If you work in a university in a student facing role what do you wear?

[missbipolar]

I'm getting ready to start my new job, I have a few formalish dress (not to short or much cleavage etc) but definitely need to bulk my wardrobe out. The role is student facing in a uni but not academic.

So If you work in uni what kinda things do you wear? Are dark jeans a no go? Is it pretty formal or more smart casual?

I'm occasionally student facing though mostly internal. Generally dark jeans, v necked top, cardigan if cold, necklace, boots not trainers, although converse in the spring...most of my colleagues are the same.

Sometimes looking too formal can put them off. Clean, put together and approachable is the vibe I go for.

The smart stuff is reserved for senior management meetings when needed.

I go with smart casual dresses (jersey type stuff) or jeans, top and relaxed blazer.

I'm a lecturer so like to look vaguely professional (in a business school) but be comfy and as someone said above look approachable.

Anything from White Stuff

I used to be student facing for part of my role - I generally wore high waisted chinos and a drapey shirt half tucked in the front. I also had a few slouchy sweater blazers I'd throw on if I wanted to look a bit fancier.

My office has a no jeans and trainers dress code.

Black jeans, nice shirt, smart shoes. Whole department is smart casual unless management.

Jeans and jumper. I’m a grandmother. Jeans keeps it neutral.

Trainers!

Dp wears band t shirts, cardis and jeans.
I wear a white stuff/run and fly combo.

There is a lot of variety. Main thing is you're comfy, smartish and authentic, I think.

Student facing is very varied from student support to student “discipline”. For more support type roles - smart casual but for more senior/disciplinary/conduct roles - smart is needed ie suit or trousers/skirt with shirt type thing. Black denim could be smart casual but not blue denim.

Congratulations on your new job @missbipolar!
Your current wardrobe sounds fine. Can you remember what type of things the people on your interview panel were wearing? That's usually a good indicator. I manage a very large team in a big uni, many of the team members are student facing and I would say that our dress code is quite smart casual. No suits, but no ripped jeans, cropped tops, or plunging necklines etc but pretty relaxed. Some of my colleagues in the Business School do wear suits etc so it really does depend on the local culture of the team you are in. If in doubt wear your interview smart stuff on the first day and check out what everyone else is wearing.
Good luck!

Comfortable and smart looking clothes.
Jeans/trousers. Shirt/blouse/tunic type tops.
Jumper/cardigan.
Shoes, ultimate comfort as you may be standing up a fair bit.

@Mybestyear is right in that it's context driven, I look at my diary the day before and dress for the in person meetings that I have. So a disciplinary, dress and cardigan at this time of year, wellbeing meetings, jeans and a blouse maybe, institutional restructuring meeting with the SMT, dress and cardi again, it totally depends. None of the above and it's jeans, boots and a top. Nothing with a logo or band name though!

This summer, I was in fitted knee length denim shorts and smart t shirts, as were most other people. And when it was too hot, I was working from home in dresses with a cool footbath under my desk - it's really about knowing the culture as said above.

@redrocket my interview was on zoom, both male wearing smart collared shirts but obviously couldn't tell if they were in dress pants or jeans or their footwear.

Its not a discipline role, its working for the international division so helping with anything querries and signposting to additional support where required.

It's a very small team at the moment (only 3 staff, I'd the 4th)

I have a horrible tendency to either by overdressed or underdressed, I seem to struggle to get it right.

I'm thinking I'll go for something more on the smarter side (so like no trainers or jeans) for the first day or 2 and then gauge what the others in the team wear?

I haven't worked in 18 months so absolutely shitting myself

It’s no jeans, big logo/statement tshirts or trainers here, but smart casual. Lots of casual dresses with tights and boots. Chinos or smart-ish trousers and tops.

Academics wear all sorts but prof services generally slightly on the smarter side.

I'm an academic; my general rule is that I wouldn't want to be mistaken for a student (not that I look 21 any more...)! I have a wardrobe full of jersey dresses to be worn with boots and leggings. Male colleagues are normally in collared shirts with smart jeans and a jacket, but no tie.

Do these dresses look OK? I'm really fussy about trousers so tend to stick to dresses/tights.

It's pretty much a uniform of seasalt/white stuff/fat face type jersey dresses and boots here. Jeans and tops in the sciences

Hi @missbipolar in all honesty I would say that the first three on the left probably wouldn't be appropriate with the cut out section rouching and skirt side split. They are likely to look out of place. The middle one of the three may be OK depending on how low it is on the bust, but to me it's pub / going out than office wear. The last one on the left would probably be OK and the ones on the right are more suitable. Hope that helps!

I briefly worked for a Russell Group university and they were really strict on smart business dress so suits and dresses all the way. I really struggled but I settled on black skirts and I combined them with various inoffensive blouses and cardigans. I only ever wear converse so I came in wearing them and changed into uncomfortable ballet flats because that's what everyone else wore. Haha. I think had it been a solely student facing role the dress code would probably have been more relaxed, but we had all the bigwigs in our building and they insisted on looking smart at all times.