There is nothing harder than trying to find the perfect back-to-school outfit for your first day back at college. Do I dress up, or do I wear a T-Shirt and shorts? Do I want to wear wedges, or should I just stick with my reliable Birks? Lucky for you, I went around asking different individuals what their favorite back-to-school outfits are in order to inpsire and help you guys out! Here are their answers:
Jen said that her favorite back-to-school outfit combination is a cute, flowy dress paired with converse. This outfit is the easiest way to act like you’ve spent hours getting ready but with minimal effort; plus, it’s like a 10/10 on the cuteness scale. Throw on your comfiest and most flowy dress, making sure that it’s airy so that it doesn’t end up sticking to you on your walk to class. Play it up with some funky jewelry like vintage rings or a statement necklace. Or, you can also keep the look simple yet sophisticated by wearing a few small accessories. In case one of your classes ends up being located in the tundra (S/O to W401 for always making it feel like winter in August), bring a light-weight, long-sleeve denim shirt for an added bit of warmth in your coldest classes.
Caroline says that her go-to outfit is a lace bralette layered with a cute tank. The bralette adds a bit of spunk to this otherwise plain outfit and makes you feel slightly boho; let’s be real, everyone is jealous of those bohemian girls and their Cochella inspired outfits!  Now, put on some jean shorts! High-waisted, low-rise, with rips or just plain, ANY pair will work. To keep the outfit on the casual side (because you don’t want to act like you’re trying too hard for the first day, ya know?!) slip your feet into some Birks! These shoes are for excess comfort and allow you optimal speedwalking pace in case you’re running late but don’t want to look like a mess. If you’d like to, accessorize OR just keep the outfit simple with clothing basics. (Psssst, you can still try hard on day one if you want!)
A simple T-Shirt with boyfriend jeans is Lauren’s outfit of choice for day one at The University of Iowa. This outfit is one that allows you to look put-together without going too overboard. She likes to add a dainty (keyword, dainty) necklace and a couple of rings as accessories. To finish off this laidback look, she throws on her favorite pair of birks and a book bag. If it is hot this day, try wearing a loose pair of flowy shorts. They provide the ultimate comfort and allow you to look super cute at the same time.
Are you one of those people that doesn’t want to seem like they’re trying too hard on the first day of school? Well, so is Melanie! Instead, she likes to dress up on the second day of school. Her outfit’s theme is…COMFY! Comfy jeans and a comfy V-Neck T-Shirt are the main pieces in her outfit. On her feet, she likes to wear a nice pair of sandals to keep the look from venturing too far into the lazy side. To add to this look, she likes wearing simple jewelry, aka: “The earrings I went to bed in last night.” As you can tell, Melanie likes to keep her outfit natural, and that includes wearing her hair in its natural state as well!
Converse are Jess’ shoe of choice. She loves wearing them with anything and everything! So, she has obviously got to wear them on the first day of school! (Pro-tip: High-top converse are the way to go; especially if they are a color other than white or black. Don’t get me wrong, I love white and black converse, but wearing a pair in a color other than these two really makes you and your outfit stand out!) For the rest of her outfit, Jess likes to wear a nice blouse and skinny jeans. The combination of the converse, blouse and skinnies really keeps the outfit laidback, but at the same time, well put together!
Lily, Gabby and Lauren can all agree that the best back-to-school outfit is that of an XXL T-Shirt and Nike shorts! Birks or Chacos are the preferred shoe of choice when wearing these items. Keep your hair in the messy bun/pony/braid from last night, and you’re good to go! This outfit allows you to wake up five minutes before your class starts and is perfect for when you have to sprint there in order to make it before the teacher notices (Unless you’re in lecture, then take your sweet, sweet time!).
Lulu leggings and a V-Neck is Laura and Melanie’s favorite first day outfit. It is the best way to look super cute while remaining super comfy at the same time. Let’s be honest here, Lulu leggings are legitimately the most comfortable and honestly coolest leggings out there (Even if you might have to sell a body part to purchase them.)! They like wearing Birks to keep the comfy yet cute theme going. Jewelry, on the other hand, is optional.
All of these outfits are just simple guidelines that you can use to help create your perfect back-to-school outfit. You can wear it any time or change pieces depending on the weather. The outfits listed above are simple and easy to put together. They allow you to remain cute, yet comfortable at the same time. Your outfits upon returning to school are the best way to bring out your personality and style; so make them great, Hawkeyes!