We've heard it all. "It's not professional;" "you look like a trash bag," "did you just roll out of bed?" And sure, maybe it's not the classiest of looks. But, what is more professional in college than being practical? I understand that one day we will all hopefully have grown up jobs and for that occasion we need to maintain a level of professionalism when it comes to attire. But, we are not at that point!
We are in the best four years of our life, however, as many of you know, these years are incredibly hectic and packed with everything you can imagine from studying for hours on end, attempting to maintain good health and a social life, and joining clubs to build a resume. Keeping this in mind, I am going to enlighten you as to the three key reasons "laid back attire" is the way to go.
1. Comfort
Comfort is key. With all of the long nights at the library and the countless hours in classes with desks that seem to get smaller and smaller every year, you do not want to be spending an ounce of precious brain power worrying about how your pants are too tight and pressing on your belly or thinking about how your legs get sticky in your skirt.
When you need your brain to focus on something as important as school, why would you ever present it with unnecessary distractions. You don't invite your little brother to come tell you about his day while you are cramming for that History test, so don't cause the same harm worrying about how uncomfortable it is to sit in your jeans and how your feet are killing you from being in sandals all day.
2. Cost
I know that every adult you encounter in college has some advice to give you about money, whether it is your parents, financial advisors, or just a random human over 40 that you find on the street. And you probably don't want my advice just like you don't really care for theirs. But, it is a cold hard fact that many of us college kids aren't financially stable yet because, as is supposed to be the case, we are in college for the purpose of following our dreams to find a career we love to make enough money to support our future life plans.
So, don't spend more money on your daily attire than you have to. You can find a few quality t-shirts and some athletic shorts that will last you five years for next to nothing (I have a pair of Walmart shorts that were $7 and are three years old and in perfect condition if you want proof). Wearing this on a daily basis instead of having to buy multitudes of jeans and cute shirts that either have to be dry cleaned or end up shrinking within a year is so much cheaper.
3. Time
My final argument for why the Nikes and t-shirt look is the way to go is the more effective use of time. I'm sure that I am not the only female that takes way longer to get ready when attempting to look cute instead of like a hobo. On a good day, looking cute (shower, makeup and hair fixed, and outfit planned) will take me about an hour.
However, dressing in my go-to comfort clothes after a shower and adding a swipe of mascara will take me about 15 minutes. When I started explaining my argument to you I stated how busy we all are in college with activities of varying degrees. So, why waste precious time attempting to look cute for absolutely no reason. Do you remember what that girl that sat three seats in front of you in English wore exactly three weeks ago? OF COURSE NOT. Save your precious time and dress comfortably for all occasions.
So, tomorrow when you open your closet I propose that you decide to pick the practical solution. You have 4 sweet years before professional is no longer an option, but a requirement. I know I will be sporting my homeless people clothes. And that's a promise.
