Dear Ladies: Please Avoid The Following 5 College Fashion Faux Pas

If you really think about it, college is like a wonderland for young adults. Especially because, if you live in a college town, the normal rules of the dreaded “real world” don’t tend to stand in place.

This notion of the novice adult playground causes a distortion of conventional standards and sometimes allows us college students to think that we can get away with whatever we please.

Although this is definitely a time for mental and physical liberation, experimentation, and the most carefree moments before the start of your adulthood, it doesn’t mean that you can completely forgo all aspects of conservatism.

By all means, go ahead and do whatever it is that you please, but always keep in mind that what others perceive of you can follow you past your college days. Especially in the classroom, it is important to maintain self-respect and at least one tiny ounce of self-awareness.

Ok lecture over, but seriously, you have to consider the way that you present yourself to those around you (especially professors or any academic faculty).

Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand that once class schedules become more arduous, the novelty of dressing up on a daily basis begins to wear thin. When you have to encounter a dreadful 8 a.m. calculus class thrice weekly, the last thing that you’re going to want to do is wake up an hour earlier to dress up.

There is definitely no question that your oversized hoodie and pajama pants are going to seem that much more appealing as uniform when you roll out of bed half an hour later than your supposed-to-be wake up time.

Regardless, this is not an excuse to fully slum it. A huge reason to consider your collegiate wardrobe is the perception that your attire can give to your professors. Think about it, a professor is going to have a tough time taking you seriously in sweat pants and a wrinkled t-shirt.

Dressing up from your peers will show respect and prove that you take class seriously. This will help you stand out and make a significant impression.

A put together look completely alters not only your appearance but also your state of mind. When you dress sharp, you think sharp and feel more alert and ready to tackle anything the day has to throw your way.

If you take your education seriously, then dress to match that notion, and you’ll find yourself feeling more eager to learn than ever.

With that being said, take the time to get out of bed, brush your hair, and dress in a manner appropriate enough to bring out the best student and overall adult in you (okay, adolescent). And absolutely NEVER commit one of these five college fashion faux-pas.

Don’t dress scandalously.

Yes, crop tops and dangerously high cut-off shorts are finally back in season, but that doesn’t mean that you can get away with wearing those outside of the happy hour realm. You want your professors and peers to take you seriously and remember you in the best light, and not because your cleavage was making a cameo appearance during Lit 101.

Ditch the push up bra and low cut shirts and opt for something more demure and lady like. Also, avoid wearing heavy make-up to class (unless it’s Halloween).

Don’t wear high heels.

Although there’s no way they’re even close to comfortable enough to wear all day around your extensive campus, espadrilles and kitten heels are adorable for late spring and summer. Six-inch patent leather pumps, on the other hand, are neither necessary nor nearly as cute as you think they are.

Unless you have a job interview in five minutes or your shift is coming up at the topless bar downtown, there is absolutely no reason to trek to Communication 101 in heels made for the red carpet of a porn convention.

Don’t wear sweatpants with flip-flops.

This isn’t as offensive as it is just plain sloppy. These are two uber-casual clothing items that shouldn’t really be worn separately in public, let alone combined. As a general rule, if it’s cold enough to wear sweatpants, it’s not warm enough to wear flip-flops.

Don’t wear statement t-shirts.

“I used to be stupid until we broke up” and “Good is great but bad is better” may seem funny at a party after a few drinks but to professors, who I can assure you are sober and skeptical, it does not.

Stay away from shirts with jokes, political nuances and most of all, crude language. Unless you’re advocating gay rights or anything symbolic of your maturity, stay away from this high school trend.

Don’t rock messy hair.

There is no literally no excuse for a “I-just-climbed-out-of-bed” hairdo. If you’re running late and don’t have time to wash or restyle your hair, spray some detangler and pull a brush through your locks.  Pull your hair back into a loose ponytail and pin fly-aways away from your face, or rock a simple headband.

It’s that simple, ladies.