I don’t know about you, but when I think about talking to professors of physics I imagine conversing about equations of motion or the details of mass-energy but certainly not their fashion.
As it turns out their fashion choices might be as interesting as physics itself.
I asked Geoffrey Poore, a professor of physics, if I could talk with him about his department’s fashion.
Dr. Poore summarizes his fashion as “what will look moderately good and not go out of style in the near future…which precludes being trendy. However, if I avoid the stereotype of the professor who wears whatever they find on the floor that morning then that’s an improvement.”
I notice that he is wearing a button down with no tie, which makes me curious if he has an aversion to ties.
He explains that he does own ties, though no bow ties.
“In physics, wearing a normal tie when teaching mechanics class and working with gears could be dangerous,” Poore said with a chuckle. Therefore, he prefers to go with the no-tie look when he’s teaching, for comfort as well as safety.
You heard it from the physics department first: look good but be wary of ties and mechanical gears.
After I finished talking with Dr. Poore, I walked across the hall to speak with William Nettles, professor and chair of the physics department, who enthusiastically explained to me the ins and outs of his personal style.
He begins by explaining the basics. He usually wears some type of khakis because they are more comfortable than dress slacks. Pairing his khakis with button down, Oxford cloth shirts, usually pinpoint (he notes that Land’s End usually has the best ones, who knew?).
“When I wear ties, I wear bow ties, whether I wear one or not is just how I feel that day,” Nettles said. “I started wearing bow ties in college so it’s nothing new. Also, no clip-on ties, I always tie my own.”
Dr. Nettles began to tell me the story of when he bought his first bow tie.
“My mom gave me money to buy a suit when I was in college. My best friend and I went to a store called ‘The Rogue’ in Jackson, Miss.. I bought a three-piece suit and my friend said ‘You need a bow tie with this.’ I questioned him on this but I bought one and he taught me how to tie it,” Nettles said. “I’ve been wearing bow ties for 44 years.”
The fascinating thing about Dr. Nettles is that he’s open to trying new things. He tells me that he never used to wear hats but now he occasionally enjoys wearing them, including the new spring fedora he just bought.
“I’ve gotten compliments on it from my wife,” he said, smiling.
If we can learn anything from the fashion of our physics professors it’s that their style is one to be imitated. In fact, several years ago a student dressed up as Dr. Nettle for Halloween: Khakis, button down, pin point, Oxford cloth shirt, bow tie.
If you combine Nettle’s bow ties and his love of riding his motorcycle, that definitely makes for a fun and fashionable professor.
“Sometimes I will be seen riding with a bow tie on, I have been called the bow tie biker.”
