Frat Fits vs Pub Fits

As a William and Mary Joint Honors Student who has just returned to Williamsburg, VA after two years living in St Andrews, I never expected the culture shock I would get returning to the US. But, wow, from flip-flops to frat-flicking, I could see from the get-go that I was not in St. Andrews anymore. St Andrews is synonymous with fashion, with a handful of societies putting on formal fashion shows — which I could only characterize as ‘do not miss’ events to attend as a student. These shows are so famous, in fact, that multiple tv shows — The Crown for instance — detail the royal history of St Andrews’ fashion. Though the significantly hotter climate here in Williamsburg does limit certain outfit options, I find that frat-fits are a different ball game than anything you would expect to see in the 601. 

Coat Check Culture Shock 

What comes to mind immediately is the never ending line for coat check I was forced to wait in when I was just trying to head into the Union for my first long vodka of a night out in St Andrews. Some may say you should just leave that puffer jacket at home, but with a 30 minute walk into town and the ever-present brisk North Sea breeze, it honestly became a staple to my going out wardrobe. 

In Williamsburg, however, you would be sorely mistaken if you believe frats have any form of coat check aside from a randomly designated couch in the corner of a hot, loud, tightly packed room in an off campus house. Coats here are truly not needed for the majority of the school year, but in those Winter months, I can honestly say I’d rather brave snowy weather in a tank top than risk whatever is sure to happen to my coat while on the Everest-sized pile on top of the aforementioned couch. 

Walk a Mile in my Frat-Shoes 

Next, footwear. St Andrews weather offers the perfect opportunity to wear those knee high boots sitting in your closet. I found that anything from heeled boots to a stylish sneaker was acceptable footwear, whether going for a simple pint at Central or shutting down the Union in spectacular fashion. Even in an absolute torrential downpour, shoes in St Andrews outfits are equally important to any other part of the outfit. 

Shoe choice in Williamsburg is entirely dependent on where the night will take you. If just looking for a night out at bars, perhaps you would risk the new sneakers you bought for the start of the year, or even your cute ballet flats that you’ve already decided to wear to class the next day. However, if there is any chance you will walk into a frat that evening, you don what we like to call ‘frat shoes’. These shoes live in a plastic bag, so as to not contaminate the rest of your room, when they are not in use. These shoes have seen it all, from soaked floors to the tiny half bath 15 people use at once. I’ve seen these shoes range from old Adidas Gazelles to old running shoes from high school. No judgment is ever passed on someone’s choice of ‘frat shoe’ because the alternative, subjection of your nice shoes to those conditions, is really not an option at all. 

Same Jeans, Different Energy

Lastly, the tops and bottoms seen in St Andrews and Williamsburg are really not all that different. Jeans and a cute top are a go-to in both places. However, leaning into the adventurous and experimental side of your style is definitely more encouraged and valued in St Andrews. A night out at the Union or at pubs could be equally as much of a simple jeans and black top vibe or a little slip dress vibe. Especially given the amount of balls and other events that happen throughout the St Andrews (social) calendar year, it would not be uncommon to see a group in black tie that chose the Union for their Afters. 

In Williamsburg, the variation is relatively limited to cut-offs or full length jeans and the same rotation of your going-out top collection. I’ll occasionally see a black skirt here and there, but really when the town’s quiet hours begin at 11 PM, students in attire for a different event wouldn’t have time to attend both that and then have Afters somewhere other than home. 

I’ve gone from pint glasses to solo cups, from puffer jackets to plastic-bagged ‘frat shoes,’ and lived to tell the tale. Turns out the real culture shock isn’t the flip-flops or the missing coat check — it’s realizing that no matter which side of the Atlantic you’re stumbling home from, the outfit always tells the better story. 

• college
• frats
• going out
• outfits
• pubs
• style