Dressing the Part: Professional Style on Columbia’s Campus

On Columbia’s and Barnard’s campuses, what clothes you wear make up more than just an outfit—they become a language. In this episode of Pod-Tone 292, reporter Sharanya Maulik explores how students navigate professional fashion while balancing cultural identity, industry expectations, and pressures tied to gender and race. Featuring conversations with students across disciplines and Anne Higonnet, the Barbara Novak professor of art history, this episode unpacks the archives, influence, and complexity behind looking “professional” at an Ivy League institution.