What [not] to wear: Campus trends across the country and the years

Whether absent for the naked quad run or hidden by graduation robes, clothing is a part of Tufts' history. Style trends on campus have changed across the years, however, from the jackets and dresses of the 1950s to the pajamas and sweatpants of today.

"Women were not allowed to wear pants. There was definitely a dress code," alumnae Elaine Kasparian, who graduated from Tufts in 1958, said. "We were much more structured. Men as a rule wore jackets in the classroom; they didn't have to wear ties."

Campus was geared towards dressing up: "Most of our events were more formal," she said, citing concerts, formals, and lots of smaller dances. "Only the engineers got away with [dressing down]: they didn't have to wear a jacket in the lab," Kasparian said.

In more recent years, however, the "uniform of the college student" hasn't changed all that much," Professor Grace Talusan, who graduated from Tufts in 1994, said. "Mostly college students wore what they wear now -- jeans, T-shirts, college sweatshirts from their friends at other colleges -- casual wear."

Today's students are very informal in the classroom: pajamas and sweats are not an uncommon occurrence. "[Style] ranges. There are the kids who think that pajamas will impress their professors," sophomore Rachel Greenspan said.

Even if it's not pajamas, many students don't put a lot of effort into how they dress for class. "I wouldn't say that most students make a noticeable effort to dress nicely," junior Jenn Lash said.

According to many students, however, while pajamas may be an appealing option for time-crunched students on the way to a morning class, showing up to class after rolling straight out of bed isn't appropriate. "Personally, I think it shows a lack of respect for the professor and the subject being taught," junior Phillip Hummel said.

"I think wearing pajamas is inappropriate outside of the dorm or home, because it shows laziness, disrespect," Lash added.

Still, the pajama phenomenon is nothing completely new to the hill: "We did that too; we woke up late sometimes and threw clothes on over our pajamas," Kasparian said.

The casual attire of the college set can come into conflict with the working world: students may be unprepared for professional dress standards, unlike past decades when workplace-appropriate attire was the norm.

"Part of college is learning what to wear -- 'work casual' and clothing for professional life. Everything is much more informal today, but that doesn't mean that there aren't times when you don't need to know [how to dress professionally]," Kasparian said.

But professors are often understanding of the necessity of casual clothing in college: "Some of my students come to class after sports practice -- they are in exercise clothes, but I don't feel those students are being disrespectful," Talusan said.

"I believe that basically the professors have adapted to the changing social customs," Kasparian said.

Style trends vary from campus to campus. According to many students, Tufts' overall style is "notably preppy".

"[The campus] may be a little bit more preppy as a whole, but there are definitely some exceptions. Compared to Boston College or Holy Cross, we are more casual," Hummel said.

Students at larger schools than Tufts, such as UCLA, say that there is more variety, style-wise. "UCLA is such a large school with a really diverse student population," UCLA junior Grant Landry said. "You see a lot of UCLA apparel, sweat and pajama pants. You are pretty much entitled to wear what you want. Athletes wear sweats, Bel Air girls wear Gucci, and theater kids wear random things. It just ranges from the 'I seriously just got out of bed and I don't care' look to more colorful dresses and creative uses of thrift stores."

Notre Dame sophomore Susan McCarthy said many opt for very casual attire. "Athletes tend to wear their ND athletic apparel to class. Many people just wear pajamas or sweats or other comfy clothes."

But despite the trend toward comfort, some seek more individual styles or put more effort into their appearance. "We have a few punks, and, as with any private college, we have our share of preps. A few of my friends do their makeup religiously every time they leave the dorm," McCarthy said.

Geography, however, is largely related to styles. Many students at southern universities say that it is unacceptable not to "dress up" for class. James Madison University sophomore Alaina Cox says her female classmates are always dressed to impress: at the Virginia university, girls usually sport "a skirt, boots, and always a nice sweater."

Despite the formal attire of certain schools, there is a casual trend at universities across the country. This informal classroom attire, however, may be more of an American trend than a global one.

Tufts students abroad notice a sharp distinction between the casual style of the Medford campus and international universities. Junior Jessica Katz, who is studying abroad in England, noticed a change in style at the University College London. "They definitely don't [wear pajamas or sweats]. No one looks like they just rolled out of bed," Katz said.

"If you wear pajamas everyone will stare," she added. "It's really easy to pick out the Americans because of dress styles."