I remember when I was doing my PhD I looked my worst (Mr Toad of Toad Hall style worst). Post docing hasn't helped much.

However, and maybe this is just a psychology thing, but the younger female PhDers here all make a tremendous amount of effort with their appearance, that sometimes coming to work feels like visiting the set of Hollyoaks. Its obvious they all spark each other off, so they have entered this "beauty arms-race". Also any changes in fashion catch on like a category 1 epidemic.

Mind you, the boys tend to start off scruffy and get scruffier. We had this exchange student from Japan who came for his first week dressed in a suit and by the time he left a few weeks later had started coming to work in Surfing shorts and sandals.

I see a new TV program in the making! 'Queer eye for the PhD guy', 'Redress the Post Doc', 'What not to wear (out of the lab)'

"the younger female PhDers here all make a tremendous amount of effort with their appearance, that sometimes coming to work feels like visiting the set of Hollyoaks. Its obvious they all spark each other off, so they have entered this "beauty arms-race".

I don't see that amongst our PhDs, but the undergrad girls go to a massive amount of trouble. You can't get to the bog between 8.30am and 9.30am for all the girls getting changed into their best clothes and putting jewellery on. Even as an undergrad I couldn't be bothered with that.

I'd think I'd feel like I was on a different planet if I was at a university where students dressed up in their best clothes in the loo or looked like the cast of Hollyoaks. Even our fashion students don't do that. It sounds quite interesting if different courses or disciplines have different styles of dress that are nothing to do with being practical though.

well...anyway, researchers are supposed to be nerdy...what's the use of dressing so gorgeously only to bury oneself in books. It's rather a distraction. I would even go so far as to say, in order to get the PhD properly done, one shouldn't look too tidy all the time

lol

solving causality is one the research challenges

thus the other hypothesis is "only ugly people do PhD" ....:-s

Since I quit my PhD I've lost some weight, have started taking more care of myself, and generally don't look like *quite* such a scruffbag, so there is hope of redemption. I think it's really hard to find the time/energy to make the right decisions about food/exercise etc when you're doing a PhD, let alone actually put them into practice!

yaaay! Thanks for the star H :-)

By the way, a friend of mine dyed her hair recently and the the grey ones created an amazing highlight effect ;-)

You guys are freaking me out! I have just completed my MSc and have applied for PhD and am hoping to start it next month but after reading all this stuff on the forum....let's just say I am having second thoughts. I can't believe it, is it that bad? I mean I am just 22 and I have no intention of appearing old or ugly form now onwards! :-(

I don't think it is that bad! may be at the end... but my experience at the beginning was way different. It was fun and not so stressful. Now, staring at computer screen all day is making my face wrinkly! but it will get better when I hand in...
Don't be put off doing a PhD - everyone's experiences are different! :-)

You've gotta do what you've gotta do (and then deal with the consequences!)

I found this and OMG is it true!

I have gotten so bloody fat! Sitting on my backside everyday gradually putting myself into the comatose state of learning something

I have put on about 2/3 stone
My lighter roots are coming through
I cant be bothered getting dressed into 'proper clothes' unless Im leaving the house then I try to look decent.
Generally I find doing a PhD you spend less time on you. More time grabing food even if you arent doing work you always have that hectic stressed look on your face.
If we arent working we are worried about not working. If we know we should be working more, we scare ourselves and end up working less.

Is there a post PhD diet? Maybe we should start marketing one?

lol, I'd forgotten about this thread! Thanks for bringing it back to life!

I'm not quite post-phd yet but I've started to do something about the uglyness, got myself a personal trainer ;-)

Personal trainer!!! What kind of funding have you got H? My personal trainer is my cat that makes me get up to feed him or he sits on my head clawing at my eyes (can't type quite so quickly if I can't see).

lol sleepyhead! I have a full time job thats how I can afford it.... (thats also why thesis is still unfinished)