Trending at Tulane: Arcade’s guide to fall fashion

Taylor DeMulling, Staff Reporter

There are some new sights to see on campus this fall, and not just the enormous statue outside Woldenberg Art Center. Fall 2015’s trends are out on full display and in case you’ve been too busy texting on your way to class to people watch, The Arcade has condensed them into a handy list for reference.

T-shirt dresses have quickly caught on across campus because they offer all the comfort of a pajama shirt, but are actually socially acceptable to wear in public. Somehow, the dress aspect can make anyone look put-together, even those that woke up for a 9 a.m. class five minutes beforehand.

Other fads, like the highly sought-after white Birkenstocks, haven’t fared nearly as well. The newest development in the Jesus-sandal fad that caught on early last year is excellent for emphasizing a killer summer tan but less than stellar when it comes to maintenance and making sure the leather doesn’t get scuffed.

There are a number of other trends that we at The Arcade would like to see phased out. Mirror-lensed sunglasses, for example. Something about them makes everyone look like an incredibly unnerving, if slightly cool, space alien. Rather than wasting money on a passing fad, invest in a pair with classic dark lenses.

One trend transcends time and the fashion forecast; it’s an inevitable outcome of the back-to-school events that overrun the Lavin-Bernick Center Quad on the daily: people wearing the shirt they got at a Tulane function the previous day. Yeah, Reily rocked, but did it rock so hard that everyone needed to relive it the day after by wearing their bro tank? Give yourself a two- to three-day grace period before attempting to wear one of the free T-shirts you snagged and wear a sign that says “I’m a freshman!” in the meantime.

To fill the void in your closet — and in your heart — where those other styles used to lie, try the following looks instead.

Horn-rimmed glasses are the look of choice for any seriously studious student, or at least someone who’s pretending to be. They are classic and make almost anyone vaguely resemble former President Lyndon B. Johnson (in a cool way, of course).

It is impossible to stroll across campus without noticing the sudden upcropping of Fjallraven Kanken backpacks. Herschel who? There is a new “hipster” bag for the painfully indie, the alternative elite and anyone who has recently been to Sweden. They are low-profile, surprisingly spacious and come in a variety of colors sure to match your intentionally worn-in flannel.

Now that you’re well-versed in the what’s hot in 2015, go forth and look stylish. Or don’t. Just, for everyone’s sake, stop that trend of wearing mismatched pairs of half-calf socks at once. Please.

In:

  1. Chacos – Perfect for any occasion that would typically be too high-intensity for Birkenstocks. These sandals are waterproof, come in a variety of patterns and colors and are perfect for hiking or the long walk from Josephine-Louise Hall to literally anywhere else.

  2. Hawaiian shirts – If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a dad at a barbecue, now’s your chance. Any variation of short-sleeved button-down is popular right now, but there’s something about ones with a glaringly obnoxious floral print that feel ironically cool.

Out:

  1. High-low dresses – The mullet died in the ’80s, yet came back to haunt us in the form of dresses and skirts with a hemline that’s high in the front, low in the back and confusing overall. Leave this one in 2014.

  2. Sperrys and Nike socks – Is this a precaution in case you pass the basketball court on your way to a frat party? No, “ball is life” is not an acceptable excuse for this stylistic offense.

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