Has anyone else noticed that UTM is really stylish?
I’m never bored when I find myself walking across campus these days because everyone seems to have taken their fashion game to the next level. I see people in outfits I would never dream of putting together, and yet somehow they make it work.
In high school, I thought I was fashionable. I wore a uniform for four years, so that meant that on the occasional casual day, I could muster up something new to wear. The rarity of casual days and the fact that one of my best friends won the school’s superlative “Best Dressed” kept me motivated to experiment with my style and plan fun outfits. But during my first couple of years at university, my style has taken a turn for the uninspired.
There seem to be three main sources for my descent into dire unstylishness.
- COMFORT ALWAYS WINS
If I could live in pyjamas, I would. When I go to school, I want to feel as comfortable as possible. Firstly, that means no heels (when you’re trying to make it from Davis to Deerfield in 10 minutes, those heels will be your worst enemy). It also means no crazy-tight pants, especially if they’re high-waisted, because I’m probably going to want to eat at some point, and we all know that high-waisted pants are pretty inconducive to eating food. That doesn’t mean I wear sweats, because those become a wind tunnel on breezy days. It just means I get along best with straight-legged jeans. No muss, no fuss.
- I DRESS FOR THE WEATHER
When I see people walking around in a sweater and a skirt, my first thought is, “Whoa, so stylish,” but then I think, “How?” The kind of weather where you would want to wear a skirt does not overlap with sweater weather. So either your legs are going to be cold or you’re going to have a sweaty situation happening up top. There really is no middle ground. Maybe these people carry backup pants with them just in case it becomes too much, which brings me to my next point.
- I’M PREPARED FOR EVERYTHING
The idea of having backup pants doesn’t faze me at all. If the day starts cold but I see on the trusted Weather Network that it’ll warm up by the afternoon, you can bet that some layering is on the menu. Not only that, but I’m a “prepare-for-the-worst” kind of person.
I have a love-hate relationship with flats, in that I love that they go with any outfit, but I hate that they make my heavily arched feet so sad.
A conversation with myself about whether or not to wear flats:
Me: Great choice! They’ll look great with those cuffed jeans.
Me: But what if you find yourself in a situation where you need to run for your life, and then you’re stuck in those flats?
Me: That’s not going to happen!
*Puts on running shoes anyway*
I care about what I wear because sometimes an outfit isn’t just an outfit—it can be a reason to get up in the morning. A reason to smile at strangers on your way to class, or do those slow-motion swirls like in commercials when you’re walking in one of the nicer buildings on campus and feeling like you have it all. But until I get over my fashion phobias, you can find me in a chunky knit sweater and some straight-legged jeans. Call me if you need some backup pants, UTM.
