A Campus Fashion Comparison

Graphics by Anika Dua

Since coming to Syracuse, I’ve noticed our fashion scene is quite a mix. People wear everything from pajamas to business suits (thank you Whitman Fridays) throughout the week. But how does our school’s fashion scene compare to others? I decided to reach out to students at other schools to see if we bring anything unique to university fashion culture.

Northwestern senior Mary says that fashion at her school is “more dressed up.” Students tend to opt for a laid-back business casual look, but it's not uncommon to see students sporting a street style look with big name brand logos.

First year Ellie describes fashion at Fordham as a “huge mix.” She added that students going to the downtown NYC area tend to get dressed up, while the rest of campus varies between streetwear and lounge attire.

Indiana University senior Emily says that students dress “very casual.” It’s common to see people wearing lots of “sweatpants, sweatshirts, and workout clothes.” She says that when students do dress up, it’s for “a class or presentation that requires it.”

Santa Clara freshman Agnes thinks that “people don’t really dress up,” at her school, where the weather is nice almost all year round. “If they do, a sundress would be considered dressier. Typically, I’ll see a jean short with a tank top. However, I think people dress differently depending on their major.”

Whew, okay! While comparing these schools to Syracuse, I found that the fashion I’ve observed within the student body here has some similarities to schools in other places.

It seems like each school has its own variety of loungewear - a typical college fashion trend for students who love stay comfy. But when students start to dress up it creates some ~distinction~. IMO, students at Syracuse generally don’t fit into Northwestern’s business casual appearance, and we typically have more of an elevated streetwear look when we play dress up. 

Props to us, because I always find that students’ outfits have some sort of visually appealing element. Whether it be a graphic tee or a patterned pant, Syracuse students love to put on something unique. Even in loungewear, students look put together (slay pajamas at 8 AM!). 

Of course, there are days where all you can manage is a pair of sweats and a hoodie, because school is hard. But even still, I’d say that both SU students and other university goers are stressed, depressed, and yet: very well dressed.