What to Wear to Uni Open Day (and College Tours)
What to wear to uni open day comes down to one rule: dress for a full day of walking, standing and talking, in whatever the weather is doing. Comfortable shoes, jeans or chinos, a clean top and a layer you can take off, and you'll fit in fine. Nobody is grading your outfit; the tutors and student ambassadors are looking at the course, not your fit.
If your real problem is staring at your wardrobe with "nothing to wear" while owning loads, WORN is being built to show you what you actually wear, and what to wear tomorrow: Start my outfit diary
Does what you wear to an open day matter?
Short answer: not really. A uni open day (UK) or college tour (US and Canada) isn't an interview. You won't be judged on your jeans.
What does matter:
- Comfort: you might walk several miles between buildings, halls and the students' union.
- Weather: tours happen outside, rain or shine.
- Confidence: you'll ask questions, meet students and maybe chat to a lecturer. Feeling like yourself helps.
Most people visit in Year 12 or 13 (UK) or junior and senior year (US and grade 11 or 12 in Canada), long before leavers shirt day. You are there to check out the uni, not to be checked out.
The one exception: if the day includes an interview or audition (medicine, drama, art portfolio days), check the email the uni sent. Smart casual is usually the safe choice there.
The comfortable-but-put-together formula
Here's the uni open day outfit formula that works for basically everyone:
Clean bottoms + simple top + one layer + walking shoes + a small bag.
| Piece | Easy options | Skip |
|---|---|---|
| Bottoms | Jeans, chinos, cargos, wide-leg trousers | Brand-new stiff jeans, super short shorts |
| Top | Plain tee, knit, shirt, clean hoodie | Anything you'll fidget with all day |
| Layer | Denim jacket, overshirt, cardigan, light puffer | A heavy coat on a warm day |
| Shoes | Broken-in trainers or sneakers, flat boots | New shoes, heels, flimsy sandals |
| Bag | Crossbody or small backpack | A giant tote you'll carry for eight hours |
Open day outfit ideas
- Classic: straight jeans, white tee, overshirt, white trainers.
- Cozy: cargos, knit jumper (sweater), puffer vest, chunky sneakers.
- Smart casual: chinos, a plain shirt or polo, clean trainers or loafers. Good if there's an interview.
- Rainy day: dark jeans, a hoodie, a waterproof jacket, boots that don't leak.
- Warm day: loose trousers or a midi skirt, a tee, a light shirt as a layer, comfy trainers.
You don't need new clothes for any of these. Your best "normal" outfit is the right outfit.
Shoes for a day of campus walking
The most important part of what to wear to university open day is on your feet. Campuses can be huge, split across sites, and full of hills and stairs.
- Wear shoes you've already walked in for hours. Open day is not the day to break in new trainers.
- Grip matters if it's wet. Smooth soles plus a wet campus is a bad combo.
- Pack plasters (Band-Aids) anyway.
- Parents too: whoever's coming with you should also skip the fancy shoes.
Dressing for UK weather on open day
Most UK open days run in summer and autumn, so you could get heat, drizzle or both in one afternoon.
Summer open days (June to July)
- Breathable fabrics, a light layer for air-conditioned lecture halls.
- Sunglasses and a water bottle for outdoor tours.
Autumn open days (September to November)
- Layers: tee, knit, jacket.
- A waterproof, or at least a hood. Umbrellas are annoying in a tour group.
Check the forecast for that city, not your home town
The uni you're visiting could be a few hundred miles away with totally different weather. Check the forecast the night before.
Here's where people get stuck: you plan the perfect open day outfit, then realize you wore the same jeans and hoodie to the last three visits and the photos all look identical. Or you can't remember what worked. WORN is planned as a one-photo-a-day outfit diary with no tagging. It remembers what you wore to each visit, and after a month shows the pieces you really live in, so choosing tomorrow's fit takes seconds. Start my outfit diary
College tour outfits (US and Canada)
In the US it's a college tour or campus visit; in Canada you'll hear university tour or campus tour. The formula is the same, with a couple of local twists.
What to wear on a college tour (US)
- Fall tours: jeans, a crewneck or quarter-zip, sneakers. Very standard.
- Spring and summer: shorts or light pants, a tee, sneakers, sunscreen. Southern campuses get hot.
- Wearing the school's merch to its own tour? Some students love it, some find it a bit much. Wearing a different school's hoodie is the slightly awkward one.
- Info session or interview: smart casual. Chinos and a button-down or a plain knit.
University tour outfits in Canada
- Winter campus tours can be properly cold. A warm coat, hat, gloves and waterproof boots beat looking cute and freezing.
- Many campuses have indoor walkways or tunnels, but tours still go outside.
What to wear to university orientation
Orientation (freshers' week in the UK, O-week in Canada, orientation in the US) is a similar vibe with more events. Same comfy formula, plus one slightly nicer outfit for any socials. Once term starts, here's what to wear to university every day.
What to bring
A quick uni open day checklist:
- Phone, charged, with a portable charger
- Printed or saved schedule and campus map
- Water bottle and a snack
- A notebook, or notes app, with questions to ask
- Layers: jacket or waterproof
- Plasters and any meds you need
- Travel tickets or parking info
- A small bag to carry freebies and prospectuses
Questions worth asking
- What does a normal week of lectures and seminars look like?
- How are you assessed: exams, coursework or both?
- What's first-year accommodation really like?
- What do students do on weekends?
Walk in feeling like yourself
The best uni open day outfit is one you'd happily wear on a normal Tuesday, because that's what you'll wear if you go there. WORN is a planned outfit diary: one photo a day, and after a month it tells you the four things you really wear and suggests what to wear tomorrow from your own clothes. Join the waitlist for one email when it opens.
FAQ
What should I wear to a university open day?
Wear comfortable, clean everyday clothes: jeans or chinos, a simple top, a layer, and shoes you can walk in all day. There's no dress code for a uni open day, so dress for the weather and lots of walking.
What shoes should I wear to uni open day?
Broken-in trainers or sneakers are the best shoes for uni open day. You'll walk a lot, often across hills and stairs, so skip new shoes, heels and thin sandals.
What should parents wear to an open day?
Parents should dress the same way: comfortable, weather-appropriate and ready to walk. Smart casual is fine, but good shoes matter more than anything else.
Should I dress up for a college tour?
No, a college tour is casual. Jeans, a sweatshirt or tee and sneakers are completely normal. Dress a little smarter only if you have an interview or info session with admissions.
What do you wear to a uni interview day?
Go smart casual unless the uni tells you otherwise: chinos or dark trousers, a shirt or neat knit, clean shoes. It shows effort without being stiff, and you'll still be comfortable on the tour.