To balance ever-changing trends with limited closet space, members of USC’s fashion magazines and Fashion Board suggest comfortable jeans and shoes, basic tops and athleisure to stay comfortable and fashionable on campus.
According to Grace Patton, a fourth-year visual communications student and co-host of the fashion podcast “Fit Check,” the clean girl, or preppy, coastal girl aesthetic is on the rise. She said this includes straight leg jeans, sweaters or crewnecks, claw clips and slide-on shoes.
"There's a bunch of different ways that you can style that and make it your own, which is really cool too,” Patton said.
'90s fashion is also on the rise, according to Ella Hasek, a third-year marketing student and senior stylist for USC's Blossom Magazine. Some of Hasek's favorite trends include thrifting and creating contrast in outfits.
“My favorite is probably ... pairing things that are usually dressed up with things that are dressed down, so fancy vests with jeans or just kind of mixing textures together. Things that you wouldn't expect to be paired together,” Hasek said.
Sydney Daigle, a fourth-year fashion merchandising and digital innovations student and vice president of programming and director of community outreach for Fashion Board, agrees with Patton that one of the worst trends is "fast fashion."
“Watch where you shop, because there's a lot of places that aren't good places to shop and just because it's cheap, doesn't mean your money should be going towards it,” Daigle said.
When considering what outfits to wear next semester, Hasek and Daigle said low rise jeans are on their way back in. Hasek also said that baggy, cargo pants are coming back. Daigle, however, said that she thinks that the concept of the skinny, straight leg jean is being redefined into something new.
“It's going to be like a tight around the thighs and loose at the calves with definitely a more fitted look compared to what we've been wearing for the past few years,” Daigle said.
Both Daigle and Patton agree that ripped jeans have lost a lot of popularity. Daigle said that perhaps tasteful rips at the knees may still be popular for a while, but that dramatic rips are a thing of the past.
Daigle said that for the past few years there has been a trend of white tennis shoes, but her and Hasek agree that this is on the way out, which could create space for more unique styles.
“I keep seeing TikToks like, 'Come on, guys, what's the new shoe we're gonna buy? What's the next trendy thing?''' Daigle said. "But I think what's special about TikTok now is that everything is almost trending almost because you can really tap into your own niche. So I think that sort of mainstream, 'Oh we're all buying this, right?' I think that's gonna go out, and people are gonna have more of their own individual style."
Hasek said to wear whatever shoes you find most comfortable for going to classes and a cute pair of boots for going out. She said her personal favorites are Steve Madden's Phoenix Black boots.
As fashion trends come and go, Daigle, Patton and Hasek said it's most important to remain true to yourself and your style.
“It was definitely easy for me to follow trends of what people are wearing around here, but just don't forget that you can always dress like yourself," Hasek said. "Always lean towards what you're feeling and what makes you feel confident."