Reflecting on past fashion choices might be horrifying sometimes, but it's interesting to see what has gone in and out of style.
Fashion trends continue to bend the rules as expression spreads to new forms. Expression isn't a fad: It's the incomparable visual appearance you get dressed with every morning. South Carolina’s campus dynamic has displayed expression and individuality through the years.
In 2016, students walked Greene Street in ripped jeans or black leggings and an off-the-shoulder shirt. Men rocked flannels and loafer-style shoes. Campus was known to be preppy and filled with Southern charm.
Vineyard Vines and Simply Southern had almost every student advertising a front pocket in 2016. Now, graphic T-shirt options are endless, and in the winter, people still rock their tees by layering on top of turtle necks.
The T-shirt emerged as an everyday staple during all four seasons. This development came from the ability to design and manipulate one's own messages, a trend many influencers are hopping on to create their own merchandise. The Astroworld Collection and Teddy Fresh are good examples of this.
“The dad sneakers are huge to pair with that,” Lauren Copeland, president of Fashion Board at USC, said. “You see people wearing that to class, too; it’s such a transitional piece. You can wear those with leggings and then also with jeans.”
Men's graphic tees have begun to add more modern typography and foreign elements, borrowing many styles from overseas.
"Good style" moved from being defined by a price tag to an emphasis on distinctiveness or dressing with personality.
Younger people have begun to dress in the mindset of individuality, straying from a uniform look. Thus emerged platform shoes, body jewelry, an expansive color palette and non-geometrical and non-traditional styles.
Denim remains a staple, even as the jean jacket became more elaborate with fringe around 2017 and jewels and graphics in 2018. Around 2019, people began painting their own designs on them.
Copeland, a third-year retail student, said she feels like she has "to have a new outfit for everything." As she tells many friends: “It’s a trend now. Get on it.”
Men style the denim jacket along with colorful wind-breakers, vintage hoodies and the modern trend of popular brand merchandise such as Nike and Adidas.
“I think boys, like — they really love shoes,” Copeland said.
She said sites such as StockX can make secondhand purchases "a hobby for men."
Denim jeans have also experienced much variety as popular trends changed from low-waisted and flared to high-waisted “mom" and "boyfriend” jeans.
Hats have prevailed, too. The once “edgy” beanie is now more colorful and branded than ever. Carharts and vintage oversized ball caps are popular headwear for men.
Sustainable fashion has become a focus of many. Upcycling is not only a beneficial trend for the environment, but also for your wallet, by shopping at stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army. It's no longer about what you paid for it but rather about how you found it.
Athleisure is now one of the most common styles, as nearly everyone on campus goes to class in leggings and other athletic wear.
According to Copeland, leggings were always just a thing you wore to the gym. Now, people are changing their appearances and closets with athleisure.
Neutral colors and comfortable materials make this style choice perfect for our fast-paced lives. It is, in part, being promoted by social media's vision of the "healthy and fit human."
“You don't even play tennis but people are wearing tennis skirts,” Copeland said.
Social media seems to have raised clothing expectations around the clock, as streetwear rose to popularity around 2018.
According to Copeland, fashion has continued to change at college, as inspiration is found in a wide variety of influencers online.
Gender rules have been broken in many of these categories, as the lines of male and female clothing begin to mesh together. This has given way to a new genre of fashion and is prevailing into prominent gender-neutral clothing lines, such as the gender-neutral swim and sportswear brand Outplay.
Fashion will never stop evolving, so bend the rules. Evolve with it, and remember your past style as a phase of life. It was all fun and games until the iPhone began documenting every bad outfit ever.