Becca Ackerman Visuals: Seattle Hickey 09.22.22: Superficial, Forum
Waking up for class is hard. Figuring out what to wear can be even harder. As seasons and times change, styles and looks adapt. Students have a myriad of fits they wear around campus.
Across the board, chic comfort is a hot choice for students this fall. Whether hungover, tired, or simply wanting comfort, students are normalizing pajamas as everyday pants, paired with sneakers or dressed up with loafers.
Charlotte Baker ’24 said loafers are the 2022 comeback for Generation Z. “So many loafers paired with all kinds of outfits—leather jackets, simple colors like blue jeans and white tops, sexy vest moments.”
Vests are also having a comeback. Worried about your style when it gets cold? Wear vests, leg warmers, and cardigans to stay warm and add dimension to your outfit. These pieces also add personality to an outfit while providing coverage in these dropping New England temperatures.
Seemingly unusual footwear is another popular way to add personality to your street style. “Slip-on clogs are easy,” David Li ’25 expressed. “While maybe weird and ugly, they are wacky in a good way. They make a more boring outfit eccentric and show personal style.”
Thrifting is also a budget-friendly way to develop fashion flare. “Thrifting allows people to find pieces that are more unique and sustainable,” explained Li. “Fast fashion, like Urban Outfitters and Shein, has killed style. These brands create trends instead of having consumers create trends and curating towards that.”
Maybe Shein should learn from Baker, who has curated her college apparel with impulse online purchases. “I’m endeavoring to serve academic-but-just-had-sex,” she said. “Juicy prints, not-my-grandfather’s big, bulky leather jacket, boots made for stomping, and a milkmaid’s son. That’s my fall vibe.”
Li, on the other hand, prefers “an edgy look. Instead of the New England dainty, preppy, Lily Pulizter vibe, I want to see work pants, a wife beater, chunky oxfords, and a big denim jacket giving Broke Back Mountain.” Swap your romper for a pair of overalls and whatever shoes complement your aesthetic.
Around campus, Li has noticed “people exploring fashion that is outside of comfort zones and gender norms, experimenting with womens’ clothing on a man and man’s clothing on a woman, blending the line between gendered fashion. Women wearing men’s outerwear, baggy silhouettes, etc. are very in.”
Brooke Stanford ’25 stated that “baggy pants” are in this season and has been for the last few years since the canceling of skinny jeans. These baggy jeans include distressed, clean, ripped, and boot cut styles.
Even when baggy, do jeans feel too rigid? Sweatpants, leggings, and sweatshirts are more often chosen as reliable staples that ensure a cozy walk to class. Mimi Koenig ’25 is loyal to the “quarter zip.” More formal than a sweatshirt, but not yet a full-on sweater, this functional item should be in everyone’s closet.
When rushing from physics labs to a punch event, ditch the quarter zip, but keep the backpack—it is the hottest new accessory. Small accessories and everyday pieces have also evolved. “More men are wearing earrings I’ve noticed,” says Li. Additionally, he praises the “over the ear headphone culture.” Maybe take off the headphones for punch, but there are many ways to dress up your problem-set attire. Chunky jewelry, patterned socks, bright belts, and complicated hairstyles can elevate an outfit.
Eliza Kimball ’25 picks out pieces that are “unironically a 50s housewife,” which transition well from day to night. Pair a more conservative dress with jewelry, bright colored shoes, and a matching lip to add some youthful fun. Big statement pieces are all the rage. Loud florals, bright, luscious knits, and sequins contrast well with tailored suit pants, baggy trousers, and silky silhouettes to integrate the out-there into ordinary life. Add big boots, ballet flats, or chunky sneakers to finish off the look.
At the end of the day, we all have our own styles! Wear what makes you happy and confident. If you look good, you feel good.
Becca Ackerman ’25’s (rackerman@college.harvard.edu) loafers are altering the bone structure of her foot.
You must log in to post a comment.
Is there a topic you think we should cover? An issue students are facing that needs to be explored? We’ll find the story. We also welcome Op-Eds. Submit these to editorinchief@harvardindependent.com.
We'd like to store a few cookies on your computer, but you can say no.
We'd like to store a few cookies on your computer. Some of them have identical content for everyone, and are used to store things like whether or not you like having a featured story at the top of the homepage. Others are unique to you, and we use them to see which pages are more popular. You can turn these off if you like, although it helps us be a much better paper if you don't.
These cookies involve basic website functions like page navigation and ensuring you're not a bot.
Used for storage of your preferences and region.
Helps us understand how popular some of our posts are and other analytics.
Allows us to make money via advertisements