How Fashion Changes When You Start University
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After 11 academic years of pleated skirts, unflattering shirts and annoying ties that make up English schools’ strict uniform dress codes, attending a sixth form or a college without a dress code seems like the most exciting thing ever when you first start. However, for some, the fact that every day is an ‘own clothes day’ becomes a bit tedious when the laundry starts to pile up, you have nothing else to wear and the pressure is on to dress nicely every day.
However, the clothing and fashion you wear seem to take another turn once you hit the university milestone. Generally speaking, everyone’s outfits are on point for the first week or so of classes – first impressions count, after all. But standards noticeably seem to slip after the first two weeks when acquaintances have already been made and friendship groups have been formed, and the previous two weeks of constant Freshers’ partying have finally caught up with everyone.
So here’s what you need to know about fashion at university:
- Comfy>Chic
Bar the odd group of fashion-obsessed girls, university students are much more relaxed about what they wear every day than college students. Leggings, joggers, trainers and warm comfy jumpers are a norm every day as lecture theatres can be cold and no one wants to be dashing around campus trying not to be late for class in painful little heeled boots. No one cares at university, so stick to cosy clothes rather than being chic and uncomfortable because choosing outfits becomes more about practicality than being ‘best-dressed.’
- Anything goes at the library
All-night library sessions are pretty much common-place when it gets to exam season and the already laid-back clothing rules are pretty much thrown out the window when it comes to the library. Whether you’re looking cosy in pyjamas or slobby in your sweat pants, no one will bat an eyelid, so don’t worry about it.
- Going out chilled
As you can imagine students with only a few hours a week actually in university tend to go out a number of times during the week for cheap drinks and non-stop partying. Of course, going out is a lot more common than in sixth form when you have school every day at 8.30 and half the year aren’t even 18 yet. So going-out outfits become a lot more relaxed as a result – ditch the heels for comfy sandals, wear a nice t-shirt instead of your best shirt, and girls, forget about the fake eyelashes – it’s far too much effort to do two or three times a week!
So if you’re sick of the high pressure to look good every day at school or college, just remember that you have the very chilled liberating days of relaxed university fashion to look forward to.