FashBlog.com

By Brandi M. Seals

For anyone who has been on a college campus in the past several years, I'm sure you would agree that college students seem to lack any real fashion sense. Maybe it is the hurried schedules, the lack of adequate funds or something else that keeps college students looking so unkempt. Whatever it is, I can honestly say that most students dress the same. They seem to follow some sort of code in which oversized sweatshirts and pajama pants are all the rage. The following is a list of trends that one can observe on just about any college campus.

1.) Tight Pants
Blame it on the freshmen 15 (the additional 15 pounds that each college freshmen is rumored to gain) or something else. For some reason, the jeans are ultra-tight on college campuses.

Maybe it is that these women do not realize they no longer fit in the juniors department. At 18 they age out of the demographic that junior's clothes are suppose to target, but as you and I know, many people have a hard time saying goodbye to the tiny clothes in the juniors department. Another idea is that many clothing manufacturers have been obsessed with spandex the past couple of years. I honestly have to look high and low to find a pair of jeans without spandex. Those of us with plenty of curves on the bottom do not need any help showcasing them.

Who knows why they do it, they just do. If a female college student bothers to get dressed, chances are she is sporting a pair of seriously tight, often low-rider jeans.

2.) Pea coats
While there are pea coats for men and women, it seems that women stockpile these jackets. Next time it is chilly out, check out your local college. I bet at least 50% of the women wearing coats will have a pea coat on.

They are great. They look stylish, they are easy to care for, and they automatically dress up the pajama pants students are sporting on the bottom. Truth be told, they still look good even if they have been waded up in the back of the closet for over a month.

3.) Oversized Sweatshirt
Men and women alike seem to forget what size shirt they wear when it comes to sweatshirts - especially among college students. Maybe they are preparing for added weight gain, maybe they just like the layered look, or maybe they ended up with the sweatshirt after it had been lent out time and again and no one really knows who owns it anymore.

Think what you want about the oversized sweatshirt phenomenon. I just know that it can often seem that the only size sweatshirt sold is an XL.

4.) College Gear
It is a college campus. You are going to see some college-related clothing but it can be overwhelming. Usually freshmen haven't had a chance to really build up their college wardrobe, but upperclassmen are something to be reckoned with. I actually know someone that picked up over 30 college-related shirts and sweatshirts while attending Michigan State. Sometimes, if you catch the timing just right, you can walk into a room somewhere and find the people there to only be wearing two colors. They will be whatever the school colors are.

5.) Short Skirts and Shorts
Again, short skirts and shorts go back to my complaint about people shopping in the junior's department after they really should have stopped. It may be okay for a 15-year-old to sport skirts that barely cover their tushes, but a college student that wants to be taken seriously really out to have their back sides completely covered.

6.) Pajama Pants
I do not know how this trend got started, but it seems that pj pants are completely acceptable bottoms for college students. I personally do not have a problem with people wearing them all day provided the pants are not worn out. Where them to class if you must or while lounging around your home. Once you take them off campus you are going to get some looks.

The only time pj pants are acceptable off campus is when you make a midnight run to your favorite fast food restaurant or do a little grocery shopping around 3am.