Obie Professors and their Outfits

by Vivienne Waite

Illustration by Maud Arpels

Over the years, my teachers have worn many memorable outfits. A teacher at my high school would always dress up as a condom during discussion of sex ed. My creative writing teacher would wear oversized colorful t-shirts and basketball shorts everyday, and once told me, “everything is a uniform”. 

I decided to ask Oberlin professors what they think about their own style, the relationship between fashion and occupation, and their most memorable outfit stories: 

Do you have a favorite piece of clothing? Why?

Prof. Beiyi Hu: I wear crop tops a lot because they go with everything: jackets, knitwear, coats, blazers. Perfect for last-minute decisions.

Prof. Charlie Ericson: I just bought a bulky cardigan… it makes me feel very professorial.

Do you notice you gravitate towards a certain color pallet when purchasing your pieces?

BH: Yes, definitely. I’ve noticed that my profession has gradually trained me to purchase clothing in black, white or ivory, gray, light blue, and khaki tones.

Prof. Amy Margaris: ​​Yes. I choose the colors and textures of my clothing primarily for their ability to disguise the presence of cat hair and/or coffee stains. I am very practical. Tweeds are in. "Winter whites" are a big no-no. Also, I'm a child of the grunge era. Swap out a flannel shirt for a cute blazer, and combat boots for cowboy ones, and very little of my sartorial style has changed in a long time, really. 

CE: Yes. Greens and brown. Forest tones.

Do you think personal style can impact the way students perceive their professors? Do your thoughts on this play a role in the way you dress?

BH: Yes, I do. I try to dress in a semi-casual, simple, gender-neutral, yet professional style. I hope that conveys who I am: approachable, simple, and professional. In my personal life, I have other styles, but I try to present this as my “professional self.” Occasionally, I’ll wear a necklace or add a pop of color, like red shoes, to show another, more lively dimension of myself beyond my professional role.

AM: This is a very tricky question. Surely the answer is yes, because most forms of human interaction, including in the classroom, are multisensory in ways we may not even be explicitly aware of. The lighting, the design of PowerPoint slides, the pace or tenor of a teacher's voice — all of those contribute to how a person experiences a space and in turn, what kind of learning happens. That's said, I hope that when my students are with me in the classroom, they are primarily thinking about the course content, and not my outfits. 

CE: Absolutely. I had a professor in grad school who wore an old sweatshirt every day, and I had another professor who always dressed very professionally. They were both the same age, they were both highly educated. However, students were a lot more willing to treat the more professionally dressed professor as an authority figure whose time they should respect. Though, it was good to have a more casual relationship with the professor who wore hoodies everyday. 

Do you remember any notable outfits or styles your teachers/professors would wear during your educational career?

BH: I remember one of my professors, who taught GIS and advanced data analysis, always wore a baseball hat and T-shirt to class. I felt that this fit his personal style perfectly: casual, friendly, and modest.

AM: My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Norberg, had an assortment of wrap-around skirts printed with world maps and other educational motifs that obviously made an impression.  I admire her individuality and commitment to her students as expressed through her clothing. She was also just a wonderful teacher.

CE: I had an undergrad professor who I took many classes with. He wore slightly oversized suits everyday. One day I came to class dressed as him. When he came into the class, I nodded at him the way he always did, then went back to my seat.

What were the fashion trends when you were a student? Did you hate them or participate in them?

BH: I remember slim jeans were a trend when I was a student, and I never liked them because they felt too tight. Eventually, they were replaced by loose, more comfortable pants, which I much preferred.

AM: Many fewer students today dress like Jesus: barefoot, bearded, berobed. I'm sure my colleagues who teach in the lab sciences appreciate this shift since it is a much safer choice when one is working around caustic chemicals and the like. 

CE: I was a grad student in hey-day of the flannel and the man bun. I was also in Southern Indiana. If I didn't wear a flannel I would've stuck out. Though I am happy to say the man bun was short lived.

Have you noticed any trending styles at Oberlin the students participate in? What are your thoughts on them?

BH: I’ve noticed that students at Oberlin tend to dress casually overall, but they’re also very creative in combining seemingly unrelated elements (like ethnic earrings or leather boots) into unique outfits. I think that’s pretty cool and expressive of their individuality.

CE: I’m jealous of the frequency of which students can wear doc martins. That’s all I’ll say.