
Pants are next, or, if you prefer, skirts (but seriously, we're not in finishing school here; skirts are such a rarity that they stand out when they bust their way out of girls' closets). There's a little less variety here: it's jeans (tight, loose, dark, or light), trousers, or a skirt. The aforementioned skirt, that rare species, implies (for most, at least) an acute attention to appearance when worn. A lady must take care to keep herself covered when it comes to a skirt, and therefore must be more conscious of her entire being.
The top is where you find the widest range of style. Of course, the basic college t-shirt makes its way to the classroom every day, but the sweater and hoodie are beasts often seen as well; their full coverage and ample warmth provide a more relaxed atmosphere, even if it's just in the personal bubble. With the trouser and the skirt often come more fancy tops, which reveal more skin or cost more money; in this sort of economy looking good is expensive, and each motion could potentially ruin a fancy top, making each motion a chance to throw away $40 (or so.) The subtraction of fabric from the tshirt also causes the lady to take care that she not reveal too much of herself.
These many layers to meaning in dress reflect the many different levels of sophistication in
conversation during class. Think about it - you're dressed more professionally, you feel better about yourself, whether it's because your outfit was expensive or you have pride in your ability to put yourself together. It's a matter of confidence; having confidence in just one part of yourself (even if it's just the ability to look good) boosts your overall confidence.
Yes, I am saying that we should all dress up for class. Private schools have got the right idea, requiring children to wear nice neat clothes. A dress code of any kind holds students to a certain standard, even if the family budget doesn't allow for the nicest clothing. Business clothing, though it can be uncomfortable and expensive, standardizes the playing field in the offices of the world, allowing the strengths of character to come forward and be respected rather than the strength of pocketbook. Of course, there are different grades of business clothing (we all know Gap makes nicer stuff than Forever 21), but developing the habit of preparing oneself for anything creates a habit of preparing oneself for any situation (class discussion included.)
It doesn't matter what you do as long as you look good doing it, because if you look good you're gonna do it better.
post script: I can't speak for the men, but surely some of the same principles would apply - the classier the clothes, the better you feel.
photo cred: august sander, that german genius.
Though I come at the topic from the male perspective, I do feel your pain. There’s that balance between looking good and feeling confident, which is tied to the way I dress, and being overly self-conscious, which is tied to the way I dress. That said, I bet matters are easier for guys. In much the same way that we’re more likely to be the dullards in social situations, oblivious to the finer cues that women are taking in all the time—“men are so stupid,” said a college friend of mine—the meaning of dress tends to be a much less refined science for those of us with the Y chromosome. Tie or no tie? For a lot of us, that covers it. Nonetheless the pull is there to take more account of the way I look—vests, I’ve always liked vests—but there’s the worry that heading down that path is a slippery path, one that takes us to the land of hyper self-consciousness and vulnerability to the machinery of American capitalism. Need the new shoes. Must have the new belt. Need the new image. Will that be cash or credit?
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