Not sure what to wear to an exam? We have some exam week outfit ideas, plus hair and makeup tips for finals or midterm exam week.
We’re halfway through the semester, and while you’ll have a break to look forward to, that also means midterms and final exams are approaching!
As every college girl knows, fashion is pretty much last on the list of priorities during exam time – who has time to pick out the perfect outfit when you might fail your biology final?
And that’s how it should be. When you’re in college, fashion can’t come before doing what you’re there to do — pass your classes and graduate!
That said, we’ve received lots of emails and comments from readers who want some ideas on what to wear during exam week – outfits that are comfortable, stylish, and easy to put together when you’re pressed for time.
Read on for my top tips for deciding what to wear on exam days.
Table of Contents
Tip: Plan Your Outfits In Advance
On the Sunday before exam week, put together a wardrobe full of basics for the days ahead – as if you were packing for a vacation.
Look for pieces that all go together and could be mixed and matched in a bunch of different ways. That way, when it’s time to get dressed, you just need to throw on some clothes from that pile and go ace your exam! No extra worries.
Exam Week Capsule Wardrobe
A sample “exam week clothing list” could look like this:
Exam Week Bottoms & Accessories
Products: Sweatpants, Jeans, Bootcut Leggings, Sneakers, Boots, Hat, Bag
Exam Week Tops & Outerwear
3 pairs of bottoms – Rotate these every other day. You want to go basic and comfortable here, nothing too over-the-top or uncomfortable that would be hard to pair with your other clothes. I love jogger sweatpants, baggy jeans, and some black bootcut or flared leggings. If it’s very warm where you are, a short of some type will work (think athletic or biker shorts). Comfort is key – don’t choose anything you wouldn’t want to sit in for hours at a time.
Comfy tees, tanks, and long-sleeves – Wardrobe staples that are perfect when you are in a hurry. Consider solid color short-sleeve and long-sleeve tops, along with loose-fitting henley tops and oversized t-shirts. These all can be mixed and matched with pretty much anything! Avoid overly cropped, tight-fitting, or low-cut tops, as you won’t want to be fussing or worrying about any wardrobe malfunctions while you’re taking an exam.
1 or 2 oversized jackets and/or a hoodie! – Another staple for me. Almost any oversized jacket will do, but personally, I love fleece and sherpa jackets, which can be worn with athletic wear (like leggings) or casual clothing (like jeans), making them as versatile as they are cozy. You can also never go wrong with a hoodie or sweatshirt, which you can also layer under one of the oversized jackets.
Sneakers, slides, or comfy boots – You want to make sure you’re comfortable and at your exam on time, so fancy footwear is out! Some sporty sneakers or cozy Ugg boots are on-trend options that are comfy and easy to wear.
A tote bag – If you’re just taking a test and don’t have any other classes, a small tote bag is the easiest option. Just bring your ID, money, phone, and some extra study materials, along with your water cup or bottle. Less stuff to carry and less to worry about are both good things to have on exam days!
A baseball hat – I’m a big fan of baseball and trucker hats during exam week since I don’t have time to do much with my hair. Caps are perfect for disguising any bedhead or greasy hair, along with undereye circles (which are inevitable after pulling an all-nighter).
Sample Exam Week Wardrobe
As you can see, all of the above items can be mixed and matched to create a bunch of go-to outfits during exam week. This is why basics are your friends! While these are just a few sample outfits, the combinations are endless.
Tip: Don’t Wear Anything You’d Sleep In
While I know it’s tempting to stay up all night studying and go to your final in the same sweats, you’ll feel more awake and ready for your test if you’re dressed normally, or at least if you change out of what you wore the night before. Going to an exam in your PJs can make it difficult to concentrate (not to mention that it’s definitely not a stylish choice).
It’s no more difficult to throw on a pair of jeans before you go to your exam, and it will make a huge difference in how you feel during the test. Try it for yourself – I think you’ll be surprised at the results.
Exam Week Hair & Makeup Tips:
The best tip I can give you for doing your hair and makeup during exam week is to keep it super simple. There are few times in your college career that are more stressful than exam weeks, and the easier you can make it on yourself, the better.
Here are a few tips on how to look cute while spending little or no time on hair and makeup during exam week.
Makeup
Products: Rhode Lip Tint, Glossier Mascara, Saie Tinted Moisturizer, Merit Blush
While you definitely don’t need to wear any makeup to your exams, like with your outfit, you may feel a bit more awake and put-together by wearing a little bit of makeup.
(But of course, do whatever feels right for you — if you want to wear more makeup or none at all, either way is totally fine!).
The key is to pick products that are easy and quick to apply. For example, Saie’s Slip Tint is a lightweight tinted moisturizer with sheer coverage and SPF 35. This will help to even out the look of your skin while also protecting you from the sun’s harmful rays, all in one step.
A little bit of blush will make your face look more alive, and Merit’s cream blush is very easy to blend out in a short amount of time, unlike some other blushes, which go on extremely pigmented. You can even use your fingers to blend a bit onto the apples of your cheeks, and you’ll instantly look flushed (in a good way).
Some lightweight, natural-looking mascara like Glossier’s Lash Slick will enhance your lashes without going over-the-top. Its smudge-resistant and long-lasting formula with up to 12 hours wear will hold up well throughout your long days on campus.
Finally, no makeup look (or even a no-makeup look) is complete without some lip balm or a lip tint! Rhode’s Peptide Lip Tint will keep your lips hydrating while also adding a sheer hint of buildable color to pull it all together.
My advice is to skip the eyeshadow, eyeliner, lipstick, and complex makeup when you’re going to an exam! The goal is to look presentable without spending more than 5 minutes doing your face. Keep the complicated makeup for another time – after all, you have last-minute studying to do!
Hair
Your hair should be out of your face so that when you’re working on your exam, it doesn’t get in your way. I hate it when I’m constantly trying to pull my hair back during a test!
Again, skip complicated styles and go with something basic, like one of these easy hairstyles for college, or throw your hair up in a claw clip. You’ll be ready in a flash and won’t be fixing a complicated hairstyle all day.
A baseball hat can also tame unruly hair and hide the fact that you may not have washed it anytime recently…
Another quick hair tip: don’t wear a headband or super tight ponytail if they can give you headaches. This happens to me occasionally, and I wouldn’t want to be stuck with a distracting headache during an important final.
The Most Important Thing:
Hopefully, this article will help make it easier for you to look cute without worrying about it so that you can focus on doing your best on your exams.
I know it’s obvious, but at the end of the day, what you wear during exam week isn’t as important as how you do on your exam.
Good luck to all of you on your midterms and finals this year!
More Tips for Exam Days
If you need more help preparing for exams, we’ve got you! Here are some other CF articles to give you more information:
- 12 Steps to Acing Those Final Exams
- Test Anxiety Tips: How to Deal With Anxiety During Exam Week
- How to Overcome Procrastination When Studying for Finals
- 4 Ways to Pamper Yourself During Finals Week
- Finals Outfits for Every Sense of Style
- 4 Outfits for Every Stage of Finals Week
What do you think of our exam day style guide?
What do you wear to take exams? Do you wear your pajamas to take exams, or would you wear jeans? Leave a comment and tell me what you’d wear, or drop a tip for other college students!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2008; it was completely updated and revamped in 2024 with new photos and information.
I always find when I make a tiny bit of effort in my appearance, like making the effort to wear jeans and not my lululemons or sweats, it makes me FEEL better and more confident, and I usually do better on tests.
Totally know what you mean by the bangles, they are so irritating sometimes.
i would wear just a plain dress under tights for exam days (if it is in the summer) or winter, just jeans, a shirt and a jumper over it(in the winter!!) How about wearing haviannas on exam days?? I find that they are comfy. Plus i cannot stand wearing sweats and pjs in an exam room!!!
makeup wise, i just wear tinted moisturizer and that is it. I will not go into an exam room with a cake face (imagines a caked face melting in the exam room..not cool). And hair wise, i just leave it out!
What you said couldn’t be more right! If I wore sweatpants or my PJs to an exam, I would fall asleep through the test! I think that giving yourself that preparation time in the morning can clear your mind a little before you dig into however many exams that you have. Plus, looking better just makes you feel better about yourself, which ultimately could affect your exam performance! Good blog! =D
Oh these are totally great tips!
I actually did wear a pair of cute earrings, and they were the diamond earrings my fiance bought me from www.idonowidont.com and I wore them for luck.
They helped me feel more confident when I took my SAT’s and got a decent score in the end, so all these tips help ladies!
youre going to hate to hear this, but although i usually look quite pulled together, i come to exams with no makeup, a 2-second ponytail, and sweatpants. I really cant waste time worrying about my looks on a day that tests my intelligence.
I hear you on the Starbucks! That’s one of my favorite accessories at exam time too 🙂
i find that putting a little bit of effort into my outfit on exam day, as much i don’t want to, really helps my confidence. as you said, i go for basics – (bascially everything you listed) but i feel better about myself when i’m dressed nicely.
when i wear sweat pants, i feel blah! except when i’m lounging around the house or whatever.
jeans, a t-shirt, cardigan, and boots or flats (depending on the season) and i’m ready to go!
This is all good. Yea, any chance we can get recommendations for holiday parties? They can be tough to dress for.
I always wear jeans, but with a hoodie, so much more comfy if you ask me! and also i tend to feel really cold when i didnt sleep much, and hoodies are warmer then cardigans…
On exam days I stick to something comfy but still stylish. If I feel confident about myself I tend to perform better on exams. I’m usually low key with make-up and carry a big purse to keep track of notebooks & flashcards and accessorize with a venti starbucks haha.
🙂
I don’t even want to think about what I used to wear to my exams! It’s true, if you shower and dress – you’ll feel better and perform better. Good luck!
If I’m wearing a cute, well put together outfit with my sweatpants, I still feel just as confident! I am just more comfy, so I usually do better. I have always worn sweats on testing days.
Good point, but I’m still gonna wear sweatpants!
I usually wear yoga pants or anything that will keep me cozy and warm here in Iowa in the winter. No makeup or anything just hair up out of my face. I will probably be wearing leggings tomorrow, boots, a long sleeve shirt and an oversized hoodie. And backpack. 🙂 I like to be comfy and I do just fine on exams, whether or not I’m in pjs, yoga pants, sweats, leggings or jeans.
Great tips, definitely going to help me focus on exams versus style(: I would also add to wear cute, but comfy panties and bra. I don’ know why, but I’ve found that if I wear my sports bra and bikini panties, I feel less awake and focused than I would with a nice (but comfy) bra and panties. Even though no one’s going to see it (during exams anyway), you’ll feel more confident and less cautious of your looks.
Thanks for the article<3
I would wear jeans, leggings or if I’m really lazy, then shorts. As for hair and makeup, I wouldn’t even think that much. Hair just goes into a pony tail and I don’t wear any makeup usually, much less during exams.