With a new year comes a clean slate and whole year to focus on new responsibilities and goals. Often times, for a college student these goals can range from monumental changes to little day-to-day changes.
A popular resolution amongst the female population at UNC is trying to present yourself a little better come the new semester and only break out the yoga pants and leggings once a week. This, along with almost every other New Year’s resolution, can be tricky to keep up with and fully pursue, especially on the mornings after two hours of sleep and a ten page paper.
Although the fleece-lined leggings paired with your dad’s old hoodie from college do not make up the polished, put-together look you might be striving for, there are several ways to stay fierce and flawless at college during the new year.
The key not falling off the college fashionista train is distinguishing between functional and fashionable looks.
While scrolling through your Pinterest feed or looking at the many fashion blogger looks out there, you’re probably envious of the fabulous outfits and extraordinary combinations put together by the masterminds who own the clothes.
Well, contrary to popular belief, some of the more trendy and fashion-forward looks aren’t always applicable to a college student’s life or schedule. Many think that unless they are wearing six-inch heels and are carrying the latest Rebecca Minkoff clutch, they aren’t meeting the expectations of being well-dressed.
I’m here to tell you that this assumption is very, very false.When getting ready to go to class everyday, you have to remember that less is indeed more, and a little accessorizing with a splash of makeup can take you a long way.
Credit: Death By Elocution
Basics are key to anyone’s wardrobe, whether they’re in college or not. A minimalistic go-to piece is a good pair of jeans. My personal favorite is a solid black jean (yes, people can tell the difference between them and leggings). Pair them with a comfy solid piko shirt, colorful scarf, some booties and a great jacket and you will give off a chic and effortless vibe on your morning commute to class
Especially during the colder months, scarves are another staple piece to incorporate into a wardrobe and amp it up to another level. The more patterns the better — putting a fun, flirty patterned scarf will take the simplest of shirts or dresses and give them a little kick in the right direction, not to mention scarves do give you a solid excuse to pull your hair in a messy pony and call it a day.
Credit: Styled Avenue and The Whoot
All of these tricks and little hints can absolutely help you refresh your look, but what happens when the athletic leggings are calling your name? One word — athleisure. This word simply refers to taking your athletic clothes, which as you’ve noticed are getting increasingly cuter as time goes on, and pairing them with certain pieces that make them look a little cuter than your usual gym look. I promise, this is not too good to be true.
Recently I discovered slim-straight athletic leggings that look adorable with a good pair of converse. These really accentuate your legs and are just short of having the standard yoga pant flare and they don’t quite look like true workout leggings.
Any looser, casual shirt can be matched with these and throwing them on with a cuter tennis shoe can make you look comfy, but chic and can have you ready to go in a matter of minutes. Many brands are making athletic jackets and pullovers that give off a street-style vibe, but still stay true to the brand's’ look.
Credit: Vogue
Aside from fully wearing these pieces, tying the jacket around your waist and showing off a cute, fitted running shirt will bring a laid-back, street vibe to your gym outfit.
Athleisure can be a little bit tricky, but it can keep you inline with your resolution and give you some relief when you just don’t feel like putting on real pants.
Resolutions in general can sometimes be more of a burden than a benefit, but sometimes the littlest of changes, like revamping your daily appearance, can boost confidence and make any college student feel like they can take on anything.
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