Get dressed for college, girls

Gone are the days when college fashion was merely about dressing up just another day. Move aside plain Jane, as it’s time to welcome the most stylish outfits and accessories. With several students across the city are making their closets more vibrant by sporting trendy outfits, the trend of presenting yourself well seems to be the high point.

We know that you are preparing for the first day in college by updating your wardrobe with stylised outfits. But picking outfits that don’t grab unwanted attention must top your list! With several dress codes being imposed, it is important to stay stylish yet abide by the rules of the college.

Street fashion is the rage among freshers. “College is the time one gets to experiment with different kinds of colours, outfits and accessories. It is at that time of a person’s phase, where your fashion sense evolves. Keeping their limited budget in mind, they can experiment with street fashion where they have the variety to pick trendy outfits at affordable price.

Places like MG Road, Brigade Road and Commercial Street offer great street fashion for students to pick up outfits and accessories. With the right kind of clothes that suit your college rules, you can play around with street fashion,” suggests designer Ritu Pande.

So, what are some of the options you can try out? Says designer Anu Nagappa, “Small western blouses over denims, cargos paired with tees, a long dress, fitted kurtas with pyjamas and even the dhoti pants are some of the options.” She says that college kids can experiment with a plethora of colours and accessorise the look with junk jewellery.

With several project presentations and internships during their course of learning, grooming plays an important role. “Makeup for college is a rather tricky decision. To say stylish is one point while being over the top is the other! When it comes to college, it’s advisable to stick to the former and sporting a natural look. You can work around by using colourful eye pencils, a basic lip tint and concealer that camouflages all your blemishes. Dressing up in a smart manner does help them in the future,” says stylist Gauri Kapur.

However, too many rules to abide by, college students are sure stressed out, points out designer Paresh Lamba. “I don’t agree with going by the formal wear dress code for college students. Kids should be their age by sporting casual wear for college. It is rather disappointing to see them struggle with their formal pants, shirts and ties for college. They have their whole life ahead to wear them and would advice them to sport casual wear that suits their age for college. It is important for them to be comfortable sitting in their classrooms. Something that’s not revealing yet casual is what I would advice,” he suggests.
So, what does college students have to say about this? “Dress codes are really a tough one to abide by. As youngsters we would love to sport funky tee shirts and western casuals for college. However with too many rules to abide by, sometimes, we just don’t feel like dressing up,” says Kirti Ramakrishnan who is studying in a popular women’s college.

However, it’s up to an individual to spruce up with the basics says student Neha Agarwal. “Kurtis are very much in for college wear. You can pair them with colourful leggings and the right accessories to go with. Trendy bangles finger rings, earrings and bags can also make your boring salwar suit a trendy one.”

Talking about makeup, Pooja Patil, a final year student from a popular women’s college, says, “Though makeup can’t be glaring, everyone does add a slight tint of makeup for college. A basic lip gloss and kajal is a must-have. With colourful eye pencils in shades of blue and green at bay, it’s time to be trendy.”

Nevertheless, it is important to keep it simple by avoiding overdoing your college attire. “One has to keep in mind that we’re college students. So avoid overdoing with too many accessories and glaring outfits, keep it casual yet stylish,” says Sylvia Balachandran, student.

Even the boys too need to keep in mind the dress codes. “Though we have limited options, we try to play around by wearing sporty outfits and accessories. However, it’s best to avoid low-waist denims and embarrassing quotes on tees for college,” says Avinash Raj, a commerce student. So, what are you all waiting for? Get set to bring out the stylish person in you by sporting trendy outfits for college this year!