My mom always told me that college is the place where people from different parts of the country (and even the world) can experience differences among each other and boy, was she right. The past couple of years at Saint Vincent College really made me aware of how diverse of a student population we actually have. Many differences evolved from culture, values and beliefs, but some evolved from fashion. Among all of our fashion differences however, there is one staple piece that college students from any area may have in their closet: the plaid shirt.
Since we are in the winter season experiencing the gusting winds and snow flurries of Western Pennsylvania, the students here at Saint Vincent College are turning to the flannel side of the plaid shirt. This Fashionista, however, showed me how she styled her predominantly green light weight plaid shirt in the midst of all the frigid winds and temperatures. She paired her plaid shirt from H&M with a black leather jacket and black leggings. The black on black Macy’s jacket and leggings helps this Fashionista’s mostly green plaid shirt to stand out and get noticed! To tie her whole outfit together, she wore a slouched beanie, which was the perfect cold weather accessory to go with this outfit and black heeled booties from Charlotte Russe. These extra accessory pieces help this Fashionista keep warm and stylish at the same time while also completing the “grunge” look.
Like I said earlier, the plaid shirt is one thing that many college students (no matter where they are from) have in common. Plaid shirts can be worn during any time of the year as either a flannel, a fitted light weight shirt or a boyfriend style fit. They can also be seen in different styles, whether they are worn casually, grungy or even preppy. I have seen people from urban, rural and suburban areas rock the plaid in so many mixed and matched ways! This Fashionista chose to style her plaid shirt as grungy, mocking the originally ’90s style. To style it preppy, switch the leather jacket for a cable knit sweater and a pearl necklace and wear skinny jeans instead of leggings. To style it casually, wear a graphic T-shirt underneath an unbuttoned boyfriend fit plaid shirt and swap the black booties for regular black boots.
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “Don’t be afraid to try something new! Two years ago, I wouldn’t have ever tried the grunge look, but look at me now. I dress with my mood and willingly take the risk of feeling out of my comfort zone. If you want to take a fashion risk and do something different, I say do it!”
