How to Dress Like a Grad Student

sweater - LOFT (remixed)
gray cami - LOFT (remixed)
[un-hemmed] eggplant cords - IDRA/Anthro
amber earrings - Corcoran Gallery, DC (remixed)
hair scarf - swap bin in dorm, ca. 2003
neck scarf - boutique (remixed)
shoes - J-41 via Zappos (remixed)

For a full day in the library I decided to dress "like a grad student." And by like a grad student, I mean those days when you were in coursework and attending lectures for large courses you were TA-ing for (but not for your Thursday or Friday section, of course). Or, those days when you had to spend all day in the library or a coffee shop or a cold apartment reading and planning for a seminar paper. In fact, I dressed like this because I'm working on a section in my first chapter in which I need to define keyterms and explain why I'm taking up one set of terms and rejecting another set in order to explain my theoretical stance. It was a cold, contemplative note-taking day and I managed to take a few pictures in the stacks without getting caught.Incidentally, while I was on my way up to the floor I work on when I work in the library I ran into a colleague who was dressed professorially: dark jeans, button-up, tie. I said, "You look nice. Are you teaching today?" He's not teaching right now, it turns out, but he was going to attend a job talk and he mentioned that he has begun to see this sort of style as part of professionalization as he (like me) is in the latter stages of graduate school.

In response to a post from S. of Narrowly Tailored I said that a big shift in dressing occurs when grad students go from being TA's to having their own classes which occurs around the time that we go from being in coursework to ABD. I, too, have that urge, but I find Winter weather to be my largest obstacle to dressing how I would like most of the week right now. Because I don't use a car and snow and ice are everywhere, footwear is a large concern and because I already schlep books and a computer in my bag (and a water bottle, coffee cup, and gym clothes), I generally despise toting around another pair of shoes. And if I'm already wearing the ridiculous snow boots it is hard to be motivated to wear anything beyond fleece-lined yoga pants and a sweater/sweatshirt--one cannot look styled when she happens to be 5 feet tall and wearing orange boots! When the weather is like this and I'm teaching I have no choice but to carry an entirely separate outfit with me to change into for the teaching/meeting period and then change back into the snow wear to get home. But since I'm not teaching I wonder, Why the hell would I carry an extra bag full of stuff that might tip me over in the snow if a gust of wind blows? Thus, I've been reflecting how much body type influences a "professional" look: on days like today I really envy the taller, svelter women who can throw on a pair of dark skinnies, Hunters, and a sweater. With a little makeup and accessories, they look ready to give a lecture, meet with students, or conduct a study.

How do you modify your dress when the weather is icy, slushy, or just cold and evil?