Redefining Casual Comfy: Bringing UK College Trends to Illinois

 
Most students here on campus rock up to class in casual, comfortable and as a result, pretty identical outfits. Easy wear items such as UGG boots, fleece jackets, sweat pants and even the dreaded plaid pajama pants swamp our campus. Sure, they might be practical looks but where’s the personality and panache in looking exactly the same as everyone else? As an exchange student from the UK I was pretty surprised to learn of such huge differences in college fashions between the two countries. I’m not trying to insult U of I students in the slightest, but perhaps to encourage a little more risk in people’s day-to-day clothing choices and prove that it really is OK to dress in colors other than orange and blue.  
 
It is no secret that the UK is one of the biggest leaders of the fashion pack, with style geniuses like Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney to name a few, However, just like U of I students, British students don’t have the kind of budgets to enjoy such labels. Instead vintage stores and online shopping are as popular as heading down to H&M for us Brits. The majority of British students see their appearance and fashion choices as a way to identify themselves and enjoy pushing boundaries and breaking down the stigma of students as being lazy and messy in their appearance. British university campuses nationwide promote a stream of fashion forward, stylishly daring looks, promoting real attention to detail over outfit choices.
 
Over Winter Break I headed to my home university in Leeds to get a feel for current trends and styles amongst students in the UK. One huge advantage these students have over us lot stuck out here in the middle of all this corn is the vast range of stores available just a short walk away from campus.  
 

  
Being lucky enough not to have to suffer Illinois’s arctic conditions in the UK and thus drown potential style by way of a head-to-toe North Face body bag, this time of year allows for clever layering and accessorising to beat the chill while still appearing chic and on trend. Fur coats first appeared on the student scene over three years ago and they’ve stuck ever since. The same came be said for skinny or slim-cut jeans which can be seen here in both women’s and men’s styles. A huge and noticeable difference in the way these students dress from U o fI students are their bold and daring colour choices which at first may appear unconventional but truly do work. The outfits Lauren, Aisha and Joel are wearing were mostly put together from ranges at American Apparel, Urban Outfitters and Topshop (see topshop.com or hold out for the opening of Chicago’s own store later this year) proving that these styles are accessible over here. For items such as Lauren’s scarf or Aisha’s high-waisted shorts check out Dandelion at 9 Taylor St who stock Champaign’s best range of vintage clothing.
 
My advice to anyone wanting to rip off that TCF sweatshirt and opt for something a little more elegant and structured would be to just go for it! Even if it’s just a case of opting for patterned tights over plain, wearing your favorite denim shorts over leggings instead of keeping them locked up until summer or tying a slim decorative scarf around your head to spruce up that top-knot, small changes can really make all the difference. College is a time for experimentation and this includes dabbling with different style choices. Just because ‘dressing up’ isn’t the done thing here, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. After all, where’s the fun in blending in?