Regions of the United States vary in many aspects, and fashion trends are no exception.
Climate is a major factor that determines what people wear.
“Many people at Wake Forest are from the North, and they are much more used to the cold than I am,” said Kathryn Pittman, a Baton Rouge native sophomore at Wake Forest University in South Carolina. “I still don’t understand how they can wear flip-flops and walk in the snow.”
Students at schools in colder climates favor ski gear and adapt the fashion trends to match the temperature.
With the colder weather, female students usually have matching jacket, hat, glove and scarf combos, said Melanie Thomasson, a sophomore at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.
“Since my school is in the mountains, many students wear brands that specialize in ski wear,” said Jacques Hebert, a freshman at Dartmouth in New Hampshire.
Students at small, private schools dress more conservatively, and many students dress with careful consideration for class, Pittman said.
“You know that you will probably see your classmates every day, since your class sizes are so small,” said Pittman. “You can’t count on only seeing your classmates every other day because the size of the school is small.”
Pittman and Hebert both agree that female students dress in skirts, nice shirts and sometimes heels for class, while male students wear button-down shirts with khakis and nice shoes.
Since the Air Force Academy requires students to wear uniforms, styles for both sexes tend to be more preppy, according to sophomore Justin Eagan.
He said female students wear standard blue jeans that have little or no fading effects, and male students keep their hair cut short and wear button-down shirts and jeans without fading or rips in them.
“We don’t wear tennis shoes much, usually leather shoes. We only wear tennis shoes when we’re going somewhere very casual,” Thomasson said.
“Colorado is very yuppie,” Thomasson said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a shirt that advertises beer on it. Even when guys wear T-shirts and they’re going out, it’s usually from a store like the Gap.”
Some students step out of private schools’ conservative style and embrace funky, vintage styles.
“Some guys wear retro jackets that mirror the styles of the ’50s or ’70s,” Thomasson said.
Students at larger, public colleges like LSU and the University of Missouri-Columbia dress more casually for classes, with the relaxed styles including longer, shaggier men’s hair.
“Guys on this campus seem to be wearing their hair shaggier on purpose, not just because they’re poor college students,” said Becky Muelleman, a sophomore at the University of Missouri.
For evening activities, female students at the University of Missouri opt for the sheer look with layered tops and camisoles, while males wear polo shirts and khakis, said Muelleman.
Although Muelleman adheres to the trends at the University of Missouri, she dislikes the “front-tuck” practice many male students in fraternities, as well as male students at LSU, wear because “it looks like they can’t decide if they meant to leave their shirts tucked or untucked.”
At some colleges, accessories make the outfit.
“Authentic designer bags like Louis Vuitton seem to be really trendy for the girls to have,” Muelleman said.
There are many places to buy unique, embellished shoes in Baton Rouge, and many friends who go to LSU wear cute sandals. They are not as popular at Wake Forest though, said Pittman. Most students wear standard flip flops all the time.
Whether casual or conservative, college fashion is a factor that helps identify students.