Nursing Class Attire-Sweats/Leggings

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Specializes in Progressive Care/Critical Care.

Fellow nursing students,

I just wanted to know on days when you don't have clinicals and on exam days do you put effort into your appearance, i.e. do you dress to impress? I read a interesting article which stated that students should not wear sweats to class as it impacts the impression you make on your professors and fellow students. Also, in nursing school, sometimes professors are able to connect you with prospective job opportunities or externships. I was just really surprised as this is something that I have never considered.

Personally, I don't wear sweats on lecture days but I definitely don't dress business casual.

I appreciate your opinions!

Thank you.

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I'm guilty of wearing sweat pants to class...as did everyone else in my class. I got excellent reference letters from each professor I asked. Bottom line is who cares what you wear to class as long it's not completely ridiculous!

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

We weren't allowed to wear sweats. We could wear jeans on Friday but otherwise it was business casual. I didn't mind. There have been studies done that suggest dressing like this (or in school uniforms for kids) has a positive impact on learning. I don't have time now to look them up nor am I saying that wearing sweats was a detriment to learning. If I was in school now I'd probably rock yoga pants if they'd let me.

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We weren't allowed to wear sweats. We could wear jeans on Friday but otherwise it was business casual. I didn't mind. There have been studies done that suggest dressing like this (or in school uniforms for kids) has a positive impact on learning. I don't have time now to look them up nor am I saying that wearing sweats was a detriment to learning. If I was in school now I'd probably rock yoga pants if they'd let me.

And I think that's crazy.....who wants to wear jeans for 6 hours while sitting in an already uncomfortable classroom... but that's just me. I learned just fine in what I wore... I did better in college than I did in high school while wearing a school uniform.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
And I think that's crazy.....who wants to wear jeans for 6 hours while sitting in an already uncomfortable classroom... but that's just me. I learned just fine in what I wore... I did better in college than I did in high school while wearing a school uniform.

Ummmmm. You did notice that I wasn't necessarily advocating our dress code nor was I denigrating your choice to wear sweats. Kind of hard to judge your tone.

Also, this was 30 years ago when wearing pajamas out in public wasn't really cool.

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Since my commute was an hour and a half, I wore what was clean and what I felt comfortable in. Since I left right after working a full shift either as a CNA or as a nurse once I was licensed, I would change out of my work uniform and get into the car, or do the drive and change at school. I do not recall anyone ever getting admonished for what they wore to class back then.

A relative attended a proprietary business program for information technology and was required to wear business attire to class, dress shirt, dress slacks, tie, for men. He said they were told it was practice for looking like a professional in order to get a job in the business sector.

I can't see wearing pajamas, flip flops, or short shorts and crop tops. They were disallowed by our dress code and I can see the reasoning there.

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Ummmmm. You did notice that I wasn't necessarily advocating our dress code nor was I denigrating your choice to wear sweats. Kind of hard to judge your tone.

Also, this was 30 years ago when wearing pajamas out in public wasn't really cool.

No hard feelings, just stating my opinion :)

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