How to Dress for a Project Defense

It will amaze you to know that about 20 per cent of the marks awarded during final year project defense go-to dressing, surprised. Yes. One of the reasons for project defense is to prepare students for the future when they must have graduated and secured a job. It is expected that you should act professionally within your work environment at all times such as dressing smartly at places of work and making presentations at work among other official duties. Hence, presentation skill is required to fit into the corporate world effectively. 

The project defense is an avenue to instil that dressing sense in students, which is why a lot of marks are allotted to dressing.  

Project Defense Outfit

The approved outfit for project defense is corporate wear, which for some Institutions could be English corporate or full Traditional wear. I’ll break this down in a bit.

Some institutions in the South East and South West, for example, may allow traditional attire such as senators wear, lace, Ankara etc. during defence, on the condition that it will be complete attire that is, as shown below.

While English corporate (suit) is most accepted, colour selection is a priority. Only official colours such as black, dark blue, navy blue, ash and brown are accepted by most tertiary institutions in Nigeria, though others may differ. We will look at the common project defense attires as approved in 2023.

Approved Male Outfit for Project Defense

White or blue shirt

Fitted trousers

A flying jacket

A nice tie to match the suit

A pair of leather shoes with socks

A fine leather belt to match shoes

Colour of Male Outfit for Project Defense

Shirt – white, sky blue, stripe 

Trousers – black, brown, ash 

Shoes – black, brown

Belt – black, brown

Socks – black, navy blue, round strip

Female Outfit for Project Defense

A pair of knee-length pencil skirts with a chic blouse or a crisp button-down shirt will do.

A pair of trousers with a thin corporate shirt should blend

Midi skirts with an office shirt will match

A sheath dress that does not show your exact body shape should give a classic appearance for low-budget wear.

A fitted shirt on a pair of corporate trousers would spike the moment

Approved Color of Male Shirts for Project Defense

White shirt

Black shirt 

Light green shirt 

Pink shirt 

Ash shirt 

Strip or flower blend shirt 

Sky blue shirt 

Approved Color of Male Trousers or Skirt for Project Defense

Black colour trouser

Brown color trouser

Ash color trouser

Colour of Shoes for Project Defense

Black shoes

Brown shoes

Dark blue shoes

Note: you can knot a well-styled tie or top your shirt with a fancy rose

Make-up and Hair Style

Light makeup and carefully packed or styled hair wouldn’t stare a grudge

Nails 

Should be properly trimmed, not too long. If possible wear naked or natural-look nails at their lowest point.