By Ella Karoline Hendricks
The air is crisp, with temperatures dropping as fast as the leaves. This break from the suffocating heat and humidity is welcome among Fayetteville residents, especially students at the University of Arkansas. Gone is the monotony of heat-mandated athleisure, instead the cool weather allows students to explore their style creatively. It begs the question, what are the upcoming fall fashion trends from those at the heart of our campus?
Nicholas Skiavo, a junior majoring in philosophy and pre-English education, defines his style as ‘80s and ‘90s midwestern garage vintage, taking heavy influences from Marlboro magazines and fashion icons such as Justin Bieber.
Skiavo finds inspiration through creating mood boards, focusing on colors and photos that speak to him. Many photos featured in the mood board include Joe Camel (the old Camel cigarette mascot), the style of the cowboys from the Marlboro magazine ads and peace activists from the ‘70s.
“My favorite fall trend that I have seen is women’s fashion taking a focus on style icons such as Princess Diana and Winona Ryder,” Skiavo said. “Seeing powerful women influence future powerful women’s fashion is such a great ode to the vintage scene.”
Elise Wilkin, a sophomore studying anthropology and classical studies, defines her style as natural. She prioritizes comfort and ease when choosing her outfits, choosing clothes that fit her laidback and approachable appearance.
“I find most of my inspiration from people around me,” Wilkin said. “I’m mostly off of social media now, and I think social media and high fashion trends are so different from what I see around me every day on campus, so (online trends are) barely even worth keeping up with.”
Wilkin prioritizes sustainability when shopping, even creating her own clothes. Wilkin knits and crochets, often handcrafting her own sweaters, which are her favorite fall fashion staple. For Wilkin, sustainability is the most important factor when purchasing. She tries to limit her clothes shopping, as she explains most people have all the clothes they need already, and it is important to wear what you have first.
Skiavo also prioritizes sustainability when shopping, citing it as the most important aspect of purchasing as a consumer.
“The average American will throw away 1 in 4 pieces of clothing that they have of fast fashion,” Skiavo states. “The amazing thing about vintage fashion is it causes your closet to always rotate. When something does not fit or you are finding new things that you want, you can always trade or sell your closet to acquire the pieces you desire. If the fashion is not sustainable, then the means it took to create it probably was not moral.”
Skiavo’s favorite local shop in Fayetteville is Kick, located at 339 N. West Ave. #103. It has a large curated selection of vintage clothes, which is why it is one of Skiavo’s personal favorites. Wilkin’s favorite local shop is Potter’s House, located at 2703 N. Drake St.
“I love thrifting because it’s more sustainable, and you can usually find much cooler clothes, and I love that the Potter’s House organizes clothes by size,” Wilkin said. “ It makes it so much faster and easier to find nice clothes that will actually fit.”
Walking on campus, you will see an amalgamation of style and aesthetic, yet, some commonalities arise. Matching sweat sets, with many donning sorority and fraternity letters, are popular in the cold weather. Chunky, neutral sweaters are paired with baggy jeans and sneakers, most often Adidas Sambas. These trends can be seen within both women and men, as the modern trends are leaning more androgynous.
Maddie Still, a junior communications major, favors comfort and casual when choosing her daily outfits. She often dons sweat sets, leggings and warm athleisure to class. Still finds inspiration on social media apps such as TikTok.
Still’s favorite fall trend is baggy, oversized jeans with Ugg Ultra Minis. She often shops at local downtown boutiques on the square, and her favorite store is Buckle, where she purchased her favorite pair of baggy dad jeans.
Pops of color have been trending overall this fall, with many spouting ‘unexpected red’ within their outfits, a trend where you wear a bright red accessory such as a cardigan, hair clip, or shoes (often Mary Janes) in order to spice up an outfit and add some flair. For others, sticking to their favorite color is necessary to their style.
“I love purple,” Still said. “So, if I find anything in purple, I will get it.”
Overall, warmth and comfort are key to many people’s fall styles. Baggy is trending, with an overall trend toward androgyny in a turn moving into winter. Sustainability is an important factor to consumers when purchasing, and personal style continues to prevail, with students incorporating trends that fit into their wardrobe.