Campus Fashion Blooms After a Year on Zoom

After a year and a half of online school in pajamas, students are now finally able to show off their new outfits, causing a wave of quirky and eccentric fashion across campus.

Since the start of the fall semester classes on August 30th, the campus has been filled with the different trends and styles that students adopt throughout the year. Biker shorts, sweater vests, matching sets, tote bags, and high-waisted straight leg pants are just a few of the trends being welcomed on campus along with first and second year students.

Ellyana Willis, a first-year student wearing Dr. Martens and a bright orange vintage suit, said he was eager to show off his new outfit from quarantine.

[Coming back to classes] has taken me further, says Willis, 19. I want to wear all the fun clothes I bought during quarantine. Obviously, I have dressed up a lot more than when I was in an online class.

After a year and a half of online schooling, students are left to use digital platforms to connect with the outside world. Apps like Pinterest, Instagram, and Depop that give users the ability to share and sell clothes are a great resource for students who want to express themselves through their fashion choices.

[Quarantine] affects my style actually, as I spend more time online, Abi Knippel, a sophomore, told The Phoenix. I created a Pinterest board and saw new styles on Instagram and put together what I liked.

Social media sites, especially TikTok, have allowed a wider range of micro-trends to emerge, including throwback Y2K fashion.

While low-rise baby jeans and tees may not suit everyone, there are many other aesthetics that have become more common, such as dark academia, aesthetics inspired by ancient Greek and Gothic architecture and classical art and literature, or cottagecore, which draws inspiration from romantic countryside. Knippel, who wore a slip on gray van and green overalls, would describe their style as last.

My sense of style is mostly just clothes that I’m comfortable with, things that I think look cool or want to wear in high school [but was] too scared, Knippel, 19, said. I grew up in a very conservative city so the kids are really mean if you dress differently. That’s why I love being here, I can wear whatever I want.

For some students at Loyola, finding an aesthetic style that they are comfortable with is just the tip of the iceberg. Fashion also serves as a creative outlet that allows students to push the boundaries of their self-confidence and individualism.

It’s an extension of my artistic expression, says Willis, a visual communications and studio arts major. I like to use lots of color in my artwork and I also like to dress with lots of color.

Success at work has to do with fashion more than some might think. A study from Northwestern University shows the correlation between the clothes you wear and your academic performance.

If I dress well, then I can live my day more focused, Afraz Iqbal, a junior, told The Phoenix. [Fashion] was an overall morale booster and helped my confidence as well.”

As the demand for impressive wardrobes grows, the cost of clothing and its impact on student wallets has become a fundamental issue that is rarely discussed. Nonetheless, students don’t let money stop them from being comfortable with their style.

The price of clothes doesn’t matter, it’s how you wear them that matters, says Ethan Saquimux, a third-year student and streetwear enthusiast. If I wear nice clothes, I feel less confident about myself.

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