He Said vs. She Said: Her Clothes and His Clothes

 Our society often insists that young women must always be privy to the latest fashion and beauty trends in order to be considered attractive by the opposite sex. But while it can certainly be fun to experiment with emerging styles, I highly doubt that any heterosexual man in his right mind would say that Giselle Bündchen doesn’t look sexy as hell in the sweatpants she frequently sports. Granted, very few of us are blessed with the ethereal beauty of Mrs. Tom Brady, and yet that does not mean that we Collegiettes must spend hours “beautifying” ourselves every morning. Whether male or female, we all have certain looks that we find particularly attractive. Just as some guys fixate on girls who are always perfectly coordinated, while others love a girl who can rock yoga pants and a t-shirt; certain girls are drawn to preppy guys, while others can’t resist a jock. It is often said that girls dress to impress other girls, while guys dress for themselves. So what is the consensus here at Tufts? When we Jumbos rise and shine in the morning, do we head to our closets wondering What clothes will turn heads in Dewick?, or What will make me feel most comfortable today? Which styles make us awkwardly stare and subconsciously think Hmm, I wouldn’t mind having a late night “study sesh” with him/her, and which instantly diminish our libido?

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He said …

·       “What I wear during the day depends on what I am going to do that day, who I may see, and how I’m feeling. The culture of t-shirts and hoodies got to me in the fall, I’m sorry to say, but now that winter is here, I can get creative with my cashmere sweaters, coats, and v-necks. My clothes are usually set out the night before, so that a) I am warm if and when it starts to snow, and b) I don’t look ridiculous if I run into someone I am trying to impress. On weekend nights, I head over to my closet to find my button-down shirts and blazers – I look better in them. I don’t find any one particular style attractive on girls, although I would appreciate it if she didn’t wear a Metallica t-shirt four times her size and a frilly skirt that belongs in the 1980s. The same goes with “ironic” tees and shorts that are too short – stop trying to make hipster happen. I think if a girl can wear a hoodie and jeans and look cute, then she’s cute. It varies from girl to girl, but overall, if I had to pick, I’d say I like the summer dress and straw hat look during the day… not that all girls should start wearing straw hats. Since it’s cold outside now, though, I think it looks good when girls wear jeans, boots, and a longsleeve shirt with a sweater of some kind. I like it when girls wear dresses out at night. Whatever a girl wears should complement her physically and be able to peak someone’s interest, but it should still be tasteful.” – freshman

·       “Having attended both public school and prep. school has transformed my dressing habits into a mix between athletic, preppy, and casual. Whenever I am motivated I like to pick out my clothes accordingly and dress to impress, and at times I consider what girls will respond to. But sometimes, especially when it gets cold out, I get disinterested and throw on sweatpants or whatever else will provide the most comfort. At night I definitely go with jeans or khakis, and I step it up by wearing a button-down shirt, or maybe a v-neck with a sweater. If I’m taking the night seriously, I’ll even adjust my hair. Guys are more or less indifferent about girls’ style, although it’s always a plus when a girl knows how to dress, and it’s not a good sign if a girl does not even put in a minimal effort to look okay. I will probably walk right by a girl who is wearing baggy pants, a hoodie and no makeup without a glance, and the same goes with the hat, sneakers, and sweatpants combo. At night, girls should always try to look their best – dress to impress, and show off what you’ve got! Makeup is always good, but not when it forms a second layer on top of a girl’s skin. A girl who wears heels and dresses elegantly will catch my eye, but if she tries to pull off the “I don’t really care” look at night, I probably won’t really care either.” – sophomore

·       “When I get up in the morning for a normal day of classes, I dress for comfort, remembering to match colors so that even if I’m rocking sweatpants, I don’t look like a total sh*thead. At night or for social events, I try to dress either preppy – which is self-explanatory – or bro-casual, meaning jeans or khakis with a nice t-shirt or flannel. At any time, I like to see girls wearing something tight to the body. During the day, yoga pants are the best call – I don’t really care about the rest of the outfit. At night, I am personally a huge skirt guy, and I like it when girls show a little cleavage, but it’s not attractive when a girl dresses like a total slut. It’s least attractive to me when girls walk around campus all day in boyfriend hoodies and the like – there are lots of girls who can’t strut their stuff, so if you know that you actually can, you should!” – junior

·       “When I buy certain clothes, I know what will look good together. I just try to make sure that the colors and the patterns I wear don’t conflict with one another, but all in all, I think so many choices about the aesthetics of an article of clothing are made when you purchase the item. I’m pretty anti-sweatpants.  I think they have utility at home, but outside… ?  I’m much more of the party that says, “Presentation is crucial – not for anyone else, but for yourself.” I think that it’s great to take fashion risks, and doing so is indicative of many personality traits I find attractive. Demonstrating something about yourself through your clothing is intriguing, and it definitely gets me interested in someone’s personal story. For me, I think that the most important thing is to feel confident in what you are wearing, and to wear it for yourself. I think personal style is great – although sweatpants certainly do try my patience!” – senior

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She said …

·       “If I feel like sleeping in, I will probably want to wear comfy pants like leggings, but if I’m willing to wake up a little earlier, I will take the time to put on pants that make me look more put-together, like jeans. Either way, I typically wear boots, a button-down, a scarf, and a vest – what I call “super New England casual preppy.” If I have a lot of time to get ready before going out at night, I will put the most effort into my hair and make-up. I still like to look cute, I guess to guys and girls alike, but I have a boyfriend, so I’m not like trying to attract guys. At night I like to wear jeans or a skirt with a flowy top and wedge boots or heels. I find it most attractive when guys dress a mix of preppy and athletic. I like jeans with either a button-down and a quarter-zip, or a sweatshirt and a vest during the day, but I don’t like it when guys wear pants and shirts that don’t match well. I like the same style at night, but a little dressier, like khakis with a button-down and a backwards hat. It’s definitely a turn-off if guys wear sweatpants out at night.” – sophomore

·       “When I get dressed in the morning, I’m really not thinking about anything but myself. If I have a stressful day of classes in front of me, I’ll just want to be comfy, but if it’s a lower-stress day, I’ll try to dress cute, just because its fun. I’m fairly preppy, and I love sweaters or cardigans with jeans during the day. At night, it’s not that I’m specifically looking to impress guys, but if all of my friends are going out looking hot, then I obviously want to look good, too. Like most girls at Tufts, I’ll usually just wear jeans and a cute top. Not surprisingly, I love it when guys dress preppy, but not like over-the-top-flamboyant-colors-and-sweater-vests preppy. A nice button-down shirt works for me day or night, but I HATE it when guys dress in sweats. Like, occasionally everyone has a day when they need to wear sweatpants to class; that’s totally fine. But it annoys me to no end when guys wear track pants, sneakers, and athletic tee/sweatshirts everyday. Like I get it, you’re on the lacrosse team, now put on some real clothes.” – junior

·       “When I get dressed in the morning, I just think about what the weather is like, and what I’m doing that day. Depending on the weather, I’ll usually wear leggings or shorts and a short or longsleeve tee, and if I’m planning on going to the gym I’ll just wear workout clothes. At night it’s pretty similar: I think about the weather, what I’m planning on doing, where I’m planning on going, and who I’ll likely be seeing. I usually wear either jeans or a skirt with a cute top, or a dress if I’m going out out. I guess I like it when guys dress athletic, but I love a guy that looks good no matter what he’s wearing, even if it’s a sweatshirt and sweatpants. There’s more to a person than his or her outfit. At night, I like to see guys in a button-down shirt, or something that shows off their arms. I guess I find it unattractive when guys wear PJs during the day, but I don’t know – I focus more on guys’ faces than their outfits. I’m attracted to people, not clothing, although I guess a guy who looks homeless probably wouldn’t grab my attention.” – junior

·       “Making guys think I’m hot is definitely not the most important thing to me when I’m picking out my outfit in the morning. Depending on my mood, I may try to dress comfortably, which for me still means leggings, a nice long, baggy, sweater, and stylish boots. A good outfit makes me feel good, and gives me one less thing to worry about throughout an inevitably anxiety-provoking day here at Tufts. At night, if I’m just going to an off-campus house party, jeans or a casual skirt with a nice top and flat boots is fine – after all, this is Tufts. If I’m going out in Boston, I definitely like to take the opportunity to make good use out of a dress and heels. I think that girls need to remember that dresses don’t always have to be tight – there’s nothing wrong with wearing something loose and chic, and the most important thing is that you are able respect what you see in the mirror. I obviously understand that guys often have a smaller selection of clothing, but honestly, if you get just one pair of nice sneakers (not running shoes!), some Sperrys or boots, and just one pea coat for the winter, I promise that you will get much more attention from the ladies.” – senior

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         Not surprisingly, it seems as though Tufts boys are afflicted by the Madonna/Whore complex, being most attracted to a girl who is able to strike a balance between looking put-together but still relaxed during the day, and show off her body at night while still retaining an air of respectability. We females, on the other hand, seem to appreciate a wider range of styles during the day, but the majority of us do seem to be drawn to boys who put in a little extra effort when prowling the party circuit. Perhaps it because I have been exposed to many different styles, having attended a New England prep. school for eight years before spending my first two years of college in Southern California, but, when reflecting upon this subject, I could not really identify a specific look that either draws or repels my attention. I suppose that this may mean that I am more shallow than materialistic (not that that’s a good thing), but I find that I first notice guys’ faces and builds, and tend to think that if someone is cute, he is generally cute in whatever he wears. I love it when girls exhibit their own personal style (my “thing” being wearing mismatched earrings), and I honestly admire girls who frequently sport sweats or sports apparel – yes, this can sometimes be considered to be a “fashion cop out,” but I also think that it indicates a certain level of self-assurance. It can be fun to dress up, and sporting styles you personally like can be a great confidence booster, but just remember that what is most important is how you, yourself feel in what you are wearing. As cliché as it may sound, being true to your own self will make you feel better in the long run than receiving a compliment or two.