Project runway? Project hallway! Students strut fashion trends as new year unfolds

As the school year begins, this building sees new students, teachers, and most importantly, new fashion trends. Countless different styles make this a very comfortable and diverse environment for people to enjoy different aesthetics. As usual, summer has brought in different trends, many inspired by current media. This ranges from people drawing outfit inspiration from singers like Lana Del Rey, to spending hundreds of dollars on athletic wear that their favorite social media influencer recommended. 

This trend can be seen through absurdly expensive athletic wear, as this mix of basic but cute has been overwhelmingly popular in the halls, in both winter and summer alike. Currently, one of the most popular athletic brands is Lululemon. Their clothing consists of a variety of leggings, athletic tops, shorts, and more workout-esque items. Although the clothing at Lululemon is comfortable and flattering on most, it’s very costly and is likely to leave a dent in student bank accounts. Unfortunately, students sometimes attempt to match multiple Lululemon items with one another, even though their colors tend to clash. This ultimately leads to poorly curated outfits that could easily be cute if they were different colors.

While athletic wear may arguably be one of the most popular fashion trends of the year, some styles, such as coquette, are more calming and timeless. Though the coquette style originates from the 1955 novel and 1997 movie Lolita, popular singer Lana Del Rey has brought it back to life. Del Rey is most commonly known for her 1950’s-1970’s style of music. This music reflects her clothing, which fans commonly admire. Her style is generally described as coquette, which embraces vintage style clothing and also consists of soft colors, bows, lace, and overall hyper-feminine items. Classy and effortlessly beautiful, the style perfectly fits students who wear it to display their love for feminine-style clothing, and the charm that comes with it.

On the flip side, what goes around comes around, and this goes for fashion trends as well. After decades of being in the rearview, styles of generations past have started coming back. While a lot of this has been seen in years prior with the 80s making a comeback, recently the styles of the 2000s have emerged as well. The Y2K style consists primarily of low rise jeans, v-neck t-shirts, and bright colors and patterns. It reflects a fun, nostalgic vibe for many of the students at West, as many were born during this era, and the overall style has sparked comebacks for many 2000s shows.

Such vintage entertainment includes Gilmore Girls, a popular show about family, growing up, and finding one’s place in the world. Many teens are drawing inspiration from the main character, Rory Gilmore, whose fashion draws from the trends of her time (the late 90s to early 2000s) while still remaining timeless. Her dark academia look includes a lot of flared jeans, plush sweaters, and, of course, her classic school uniform. Students at West have taken her looks and put their own twists on them, wanting to give their high school experience a romanticized feel. One of Rory’s most iconic looks that featured an oversized white sweater was even seen in the teen drama, The Summer I Turned Pretty, showing just how widespread this trend has become.

Current trends aside, it’s important to acknowledge clothing items that never seem to go out of style. The biggest one of these to note is hoodies. Though trends of the time have caused small variations with hoodie sizes and styles, the item of clothing remains virtually the same: a true classic piece. Being able to be worn during any season, hoodies are an essential part of high school outfits. A rather similar item of clothing that has become more and more popular are crewnecks, especially with the changing seasons. The one thing that separates a hoodie from a crewneck is the fact that one has a hood and pockets and the other typically does not. Hoodies can be very convenient, but for those with sensory sensitivities, can feel constricting around the neck, whereas crewnecks bring the same comfort, but don’t feel so restrictive. Crewnecks also avoid the dreaded ease with which hoodie straps get unintentionally uneven, making one appear uncouth.

While clothing is one of the most important aspects of an outfit, what about hair? A huge problem that those with longer hair have is it constantly being in the way. Traditional ponytails and buns can get boring and make outfits look “professional” when wearing something casual. Recently, a type of clip, called a “claw clip,” has appeared in various hairstyles at West. This clip is larger, has thick “claws,” and can easily open and close. Not only is this hair tool reliable, it is also very aesthetically pleasing and can work with a lot of outfits. There are countless hairstyles you can do with this single clip. On the flip side, however, claw clips aren’t very convenient for those with extremely thick hair, as it doesn’t always fit. Though claw clips can put an outfit together, and may be perfect for some, a simple hair tie may be a better choice for others (and is always a safer bet).

West allows students to display their creativity through their sense of style. Whether it be staying comfy and casual or going all out and being unique, students find their way to shine. Aesthetics and fashion trends are constantly changing, just like students. But one thing will always remain the same: West is the best when it comes to individuality.

by Haniya Mecci

Published October 2 2023

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue I