College Style

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

the comments about the high school
girls wearing heels..we wear uniforms an girls
wear heels..I dont have an issue as long at they arent
the "church heels"(below 3 inches) or stripper/ hooker heels or boots..
when we had dress down day most girls wore flats and only select few..I would say the stylishgirls wore heels and last year when we didnt have uniforms..20 or more girls
had on heels..i actually liked seeing my friends wearing heels at school.

 

[chalk_love]

I don't think there is any point in paying out people who dress entirely for comfort to university or college. I'm sure everybody has worn something they're not proud of running on campus to beat an essay deadline.

But most of the time, I find that it is important/fun to show respect for your institution through the amount of effort you put into representing yourself. That doesn't mean decking out in trend items, because that can get exhausting week after week. What do you guys think?

 

[stylehog]

I think as long as you are not always in sweats (an elastic waist can contribute to the Freshman 15) and make an effort most of the time, like wearing make-up and a put together outfit, keeping up with the trends should not be so important - hello, education should be your number one priority!

But it wasn't really until that I was out in the working world that I really developed my personal style because I had more money to spend on what I wore everyday.

 

[PrettyInPinkO21]

I don't think there is any point in paying out people who dress entirely for comfort to university or college. I'm sure everybody has worn something they're not proud of running on campus to beat an essay deadline.

But most of the time, I find that it is important/fun to show respect for your institution through the amount of effort you put into representing yourself. That doesn't mean decking out in trend items, because that can get exhausting week after week. What do you guys think?

I have to say that I have never gone to class in flats, let alone sneakers, flip-flops, or Uggs. I have never worn sweatpants, or -gasp- pajamas to class ever. And it's not like taking a few minutes to fix myself up is a detriment to my grades. I've had a 4.0 for the past 3 semesters.

I think wearing sweatpant or pajama pants to class is disrespectful to the professor who woke up early, prepared, and got dressed for class. I don't get "decked out," but pumps, well-fitted dark jeans, and polo/blazer combo usually works well - and takes the same amount of time to put on.

 

[Guessgirl96]

In the summer I may wear some cute tops but in the winter its usually just a plain t shirt since its covered up by my jacket anyway and a scarf. For shoes it's uggs or some other flat boots that are quick to put on.

One thing I've learned in college is that if the teacher likes you and sees you put effort into the class it can give you that extra boost from a B to an A. I think looking put together helps your overall impression - if you come in with pajama pants, messy hair and bags under your eyes it doesn't look like you've prepared for class. I dont think they do this on purpose on some male teachers seem to be easier on prettier girls which is another reason I try to look put together.

 

[kol_lover]

i was wearing my sisters uggs today
& omg theyre so nice
and then i was like im gonna wear these to school
but yeah- id get murdered

 

[McGovLau]

i've let college style get to me. i just dont have a lot of time between class and work lately. the boyfriend's huge hoodie has become a regular thing...oops

 

[haksare]

I go to college within driving distance of home (yay), but I never leave the house without at least looking presentable.
The whole frumpy, boyfriend-wear is really not for me. I wouldn't necessarily go out in heels (not that I need too) but a pair of skinny jeans, flats, a loose v-neck tee, my tote, shades, and mp3 player and I am out! That's on a casual day, where I feel lazy. I model my wardrobe after model street style .
If I want to jazz myself up a bit, a patent flat/espadrille, skinny trousers, a silk top paired with a structured jacket on a cool day, and my bag and I'm ready to rule the world!! Kinda ...
My favorite "college look" is the skinny jean, flats, vintage v-neck tee, tote look. Comfortable, yet simply stylish.

 

[ponytrot]

I love the classic college style, when 'prep' was not a fad.

From OrientalAsylum's Flickr

ooh love it!

i don't really have a problem with college style, love the older pics, and i'm not particularly perturbed by the modern day sweatpants and uggs look. I mean...i know that where i am, the residential colleges breed the sweats and uggs look. I guess as unfashionable as it is, i get the comfort factor.

It's college, not fashion week. I'm sure most people dress up for weekends or parties- class is less of a concern. (though i concur with the above points on effort and presentation, which is why i personally make an effort, but there are certainly days where i'm as dowdy as the next randomlol:

 

[William_St_Girl]

I think to be honest it completely depends on the individual person and their approach to fashion and style.

Some girls will be suposedly fashionable to some people without trying by there look... what I mean by that is some people wont care and wear sweats and uggs etc... and others might think they are trying to be fashionable but in actual fact they are not... they are just wearing comfy clothes. Others will make real effort but just be a disaster as they have and never will have any style!

I think its simply all about the person... and some people just dont care... others like me and most of us on here do... hence why we are here in the first place. For me I find fashion at uni was quite a change from when I began to when I ended also as you grow up so much... you loose that teenage sports brands are great thing... which is prob less now with teens than it was in my day... for many its the chave look... and you grow up into your hopefully more stylish womans look. Again some change and some dont...

What i do know is that its the girls who do make the effort at that stage who always do get the best of everything... including the guys... a girl can not be stunning looking but if she constantly maintains herself and looks her best making a real effort that's what guys notice!

 

[xing]

^personally, i feel the difference between put together and outright tried too hard is regularity and knowing oneself. a put together girl knows what works on her and what doesnt. She goes for the same silhouette and then tries on something new,one at a time, when she's in an adventurous mood. to her, dressing is more of a courtesy to others and a bit of fun for herself. eg, if she's fashion forward, then she's more often than not, dressed as such. if she's into basics, she has quite a few good quality ones. then maybe add in that new thing she got 2 weeks ago for interest value.

fashion disaster on the other hand goes for the "hottest girl in the room" thing. she doesn't know what works on her. she probably doesn't appreciate a good piece. She just wants to be wearing the newest items, all at once, because she thinks that that will give her some sort of status.

i don't think i mind sweaters and uggs so much if it's comfort wear and they do it sparingly. the worst thing is that most girls wear uggs and juicy sweats because they think it looks good!

 

[nicole-marie]

I go to college within driving distance of home (yay), but I never leave the house without at least looking presentable.
The whole frumpy, boyfriend-wear is really not for me. I wouldn't necessarily go out in heels (not that I need too) but a pair of skinny jeans, flats, a loose v-neck tee, my tote, shades, and mp3 player and I am out! That's on a casual day, where I feel lazy. I model my wardrobe after model street style .
If I want to jazz myself up a bit, a patent flat/espadrille, skinny trousers, a silk top paired with a structured jacket on a cool day, and my bag and I'm ready to rule the world!! Kinda ...
My favorite "college look" is the skinny jean, flats, vintage v-neck tee, tote look. Comfortable, yet simply stylish.

Thank you for still looking presentable before leaving the house!!!! It annoys me when I see people and it looks like they just rolled out of bed and are suddnely at school!!! Do they not comprehend that pjs are meant to never leave the house??

 

[eternitygoddess]

I agree! It's disrespectful to the professor, not to mention sloppy, when you walk in class looking like you just rolled out of bed!

Brush your teeth. Wash your face. Comb your hair. Put on some jeans. It's not that hard!

 

[haksare]

^ don't get me started with pajama bottoms being worn in public!!
What's worse though is, I remember last semester my Biology lab professor came to class in (get this) sweats, pierced lip, platform flipflops or sneakers, ill-fitting men's clothing, tattoos showing, plus it was a female professor .
It took me awhile to fathom that she's a professor, she knew what she was teaching and I passed the class, but come on now that's no way to teach a class in butch gear.
It's sad to think that some professors need a little TLC when it comes to wardrobe presentation.

 

[xing]

^ that must have been a sight. but then, don't the faculty have some form of dress code for the profs?

^^agree with the brush your face... thing. and i agree with the jeans as well. you don't have to be oozing with style at all. t shirt and jeans and ballet flats/sneakers don't take much time to put on at all.

 

[amazingGrace]

i don't have a problem if people want to dress comfortably for classes and lectures, what i really hate is when people in holey/muddy/ripped jeans, old sneakers or flip flops (esp in winter and/or with long, jagged toenails - barf) and greasy, dirty hoodies or teeshirts think they're somehow better than everyone else or more 'intellectual'. I don't know if it's like that at all universities, but certainly at mine there is a definite crowd of people who think that if you wear clean, nice clothes you somehow think college is a fashion parade and not an educational institution.

I'm like, HELLO it takes no more effort to throw on a cute simple dress, tights and pumps than it does pouring yourself into your smelly old clothes - if anything, it shows self-respect and RESPECT for your college. Treating yourself like a dump says something about your attitude in general.

If i'm running late for a class i throw my hair back in a pony tail and wash my face - i cut out my makeup/beauty routine, not my hygiene!

 

[Caroliiine]

I don't know where most of the posters in this thread go to school, but I think college style depends on the type of campus you attend, what you're going to do there, and the overall weather of where you live.

My campus covers about 18,000 square feet. Sometimes, I only have 10 minutes to rush from one end of the campus to the other to get to my next class. Oh, and did I mention some genius decided to build our campus on a hill? I also walk to class from home instead of taking the bus/driving. There is no way I am wearing heels because my feet would be dead by the end of the day. I'd rather wear sneakers or something else that is comfortable.

I'm also a science student, which means I constantly have labs. Although I do wear a lab coat and take safety precautions, there are times when chemicals I am using spill onto my shoes and lower legs. As a result, we're required to wear pants and closed shoes (ie. no flats, peep toes, flip flops) whenever we have a lab. Even if we weren't, I wouldn't wear a dress or nice pants anyway because I don't want acid ruining them. So a lot of times, people wear sweatpants because it doesn't matter if something spills on them. As for shoes, you're not allowed to sit down (because you won't be keeping an eye on your experiment) and the labs last 3 hours. Comfortable footwear is key in this situation.

Lastly, my college is in the snowbelt region of Ontario. Although I would love to wear nice (and usually expensive) boots here, it snows constantly and the salt used to melt the snow destroys the material. You need something that is warm (Uggs) and built to last (winter boots, ie. Sorel). It is also extremely cold - our average winter temperature is about -6.7 Celsius or 20 Fahrenheit. On the really cold days (which is most of December - February), it really helps to wear tights underneath sweatpants as an extra layer of warmth (and usually, only sweatpants provide enough room to fit them).

I don't mean to make it sound like some people have no choice but to wear frumpy clothes to school, but in some situations, it's the best (practical) choice. Sometimes, it's better to be practical over fashionable. Of course, this doesn't excuse the people who don't brush their hair or attempt to be hygienic.

That said, I don't own Uggs or sweatpants myself (I prefer form-fitting yoga pants) but they are really popular on my campus and it's not hard to see why.

 

[haksare]

^ You actually bring up a really good point about location of where we study, especially about Lab. I know during labs that I attend, it is mandatory to wear closed toe shoes, long pants, hair tied back, and wear the safety gear; especially when working around chemicals and bacteria. In that sense, since it's in a classroom setting safety definitely exceeds fashion, something that I would definitely comply.
Where I study, the campus is huge; we have over 26,000 students and the campus spans a wide area, and to top that my classes are in different halls which require about 3-5 minutes worth of walking between. Maybe it's just me, but I favor flats, but they have to at least look good and like I've emphasized earlier, presentable. And I can't stand UGGs; slouch or suede boots are my preference. And it's usually warm here, so people around campus go around in their tanks and shorts and flip flops.

Also, in about a year I may start applying for Nursing school, which requires that we wear scrubs around campus and during our training, and since it involves a lot standing and walking, sneakers are a recommendation. I'm not going to walk around in navy blue scrubs, with red patent heels .

But I agree, location does play a role in our wardrobe planning. I still don't think it justifies one to go out looking like a hung over Chewbacca .

 

[Ella Petrovsky]

UC Berkeley

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[Ella Petrovsky]

Continued

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