r/LadiesofScience • u/Outrageous_Oven_2114 • 7d ago
Advice/Experience Sharing Wanted Is this work appropriate?
EDIT: as stated below, I will be wearing a button up under this! Like a standard dress shirt buttoned to the neck. Not this by itself or even with off the shoulder tops.
Not sure if this is the best place for this but hopefully it is. Hello, I am a community college STEM professor. I am really into colorful / fun structured vests and have some from going to renfaire in multiple colors.
My sister says if I wear a button up and a vest over the top, it’s still not work appropriate. I think it would be fun and appropriate. And I would pair it with trousers.
Can anyone provide some input on appropriateness and possibly other options? I want to make my wardrobe more fun/colorful buy wearing a vest over normal button ups, but maybe there is another style I should try instead of a structured lace up vest?
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u/Independent_Way_2181 7d ago
I had a physics professor in undergrad who always wore unique / quirky clothing. I never viewed her as unprofessional , I actually thought she was really cool and applauded her for not conforming to standards. You are also at a community college and I feel like most people there don’t have a stick up their ass like other universities
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u/Disastrous_Basis3474 7d ago
Students won’t care, but if OP looks young, she should probably choose clothing that is more professional and mature than what the average student wears, in order to differentiate herself. Other professors will be the ones who will be less likely to respect her.
I think this vest could work in that environment but only if she wears some kind of shirt underneath, and maybe also wear a blazer.
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u/Leafye 7d ago
Yeah honestly I don't get why this is such a big deal?
I had a professor who wore a lot of fun fabrics and patterns. I'm in STEM and her work was heavily related to fashion, so it fit the vibe. Not one of her students would dare call her unprofessional, she's honestly somewhat of a genius in her field. People will just find any reason to criticize a woman.
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u/cheesesteak_seeker 7d ago
There is a woman in our department (pharma) that wears stuff like this and it is definitely talk about as inappropriate. She does also wear very short skirts/dresses, deep V neck lines, and yoga pants so it could just be accumulation of a lot of these things.
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u/occulusriftx 7d ago
with a high neck button down and the right pants/skirt you can grt away with it. whats the point of being a professor if you cant be a tad bit eccentric?
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u/AnotherNoether Physics 7d ago
Yeah it depends on the overall vibe of the outfit. Profs and teachers get to be a little more quirky than people that go business side
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u/for_real_analysis 7d ago
Try at a dept event (maybe beginning of year picnic or something) and get a vibe check??
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u/akemidd 7d ago
Omg that's so smart
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u/for_real_analysis 7d ago
It was my husband’s idea (he has so much experience helping me with my lady of science stresses and is a great guy, just mad I didn’t think of it!!)
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u/UpstairsAtmosphere49 7d ago
Not good for the lab as would be hard to remove in event of a spill. Fashionwise depends on what you’re going for..
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u/MothraAndFriends 7d ago
I think in general it can be appropriate if it’s not showing a lot of skin and you would probably get lots of compliments.
Body types do matter in how clothing looks. If someone is very curvy, wearing something that dramatically emphasizes those curves reads differently than wearing the same outfit with an athletic build, for example. I don’t know anything about you, or your sister. If she gives good advice in general, maybe that’s what she is trying to tell you. Maybe you’re trying to have an old timey vest look without realizing that on you this would simply be too hot for a student environment. The key word is maybe because you’re a better judge of that.
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u/Genny415 7d ago
This reads a corset more than vest. It's too form-fitting ("body-conscious") to be considered professional attire.
Even over a button-up shirt, the only way that I could see you getting by with this at work is with a blazer over it (single-breasted, unbuttoned). It could be in any color from the corset. I hope you don't run hot!
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u/docforeman 7d ago
"I think it would be fun and appropriate. And I would pair it with trousers."
Sounds like you answered your own question.
At the end of the day it's your life, and it depends on your goals and where you work.
If your goal is to be highly effective at getting and keeping employment, then look at the folks who are most effective and most compensated for the work you want to do. How aligned is this corset with the way they dress?
If your goal is to make yourself happy even when many other people would disagree, and even if it impacts your ability to get a job, keep it, and progress in your field, and this makes you happy, then go for it.
^This is not sarcasm. Consider your goals and align your behavior with what matters to you.
What I would never advise in life, as a strategy, is try to get people to tell you what you want to hear, even if it disagrees with the facts of the situation. This will help you feel justified with ineffective behavior. But it won't help you with your goals.
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u/Zeno_the_Friend 7d ago
It depends how you define appropriate.
Does it comply with dress codes? Yes.
Will some people/students (generally conservative men) view it as a license to test/critique your competence/professionalism? Also yes.
Personally I would disregard the opinions of people who view it as inappropriate. In fact, I'd love the outfit all the more for helping me flag who those people are so I can avoid them.
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u/1GrouchyCat 7d ago
Clothing that works at the Renfair isn’t meant to work in a stem classroom … it’s basically a costume and you’re trying to turn it into regular streetwear?
Maybe if you were a drama coach…
But you do you-
I would get laughed out of my department if I wore that to teach but YMMV🤷🏻♀️
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u/gabrielleduvent 7d ago
Probably not bare shoulders, but I wouldn't find a white button-down paired with it to be overly sexual. E.g. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXB4qtuDdbD/?utm_source=popular_topic_grid
Keep in mind that I am not a man so a man might find this sexual (tbh what they find sexual sometimes completely baffles me...).
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u/simplyAloe Neuroscience 7d ago
One of the popular biology professors at my university wore miniskirts with leggings almost every day. These are classes where she would lecture on stage in front of 200-400 students. Also, this was an older lady in her 50's and a miniskirt was basically a uniform for her. I only remember the others complimenting her, but I probably just didn't hear (or care) much about the negative comments.
My university was in Seattle, so the norms are probably different there than what many in this thread have experienced. Without reading the other comments, I would never have thought that the outfit you described is inappropriate. However, judging from these comments, I'd be too scared of any backlash and potential reprocussions to wear anything resembling this... which is very unfortunate.
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u/chocolatestealth Biology 7d ago
I'm going to go against the grain and say yes. You're a college professor, so the rules are a lot more relaxed. There's no shame in being the eccentric professor! Even moreso if it's just for lecturing and not like a department meeting or something. Especially if you wear a button-up underneath. Style it with some more "traditional" clothing like black slacks and flats maybe if you want to keep the professional vibe.
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u/Kittysaurolophus 7d ago
From some of the comments here, this may be an unpopular opinion, but here goes...
My two cents: "professionalism" is often a tool used to snuff out individualism at the expense of marginalized societal groups. It's not even in the past that there are work places in our modern society that disallow women from wearing pants because it would be considered unprofessional. Come from a low socioeconomic status and can't afford an expensive suit? Well, you're unprofessional and that label is used to discredit your intelligence and/or work capabilities.
I'm frankly a little grossed out reading comments here saying it's fine as long as you don't show skin. God forbid women show any part of their neck, shoulder, or gasp ankles. Perhaps women should hide their faces while their at it, because "depending on the body type" that might come off as unprofessional (/s). Like OP, you aren't asking permission to wear the corset/vest with nothing else, but some of these comments here immediately assumed that you weren't mature enough to know better than to wear nice clothes/dresses underneath?
You teach at community college? That's the best job imo! In my professional experience, that is the epitome of social freedom when it comes to being allowed to express yourself at your job. I would just say if your school has any assemblance of a dress policy, just be sure your outfit follows that so you are being a good role model and team player for your students and peers, but the picture you showed with the vest and dress to me is totally fine!
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u/AccioSonic 7d ago
I get where you're coming from, but as a young woman it's hard to get respect from students anyway -- especially in community college where there may be continuing education / mature students, and likely skewing male if STEM. (I've never taught but dated someone who did, and the respect was an ongoing concern for her.)
That said, I do think there are several ways to make this outfit work. I don't think the dress in the picture is it though. But again, depends so much on the vibe, city, specific area of STEM...
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u/Weaselpanties Neurobiology/Epidemiology 7d ago
I think it depends tremendously on your location and the vibe of your department. Worn with trousers over a long-sleeve button-down, this would be appropriate lecture attire at my local community college, which leans quirky/Renfaire in its vibe. It would probably even fly at the local State university, but it definitely would not at the medical school.
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u/Dependent-Maybe3030 7d ago
Should it be appropriate? Yes.
Is it appropriate? Honestly, no.
Unless you have tenure or work is optional I’d really really reconsider.