Fashion isn’t monogamous!
In the big year of 2026, it’s hard not to fall victim to the rise and fall of fast- the rise and fall of fast fashion trends. Replacing our whole closets every time we see a new pattern weasel its way to the top of our social media app feeds, or trying something that doesn’t feel even slightly like you just to fit the societal wavelengths of fashion. The cycle of trends never ends, but our budgets as college students sure do!
Not to fret, there are many ways to curate the perfect fashion persona that’s individualized for each and every one of us without breaking the bank every new season. The best and most vital part to remember when creating an everyday fit for class, a business casual moment, or a going-out look that beats the basics is that fashion is meant to be flexible.
The fashion formula isn’t an overly difficult physics equation concocted by Einstein himself, but rather an interchangeable set of principles to keep you looking fresh and entirely yourself.
Mix and match, it’s a blast
Mixing patterns hasn’t been as taboo a topic since the grand series premiere of Carrie Bradshaw’s chaotic life in New York aired two decades ago. Many of us idolize fashion icons within the cinema industry for their fashion inventions, so why not become that very icon and learn how to mix and match our favorite prints?
If we lose that fear of not perfectly matching, then we replace it with fashion freedom: mix that camo print top with some light pink striped mini shorts, whip out that game-day gingham matching set and pair it with a polka dot headband, carry your lip gloss in a zebra print purse while strutting around the bar in a sparkly shelled mini skirt and striped top. Patterns are more fun when they get to coexist, so don’t be a stranger to pull everything you own out of your closet and throw it onto your bed while you decide what piece to free from your comfort zone!
If neutral colors are more your vibe, no need to exclude yourself; there are small ways to incorporate pops of creativity into your closet. Next time you’re doomscrolling on your favorite apparel sites, or out on a thrifting excursion at Over the Rhine, look for some cutesy hair clips, mesh or lace fabric strips, head scarves, chunky bangle bracelets, or silly animal claw clips. Adding visual weight to an outfit by tying a bandana into the loops of your jeans or flaunting some ladybug hair clips with your next outfit brightens up a whole look instantly. By incorporating funky pieces into our style, people will associate major ball knowledge of all things cool girl fashion with your name.
Rejecting Societal Molds
In recent years, there’s been this underlying pressure to put a label on our fashion identity. With the rise of the clean girl, Pilates baddie, old money chic, and Y2K categories of dressing up, we limit the flexibility of our styling decisions. If wearing classic trousers, Boston clogs, and a chic button-up on Monday, and low-rise baggy jeans, a lacy mauve top, and samba ballet flats on Tuesday is what makes you feel GOOD about your outfit – then why place a restrictive label on how you perceive your closet? Wear the style that makes you feel authentic in that given moment, because definitiveness leaves little room for imagination.
Maximalism is a key contributor to finding what outfits feel the most lived-in, lively, and unapologetically bright within the rounds of your closet. Adding chunky jewelry, a headpiece that complements the bottom half of your outfit, or even a beaded belt on top of your outfit to simply walk to the dining hall creates a sense of confidence that infinitely builds our self-assurance over time in our comfort with loud fashion.
Curating an outfit for a variety of occasions is an art that should never be made to feel anything less than abstract and individualistic. Just because someone has a cleaner-cut style than you, or more expensive branding on their tags, doesn’t mean anyone’s more Picasso than another; rather, you both represent your identity in different fonts.
The battle of fashion vs. comfort
When that first weekday alarm hits our ears, the first thought that pops to mind is clocking that snooze button and rolling over for as many more restful minutes as possible. Once we finally roll out of bed, we may not have sufficient time to pick out an adorable outfit, do our hair, makeup, and scarf down breakfast. This is where navigating comfortable quickness and personal flair within our AM attire matters most. Throw on that cute matching sweat set but pair it with some chunky gold hoops and ruffled socks. The oversized tee and sweats moment is a classic, very loved amongst the non-morning people, so maybe consider wearing a unique claw clip in your hair and flip-flops to spruce it up into a casual, artsy girl who is cool without trying. Time runs away much too fast on those early mornings, especially as college students, but glam and the perfectly picked outfit every morning aren’t the only ways to portray curated style.
College fashion blockades
In new settings, not only within the walls of a college campus, starting conversations with new people can be tricky. Thinking of the right thing to say to make a sleek first impression that accurately conveys who you are as a person is even harder. Luckily for each and every one of you, fashion is the perfect ticket to a newly acquired friendship, professional connection, or small talk convo. Commenting on someone’s shirt opens the door for a kind, intended chat; asking them where they got it, telling them how cute it is, or complimenting how well they tied all the schemes of their outfit together makes someone feel seen. Once the conversation has been opened, there’s plenty of wiggle room for either of the participants to ask about music taste, personal aspirations, or favorite places to shop. Boom, you’ve made a new friend by being a confident fashion enthusiast.
Speaking from personal experience, not everyone has the financial freedom to amplify their closet all at once. Upping your clothing game can be difficult when you have 50 bucks to your name, but it’s far from impossible. Thrifting at the Goodwill bins can get you some cool graphic tees, going to secondhand stores locally helps keep sustainability within fashion alive, and purchasing pre-owned pieces saves you a whopping load of money while simultaneously protecting the environment in an age of rapid consumerism. So not only are you slowly handpicking items that were once loved by someone with that same tenor, but you’re also saving yourself the guilt of breaking the bank over an item that cost half that price to make.
The fashion formula
The beauty of fashion is that it’s entirely subjective to the eye of the beholder, AKA, the wearer. Your formula for the perfect outfit should be different from your roommates or a random person you see walking by on the street. However, there are some general rules of thumb to keep in mind when staring back at the mirror all fitted up and ready to take on the day.
The 80/20 rule is the basis of many fashion concepts; when purchasing items, add 80 percent staples to your cart, and 20 percent funky, unique pieces that you can authenticate your style. A statement piece is even more amplified when on top of an anchor piece; layering is a great way to showcase elite style.
If you want to keep your outfits bold, yet concisely prominent in your wardrobe cycles, then stick to the three-color rule. If you have more than three colors that don’t traditionally pair well together, swap one out for a neutral or match it to one you’re already wearing. Color is our friend, but try not to base your outfit on a Crayola box of crayons, because that’s entering dangerous territory.
To be comfortable before leaving the house in the morning, you have to know how to pair being in tune with your emotions with your fashion choices. An impactful part of finding your voice as your own personal stylist is auditing how each piece of clothing you wear makes you perceive yourself. If you have a shirt that brightens your mood every time you pull it over your head, then base your outfit around that singular item. Clothing is a form of self-expression, so learning how to grasp the mood the item places over us will make confidently pulling clothes off their respective hangers so much easier.
I hope this read inspired every reader to go within the walls of your closet and wear something you’ve yet to wear to dinner tonight, or go scroll on Depop to get some cutesy finds for a lower price and make your usual style a touch funkier. And remember, fashion is, for all intents and purposes, the key to someone’s soul; so many connections and reputations were formed on the basis of them simply branching out within their attire and sparking a conversation about how passionate self-expression through clothing makes them.