What to Wear on Your First Day of College?

With new college session about to start I guess most of the teenage girls are struggling with this question. They might be discussing it with friends, cousins and their mothers and hence passing on the tension to their moms. I remember twisting and turning in bed whole night thinking about what to wear on the first day (or rather what to wear to college) when I was about to join college. We do get a lot of insight from internet but most of it is suitable to the western culture. Many of the dressing patterns suggested are not allowed in the dress code of our colleges (Indian colleges specifically). So here are a few points that I have marked down that will help you in deciding your wardrobe for that new chapter of your life. Happy reading…

Western:

Jeans and T’s:

College is synonymous with casual dressing and most of the girls are absolutely comfortable wearing jeans and T-shirt anywhere and everywhere. It is the easiest to carry and one doesn’t come across as spending too much time thinking about dressing up. Well, there’s nothing against it but there are ways to add a dash of style and make your own statement. And who doesn’t want to be appreciated?

• So when you plan to buy new jeans for college you might want to buy some bright colored jeans like Red, dark Pink, sap green etc. other than just blue and black. By adding colors to your jeans you get to be more vibrant and appear as a person with colorful mood. Everyone likes to be around happy and colorful people.  

         Pair it with: These can be paired with nice floral printed T’s or shirts or tops.

 

Colored Jeans with Printed Floral Shirt/ Top

• You might also look at buying some printed jeans.  Lots of brands are selling those in the market. 

Pair it with: These can be teamed up with nice plain shirts or T-shirts. 

 

Printed Jeans look good with plain colored top or a shirt

• Addition of a pair of nice ripped jeans to your wardrobe is another good option. Select one which looks stylish without being too garish. Check the video here to see "How to Make Ripped Jeans from your existing pair of jeans."

                    Pair it with: Loosely fitting T’s, tops and shirts look excellent with ripped jeans.

 

Select a ripped jeans that's not too loud or garish

Leggings/ Jeggings:

• Printed leggings and jeggings are must have for a college student as they are more body hugging and look very stylish. Thousands of varieties are flooding the market. However while buying printed leggings just keep in mind that the fabric is not too thin. If it is thin it might look transparent when it stretches after wearing. Look for and buy nice printed leggings in thicker and comfortable fabrics.

Pair it with: Leggings/ Jeggings go best with long flared T’s, tops and shirts which partially cover the hip and might be a bit shorter in front.

Printed leggings and jeggings are plenty available in the market.

Accessories: Minimal accessories are required with Jeans and T’s / Leggings and Tops. One nice funky bracelet, a small pendant on a thin chain and small earrings look simple and girly. If you want a more stylish impact then go for large earrings matching the top.

Footwear: Canvas shoes, sneakers are the best to wear with this dressing style. One can even wear short boots as that adds to the style quotient.

Bags: Sling bags, back-packs, Hobo’s look good with this style.

Trousers:

• It’s advisable to invest in a good pair of trousers for the special days in college where one needs to attend or present at presentations.

Pair it with: Nice shirts or pull over tops (depending on the weather) go well with it. One might also want to team it up with nice tuck-in top and a good quality formal looking longer shrug. You will definitely make some heads turn with that look.

Ankle length is the new rage

Skirts:

Nice formal looking skirts that reach the shin are also a very good option in western wear for college.

• A-Line, Fishtail, Gored and straight skirts are very comfortable to wear and look very classy. All these skirts are semi-casual variants and can be worn for presentations etc. as well. 
• One can even wear full length skirts with tank tops occasionally for a more relaxed yet trendy look.
• It’s better to buy plain skirts instead of printed as they can be worn for different types of occasions in college.

 

A-Line Skirt just below the knee looks very formal 

Fish-Tail skirt can be custom stitched as not always readily available.

 

  Gored skirt has a very nice flow and fall

Pair it with: It can be given a total casual to formal look with the type of top that’s worn with it. Flared top or a crop top will give it a very casual look.

However a tucked in shirt or a formal looking top will make one look formal. So depending on the occasion one can choose the type of top to wear.

A-Line skirt with formal look

A-Line skirt with semi casual and casual look

 Accessories: Minimal accessories are required with Trouser/ skirts and tops if you are aiming a more formal look. A nice delicate bracelet, a small pendant on a thin chain and small earrings look formal and girly. If you want a more stylish impact then you can tie a small scarf around the neck with a collared shirt/ top.

Footwear: Boots, platform heals, stilettos, formal slip-ons and pumps will enhance the overall style.

Bags: Drawstring leather bag, Sling bags, Totes, Bucket bags and leather back-packs accompany this style the best.

Tops:

• T’s are the easiest to choose as they go well with jeans, leggings and skirts as well. Before buying a T-shirt be very mindful of what is printed/ written on it. I had a very embarrassing situation when I bought a T-shirt in a hurry (from out of station) as I liked the color. When I showed it to my friends the truth dawned on me that I won’t be able to wear it to college. It had “My dad says condoms do not work” written on it in BOLD.
• It’s good to have a good mix of different colored T’s in your wardrobe as you can wear it on special days when one has to wear clothes of a particular color because of some theme day in college. Sleeveless T-shirts look very nice as long as it’s allowed in college.

• Flared tops look very good with jeans and skirts. If carried confidently it even goes well with trousers.
• High-low flared tops look very stylish with leggings and jeggings. One can team it up with a nice printed scarf.
• Shirts and formal tops are available in various lengths. Longer ones can be worn with jeans, skirts and trousers tucked it while shorter ones will look better with skirts and trousers only.

Shrugs and Jackets:

This is the fun part. Different types of shrugs and jackets like denim, net, stretchable etc. are available in the market. When teamed properly with the regular clothes the look is transformed and one looks more fashionable.

Denim Jackets can be worn with denims, skirts,shorts etc.

 

This kind of shrug helps one look taller and thinner

•  Shrugs of longer length makes one look taller and thinner and it definitely helps in covering the bulge that is otherwise visible through a body hugging top.
• If one doesn’t want to be seen wearing sleeveless in college then too one can wear a denim jacket or shrug which can later be removed and tied around the waist when going out with friends. It adds to one’s style quotient.

Indian:

Indian dressing has fewer options as compared to western dressing. One can have variations in the kurti styles which are mostly worn with leggings. Patiala is currently not in trend for college wear.

Kurti Leggings:

Just like jeans and T-shirts kurti and leggings seem to the next favorite option for not only college going girls but all ladies. It is very comfortable and is readily available in various, designs, colors, sizes etc. One can experiment with different types of kurtis for a different look every time. Some of them are listed below.

Long Straight Kurti:

Long kurti is in fashion now since quite some time. It’s available in different fabrics like cotton, georgette, silk etc. but georgette seems to be liked by most and is easy to carry and handle. It makes one look taller and thinner. Sleeveless style looks very trendy and youthful. One can even opt for three-fourth or churidar sleeves as well. It can be teamed with ankle-length leggings, slim fit jeans or even cigarette pants.

 

Long Straight kurti can be worn with leggings or even skin fit jeans

A-Line Kurti:

Knee length or longer A-line kurtis too are very comfortable and look good. The look can be modified by addition of slit in front and at the sides and worn with ankle length leggings. One can choose these kurtis with or without collar, sleeveless or with short or long sleeves. Huge variety and options are available in this variant. The best thing is, it suits all body types and helps in covering extra bulge.

Opt for an A-line kurti that's more chic and girly

Sherwani Style Kurti:

Sherwani style is excellent to wear on formal days to college like presentations, debates, facilitations, felicitations etc. They go well with skin fit jeans and leggings. It is mostly collared yet different neck patterns can be incorporated in it. One does not need to carry dupatta with it as it itself looks complete. Though sleeveless style looks best, mega and three- fourth sleeves too look good.

 

Sherwani style kurti has a very elegant and sophisticated look

Angarakha Style Kurti:

While basic angarakha style is a bit simple, the overall style changes when it added with flare or with high low. It is quite casual yet adds sophistication to one adorning it. In this style on part goes half way over the other part and is either secured with tie-ups or stitched in place. Ankle length leggings suit best  with this kurti style.

Angarakha anarkali kurti

High Low Style Kurti:

This is one of the latest trends in the kurti section. The front hem is shorter than the back hem and has quite a bit of flare. The uneven hem gives a western look and is hence suitable for casual occasions and party purposes depending on the type of material. There’s no need to carry a dupatta as it has the western look and hence is easier to manage while commuting. It can be worn with churidar or ankle length body fitting leggings.

 

High Low kurti with chunky jewellery for a fashionista

Shirt Style Kurti / Bunty Babli Kurti:

This is derived from the style of kurti worn by Rani Mukherjee in the movie Bunty Babli. It has a shirt collar and may have a round or a straight hem. The types of collar may vary in the shirt style kurti from Chinese stand collar to pattern which give an illusion of collar. If the kurti length is short then it goes very well with jeans. Longer once can be worn with leggings, jeggings or even jeans. All look very feminine and classy.

 

No fuss Shirt style kurti

Accessories: With ethnic dressing one can experiment more with accessories. Chunky ear-rings and neck lace look very trendy and stylish. A bunch of thick bangles will heighten the style quotient.

Footwear: Sandals, stilettos, flat formal slip-ons and pumps suit this dressing style.

Bags: Totes and Bucket bags generally look good with this style. However with shirt style kurti Hobo’s too will look good.

Bags:

Since college girls need to carry quite a bit of stuff to college the bags need to be roomy and easy to handle. Below are some of the bag styles that one can add to their wardrobe and mix and accompany it with appropriate dressing:

Backpacks:

This bag lies across the back and is supported at the shoulders with double handles. It gives complete freedom to both the hands at all times and is roomy and generally has many pockets to compartmentalize the things that are carried.

Bucket Bags:

The name is derived from the shape of this bag which is that of a bucket. It opens on top and has shoulder straps. These are available in many sizes and are mostly very roomy.

Hobo Bags:

These are very large and spacious bags and generally have one main compartment secured with a zip or sometimes even a flap. It has a wider handle and hence provides more support to the shoulder. These are available in different types of materials like cloth, rexene, suede leather etc.

Sling Bags:

These are for days like the first day when there aren’t many books to be carried. It has a long strap that has to be worn across the body. It provides maximum security while commuting as there’s no fear of it sliding off the shoulder. The bag hangs towards the front unlike backpack hence contents are safer.

   

Totes:

These are the most commonly used bags as they come in various designs and styles. These are usually large, have sometimes double or single handle and have one main compartment. These are easily available everywhere and in all brands and budgets.

Draw String Bags:

These are available in leather, rexene and thick fabric varieties. The opening is on top which is secured with a draw string which also acts like a handle.

Whatever you wear don't forget to carry the most important aspect of dressing and that is your smile and confidence. Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable and walk with head held high with your smile on and that's the best style statement. Enjoy life!