PhD in Clothes

If you’re graduating with a graduate degree this semester, congratulations!!! Or maybe you’re a faculty member heading to watch your students graduate. You might be wondering what to bring to commencement. After you figure out what to wear, it might hit you that…the ceremony is super long. Now that I attend commencement every year as a faculty member, here is what I wish I knew before my first ceremony.

Lately, none of my work shoes have been cutting it for me, and I’ve wondered if I need to invest in higher-quality options. The internet seems to know this, and I’ve been seeing a relentless number of ads for M. Gemi ballet flats. Made in Italy, the reviews are stellar. But most of the social media coverage I see is from influencers. So here is my entirely unsponsored M. Gemi shoes review.

If you’re looking for fun shoes that are still comfortable and supportive, you’ve probably seen the brand Camper. I’ve been buying their shoes for a couple years now– here’s my women’s Camper shoes review, including advice on sizing and how to get them on sale!

Once a year, I get a DM asking me to suggest comfortable women’s shoes for teachers. We have a long wishlist: arch support, no blisters, easy to stand on your feet all day, and actually stylish. If only the shoe industry would actually listen. Here are 5 pairs of women’s shoes that don’t suck for professors or teachers.

Two weeks ago, someone in my comments told me that it’s fine to wear jeans to an academic job interview in 2026. Huh, I thought. Have standards really changed that much since my campus interview? Then I realized that we had a very unique chance to nail down what to wear to a professor job interview, with some actual data. So I asked Instagram to take a survey about it! Here are the results.

Here’s a recap of what I loved last month!

Sure, we’re 10 days into February, but here’s a recap of what I loved last month!

Happy new underwear month! Oh, you don’t celebrate this made up holiday of mine, where you replace all your rattiest bras in January? I highly recommend this tradition, so this year, I’m sharing my top recommended bras for large breasts–especially if you, like me, hate underwire. Alternative title: I tried every trendy bra company that is advertising to you so that you don’t have to (Eby, Soma, ThirdLove…). Away we go!

Last week, I was tagged in an Instagram post. Thinking nothing of it, I clicked on it and found myself staring at a video of my own kitchen. “Huh,” I thought, “why would someone repost this video of my kitchen?” Then I clicked on the profile and saw something much worse.