There are a million reasons to be stressed coming back to school. One of those reasons you should not worry about is what to wear to school. Finding an appropriate outfit after a summer of skimpy cover ups, swim suits, and shorts might seem like an annoying transition to begin. The adjustment from summer to autumn can be simple when you learn how to pair both seasons’ trendiest pieces together.
Since it’s still hot, you do not want to jump right into winter apparel. We often mistakenly associate the school year with fall right away but thats not the case. Well into the first month of school, light dress wear is necessary. Flip flops, sandals, shorts, tanks, short sleeves, and even bathing suits (at MU) are all still very much appropriate for the weeks following Labor Day.
Lorna Schmidt, Director of Advising for communication majors, said, “I’d consider it very much accepted and appropriate to wear shorts and summer wear until its too cold to.”
Whether you expect to continue your summer wear or not, its useful to know what type of clothes are best for this time of year. So far, this past week of September has felt even hotter than most of the summer. If you want to keep cool but you want to dress suitably for classes, a combination of lightweight apparel is possible to choose from. You just have to know the easy way to go about this.
One of the comfy but cute fashion trends this summer was the kimono. The kimono is very much still in, as it can be paired with your favorite summer tank you aren’t quite ready to pack away. What is perfect is this light robe-like garment can be used for a variety of occasions. Heading to the beach after class and need a quick cover up? Wear your kimono over a bikini. Going out to a bar that has an open patio? Wear the kimono with a light shirt under, so you’re not too chilly on a breezy night. Many of these summery kimonos come in light colors and light patterns. With fall in route, you can start to find these in darker colors as well. Though summer pattern kimonos should begin to go out of style before the weather gets completely cool, you can adjust these darker colored kimonos to fit in more to fall fashion .
“I like kimonos because they combine the perfect amount of girly and edgy fashion in one piece. They are also super versatile in that you can wear them in many different ways,” senior marketing and finance major Kyle O’Grady said.
You can find these pieces at the Monmouth Mall at stores like Charlotte Russe and Forever 21 for under $25.
Other summer favorites you might want to make more autumn-like include maxi dresses and skirts. Pair with a leather belt to make an outfit change from summer. Also, throw a sheer cardigan over top of the maxi dress or skirt to ensure a more fall-ish feel.
Besides clothes, there are shoes that work well for this time of year too.
While its still pretty hot out, you might want to continue wearing sandals. If you are going to still rock your sandals for the next few weeks, ones with straps around the ankles are generally a better choice for walking on campus.
If you don’t like to walk on campus in flip flops, however, an ideal pair of shoes would be Keds or Tom’s. Keds are an affordable and quite comfortable option and they come in different colors and patterns. Keds make a summer outfit look school ready. You can find these at affordable stores like Payless or unofficial brands like H&M.
If you don’t mind spending a little more money, Tom’s are also a nice summer to fall transition shoe. These light shoes slip on and come in a variety of colors and materials like lace. Even though Tom’s are a bit more pricy, your money actually is donated to a good cause so its not totally useless. The money spent on Tom’s shoes also gives a pair of shoes to children in underdeveloped countries.
Senior communication major Rebecca Zidik owns a few pairs of Tom’s and she stands by the brand.
“I like Tom’s, especially around this time of year, because they are lightweight and comfortable. They are made really well and can be machine washed and stay in tact without the shoe being ruined,” she said.
Take these summer to fall dress code tips and avoid getting your brain cluttered with fashion-confusion. You can still use up those summer leftovers well into September 23- which marks the official start of fall.
IMAGE TAKEN from Cosmopolitan.com
