So today is a new day, as the saying goes, which guarantees only one thing: A new outfit. For many years, the morning attire choice has plagued students and it requires a brave and socially intelligent individual to reach the pavings of campus confident in what is resting on their body.
In the 40's the look on campus was bulky shoes, padded shoulder and tight but long dresses and skirts. The only aspect of this look that I find remotely appealing is the word 'tight'. These days shoulder pads are reserved for the rugby field, bulky shoes have thankfully been lost along with black nail polish and dog collars and long dresses are seldom worn outside of a black tie event. Apart from my last living grandparent, i do not want to see any person that i associate myself with, wearing clothes that resemble the 40's.
It is hard to find fault in the clothes that the 50's students wore as everyone prided themselves in being smartly dressed. Girls in high heels and boys in smart jackets dominated the scene at university. Now, although a man wearing a suit on campus might be frowned upon, it is be no means tacky to look smart. I challenge any man to attend lectures in a suit. I personally love looking smart but do not posses the required 'swagg' to pull it off on campus. There was something special about students looking smart; a certain irony that hung over the lecture halls and local pubs. Despite my desire to bring a smart look to campus, I will keep my tux on its hanger until a dance or black tie function.
The next era needs no introduction or explanation. Where irony clouded the 50's, the cloud that hung over the lecture halls in the 60's was not abstract in nature and had an earthly aroma. This cloud was responsible for many of the students developing bright red eyes which may have been the inspiration for the colourful clothing that the 60's students wore. Although tie-dies have been thrown out of most sane people's wardrobes, shorter dresses still hold precedence on campus. Girls that can flaunt: do; and guys that can sneak a look without being caught by their partner or by the prey, do so as well. It is, therefore, the 60's that we have to thank for the short summer dresses that are still on display during the summer months.
The 70's followed on from the 60's and there is not much new to report apart from bellbottoms. I think all students are in agreement that the shape of a bell should stay the shape of a bell and should see no light of day in the fashion world on campus. However, there is one individual that walks past me occasionally in the library and that has an unfortunately shaped head. It resembles an upside down bell which nobody envies or seems to find attractive so lets keep the bell look an unfortunate one and leave it in the 70's.
Apart from leg warmers in the 80's and designer jeans in the 90's, those twenty years produced little that now contributes to my daily outfit selection process unlike the view from my window which holds authority in any decision. I have two methods of gauging the weather. The first is the casual 'roll over' in bed and force the blinds open to reveal how much light is being produced by the sun and how much of that light is able to pass through the cloud cover. That initial weather report decides my footwear for me. A day that produces sufficient light will bring my slops out the cupboard and a day will little light or even rain will require closed shoes. It is then on to the internet to assess a real weather report. It is simple, a cold day requires warm clothes and a warm day brings about shorts and a t-shirt but a cold day with the sun out throws the proverbial duck amongst the pigeons. My solution is to wear jeans or chinos with slops. This sacrifices your feet to the cold but the rest of your body is spared and kept warm and if theres one part of my body that i do not proudly flaunt, it is my feet and i therefore sacrifice my feet without any sense of remorse.
My fashion tips are therefore as follows: Leave the past in the past and accept that bellbottoms, long dresses and shoulder pads do not make for a good look any more. Sure, many student parties are themed and fancy dress may be the order of the day. In this case, I give my blessings for people to dress up in full force but that is fancy dress. On campus you should dress according to what people are wearing in 2012 and if you are desperate to bring the past fashions back, make sure you rock your fancy dress outfit at that party and people may catch on. If they do not catch on...well it may be time to let your obsession with the past go.
Regards
Student Micky.
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