A Suspension of Fashion in Universities

Universities are institutions built on diversity, encouraging their students to attend from all around the world, to study a variety of subjects from medicine to history and even further into modern degrees such as brewing, hospitality and floristry. This diversity has bred a new group within society which utilise technology more, pay attention to world affairs more; to build friendships and relationships bursting with personalities so vastly different but with essentially similar ambitions and ideologies. And just because university is associated with learning and intellect or knowledge does not mean that these growing institutions do not also stimulate another form of diversity, one often going unacknowledged: fashion and style.

The fashion within further education and the common ground of the next generation is a wildly interesting, and living, ever-changing concept. Once I began observing the varying styles around my own university campus it became clear that fashion was losing the elite status of the catwalk only the expert designers could dictate, it was spilling into halls and lecture theatres so that the library was vastly more exciting than any fashion week; particularly for a student who cannot afford the designer brands and is left to her own devices. 

This is the great thing. Fashion now does not rely on replicating the visions of the worlds most established designers. The concept of fashion is losing all meaning in fact, the younger generation of adults are relying on their own tastes instead of the replication of another. At this moment I would like to mention I consider style a more appropriate term, with fewer restrictions, and greater flexibility. 

Style encompasses pursuing the beauty one sees in what they wear and realising that who they are is easily expressed through the clothes they wear. From leather and denim to tulle and silk every one is entitled to wear what makes them feel comfortable and beautiful. University is generally where people find those styles which perfectly fit and express them.

Style is no longer restricted to the set rules of this decade, or the last, or the next. There are an amalgamation of students who have cherry picked their way through the 20th century to find items of clothing and inspiration to create a hybrid personal style which throws Vogue, Tatler, Cosmopolitan, out the window.

So next time you're wondering through your own campus, look at the people around you, see what they're wearing and how that compares to your own.