Goodbye Professor McFrumpy

There is often discussion and debate about how college students dress, but what about the professors? Does the way a professor dresses have an effect on the students in their classes? Yes. While it may not affect whether students like the professor, it will affect how seriously or professionally they are taken by their students. In her article 'Can't We Be Smart and Look Good, Too?' published in the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2009, Rachel Toor, assistant professor of creative writing at Eastern Washington University wrote, "Because most of us on the faculty do not have to show up for a job from 9 to 5 to meet with clients we are trying to woo, we are able to care less about appearing "professional," at least as it's commonly defined. Coming to class in disheveled clothes may even be a political intervention to show your students that what you have to say is more important than whether you brush your hair, but still, sometimes hair brushing (or beard trimming or food-on-shirt removal) is in order."

She went on to say, "I am comfortable with the frumpiness endemic to academe -- I find it quaint and endearing -- but I squirm when I hear people complain about those who are better coiffed or groomed, implying that they are somehow not 'serious'."

Being highly educated does not mean that there are lower standards of professional dress for you. So what is okay and not okay to wear for professors? Let me explain the rules. As a student, I am here to give you these helpful tips for free.

Cover Up. This is my top rule. As a professor, you are a role model for the college students of our generation. Therefore, it is important to cover yourself up. It is not appropriate to wear a short jean skirt, or clothes you could have just mowed your lawn in.

Lavalle Williams, second year student in Culinary Arts, said the way professors dress "sets an example; that's how [professors] are supposed to dress. [Professors] are professionals, they're getting paid to do their profession."

Clean It Up. This is my second rule. I understand you might be hot in the classrooms that seem not to have working thermostats, or that you might have been running from your car or office to be on time. However, does this mean that we, your students, have to listen to you as your armpit stains are waved in front of us? Is this a professional manner? Certainly not. The chance ketchup stain you got at lunch and couldn't get rid of is normal, but the shirt you wore just a couple days ago with the same stain is not.

Bekou Robert, first year student said, "[Professors] can't look like they just came off the street; you have to present yourself a little bit more."

Buy the Right Size. This would be my last rule. This is the rule I see professors often do not think about or show concern for. I had a professor who dressed very appropriately in terms of clean and covering clothing. She would, however, wear shirts that would expose her stomach when she raised her arm to point to something on the overhead. It was weird.

How do you not notice or care that your stomach is exposed to your students while lecturing? And if you do notice, why don't you care?

This means, professors, when you put on a shirt in the morning do a little test. Raise your arms. If your shirt doesn't come above your pant line, you're okay. If you look in the mirror before you leave and your muffin top is visible under a shirt that is obviously too tight, save it for the weekend.

Now I'm not saying you have to trade comfort for professionalism. Don't get me wrong here. Jeans are professional when they're the right size and paired with a shirt that is not showing too much cleavage or, for men, shirts of thin material that show the imprint of your belly button through.

These type of things are distracting to the students and are the opposite of what you want us to be thinking about while you're lecturing.

So don't be afraid to dress it up a little. Dressing down is not some type of proof that you're too intelligent to care about your looks because, as students, the only thing we're thinking is, "Can't you brush your hair?