We’re used to fielding queries about looking smarter. If there’s one thing we know, it’s how to scrub up, and scrub up well. But what about looking the other kind of smart? As in more clever – or, rather, cleverer. If there are two things we know, it’s how to look like we know more than two things. One reader is certainly in need of a schooling. We drop the knowledge, below.

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How to dress like a young professor?

From @demian.czrz via Instagram

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The quote in your bio reads, “Discovery starts with anomalies”. Its author might have been talking about behavioural economics, but we think the philosophy applies just as readily to the pursuit of style. A period of trial and error is the only real way to ascertain what works for you. Settling on a so-called look, whatever it may be, is about more than simply what suits you. Clothes are social cues. They tell the casual observer who we are, what we do and, for better or worse, how to judge us. Which is why your enquiry – how to dress like a young professor – is particularly intriguing. It’s unclear whether you want to cultivate the air of an academic because your chosen profession necessitates it, or if you simply wish to look like someone who spends a lot of time surrounded by lots and lots of books. No matter, the why here isn’t particularly important, so let’s get down to the how.

Unless you’re attending a fancy dress party, it’s best to avoid wholesale cliché. You’re going for young professor, not dusty tome. Be wary of anything too traditional, such as tweed. Rumour has it that the fabric became the academic’s cloth of choice because, unlike navy or black suiting, the speckled material masked chalk marks, which renders it all but obsolete these days. Instead, choose something that speaks to your smarts, but still suggests you know what’s what. Corduroy, once maligned and now very much the done thing (thank you, Mr Wes Anderson), is an excellent alternative for both blazers and trousers. Up top, be sure to choose an unstructured fit. Italian brand Boglioli has an especially unstudied option, which doesn’t feel at all stuffy. On the bottom half, there’s a lot to be said for pleated, tapered or ever so slightly cropped trousers.

With everything else, the aim is to pick pieces that fall within the old-school bracket, but modify it slightly. Think professor, but make it fashion. Want to wear a button-down shirt? Try it in a denim-like chambray. A tank top? Go for a logo monogram (see Gucci). Brogues? Opt for an abundantly soled Derby instead. Neckwear? Ditch the bow tie and wear an air equivalent with pride. As for glasses, which are non-negotiable, whether you require a prescription or not, tortoiseshell might be the most obvious choice, but clear frames feel a tad fresher. And lastly, but perhaps most saliently, pick something, anything really, that’s your thing. All professors are nutty to some degree and are known for their eccentricities and idiosyncrasies. Settle on a singularity that distinguishes you. Just make sure it doesn’t have elbow patches.