Welcome back to school, everyone! Due to the fact that we’re now living in an ongoing COVID-19 society that allows us to be out and about (fully masked up however), we can regularly attend most classes and quarantine as of right now seems to be almost a thing of the past. As an introduction to our new school year, I’d like to take a minute to talk about some of my fall 2021 fashion yay’s and nay’s. Reminder, all of these opinions are wholeheartedly my own and you should wear whatever you like or what you feel the most comfortable in! Alright, let’s not let another moment go to waste, buckle up gang and prepare for a few hot takes.
(Disclaimer: These items are not ranked in order from worst to best or vice versa)
Nay’s:
- Converse All Star Lugged
Personally, when I say that I strongly dislike these shoes, I mean I overwhelmingly dislike these shoes. If you don’t know what take on the original Chuck Taylors I’m talking about, please Google it right now. Somehow, the shoe design team at Converse decided to make a version of the high-top, classic Chuck Taylor that we all know and love, into a shoe that resembles something of a hiking boot? In my personal opinion, they kind of look like roller skates, but made for construction work. If you are going to put these monstrosities on your feet, please, I’m begging, wear them with something other than a t-shirt and athletic short combination.
- Lululemon Tennis Skirt
Okay, okay, I know that I’m about to take a direct hit on what seems to be the Holy Grail of all Lululemon athleisure, but honestly, I will not apologize for it. Lo and behold, the tennis skirt, a piece of clothing that I have hated immensely ever since 2016. I’m not putting a date for the sake of when the skirts may have become popular, I’m just reminiscing on high school tennis tournaments, playing in the 100°F weather, and thinking about how badly my thighs were chafing due to the aforementioned skirt. To the future country club moms wearing these skirts, save it for a day when you get sucked into taking your spouse golfing.
- Bass Pro Shops Trucker Hat
Alright population of the male species (I’m just talking about men exclusively because I’ve only seen them put these deplorable pieces of outerwear on their bodies), this one is for you! Again, I’m absolutely begging you to stop wearing these hats. My dad always forced me to go into Bass Pro as a child. Honestly, I think everyone’s dad did, and if yours didn’t please reflect on the amount of trauma you didn’t experience within those early years of development. The only redeemable thing about this experience was the gigantic fish tank, which was also sometimes questionable in its quality at best. Bass Pro Shops is dead, the trend is not a good one, and please find a better brand to put on top of your head.
Yay’s:
- Adidas Ultraboost
If you do not own a pair of adidas Ultraboosts, I will be yelling at you through whatever screen you’re reading this article on to go buy a pair. I completely understand that they’re a little expensive (I got mine as a birthday present), but I will swear on everything that I own, they are the best pair of shoes you will ever put on your feet. It’s no secret that the KU Lawrence campus is on a hill, and a big one at that, but hiking up to Fraser is no problem at all in these shoes. Not only are they sensible looking on their own but wearing them looks and feels even better. I am a huge advocate for these shoes, and I probably will be until the day I die, or until adidas discontinues them, whichever may come first.
- Tote Bags
I absolutely adore a good tote bag, I will not even lie about that. They’re adorable, and in my opinion, can either look academic or as if you’re about to go to a farmers’ market, which are both great options. Nonetheless, they can have really cool patterns, designs and pockets. I mean, who doesn’t need pockets in a bag to place random items that you don’t even need for the foreseeable future? Tote bags are also pretty inexpensive usually and can carry your laptop as well as your books—and if your books are on your laptop all the better. Buy a tote bag and buy it now.
- Reusable Masks
The most important function of a reusable mask is that obviously it keeps you and others safe, and the second is that it’s reusable! Okay, now I’m not going to turn into a giant tree hugger on you guys, but if you pay any attention to the news at all you’ll know that we, as humans, produce a lot of trash. That trash takes up landfills that often don’t get cleaned properly, and we put a lot of this trash into nature’s way, which leads to animals’ habitats, safety and wellbeing put at risk. Also, no one likes to see a dirty campus. Ours is one of the prettiest campuses I’ve ever been on, and I hate it when I see a disposable mask lying on the sidewalk. So please invest in some reusable masks, they come in so many different patterns and styles so you can find what fits your face and your personality best. Also, don’t forget to wash them!
Alright, those of you who didn’t hate-quit as soon as you saw one of your favorite pieces of clothing stomped on, or those who actually enjoyed it, these were my hot takes on Back-to-School Fashion at the moment. Good luck with your classes this semester and stay safe with a smile. See you soon!