Hi

I'm having my viva in a few days and I don't know what I should wear. I lecture at possibly the most laid back Uni in the world and normally wear jeans and a t-shirt to work. Should I wear a suit for the viva? In a strange twist of fate the stress of the viva has caused me to loose enough weight to get back into the suit I wore to my PhD interview.

Tiggs

Generally I'd say a suit (your external might not realise how laidback you guys normally are). if not, just generally smart clothes should be fine. Saying that, I know a guy who did his viva in jeans and a t-shirt last year... luckily his external was very cool and clearly didn't hold it against him, he got a straight pass, no corrections!

I was thinking suit.

Suit - although your university might be laid back, you don't necessarily know if your external will be. Whilst you *could* turn up in a suit and the external and internal are casually dressed... I think that will be less worrying than if you turn up in jeans and are faced with 2 people smartly dressed. Wearing a suit in some cases suggests you take your viva seriously and want to make a good impression.

Good luck and although it might not have been intentional.. well done on the weight loss.. I think I have put on over a stone from comfort eating before mine and am now back on the diet

I'm normally one for comfort eating, hence though the other trials I've had this year - started job, had mock viva (was in shock for 2 days), bought house. I've gained weight slowly though comfort eating and not having time to go to the gym. However the last month or so I've had no appertite and have been working flat out to keep up with everythign.

Tiggs

go naked thatshould be a horro attacked for attacked

I'd wear whatever *you* feel comfortable in (within reason). Err on the side of smart, but don't go in there feeling all physically constrained or self-conscious in an outfit. I like V-neck sweaters with a nice shirt & necklace, and a pair of smart black jeans for formaility, but that's just me.