"CLOTHING STYLE: Over Your College Years in the Ateneo" by Alyanna Kara B. Batallones

“Dress to impress.” Surely, this has been your perception of college before you entered this used-to-be strange world. Panic-buying and changing of wardrobe are two of the things you had to accomplish during your last weeks of summer. Isn’t this right? Now that you’re a freshman, this is your mantra. In the morning, you’d have to wake up earlier to plan your outfit of the day (or as they call it, “OOTD”). Good enough for some, they think about it beforehand. You can’t deny it, clothes is always part of the main picture of college.

            However, will this “dress to impress” stay as it is? Or will it change? In the beginning, you dress all out. But in the end, you get tired of all this “showy nonsense” and find a style that is truly you.

1^st Part of Freshman Year

           

            This is the “fashion show” stage. Strolling around the college campus is almost close to walking on a runway. Everyday, you wear attention-grabbing clothes. As you walk around, you’ll notice some prying eyes looking at you. It’s not a bad thing though, you’re outfit is just catchy. You’d have to admit, looking good is always a part of your routine.

            Luckily for some, wearing nice outfits is not a big effort because they’re naturally fashionable. You can tell – they always think out of the box. When asked how she plans her outfits daily, Alesi Salvador (regarded by her blockmates as fashionable) from First Year, BS ComTech responded, “I mix and match my clothes and I wear clothes that make me look good. Also, it should at least be one month before I wear a certain outfit again.”

Some add lots of layers to their clothes. Yeah, how can they survive the heat, right? Meanwhile, others wear simple ones but they still look exquisite.

            After some time, you start to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. Maybe the constant effort of planning your outfits daily becomes taxing. Or maybe you gain the feeling of discontent and end up in frustration. However, for some reason, you still end up doing it anyway. Amidst all of these “burdens”, you still keep doing it because everyone else is.

            This fashion trend can’t be helped at all. Since everyone’s doing it, you find yourself going with the flow. For instance, there’s a day when you really feel like dressing super chill (like shirt, shorts and sneakers type of chill) but because it might seem weird, you don’t. A trend is a practice that’s accepted by a large group of people, which in this case is being fashionable. Because of this, there is a tendency for you to join the bandwagon. You can’t help feeling this throughout your freshman year. Well, no one can blame you since it’s always like that.

First Year to Second Year

            This is the “experimental” stage. There is a slow drifting away from the bandwagon. Of course, the fashion trend is still pretty much evident. No one can take that away. Even you are still caught up with this movement. However, you’re starting to search for your personal style. You’re beginning to realize that being “in” actually pulls you away from expressing your true self.

            Comfortable clothes are your ideal outfits. What is meant by comfortable?  Not much pressure is placed on you. You wear outfits that make you look good and feel good at the same time. You begin experimenting by maximizing your wardrobe and also adding combinations. At this point, you’re in-between following the fashion trend and mixing your own style. Andrea Dee from First Year, BS ComTech was asked the question: “What do you take into consideration when dressing up in the morning?” Her reply was “Usually what I do is, I choose something ‘comfy’. I also avoid mismatch of clothes to make it look suitable for me.”

Also, the idea of aptness for the situation is prioritized over looking fashionable alone. In a campus like the Ateneo, walking around to transfer from different buildings is a daily yet exhausting routine. Due to this, wearing shorts or skirts is a big help to avoid those unwanted sweat all over your body. Another student, Gela sol Cruz, from First Year BS ComTech, was interviewed about what she prioritizes most in planning her outfits. She answered, “It all depends on the weather. When it’s raining, I wear clothes that won’t keep me freezing and will protect me from getting wet. But I always make it to a point to look good.”

Basically, this stage is centered on balancing fashionable clothes and personal style. You follow ‘trends’ but you go for what you’re comfortable with. You don’t go all out on being stylish but you still know how to look pleasant.

Third Year to Fourth Year

            You have finally found your personal style. You’ve detached yourself from the chains that compelled you to keep up with the “in” crowd. Your get-up is completely you and you work it to the max.

            Michelle Guerrero from Third Year, BS Psych was asked the question: “How do you plan your outfits for the day?” She replied, “I give my clothes a span of 2 weeks before I wear them again.” Her answer to the follow up question, “What do you think about the fashion trend in the Ateneo?” is “I used to follow it. But eventually you’ll get tired of it and you just want to wear something that defines you.”

     You still see ‘trends’ but you keep going with what you want. Being part of the bandwagon is nothing to you anymore. Dressing to impress is a “been there, done that” stage for you. Now, you just stick to what makes you ‘You’ and that is what’s most important.

            All in all, the fashion trend in the Ateneo is ever-changing. You’ll soon learn that as you go on, this ‘trend’ will shift from being “in” to expressing your true self. It’s not just all about looking stylish and chic but it’s also about sticking to who you really are. After all, you dress up everday not to please others but to make you feel good about yourself.