Style for a College Student?

[Nadis]

I will be finishing up my freshman year in the next month and I am planning on changing my style around for this next year.

Some close friends have told me to look at what people around me are wearing, but I go to a community college and the majority of students here wear sweatshirts, etc. What would you recommend for a sharp, but casual style? I am not looking for suits, but I want to get rid of all my name brand clothes and rebuild my wardrobe.

Right now I have a couple button downs, white tees, and maybe 1 or 2 nice sweaters. Summer is coming up soon as well, summer clothing styles also welcome!

Thank you for reading!

 

[add911_11]

Search Ivy Style online, you shall grab a god idea of the style suitable for university/college level...

it is they style you want, there should be plenty low cost shops for that, spend most on your shoes

Welcome to Style Forum

 

[unbelragazzo]

For summer, get yourself some nice chinos, maybe a madras shirt or two?

 

[JG000]

Just try not to take yourself too seriously. IMO that is more important than wearing any particular designer or capturing a certain look.

That said; casual dress shirts, cardigans, chinos, blazers, nice sneakers, etc would mesh nicely and create sharp casual ensemble.

Little details, like nice belts & dark socks also make a big difference.

 

[NAMOR]

Invest in a couple of staple pieces: pair of nice raw denim, couple button ups, jacket, shoes. Great thing about college is you don't need to look great. Just dress marginally better

 

[RedYeti]

For true style beginners Reddit's malefashionadvice board is pretty decent

http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/

They'll basically tell you to wear button-down shirts, cardigans, dark denim jeans and Clarks desert boots, which isn't a bad uniform to start out with

 

[stevent]

Where do you go to school? Are you in a fraternity?

Those two factors determined what I wore my Freshman / Sophomore years. As a senior now my style has changes a bit back to what I wear more at home vs school. I would avoid most cardigans though to be honest, as there isn't a lot of ways you can pull it off

 

[albeindc]

i'd recommend solid color tees (v-neck) and some quality, fitted jeans. since we're coming up on summer, some clean white sneakers will work. throw in some casual, button-up oxfords and maybe some lightweight sweaters or cardigans in pastel or other solid colors. also, you can't go wrong with rugby shirts and quality polos (don't get the flashy, heavily embroidered ones, they just look terrible). you say you're going to a community college, so you're basically guaranteed that the "college-style" culture will be almost non-existent at your school. however, it doesn't hurt to be presentable, but remember that you're there for education and not to make people stare at you and your clothes.

 

[NAMOR]

If I was going to college now, I'd just invest in "lounge" pants. For real

 

[bourbonbasted]



Just try not to take yourself too seriously. IMO that is more important than wearing any particular designer or capturing a certain look..

This +1,000,000,000.

College is one of the last times where you can freely express yourself in terms of what you wear and how you wear it. Rather everyone here will admit it or not, once you enter the real world you are forced to conform to some sort of dress code within an office. Inevitably, this style of dress will bleed into your casual fits. Not that it's a good or bad evolution, just that it happens.

My advice would be to wear whatever you think is cool or looks good on you. Don't invest too heavily in anything. The nature of the college student is to use and abuse their clothes. No point in buying anything too nice. Wait until you have a job to drop any serious money, lest you spend months mourning the loss of a Tom Ford shirt to an errant beer bong accident.

I'd say the best thing to do in college is to be experiment with different styles to try and find what really suits you. Browse the internet (here, tumblr, menswear blogs, etc). Sample everything with a grain of salt and see what you like. Then hit eBay or thrift stores. Once you think you know what "style" you're shooting for, the next step is to determine fit and to master your proportions. From there you can embark on the quest for quality.

For true style beginners Reddit's malefashionadvice board is pretty decent

http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/

They'll basically tell you to wear button-down shirts, cardigans, dark denim jeans and Clarks desert boots, which isn't a bad uniform to start out with

The trolling potential is strong in this one.

 

[JohnGalt]

you should check out some Wolf vs Goat stuff - see this thread: http://www.styleforum.net/t/155670/the-new-official-wolf-vs-goat-thread

and/or check out www.wolfvsgoat.com

 

[add911_11]

A good point, I would also invest a good money for one to two leather jackets.

You wil certainly be able to use in campus

 

[Nadis]

Thank you for the advice everyone! I agree with what you said about college being a place to freely express yourself. Maybe I am over thinking this, but I'm going to head out this weekend and grab some plain v-necks. That should be a good starting point.

 

[GBR]

Don't get too hung up on 'changing your style' These are years when you can and should go with the flow and participate and be one amongst your colleagues. Setting yourself apart is quite wrong.

 

[mymil]

Like others, I suggest you wear whatever you want. Don't spend too much money on it.

I'd also suggest that you not be "that guy." I.e. don't be the person who always wears a tie, aka "tie guy." Don't be the person who always wears tie-dye, aka "tie-dye guy." Don't be the person who always wears ridiculously short shorts, aka "short short guy." Don't be the guy who always wears a fedora, aka "hat guy."

There's nothing wrong with wearing what other people wear, only better. Dark denim that fits and isn't too long. Well-fitting hoodies that don't have stupid things on them. Shoes that aren't athletic shoes.

I like cardigans, but they're "smarter" than hoodies or sweatshirts. And I think they're more versatile than stevent gives them credit, since they can be worn over a t-shirt most casually (not terribly recommended, however), over an OCBD without a tie, or over a shirt and tie for something a little nicer. As long as it fits, you'll look better in a cardigan and tie than everybody else wearing a suit or odd jacket at least one size too large, and they're much less expensive.