Collegiate Fashion Through the Decades

Good afternoon, my Collegiate Confidants.

Have you heard that it’s Homecoming Season? You know, that time of year after returning to school in the fall. You’re reunited with all your friends, sharing juicy stories of summer adventures or stuffy internships. Then, suddenly you find yourselves knee-deep in midterms as if there’s no escaping the restraints of schoolwork.

And then, there’s Homecoming.

Have you ever thought about what it looked like when those alumnae were on campus— that is, what they wore back then?

Let’s do a little blast-from-the-past in honor of Homecoming Season, and we will have our own “Homecoming” with fashion trends that have come full circle and some trends that, well, can stay in the  past.

1940

Let’s begin back in the 1940’s. Can’t you just picture Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton from The Notebook? With the girl’s Oxford blouses and knee-length pleated skirts—oh, and we cannot forget the Oxford shoes. Everybody who was anybody wanted to get into Oxford, and if they couldn’t, they sure dressed like they did!

1950

What’s more 50’s than Marilyn Monroe and Breakfast at Tiffany’s? The girls above are especially spirited and studious and are ready for what ever college will throw at them. Channeling Marilyn, the ladies have very full skirts and cinched, tiny waists. It is evident that the silhouette from the post-war “New Look” by Christian Dior is still all the rage. The Cheerleaders are still sporting an oxford shoe—they just couldn’t  give up that trend, either.

1960

And do the twist! I can totally see Chubby Checkers himself at this college dance, showing these girls just how to really do the twist! Do these trends look familiar? We have moved on from the skirt look, and now these girls are stuntin’ matching shorts and top sets with over-the-knee boots. Wait, I happen to have a pair of over-the-knee boots in my closet right now! Who would have thought that trend started in the 60s?

1970

How adorable are these girls from the 70’s? Sporting the classic pleated skirt that we have been following since the 40’s, no need for bell bottoms with these beauties! Their outfits follow a cohesive color scheme made up of brights as well as neutrals, sticking to only using one or two colors in their whole outfit! Can someone say “That’s 70s Show?”

1980

Oh, the 80s. When I think of 80s fashion, I picture all the clothes that used to be in my mom’s closet from college, some of which I may have snatched up for myself before she donated it all. I picture big accessories, bold colors, and fluffy hair styles! These ladies pictured above have it all! Between their cute skirts (one is still rockin’ the pleats!), oversized jewelry and accessories, bright fun colors, they show up just what was fashionable for college girls in the 1980s!

1990

What’s more 90s than everyone’s favorite sitcom, Friends? I see baggy and oversized clothes, more fluffy hair, and denim! These cuties from Baylor are reppin’ the 90s style in their sorority apparel with teased hair and XL t-shirts. Wait, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it? The oversized t-shirt trend is definitely back from the 90s! College girls just cannot get enough of their comfy, oversized clothes, and we have the 90s to thank for that one!

2000

Whoa, Brittany Spears really did it again! Everyone is showing off their low-rise jeans and  their edgey haircuts! This is a huge change from the 90s! Style turned right around to tight little tops and tight   low-rise jeans! Just like Gilmore Girls or, even better, Mean Girls, it’s all about those classic 2000s styles with mini skirts and tanks.

2019

College style lately is all over the books! College girls definitely prioritize comfort, that’s why you will likely see students in athletic clothes and t-shirts on campus. There is also the occasional event that students dress up for! This usually involves cute, simple little dresses with neutral heals like the girls in the first picture.

 How crazy is it that trends have come back around from the past into our present day style? With the influence of the internet and social media, styles change and evolve faster than ever! It feels even more like “home” to go back and look at how college students used to dress, especially when we frequent some of those trends ourselves! 

Happy Homecoming, my Collegiate Cuties.

xoxo, Established & Co.