From the late 1960s, fashion at the University has changed over the years from an enforced dress code to a style of oversized T-shirts paired with Nike shorts.
The styles seen from 2011 to 2012 consisted of patterned neon T-shirts, animal prints, lace and sheer fabrics.
Celebrities and popular television shows, such as the ABC Family series “Pretty Little Liars,” have modeled the styles and trends that students wore around campus.
Men’s fashion changed as well, with the spring trend of short shorts that invaded campus.
The brand Chubbies offers multiple types of shorts and are a popular brand to wear on campus.
Fashion design junior Eric Williams said he owns the shorts and that they are more fun, flattering and flirty than regular shorts.
“The pair I own is a teal kind of color. It’s super short, but comfortable to walk in,” Williams said in April. “You can sleep in them.”
Time Warp Boutique and Noelie Harmon Boutique encouraged fashion styles that do not harm the environment when they participated in New Orleans Fashion Week’s Eco Fashion Day in March.
Other local boutiques promoted more fashion styles at the F.A.M.E. (Fashion, Arts, Music and Entertainment) Spring Fashion Show in March. In makeup trends, eyelash extensions for women were new in February.
Latrice Pinkins, owner of local business WINK in the Mall of Louisiana, said faux lashes give a more full and dramatic look.
Interdisciplinary studies senior Page Pennock competed in the 2011 Miss USA pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas with eyelash extensions. She said it made it easier for her to prepare her hair and makeup.
“For pageants, you want to do anything you can to stand out,” Pennock said in February. “Your eyes are automatically accented, and it draws people in more.”
African-American and Afro-Caribbean women on campus sported a new natural look for the year. The “natural movement” became mainstream when celebrities like Solange Knowles and actress Kim Coles embraced their natural hair textures.
Kaylah Paige, anthropology sophomore, discussed her “big chop” with The Daily Reveille in February, saying she felt pride after looking in the mirror and seeing nothing but her natural self.
“I felt weird,” Paige said. “I felt like embracing my uniqueness and my weirdness.”
Jasmine Lamotte, business sophomore, also elaborated on her reasons to transition to a natural look and stop her chemical relaxer treatments.
“In the beginning, [transitioning] can be hard because you don’t know how to deal with your hair. Your family members and society may not accept you for it,” Lamotte said in February.
Overall, this year’s trends embraced what students found to be unique and what made them stand out from the crowd. “[Campus] is a great place to be different,” Williams said. “[Wearing short shorts] makes me feel like I’m doing my part to be different.”
 
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