In defence of dressing up for lectures

It’s common for people to want to fit in at university to try and achieve a particular “look”, but for some it’s more about how what they wear can make them feel. You don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on clothes, but coming to university is a fantastic opportunity to express your true self. Every campus should be a catwalk.

The first thing people see when they look at you are your clothes and most will make an instant judgement. If you turn up wearing a tatty leavers’ hoodie and leggings splattered with juice from your beans on toast, people will get the wrong impression about you and think you’re a slob. You’re significantly less likely to be noticed if you’re wearing a fluorescent tutu than if you’re wearing a T-shirt with porridge spilt down the front of it.

University is somewhere to truly “find yourself”. For many, it’s the first time they’re away from home and without their friends. It’s time to have fun recreating yourself and it’s a brilliant time to experiment with fashion. There is no strict dress code as such, and university is somewhere to be creative. One thing that I’ve learnt is that not many people bat an eyelid at your fashions – it’s the most liberal place you can be to experiment with different clothes and outfits.

People might say it’s mad to plan outfits 12 hours in advance of wearing them, but surely everyone can understand that it would be a complete disaster if you decided to wear a white dress to your seminar, only to find out it had make-up stains on the collar. By planning ahead, you’re sure to avoid stressful mornings and making the wrong outfit choice.

Another reason why you should dress up for lectures is that it’s the one part of the day where you can spend time on yourself. Uni life can be hectic, with work, societies and peers putting a lot of pressure on you and taking up much of your time. Spending at least 30 minutes in the morning looking after yourself and making sure you look nice can be very good for your mental attitude and ensures you have spent some time looking after number one.

Being dressed up in the daytime also means you’re ready for anything that life throws at you. Be it a spontaneous lunch date with friends, or a trip to the pub post-lecture, you’ll never feel out of place or too dressed-down to go into a trendy bar or nice restaurant. It’s just practical!

There’s also a lot of evidence to say that by looking smart, your concentration and work ethic improves. If you get dressed in a nice pair of jeans and crisp, white blouse, you’ll probably feel more focused and in “work mode”, as opposed to if you wear some baggy, grey sweatpants and sweatshirt.

All in all, whilst some may say it’s vein to spend so much time on your appearance, for many it’s all part of the fun of being young and creative. Go wild, get dressed up, spend some time on yourself, and you might just end up feeling more confident and ready to face the world.