As college students, we all treat the first day of school as something different. Whether it’s a profound start of a new era or simply the beginning of a new semester, an intention is always there. For many students, this intentionality can be reflected in our outfits.
For me, it was the former. I wanted to wear something sunny, an outfit that reflected the positive energy I hope this school year will bring. College students often don’t wear fancy outfits to class, and most at other schools wear sweatpants and leggings, but Fordham University is different. Most people wear cute, more formal outfits. My friends wore denim and a simple top. Therefore, I wanted to reflect this energy without going too crazy.
The overall trends on social media in particular this summer are pretty similar to the rest of the year, at least in my experience. I do not follow them too closely, but I feel like I’ve seen a lot of animal prints, polka dots and lace detailing. Jean skirts, long black boots and boatneck tops are also staples. I, of course, had to buy a deer-print maxi skirt from Urban Outfitters and a polka-dot top from White Fox for the new school year.
My style has become much more urban in the past two years. Since moving to New York City, I have shed a lot of the Midwestern aspects of my personality — including my old style. My high school wardrobe was ridden with athleisure, as it was much more common to see loungewear in my classes than jeans and a sweater. It took a while for me to adjust to Fordham’s vibe, but it led me to become far more authentic and vibrant in my own skin, as opposed to trying not to stick out. College has made me grow in many different ways, and my fashion is no different.
I used to put a ton of effort into my first day of school outfits in high school. It was such a big deal to wear the perfect trends, and I loved to dress “basic,” so I did. I was under the impression that I needed to look perfect in order to be cool, which was not true. When we are younger, we have a false impression of how much people care about what we wear and what we do, especially in a time of so much social change like teenagehood.
It is easy to believe peers are perceiving us much more than they actually are. As a psychology major, one of the first things I learned about was the spotlight effect, which is a phenomenon where someone thinks others are only focused on them, when in reality, people only focus on themselves. Therefore, people aren’t judging us or perceiving us nearly as much as they are judging themselves. We should be who we want to be and look how we want to look because it sets an example for both ourselves and others. This includes outfits for the first day of school.
Being at Fordham, I’ve started to calm down with my first day outfits. Obviously, during my first-year I was super nervous, so I obsessed over my outfit. Since sophomore year, my first classes have been a chill day to meet my new classmates and have a new start. Once I settled into college, I felt way more comfortable in my environment and didn’t feel the need to look perfect. For my first day of school outfit this year, I decided to pair a dainty yellow top with lace trim and some simple jean shorts. I wanted to be comfy yet stylish, and I wanted to look my best for my new classmates. And guess what? I felt amazing because I dressed intentionally for the way I wanted to feel.
The outfit you wear to your first day of class always holds a lot of weight. It’s the start of a new chapter, one people post about on their Instagram stories and maybe even go out in. First impressions of your classmates can be really scary, but to know everyone’s in the same boat is comforting. The most important thing to be (and dress like!) is your most authentic self, because that’s always what matters the most.
