Every year the Quad takes on a new look. Not because of all the chalking, but due to the ever-changing student fashion. Gone are the days of bobby socks and big hair. Now students make it to class with messenger bags containing laptops, cell phones, and iPods. Their jeans are distressed; their shirts, polos.
Check out these student fashion phenomena, assembled by student interns in the LAS Office of Communications and Marketing. Find out whether you are living in the past or the present when it comes to campus style.
Call Me on My Cell
Finding a payphone or using a landline is so passé. Cordless and wireless is the modern student mantra as they remain glued to their cell phones 24/7. Many don't even use a landline in their dorms or apartments while they're at school since cell phones are more convenient for their on-the-go lifestyle. With downloadable ringtones and screen wallpaper, students are able to customize their phones according to their mood. Now the only problem is remembering to turn it off during class.
Who Likes Short Shorts?
Short shorts are for marathon runners only! Today, shorts for male students must fall between just below the knee to just above the knee, and no further up. Khaki shorts, possibly with a cargo pocket, are preferred to the frayed, light-wash denim disaster on this fashion victim.
Keep it Casual
These guys looked pretty sharp in their wide collars, vests, and matching bellbottoms in the '70s, but today people would wonder if it's Halloween. Now fashionable guys keep it casual with loose-fitting distressed jeans, polos or cotton T-shirts, baseball hats, and flip-flops. Don't forget the aviator sunglasses for the right retro touch.
Rock Out
The hippie-dippy, singer-songwriter thing is so old. Today, students rock out with a disaffected, alternative edge. Peasant shirts, flowers, and tambourines have been replaced with electric guitars, vintage tees, tight jeans, Converse shoes, and choppy hair. You don't even have to be in a band to cop this style.
Not So Matchy-Matchy
When girls on campus want to look put-together these days, they don't reach for plaid shorts and matching shirts. The whole sweater-over-the-shoulders thing with neatly teased hair is '80s preppy, and not in tune with today's more structured style. White cuffed, wide-leg capris, white kitten heels, and a polo shirt topped with a jean jacket make for a sophisticated look-especially when paired with layered hair, tinted sunglasses, and a brightly colored leather purse.
Don't Tease Me
These girls are a Crayola catastrophe! Loose clothing in primary colors is the antithesis of casual wear for today's modern female student. Girls kick back in low-rise, flared jeans paired with a fitted top and flip-flops. They don't even bother with teasing and spraying their hair; instead, they keep it natural by tying their hair in a messy bun or leaving it down.
Music to Go
All over campus, the distinctive white wires of iPod MP3 players can be seen poking out of backpacks and pockets and underneath hats. Boomboxes, cassette tape Walkmans, and clunky CD players have given way to MP3 players the size of a deck of cards or even smaller. Students can have their entire music library at their fingertips and make new playlists in seconds.
Get with the Program
A computer is a student's best friend. Life without them would be simply impossible. From typing up term papers to submitting online homework at 12 in the morning, having word processing and Internet capabilities is a must for the modern student. Beyond purely academic reasons, students can't live without instant messaging, computer games, and email.
