Whether you’re a freshman trying to find your place in college and settling into your newfound independence or a senior trying to get your life together before graduation, everyone is looking to leave their mark. First impressions are everything, and your clothes speak volumes to who you are and how you want your professors to perceive you. Use these tips to make a statement without being a fashion victim.
1) Your outfit from the night before
Whether you’ve received a standing ovation for your karaoke skills at Baracudas, or touched Calvin Harris’ hand at LIV, take your stride of pride to the shower before coming to class.
2) An FSU (or any other college) shirt
You would think this is self-explanatory, but this happens all the time. If you want to represent your hometown, fine, wear a major league team shirt. Another college? Not okay. There’s a reason you chose to come to the University of Miami over FSU so show some Hurricane pride.
3) Flip-flops
Whoever said it was acceptable to wear flip-flops anywhere except the pool or the beach lied to you. Regardless if they’re your Old Navy pair from 8th grade or your brand new Rainbows, wearing flip-flops says “Hi, I’m [insert name here] and I’m a slob.” And no, wearing them with your new flounce dress from Brandy Melville doesn’t make you a hipster, you just look too lazy to put on normal shoes. Also, the second it rains, know you are instantly being judged because we all know flip-flop wearers are the first people to turn pata sucia at the first drop of rain, taking off their shoes flip-flops walking barefoot to class. Believe it or not, no one is trying to catch a whiff of your dirty toes after the rain or ever so cover up those little piggies stat.
4) Flannel Pajama Pants
This is becoming more a trend in the fall and winter. Regardless of when you got them, pajamas are a hard pass. Be late to class and put on real clothes. And no, wearing them with your Stan Smith’s or your Nike Roche Run’s doesn’t qualify as street style.
5) Visible Bra Straps
If you know your top has thin straps, at least match the bra with the color of the top or go for a nude bra. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone in a white tank top with neon pink bra strap. Ladies, this isn’t sexy and it doesn’t make you look like an empowered feminist; you just look like you couldn’t pull it together this morning. The struggle of sweating off your stick-on bra and suffocating the girls with a strapless bra is understandable, so consider wearing a bralette, the only bra that is perfectly acceptable to peek out of your shirt because it was made to be seen.
6) Leggings as Pants
Leggings are not pants. Leggings are not pants. Leggings are not pants. Most of time they’re old and sheer, giving world a full view of your derriere. Sometimes they’re the $80 pair from Lululemmon. It doesn’t matter. Leggings are not pants and the chances of you actually making it to hot yoga or the Zumba class you promised yourself you would finally go to are as probable as finding a spot in the stacks during finals. Don’t kid yourself and save your leggings for running errands and all-nighters at the library.
7) Uggs
We live in Miami. Need I say more?
8) “Junderwear”
Ladies, although high-waisted shorts are in and very appealing because of the 90 degree weather, that doesn’t mean they can be as short as your underwear. We get it, you work hard on that booty; consider saving your cheeky pair for the tailgates.
Miami born and New York raised, Nicole Echevarria is a senior who looks to live her life intertwining the best of both worlds. With her eclectic sense of style and uncanny attitude towards fashion she aspires to “make it” in none other then the Big Apple. Until then, you can catch her stuffing her face at Chipotle or spreading her love for romantic comedies (because chivalry isn’t dead!).
words_ nicole echevarria. photo illustration_ yili wu.