Being fashionable when you’re living on a student budget might not be easy, but your university years are the perfect time to experiment with fashion and find styles that work for you. Whatever your body shape and budget, this season’s fashion trends can work for you.
Step away from the student standard of jeans and a hoody and update your look with thin knits, a leather jacket or a vibrant print, all big high street trends for autumn winter. If you’re looking to attend lectures with a more sophisticated look try out the new midi skirt length. It comes just below the knee, works perfectly with heels or flats and can be dressed up for an evening look if you want to hit the SU bar after class. A shorter length works perfectly with boots and a pastel combo will give you a sweet yet sophisticated vibe.
Don’t cast aside your military jacket just yet as they’re still very much in vogue this winter. Wear with dark trousers and heels for a classy look or with jeans for something a little more casual. To enhance the look pull out anything green you may have stashed away and team with a purple scarf or hat.
If you like the military theme, you may be pleased to hear that buttons have been a big hit on the catwalk and can be over-sized or miniature, brightly coloured or shiny. This trend allows you to be individual and if you want to be truly unique be creative and sew your own choice of buttons on.
If military isn’t your style don’t panic as you can still be stylish in a puffa jacket or a mid-length button-up. The high street offers a huge variety of styles and colours so there’s something to suit all body types and colourings.
Make sure you choose shades that suit your colouring. As a general rule: for fair features wear soft shades; dark skin and features wear deep shades; redheads need warm colours; and those fair-skinned but dark-featured need a contrast. In the words of Coco Chanel, “The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you!”
With Christmas and New Year in the not too distant future, those sparkle-lovers among us (I myself am a long-time fan) will be glad to hear that glitz and glam are bang on trend this winter. To achieve true glamour offset your outfit with dark accessories and wear bare-legged.
It might be controversial, but fur is high on the list of what to wear this season. For a more ethical and budget-friendly alternative opt for faux and choose pastels for elegance or black for pure glamour. If you’re hitting the slopes over the winter break, team with patterned knits for old-school alpine style.
For something that’s fab and functional, step out on cold winter days in a country style shooting jacket or a blanket coat, both of which are set to be big hits this season. Accessorize with a baker boy hat and a silk scarf for a truly stylish university-chic look.
To save your student loan it is well worth having a dig around a few local charity shops for a hidden bargain; who knows, you might find some vintage tweed that would be the perfect addition to this year’s winter wardrobe making you the envy of your classmates.
This season’s shoes are all about how you wear them. Uni is the ideal time to make a statement so experiment with socks and colours to create contrast and clashes. If you want to be more subtle, opt for a court shoe or go for a mannish look with loafers or brogues which can be feminized as little or as much as you like.
Not only are gloves essential for keeping your hands warm on your way into uni, they are a fashion must-have. Gloves were worn elbow high on the catwalks and colours ranged from the bright and fun to the dark and seductive.
If you love a bargain buy then it’s worth spending the time hunting around high street stores, stalls, boutiques and vintage shops – student style certainly doesn’t have to mean student debt!
