With the start of a new semester, we all have a tendency of telling ourselves that this semester will be different. With the all-nighters and pajama pants of finals behind us, we like to tell ourselves that we will step up our sartorial games this time around. We think about our outfits for the first couple of weeks, but laziness tends to set in, and we revert to our old habits of comfort over style.
The truth is, looking cute doesn’t have to be daunting or difficult, and it doesn’t have to require much thought. You just need the right items in your closet, ones you aren’t afraid to wear and things that allow you to feel as lazy as you want without looking sloppy.
So here is the "Practical College Girl’s Guide to Spring Fashion": wardrobe staples to keep you looking current, but comfortable and easy enough that you’ll actually wear them.
1. Beanies - Sleeping through your alarm has never looked cuter. My favorite way to hide horrible bedhead and pretend I look like Cara Delevingne is throwing on a beanie. No one is perfect, and we can’t be expected to always wake up in time to shower, but a cute little cashmere beanie gives the vibe of a little more effort than a ponytail with a headband. It takes just as much time, but looks like you put in a lot more effort.
2. Backpacks - Remember back in the days of freshman year of high school when all the cool kids avoided wearing backpacks? Practicality was for the lame. Lately, fashion has realized how glorious it can be to avoid the oh-so-real shoulder fatigue, and backpacks have creeped their way into the images of street style photographers. Save your forearm the unnecessary workout and replace your everyday bag with a cute little backpack. Dora the Explorer can be a style icon.
3. Midis - The beauty of a dress is that it is an entire outfit in a single garment, so it requires very little actual effort. The biggest trend this season in skirts and dresses is the midi. This length goes just past the knee, and before now was worn solely by 6-foot giantesses. Just as the maxi made it on to the figures of those of us who can’t reach the top shelf, the midi is now the length to try. All you need is a pair of strappy sandals and you’re out the door in a matter of minutes, looking classy to boot.
4. Shearling Anorak - We all know the temptation—when it’s chilly outside, you throw on a comfy sweatshirt. It's a move that requires very little thought. This lack of mental energy is visible however, and the look ends up sending the message of a decided lack of effort. The best way to break from that tendency is to find a sweatshirt alternative—something that feels just as easy, but slightly more fashionable than having the name of your college splashed across your chest. In this capacity, I love the look of a faux-shearling anorak. It feels like wearing a blanket, so it’s hard to resist throwing it on all the time, but it avoids looking sloppy the way an old sweatshirt tends to.?
5. Distressed Boyfriend Jeans - Lululemon workout pants have their place. That place is in the yoga studio. Obviously, sometimes the idea of putting on real pants seems like entirely too much work. But before you grab those leggings, try reaching instead for a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans. The loose fit gives you room to move, and an ability to curl up into a little ball if you so choose. You can also dress these jeans with a pair of heels for an I-woke-up-this-fabulous kind of daytime look.
6. Platform Sandals - After the end of the era of the Spice Girls, I never thought I would wear another platform again. But here they are, and I am certainly embracing the ability to add some height without the issue of teetering around like a newborn foal. There’s something about them that screams “fashion!” but they can definitely be worn day-to-day.
Photo Credits: Platform Sandals (Cobian Kezia., zappos.com), Shearling Anorak (shop.nordstrom.com & Weatherproof®), Midi Dress (forever21.com), Backpack(Osprey® Flap Jack Pack, zappos.com), Beanie (LAUREN Ralph Lauren, zappos.com), Distressed Boyfriend Jeans ( !iTCollective, zappos.com).
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