Business-casual dress takes center stage in many settings at the University of Mississippi, but some professors stretch the standard and use their work attire as a form of self-expression. From button-downs to sneakers, UM instructors have introduced their own sense of style to Ole Miss — and students are taking notice.
Mark Dolan
Mark Dolan, associate professor of journalism, is known by students for his vibrant suits and personal style, which he started cultivating at a young age.
“All of the sixties’ fashion shaped the way I saw fashion,” Dolan said. “I saw it as art.”
Wearing a seersucker suit, a fedora or a beret, Dolan has a wide variety of patterns and textures he likes to incorporate into his outfits for the classroom.
“I have favorite fabrics and textures more than I do brands,” Dolan said. “I like linen and imported cotton. It’s important to me to feel the fabrics and pick them from swatches before I have a suit made.”
Dolan sees his fashion as an expression of who he is as a person and professional. As advisor to the University of Mississippi Fashion Panel, fashion is meaningful to him.
“Fashion is about ideas, and what we wear is how we negotiate our aesthetic, our political identity, our sexual identity,” Dolan said. “It’s this outward expression of a lot of things that are inward.”
Senior integrated marketing communications major Amelia Sweeney is a fan of Dolan’s style. She enjoys observing his fashion in her IMC 205 class.
“His day-to-day outfits would not leave anyone to be surprised that he is a fashionable professor,” Sweeney said. “Dolan encourages all of us to show off our own personal style just like he does.”
As a professor, Dolan does not forget his area of expertise when it comes to what he wears, drawing on historical significance of twentieth-century newsrooms.
“Sometimes I wear things that are a little bit of a reference to journalistic eras, like seersucker,” Dolan said. “I bring my tie down, you know like I’m working in a newsroom and bent over a typewriter.”
Dolan reminds students that dressing professionally is important, especially in broadcast journalism. He serves as an example to students to combine a professional look with your inner self, creating an image that is uniquely individual.
“I think professional style and how you present yourself is important, especially in journalism,” Dolan said. “What we wear says something about who we are.”
Vanessa Charlot
Assistant professor of media communications Vanessa Charlot marries “street style” with professionalism. Charlot’s style was birthed from prior experience working in the media industry and her upbringing in Miami.
“I have extensive experience in the actual industry in both journalism and entertainment, so as a photographic artist, I am used to dressing in a very eclectic way,” Charlot said.
Charlot’s photography resume includes fashion houses such as Gucci and magazines such as Vogue, which she credits for keeping her style diverse.
“I like things that not a lot of people are wearing and that stand out,” Charlot said.
Doc Martens boots, particularly, are a staple in Charlot’s wardrobe.
“Everytime I go into Journalism 103, I see the shiny burgundy boots and a ’90s vibe from her that I think is really cool,” Awa Camara, a freshman journalism major, said.
Charlot acknowledged that her typical shoe choice and that she likes to accessorize to spruce up an outfit, often looking to Japanese streetwear for inspiration.
“I’m intentional about not going too over the top because I am a professor,” Charlot said. “But I think it is a fun thing when you’re able to show the aspect of who you are.”
Raja Malikah Rahim
Raja Malikah Rahim, an assistant professor of history and African American studies, wants to show students that she is professional but does not have to be too serious. She enjoys tying in things that she is teaching about into her attire.
“The other day I was lecturing about Malcolm X, so I wore a T-shirt with a quote from him on it,” Rahim said. “I consider what I wear ‘street style.’ I dress for the content that I am teaching that day.”
Rahim finds comfort in Steve Madden shoes and prefers to wear jeans, pairing her denim with a crew neck or cardigan. Her students admire how she ties trends of the early 2000s like skinny jeans into her closet rotation in modern, stylish ways.
“I love Steve Madden because they are affordable, they have great style and I love the history behind the brand, which is important,” Rahim said. “I think for me it is important for professors to reflect their humanity and identity. Staying true to that is most relatable to students in this climate.”
Harrison Lee
History of brands is something Harrison Lee, visiting professor of philosophy and religion, emphasizes, as well. Lee reads Permanent Style, a fashion blog from which he draws much outfit inspiration.
“There are a lot of traditions in fashion, and the blog gives good advice on how to be aware of the history of what you’re wearing,” Lee said. “It’s important to know the history of your clothing and what you are signaling by wearing it.”
Lee loves vintage clothing, including reproduced styles from the 20th century, such as military chinos. He sometimes wears chinos on Fridays with jeans, preferably Japanese denim.
“I really like TCB jeans, which are WWII-era jeans that have been re-constructed,” Lee said. “During the war, a lot of manufactures had to cut quality, so some of the jeans during that time had mistakes, so the reproduced styles have the mistakes as well, which is neat.”
“He always looks very spiffy,” Morgan Smith, a sophomore public policy leadership major and student of Lee’s, said.
Reaching students is a goal for many professors, and Lee feels that by wearing formal clothing, you can build trust within your students.
“I dress on the more formal end of the spectrum,” Lee said. “I feel students are entrusting me with their education, and I want to dress professionally to honor that.”
Micah Carrisoza
Micah Carrisoza is a second-year graduate assistant working on his masters in mathematics who helps teach two sections of college algebra (Math 121), and his students have noticed his “shoe game.”
“He is definitely with the times,” Breanna Adams, a sophomore allied health studies major, said. “He always has a great shoe game and is really cool.”
Carrisoza wears sneakers ranging from his favorite Nike Dunks to a pair of New Balance 480s, offering comfort and individuality in his style as a teacher.
“A lot of what I wear, I don’t have a choice because we are required to dress professionally,” Carrisoza said. “But they never said anything about shoes.”
