The hardest part of the social life at University seems to be the temptation of the sheer amount of nights out. We all know that familiar feeling of not wanting to miss out on “the best night of the year” especially as a fresher when those first few months of drunken bonding are so crucial. What’s so hard about this you say? Well, apart from the constant hangover, there is a lot of pressure on us girls to put together a different, sexy, fashionable AND club-appropriate outfit every night. Deciding what to wear on a night out is always a little stressful let alone for the third time in a week. So to make life, and that last minute decision to go out, a little bit easier, here are a few ideas to inspire you for some classic Nottingham nights out….
Ocean
No matter how grimy the Big O is, it will always hold a special place in our hearts. This is definitely a more casual night out and a girl has got to be prepared for a very long, hot and sweaty dance floor session. High-waist denim shorts like these from ASOS are cool but still comfy and can be worn with or without tights depending on the season. They also go with literally anything but try tucking in a sleeveless sheer blouse like this one from great US online shopping Mecca Nasty Gal to avoid those dreaded sweat patches but still keep it sexy.
Or maybe go with neon brights like this pink Forever 21 number in bright pink to make your outfit as fun as your night will be (H&M also has many similar styles in store). Pair with some classic Primark flats to keep you hassle-free and dancing all night. Dressing with more casual pieces like these shorts up with plenty of accessories like a leopard printed belt (from Asos), big chunky necklaces or fun bracelets (from Nasty Gal) is also a good way of achieving the casual/going out balance for this Friday night haven.
Crisis
A little dressier than Ocean but balance is still the key here. Every week you will see people dressed up to the nines and some wearing the exact opposite so I guess you will never feel inappropriately dressed. Flats are recommended (especially for all-nighters) but there will always be many a religious heel wearer too.
This season (and next season too for that matter) the fashion world is all leather, leather and more leather , so Crisis is a good excuse to jump onto this bandwagon. Try some shorts or skirts with a sparkly top like this Forever 21 mint number (a very popular colour for this autumn). The top is casual and easy to wear but the sequins make it more going-out appropriate and the leather skirt is a more dressy alternative to denim. This pairing also creates the essential contrast in fabric and colour you need to highlight a leather look.
Alternatively, if you are a dress kinda gal, a simple but sexy classic like this from American Apparel will do just the trick. These are great as they can also double as leotard style tops by tucking them in to high-waist shorts or skirts!
Coco Tang
This is the definitely the place to show off your favourite and most stylish pieces. It is much dressier than the other places but also a lot less messy so you can wear your most expensive heels or new cream shirt without the risk of getting bright blue VK stains on it. Think about dressing more for a London cocktail bar than Nottingham student club. Go all out on sparkle with this dress or try a playsuit like this one in a great autumnal colour, both from Nasty Gal.
Market Bar
Perhaps the best time to let your inner hipster shine – I mean we have to look our best for that photographer! Again, let loose in leather or maybe rock out in Baroque, a look that the fashion magazines have been loving recently, ASOS even picked it out as a special A/W trend so they have lots of looks to choose from here. These hotpants are a particular favourite of mine and the fact that they are denim makes them an easy way to wear this trend on a day or night.
I’ve added links to all the pieces talked about just in case you fancy spending a bit of that hard-earned student loan to refresh your ‘going out’ wardrobe. As you can see from this, investing in a few key pieces like a great pair of high-waisted denims, a leather skirt, a few sheer blouses and a bodycon and combining them in different ways seems to be the answer to a university nightlife wardrobe this Autumn!