Written by Allison M. Shaw
Welcome back to another year! The 23-24 school year got off to a start last week, which meant it was time for one of my personal favorite traditions; Back to school outfits! For some people, if you’re going to dress up during the semester, the First Day of Class is the day to do it, and I find that keeping an eye out for what people are wearing that day is a good indicator of the coming trends for the fall season. So what was everyone wearing?
Green and other earthy tones were definitely the colors of the day. We’re starting to divorce ourselves from the bright colors and patterns of the early 2020’s and leaning more into darker, more subdued palettes. Though fall fashion usually marks a transition from the bright colors of summer to the deeper tones of winter, it was interesting to see these colors appearing so early in the year. If you’re trying to add some earthier tones to your closet, start by looking into brands like American Eagle or Altered State.
As for silhouette, the big pants little top combo continues to hold a grip over casual fashion. My theory is that with the revival of 90’s and 2000’s silhouettes, we may soon begin to see a shift towards the business casual of the early 2010’s, though retaining the currently popular silhouette. This prediction comes from looking at the catalogs of brands like Abercrombie and Fitch, and even the juniors section at Target. Notably, celebrities influential on young adult fashion such as Hailey Bieber also seem to be moving towards the business casual. As for the Roanoke College campus, oversized distressed jeans seem to be all the rage, even with temperatures as high as they are. While last year these would have been worn with a baby tee, this year we’re seeing a lot of cropped tank tops and camisoles, in light colors, with a zip up hoodie or flannel thrown over them. Pair these with high top converse for a comfortable and casual back to school look.
Two more trends to keep an eye out for are the quickly growing “coquette” style, characterized by hyper feminine accessories, lace, ribbon, pink, and floral prints. This style grew in popularity during the spring and summer of last year with brands like LoveShackFancy and through TikTok, an app with an incredible influence on fashion. Though I have yet to see any full coquette outfits on campus, inspiration can definitely be seen. Athleisure is also quickly growing in popularity, with what would traditionally be considered workout clothing being worn casually. The longevity of coquette styles in the cycle of the TikTok microtrend and the athleisure trends are definitely things to keep an eye on.
As always, don’t feel as though you have to be influenced by trends to be fashionable. Always wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident, and remember that fashion is for all bodies.
