Hello from the first week of the school year! By that marker, August is over, so let’s look at some end-of-summer, faculty orientation, and back to school meeting outfits!
How are we feeling about long shorts? They remind me of the middle school dress code, but after seeing some cool shots of Copenhagen fashion week, I decided not to hem these vintage shorts (my sewing pile could use lightening anyway).
Tee (runs large, wearing a small)
I can’t find similar shorts–but these are a good thing to browse for vintage!
The boxer shorts trend is still a winner in my eyes as well, because they are soooo light for hot weather. I’ve worn this outfit three times now, because August is not a time for variety, anyway. I’m over this season.
Tee (similar)
Shorts (similar)
One more casual outfit before we go back to work–I wear some version of a tank top and pull on shorts pretty much every day I work from home. Honestly, I don’t always feel cute in this outfit, considering how often I wear it. I am realizing I spend my money and energy on work clothes, but I also need casual and athletic clothes that I actually like, so I’m trying to correct the imbalance. This version felt nicer:
I also wore my favorite huge dress to a coffee shop to do some writing–so much writing this month (cries)–and it felt like a cozy cocoon for being forced to write theoretical contributions.
This dress is old from COS but here are a few options: shirt dress, similar color from COS
And then we went back to work, so a moment for the only 2 pairs of pants I’ll wear in 100 degree weather:
These Lioness pants come in many colors, and are always on sale somewhere. They are extremely light linen, and I love the big pockets and pleats. They run large, this is the medium and I absolutely need a belt.
I have complicated them a bit by tapering the legs starting at the knees. They look cool wide leg but are a bit too short on a tall person to look deliberate. They’re so good, though, I just bought a black pair and altered them, too!
Honorable mention to this excellent tee, which I love for work!
Then I wore my Old Navy cargo pants, which continue to be INCREDIBLE in the heat. And they just make me feel kind of casual and cool, but like I can still go to work. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: if you work in a lab or a field and need clothes that can go from messy work to office work, these are it.
Another good tee deserves a mention! This is unisex from Uniqlo–I wear a small.
Finally, some skirts! I wore these two outfits to pre-semester faculty retreats and orientations. I felt appropriate but like I could walk across campus in the heat, too!
Skirt (similar)
Top (similar)
Skirt (similar)
I hope you had a good August!
This post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author.
Okay. So – you’re not gonna like it, especially after you nailed it so hard on the tenured male prof outfit (which I am literally wearing rn, my kid sent your tiktok to me, you only left out that the 30-yo t-shirt is event-based. Conference, road race, expedition, nerd gathering of some kind). The thing is, what you’re wearing above is nice and cute, which means it radiates “overeducated/underpaid staff”, not “tt prof”. You’re missing some important elements if you want to jog over towards tt prof:
– massive earings. Like massive. Preferably made of wood and vaguely anthropological, definitely unprofessional-looking. Huge chunky necklace that absolutely doesn’t have anything to do with the earrings, optional
– too much eyeliner
– conference tote, stuffed to half your body weight
– scarf that doubles as a sleeping bag for when your flight is delayed again and you’re taking a 15-min nap break from proposal-writing
– deeply impractical shoes that hover somewhere between earth mama and ho
– the most expensive eyeglasses on earth, which have somehow been teleported from Milan to wind up on your academic face
– old school tan or deathly pallor
– nothing below the waist that suggests human form, you don’t have legs anymore
– hair done in a way that either dares people to laugh or remark -or- is the product-heavy smooth bob of a killer
– crazed look that suggests you might kill for a strategic advantage that nobody else understands, and though young are a veteran of many such wars
After tenure you can add a large floppy hat reminiscent of Bella Abzug. You can even use the chin strap. And you can switch to flat BOGO sandals and add resin bangles.
Basically, if you’ve scared the undergrads and department staff a little, you’re doing it right. You can go ahead and behave totally reasonably, belying the clothes, but the clothes always suggest that at a moment’s notice, you might turn, so it’s best to stay on your good side and not push it….
Hahaha well dang now I have quite the to-do list!
Love your outfits as always! 😊 I’m a particular fan of the green stripey shorts – right up my alley!
Thank you!! They’re still on sale at COS—just saw them there!