Photo courtesy of Emily Tozer

It’s 8:30 a.m. You have class at 9 a.m., but you are still in a-sort-of-asleep state. Hitting the snooze button seems to make so much more sense than getting out of bed. And in that panicked rush ten minutes later, running to class in your pajamas might seem like it makes sense, too. But guess what? That’s only acceptable when you’re under the age of five and out past bedtime. Your Soffe shorts and street painting-stained frat tee aren’t exactly class-appropriate.

I had an internship while I studied abroad in London. At the end of my first week, my boss commented that she was apprehensive about hiring an American student because when she visited an American university she was appalled at the clothing that students wore to class — specifically pajamas and sweatpants with words across the butt.

Now, I understand. We’re busy, we’re tired and very few people will choose to get up twenty minutes earlier to get dressed for class. That’s why it’s a great idea to have a go-to outfit¬ — something that’s easy to throw on and look instantly presentable. My suggestion? A dress.

Stay with me here! A casual dress is the ideal piece to throw on last minute. Think about it: It’s one piece, no matching of separates required. Plus, loose, tunic-style dresses, skater skirt dresses and sundresses are so comfortable that you could probably fool yourself into thinking you’re still in pajamas.

If dresses just aren’t your thing, maybe you go with jeans and ballet flats (running shoes are for when you’re going running). I even support leggings, but there will be more on that later. In reality, it probably only takes you a total of fifteen minutes to put on real-world clothes, brush your hair, throw your books in a bag and walk to class. No matter what you do, please leave those pajamas at home.