Oh, how I love the dress in the South: Jack Rogers sandals, sundresses, and pearls galore. Paired with their known hospitality and kindness, southern women are admirable. My recent fascination with the South has left me incorporating more and more of its ways into my life, and I’m here today to tell you how southern-belle charm is something that any Collegiette™ can admire and pull off.
My first time in the South was last summer, when I went to Dallas to visit my friend Rachel. Immediately in awe of southern culture, I had her teach me some of their ways. First and foremost, she informed me that everyday attire generally consisted of Sperry Top-Siders, Nike shorts, and an oversized t-shirt. Okay, I know that doesn’t sound too charming, but it’s my favorite new “comfy” look. Next, I perfected adding “y’all” to my vocabulary. Since I’ve been back in the Midwest, people always ask me if I’m from the South!
Rachel didn’t teach me about the following fashions, but the combination of southern stereotypes and women I saw in the stores (Neiman Marcus lunch, anyone?) led me to notice the prominence of teased hair and pearls. The probable reason for her not mentioning this is that not many college-aged students are seen wearing this look. However, I taught myself how to curl and tease my hair once I came back to Michigan, and dug out my pearl earrings and a cheap pearl necklace. (Psst, here’s a secret: K-Mart has really great pearls for really great prices!) To this day, the only times I don’t wear my pearls are when I go to the gym, take a shower, sleep, or go to frat parties. It doesn’t matter if I’m wearing a sweatshirt and jeans—adding pearls to my look gives me confidence and dresses up the look, even if only in a small way.
Another fun way to dress up any everyday look is to add a bow to your hair. While this might fit more into the “sorority-girl stereotype,” bows are timeless, fun, and versatile. In fact, my favorite accessory combination is curly hair with my pearls and big white bow! The best place to find bows at reasonable prices is Forever 21—they have almost every color!
My final suggestion is to wear lots of bright colors, especially on sundresses! Women in the South tend to love Lilly Pulitzer, who is known for her combinations of pink and green and every other color under the sun. While you might not have $200 to drop on a colorful frock, mirror her style and play around with different colors! Maybe you’ll wear a pink skirt with a bright blue top and yellow bow. Whatever you do, make sure you have fun with it!
Most of these trends can be worn together, but don’t forget to make your style your own! If you would like to copy other styles, that’s fine, but do not hesitate to switch it up to fit your personal style. Leggings may not be popular in the South, but I still wear them with my Sperry Top-Siders and pearls almost every day. This look is not for everyone, but anyone can certainly pull it off. Good luck and have fun, Collegiettes™!