What to wear for qualifying exam?

Back in October and November 2012, I took my qualifying exam and advancement to candidacy. For presenting my PhD proposal, I wore my navy shirtdress accessorized with a navy belt and necklace. I thought, navy being the color of authority as well as my power color, I was safe.

My committee grilled me for 2.5 hours starting from the first slide. At the end, they accepted my proposal and voted that I have enough scientific knowledge of the topic to pass the qualifying exam. However they judged my presentation skills subpar. I had to redo the presentation next month. In retrospect, I made two mistakes: first, I dressed feminine and not businesslike enough. The color alone did not save my bacon so to speak. Matching the sandals was also a mistake. A closed-toe pair of shoes would have been much better. Second, I sat down during my presentation and while answering questions and only stood up to write on the board whenever necessary. Both these mistakes enforced a less than serious and competent image.

For my second presentation I aimed to avoid any mistaken impression. I wore the traditional black and more business-defined pieces. A silk button down, black vest, a black and white necklace and boots provided a sleek silhouette which was a bit school-girly, a good image and  a bonus in this case.

The lessons from this experience:

-your average science or engineering  professors are not renowned for their sense of style. Stay in business-casual tried and true territory.

-although a more trendy or stylish outfit grants complements around the department, for official occasions people prefer more conventional outfits.

-an official event is not the time and place to demonstrate your creativity or sense of style. Stick to the more familiar visuals for the sake of your audience.

Edited: Here are what I wore to my defense and to my graduation ceremony.