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Simple style; For the right college wardrobe, keep it stylish yet comfortable

By Kristyn Schiavone, Source: Tribune Media Services

A very wise man named Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”

I’m guessing Mark Twain did not run around his college campus in activity t-shirts and sweatpants with Greek letters on the butt.

Navigating an appropriate college wardrobe is admittedly a challenge, especially the August before your freshman year, when you have absolutely no idea what you’ll actually need and have yet to accumulate said t-shirts and sweatpants.

Even I was remiss in my choices. I believe I showed up to my entire first week of classes in heels (worn with jeans or trousers, of course, but still), which definitely conveyed to most of my peers that I was an idiot kid from Missouri who thought she was Carrie Bradshaw.

The key here is striking a balance between looking like you rolled out of bed and looking like you never got into bed after your wild night on the town. Behold, my shopping list of freshman essentials, otherwise known as “things I wish I’d bought instead of a baby pink North Face bomber jacked with fur and suede heeled boots.“

Men, I understand that you just wear whatever’s clean, and about a month into your laundry cycle it comes down to your three-piece suit, but I’ve made a list for you too. Here’s hoping.

Women:

Jeans. Lots of jeans. I advocate one pair of skinnies, to tuck into your boots if it snows, and one pair of wide-leg to accommodate the major 70s moment we’re having right now. As a rule, dark washes look nicer, and make sure at least a few pairs are without rips, weird dye jobs or huge brand logos on the back pockets.

Two durable coats. I’ve written in previous columns about how well my trench coat has served me over the last several years, and I really think it’s an all-weather necessity. You’re also going to need a heavier down coat for the winter. You cannot be excused from class because your coat isn’t warm enough to walk there.

Riding boots. Leather. As a rule, you want mostly flat shoes in your closet, and not just because they are easier to walk in. Take it from me: traipsing around a college campus does a number on shoes that aren’t, in fact, made for walking. Along those same lines, treat your boots for the elements, or have a cobbler do it.

Fitted tees and sweaters/cardigans. It is just as easy to throw on jeans, a black dolman sleeve tee or sweater and boots as it is to throw on sweatpants and a grubby New Student Week shirt, and you will look exponentially nicer.

One good quality LBD. You can wear it to unlimited events and nobody will realize it’s the same dress, and you won’t have make an emergency run to Fashion Tomato (yep) just to have your frock unravel halfway through “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

A schoolboy blazer and heeled oxford. You need a couple of trendy pieces, and these put you right in the mood for back-to-school. Wear them on your dresser occasions, like if you’re giving a presentation in class or attending an extracurricular panel discussion.

One or two pencil skirts, in case of networking events or a formal night of sorority recruitment.

Men:

Jeans. Lots of jeans. Dark denim, and not too baggy.

Graphic tees, polos and sweaters.

One pair of dress shoes or loafers that match your favorite belt. I’m sure you’ll live in sneakers, but in the unlikely event that you should need to wear a dress shoe, you have to be prepared. It’s not an easy thing to find on the average college campus.

A few button-down shirts. If you’re giving a presentation in class (and you’re not in business or law school where you’re expected to wear a suit for that), dark denim jeans, a button-down shirt, a belt and your dress shoes is a comfortable yet presentable combo.

One tailored suit.

One pair of khakis or other trousers.

A couple of ties that go with your button-down shirts and suit. Yes, you can wear the same suit for all four years of college and just switch the tie.

One puffy down coat, and one nicer wool peacoat.

Everyone:

One fleece. I can’t explain it. It’s just part of the uniform. I don’t care what color you get, but I can assure you that by your junior year you’ll want black or navy.

One bag that will distribute the weight of your books and laptop evenly, either a backpack or a shoulder bag with a cross-body strap.

© 2011, Tribune Media Services