gradblr – PhD in Clothes

What’s in my work bag!

What do you bring to work every day? Here’s what I bring with me to campus on teaching days, if you are ever wondering what to pack for grad school or professor life!

Do you ever do a dress rehearsal?

The other day on Instagram I asked if anyone else gets seasonal amnesia–meaning you totally forget what to wear when the weather changes, even though surely it’s been 60 degrees at some other point in your life before this and you managed to get dressed then. I decided to try something new this season and tried on all my fall outfits at once, just as a refresher. Here’s what I came up with.

A month of reasonable professor work outfits: Week 2

Here’s another week of what I wore as a university professor! I put together more easy fall outfits that you can wear in academia–as a professor, lecturer, or graduate teaching assistant!

A month of reasonable professor work outfits: Week 1

It’s back to college season which means it’s time for another round of what to wear as a university professor or lecturer! Being a woman in academia can make this question feel both flexible and challenging–there’s no dress code for female professor style but what you wear to class can increase your comfort and confidence! So here’s my first week of outfit ideas to start the fall semester off right!

What I would wear to grad school orientation

The first day of graduate school can be really nerve-wracking and what to wear to orientation is a small part of that equation! It’s hard to guess how casual or formal the rest of your cohort will look. The good news is that even though it feels like a small yet big decision, you can’t go wrong in your outfit choice. Still, here are 3 outfits I would wear to new grad student orientation if you want some ideas!

Tips for back-to-school shopping for teaching clothes + Old Navy try ons

It’s the month before school starts and you’re a new professor or TA: what are you going to wear? I remember so clearly freaking out over this question right after I moved to start my masters degree. I didn’t know what to buy before grad school and I really wished there was a teaching clothes shopping list that could solve this for me. So today I thought we could go on a mall trip and try a few things on to make some new teacher outfits!

Interesting outfits with shorts

Is it just me, or does shorts season feel super boring? Somehow when I reach for a pair of shorts the outfit-making part of my brain stops. All I can think is to add a t-shirt. Here are some slightly-styled shorts outfits I’ve made lately to keep it interesting!

6 things I actually wear when it’s 100 degrees out

I have a really hard time figuring out what to wear when it’s 100 degrees out (or more). The truth is no clothing seems reasonable for extremely hot weather, and most sources of fashion inspo don’t account for these temperatures. So here are some outfits and closet essentials that I am actually wearing for high summer.

What I Wore: Paris

Oops, I forgot to show you what I wore in Paris for my actual academic conference! Packing for 2 weeks of vacation plus a work conference had its challenges but it all turned out ok in the end. Here’s what I wore and a bit of what we did!

Gifts for academics: Dissertation and thesis, tenure and promotion, and new job presents

Academia is full of big milestones: thesis and dissertation defenses, graduations, jobs and promotions. And yet those moments can feel a bit anticlimactic, especially when they’re happening over Zoom (ahem, see above)! It’s nice to celebrate the people around us and create some joy, so today I am rounding up some thoughtful gifts for new graduate students and professors, graduations, and promotions.