Admission done, it’s now time to get ready to enter college. Chucking the school uniform, you must be eager to make style statements through your apparel, accessories and of course, attitude. We get you some help from experts.
Parisha Arenja, Indore-based designer, who also blogs at ThatPeri, says that when it comes to shirts, florals, bigger prints and stripes are in vogue for men. “For those who like to experiment a little, pants with stripes should be your thing — pairing them with floral shirts will give you an edgy look. And if you want to add some fun and detailing to your look, throw on a denim jacket over it. Men aren’t afraid to sport pinks and peaches any more and that makes their style all the more contemporary. Another great trend for young men to sport is layering,” says Arenja.
For girls, keeping the weather in mind, culottes and skirts are perfect companions to add style to your college look. “To break the monotony of wearing denims and shorts to college, opt for comfy culottes which are available in a variety of colours and patterns such as checks and stripes. They can be paired with crop tops, long tops, shirts, casual printed t-shirt etc,” suggests Arenja.
If you are a skirt lover, you can choose a desired skirt length and team it up with varieties of tops available. The young designer, who loves layering, says that it is the the best trick to transform your simple clothes into trendy or catchy ones. “Layering gives you a chic and sophisticated look. Also, while shopping from big brands, try to buy a top with good details on the pockets, shoulders or sleeves as that adds a element to your overall look,” advises Arenja.
A MIX OF OLD AND NEW
The design team of fashion brands — Cover Story and Ancestry — believes that when it comes to fashion for college going students, it’s important to keep the budget in mind as most of them survive on pocket money. Here are some of the pocket-friendly fashion tips shared by the team:
Bringing back the ’80 and ’90s
One of the biggest trends to hit the racks in the past few seasons is the retro. Be it the high waist lowers, denim on denim, polka dots inspired outfits, dungarees, crop tops, matching or separates, leather jackets and pants, the ’80s and ’90s are back and how. Colleges today are filled with students sporting this look. To add some spunk to your retro look come some ’90s-inspired accessories. Round-framed glasses and the thin cat eye and rectangular frames that were spotted on celebrities way back in the ’90s, will look great when paired with clothes that you wear from that era.
Monochrome and stripes
For the college-going youth of today, monochrome shades would be a safe bet. They are universal and can be in various clothing items such as crop tops, jumpsuits, overalls, shrugs, pants etc. Loop earrings is the best accessory to complete this look. Don’t forget to carry cute backpacks and bags in monochrome colour scheme to look your best. Stripes is another great style to make your look appealing in college.
Graphic tees
Graphic tees are a cool outfit to flaunt in your college days. They are comfy, quirky and easy to style, and one of the best things about them is that they are a unisex fashion statement. Quotes from various popular sitcoms such as ‘JOEY doesn’t share food’ from Friends or bold statements like ‘Always a feminist’ and pictures of your favourite cartoon characters are on these tees, make them so desirable. These can be easily paired with denim shirts and ripped or regular jeans.
Men can wear cool shades to take their fashion quotient a notch higher. Watches are also a great accessory to carry with this look, but a pair of cool and quirky sneakers constitute an integral part of this look — white sneakers are a must have.
Indo Western
Kurta paired with jeans has been the most favourite Indo-Western look among boys and girls. While guys can sport a short kurta over a pair of denims, young women, who want to take a break from kurtas, can pair a spaghetti or crop top with palazzo pants for a casual laid-back look. One must remember that Indo-Western looks are more about the fabric and the designs on them, with khadi and cotton being the most popular fabrics. Block prints too are a hit among youngsters today.
Young girls can add some bling to their look by opting for nose ring and oxidised earrings etc.
In footwear, men can sport Kolhapuri chappals, while young women can go for jutis and Kolhapuri chappals to complete their Indo-Western look.
Pastel colours
Pastel colours are a big hit this season for both genders, so when it comes to college fashion, how can you give it a skip? Butter-yellow, millennial-pink, or baby-blue are some of the pastel colours that you must sport while heading to college. Same colour separates or a combination of pastel colour top/shirt with your favourite pair of pants is an ideal choice. A smart bag will be a great add on.
No fashion faux pas!
Flashy clothes: College looks are meant to be fresh and pleasant to the eye and therefore flashy clothes should be avoided. Refrain from wearing clothes that have sequins, glitter or are in metallics colours.
Weather-inappropriate attire: It is very important to keep in mind the weather when you go choose your college attire. Weather inappropriate clothes such as leather on a rainy day is not only a fashion faux but also absolutely messy.
Say hello to monsoon wear: Wearing an appropriate footwear too is key during rainy season. Today, many brands have come up with footwear made of rubber material which is both fashionable and perfect for the rains. Choose bright coloured umbrellas to make a fashion statement.
