Spring has arrived in Colorado (but I’m not so sure we ever had a winter to begin with). The trees are blooming and birds are chirping — and insistently trying to get into my apartment. Students have started opting for a day trip to Pueblo Reservoir instead of heading up I-70 to hit the slopes.
With record-high temperatures for March, we’ve seemingly skipped right into summer styles. Gone are puffy jackets, scarves and mittens. They’ve all been traded in for bikinis on the quad and flip-flops in class (but please, let’s reconsider whether we need to be barefoot in class).
At Colorado College, there’s no such thing as being overdressed for class. When I arrived here as a bright-eyed freshman in 2023 from North Carolina, I was ready for the Southern class uniform: sweatpants, big t-shirts, leggings, tennis skirts and athleisure. As a high school senior, I’d worn jeans to school three times all year, and felt completely overdressed when I did.
Almost three years later, I occasionally rock my Lululemon leggings and vintage Lulu tennis skirts. Still, I feel Southern and underdressed when I do. So I pay attention to what other people are wearing and our weekday fashion, trading my Lululemon for a pair of low-rise jeans or, gasp, jean shorts that actually cover everything.
Keep in mind, this is just the opinion of one TikTok-loving, people-watching Southern girl. I’m not a fashion expert, but I know the one undeniable secret to fashion: wear what you want that feels true to you.
So, let’s talk spring fashion and all things trending at Colorado College.
What’s in?
I’m a gold fanatic. My apartment is scattered with gold accessories and my jewelry is exclusively gold. Last summer, I purchased a pair of gold sneakers to wear for various occasions, and when I returned to CC, metallic shoes started popping up in every corner of campus. Among the most popular are the Gola Firefly, Steve Madden Momentum and Veja Recife Leather sneakers (but Veja does offer a number of other metallic shoes). If you’re looking for cheaper options, Amazon offers a number of dupes that are just as cute. Metallic sneakers can easily fit into your wardrobe, pairing well with class, going out, dressy occasions and whatnot.
Alright, it’s no secret that CC students love jorts, and I have to admit, they’re growing on me. You can wear them with anything, dressed somehow for comfort but still rocking the classic CC look. Darties? Great, you’re ready for any weather. Class? Well duh. You can wear a t-shirt and still look effortlessly cool. Bonus points if they’re thrifted from Arc or you’ve DIYed them yourself.
It wouldn’t be spring without cardigans. Mix and match them with whatever you want. Wrap yourself in it when the wind rips off the Front Range; unbutton your cardigan when it’s 70 degrees outside. Currently, I’m obsessed with colorful or striped cardigans. Let’s bring more color to our school (please, I feel like there is a severe lack of color beyond blue jeans).
I can’t mention cardigans without acknowledging the presence of that Free People sweater. Even if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, I’m confident that you’ve seen it at least once on campus. The See Me SoftSpun Sweater, especially in Wax Daisy. I’ll admit, I own it. It’s soft and comfortable and has our campus in a chokehold.
If you’re active on YikYak in any capacity, you likely have heard of “Jean Jacket Girl.” Essentially, a freshman girl left her Free People denim jacket at a Sigma Chi party one night in February, and it disappeared. She took to YikYak, begging for the return of her jacket, and even created a GoFundMe page.
But it’s not just about losing a beloved jacket. It’s about losing her jean jacket, a staple of spring fashion this year. Denim-on-denim, or the Canadian Tuxedo, is back. It’s everywhere on campus. In your classes, the walk to Craig’s house, hanging on hooks at Tony’s or even lost forever in the depths of Sig Chi.
At this point, flip-flops should be etched into the Colorado College logo. Maybe it’s time the RoCCy statue outside of Ed Robson Arena got its own pair. They have our campus in a permanent chokehold, and I can’t complain. Once you’ve broken in a new pair of Rainbows, those bad boys are with you for life (or until you inevitably lose them to the countless matching pairs on a houseboat at Lake Powell). Embrace the sound of your foot rising up and smacking back onto the ground. Flip-flop, flip-flop down the hallway you go.
Finally, it’s the season of Intramural champion shirts. It’s more of a brag over anything else, especially if you wear it to Tony’s, but an earned recognition. Wear it with pride, and maybe even read The Circuit while you’re at it.
Other items that are in this spring include low-rise jeans and pants, especially white pants, funky buttons, chunky belts (the bigger the better), wired headphones, clogs, shoulder bags (please bury me with my limited edition brick red Longchamp), shift dresses and bikinis on the quad (it appears that if it’s over 60 degrees, CC students somehow forget they own shirts).
What’s out?
For your sake and your peers’, please, for the love of all things good, put your bare feet away. Not only is it for your own safety, but I can guarantee I do not need to see you barefoot at any time of day, especially in class. I love flip-flops and walking barefoot in my apartment, but we do not need to be running around the library or Palmer Hall without shoes. 1) It’s unsanitary. 2) I just don’t like feet. 3) It’s not safe. Trust me.
Imagine this: your best friends just threw one of the best parties of the year, resulting in almost 200 people crowded on the East Campus quad. You were wearing the cutest platform sandals to match the “Mamma Mia” theme, but they unfortunately dug blisters into your feet. No worries, you’ll just walk back to West Campus barefoot, shoes in hand, right? No. Turns out, you step on glass and split the bottom of your right ring toe open. Blood everywhere. You spend the next week (and counting) limping around. So yeah, let’s leave our shoes on.
My forever out? Don’t fall for microtrends. It rotates for a few weeks and then becomes trash, often cheaply made and not designated for long lives.
Other outs? Cheetah print, skinny jeans, jogger pants (please male athletes, let’s maybe try on some wide leg jeans or at least athletic shorts for a change) and dare I say, AirPods.
Let’s talk going out style.
Mini skirts, monochrome outfits, polka dots and sequins are staples of going out. Since going-out fashion tends to lean towards fast fashion and microtrends, Depop is my go-to spot for all things going out.
Frye boots appear to have been added to the cycle of going-out shoes, traded from day-to-day use to sticking to the alcohol-covered floor. When shoes become your “frat shoes,” it appears their time in the limelight is over. Now, they are just used for getting trashed and stepped on.
As I’ve said once and will say again, the best trend of all is simply dressing on theme. Go all out. Rock the theme. Dressing up should be fun.