A girl’s mindset towards frat boys is usually somewhere along the lines of, “I wonder if they do anything besides drink?” or “It’s so sad that those guys needed to buy friends… but when is their next party again?” In general, the term frat boy doesn't necessarily bring the word fashion to mind, yet there is a distinct fashion sense related to this boys club. Plastic sunglasses, tanks, snap-back hats and the ever-growing trend of the pastel shorts are all staples when I think of a frat boy’s wardrobe/ I wouldn’t be surprised if some of their closets were even color-coordinated.
This Fashionisto was sporting many of the articles of clothing that I would expect to see in a photo from the gallery on Chubbies shorts website, the ultimate fraternity clothing brand, and he undeniably looked good. I was drawn to his three shades of blue offset by clean white accents, a look that took some good taste in fashion. After a bit of talking with this fashionable male, I found that his clothes did not automatically categorize him as a frat boy, which he is not, but just a well-dressed man with a runway inspired look.
Different shades of a single hue, as seen on this Fashionisto, can also be seen in outfits from Paul Smith’s spring 2013 menswear collection. The look is bold, breathtaking and certainly not just for men. Jonathan Saunders featured a similar look for women in the Resort 2013 collection. The concept of using one color in different shades to create a bold statement outfit discriminates no gender and is a great way for anyone to stand out.
I was stuck thinking about how this Fashionisto was so easily mistaken for a frat boy by his clothing when his inspiration was straight from the runway. The minute I laid eyes on the mid-thigh pastel shorts and pastel blazers from the Roccobarocco spring 2013 menswear collection, my moment of clarity hit; the fraternity style of dress is just as inspired by runway as any other popular trend. College is easily mistaken as a world so detached from reality that it is easy to think that the collegiate fashion is just as separate. The truth is there is no need to fear the frat boys when it comes to their on-trend fashion; you might even want to use elements of their look in your own outfit. Now the only thing you have to fear is falling for them, because a man inspired by the runway might just make you swoon.
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