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 second the cute glasses article request!
My exam week was last week and I refused to wear sweats at all.
On my first day I had a presentation so I had to look really formal and I wore a skirt with heels and all the works. The other days were more relaxed, I wore jeans with either boots or my pretty sneakers. I like to look put together even if I stayed up until 3 in the morning studying the day before.
I totally agree with the jeans vs. pajamas. pajamas make me feel too comfy and relaxed, and not as focused and alert as jeans would.
oh and mind you, i felt that wearing jeans to an exam helps with my performance in exam, and one time, since i had a Saturday exam, i woke up late and didn’t get enough time to put on jeans, so i threw on tights and a jumper, plus haviannas!! (This was winter btw)/
i must admit, i have been a sucker to the sweats! i know the shame the shame!!! i recently bought my first sweats cuz i constantly saw my boyfriend in them. so i feel in love with the university of memphis sweats, they are comfy and they keep me warm during the coldest winter of my life!
that bangles one is true!! i used to come to class with a lot of wrist action, and i would always have to switch them to the inactive wrist because they were always loud and in the way
that’s true about wearing sweats and feeling crappy AND then not doing so well on the exam! i prefer dressing decent at least…because i don’t want to look like i stayed up cramming all night even though i usually do. its good to feel in control at least by looking in control . but yeah, point is…who cares how we look on exam days anyway?
btw do you mind making a blog about how to fight shopping addiction!? the holidays i think is killing everybody’s wallets : ( and college is just getting more and more expensive here…thanks to the new budget.
I sleep in pajama bottoms with big concert tee like t-shirts. When finals come around I’m not too concerned about fashion even though planning ahead makes sense. Day of a casual final I wear either dark bootcut jeans or fitted sweatpants with a fitted t-shirt and navy blue tennis shoes. My hair is up in a ponytail I did as I drove, only makeup I got on is some conclearer and thats it
LOL i totally agree w/ Annie! it happens to me all the time!
one of my tips is that, when i forget bobby pins (since no one really wears it nowaways…) i used the pen cap instead. YES that makes me look very silly but the truth is when youre takin the test, no one is reli lukin at u…LOL
and my exams are comin up! it’s really cold now but sometimes in the testing rooms its so hot. i have hard time predicting the temperature :S
i’m also thinkin of like long sweaters with stockings, or cardigans with jeans.
thanks so much brianna! :):):)
if you can, can you put up an article on how to look great and trendy with glasses on? i hate glasses…but unfortunately most of the time i have to wear them 🙁
and i agree with the budget thing that piggu mentioned!! i need to control myself…but it’s so hard =(
i love CF <3 ^^
i totally 100% am with the no sweats PJ’s thing!!
soo many people in my college wear them all the time, it doesnt take 2 secs to throw on a pair of jeans ..
i can manage it after a college party, were feel like throwing up but you still get dressssed!!!
englands atm is -3 degrees so yeahh can undrstand why people cba butt.. i just cant bring myslef to do itt!!
having to wear a different outfit everydayy is a struggle! and im sooo crazy for jewellery!!
stubbled accross this blog by chance and its been my bible for the last few weeks sooo cheers!! 🙂
Ooh, I totally agree with the no PJ thing. In high school, it used to drive me NUTS when girls would do their hair and makeup but still wear PJs. Come on! How long does it take to throw on a pair of jeans??
I’ve noticed a change in my personality and self esteem when I feel cute, so I think it’s worth it to not look like a total slob. If I’m feeling good about myself, I can concentrate on other stuff.
8 days til I’m on winter break!!!
Why would anyone want ot wear their pjs for an exam? That’s just being pure lazy. I like your idea on what to wear on exam days. How about what to wear to Christmas parties and New Years parties?
I’m so glad you mentioned the headbands problem. I’ve learned that the hard way!
Another thing is, if you have bangs/side bangs that haven’t been trimmed in a while, trim them or put them up with bobby pins or something like that… there’s nothing worse than having fringes of hair getting in your eyes when you’re looking down on a test.
Here in asia, with warm weather.. i like to wear dresses.. final is on friday and im thinkin to wear some comfy cotton dress with gladiator flats 😉 for cold weather, i would wear long sweater with legging and finish with flat knee-high boots..