For many students, college is the first time that they are able to explore their identities and passions without the influence of their parents. Brimming with the desire to express themselves, many University of Mississippi students have turned to fashion as an outlet to express their individuality and discover who they really are.
To some students, fashion may mean an outfit, but for students like sophomore international studies and Arabic double major Jackelyn Facio and junior integrated marketing communications major Amarie Raymond, fashion carries deep personal meaning.
Facio described fashion as a way of “rebranding” to distance herself from her past.
“I think it honestly sprang up as soon as I got to college, and I left away from home and small-town judgments. I was like, ‘Let me rebrand myself.’ Clothes have always been something I was drawn to,” Facio said.
A native of Pascagoula, Miss., Facio explained that fashion helped her adjust to college and served as a motivating force in her life.
“Clothes were a big part of motivating me to go to class and make the transition from high school to college a lot easier,” Facio said. “I think clothes really helped me because I was like, ‘Okay, what am I going to wear today?’”
Raymond’s commitment to fashion originated during the COVID-19 pandemic and led her to business and networking opportunities.
“COVID-19 was a time when influencing was kind of a bigger thing,” Raymond said. “I went from 1,000 followers to 5,000-6,000 during COVID-19 just because I was promoting brands. People were hitting me up and were like, ‘Can you wear my hoodie?’ or ‘Can you do this?’ because I was posting my outfits I was making throughout COVID-19.”
A few years later, “flier than ever” is how Raymond describes fashion today.
The internet constantly churns out popular micro-trends like ballerina-core and coquette. By contrast, fashion trends have developed to become more bold and unorthodox. UM students reported that the Big Red Astro Boots, flared pants, baggy jeans, ribbons, bows, oversized items, bandanas, cowboy boots, teeth jewelry, jogging sets and waist beads took fashion to another level.
Alongside these generational fashion trends, students can be seen dressed in what is most simply described as today’s campus fashion. A distinct mix of Southern styles and national influences, UM’s campus has become an inclusive space for fashion to thrive.
Columbia, Miss., native and sophomore psychology major Mary Turnage shared her take on her personal fashion style as a college student.
“This year, I’ve been really into belts with buckles,” Turnage said. “I’ve been getting more into the big-pant, little-shirt era, and I’ve been really into knitted layering.”
Meanwhile, junior integrated marketing communications major Ashlyn Black draws inspiration from 1990s street fashion.
“I’m trying to get back into jorts and big pants. Like, my dad has these Tommy Hilfiger shorts that are really big, ripped and torn,” Black said. “I’m trying to get back into a jean shorts moment.”
Freshman theater arts major Chris Carter expressed his appreciation for congenial, casual wear that represents his current style, which is partially derived from his childhood.
“Growing up, I loved jeans, skinny jeans in particular, (and) graphic tees. … I don’t try to dress up a lot of the time. So I think graphic tees, jeans and sneakers are most definitely staples for me,” Carter said.
Senior integrated marketing communications major Baleigh McGillivray shared her approach to adapting to inconsistent Mississippi weather by giving The Daily Mississippian a “fit check.”
“It’s going be a little cold, so I thought I would layer up with a cute turtleneck. I love these pants, and they’re like business pants. I don’t really know what you call these (pants), but they’re so comfy and I don’t really like jeans, so when I can wear these anytime, I definitely will,”
McGillivray said. “I (also) just really like this jacket. I don’t get to wear it very often because it’s very hot, but I just thought it looked cute.”
Along with McGillivray, junior public policy leadership major Mateos Lozano gave insight into the creative choices behind the outfit he chose to wear on a rainy day.
“So underneath I have … an environmental ECO (UM Environmental Coalition) shirt. It’s club merch. I thought that these pants would match really well with the green,” Lozano said. “This orange sweatshirt doesn’t really stand for anything. I just thought it would look good.”
What is an outfit without a little bit of bling? Junior legal studies major Emma Harvey revealed her attitude toward accessorizing.
“(I like) mixed metals. I can’t decide whether I want to wear gold or silver at any point in time. I feel like they both look good with everything,” Harvey said. “(With) gold and silver, you can make it work with any color, and they’re just fun. I think it’s fun to mix them together.”
For junior business management major Alex Blissard, a hat is the ultimate accessory.
“I’ve been really into those hats (that are) almost like a graphic hat,” Blissard said. “I like the ones with the flatter bill and the string across the top. Those are so cute.”
The Houston, Miss., native even finds ways to spruce up her work uniform.
“So now for today, I’m wearing a polo and jeans and New Balances. My polo is courtesy of Ole Miss Admissions. I’m at work, so that’s what I have on. I just got these New Balances, so I’m pretty excited about those. But yeah, that’s the ‘fit,” Blissard said.
Fashion trends often rise up from social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, along with the help of musical artists.
Facio believes that five-time Grammy winner Kali Uchis’ most recent album, “Orquídeas,” contributed to a rise in Latin American-inspired fashion.
“Kali Uchis dropped an album, and she has this vintage Latina essence to her, like the unblended line lip, big bamboo hoops, thin eyebrows, tight shirt and some really cute jeans,” Facio said. “I feel like that really influenced a lot of the creators I saw on my feed.”
As this year’s fashion continues to evolve, Raymond hopes that the future of fashion prioritizes individuality and nonconformity more.
“I think that people are just going to evolve into being more themselves and just wearing what they want to wear and not really choosing a specific aesthetic,” Raymond said. “And I think that in a minute, ‘trends’ are going to be so much harder to follow because we’ve taken these set trends like baggy jeans and ‘70s wear and have mixed them in with everyday style.”
Facio insisted that fashion aids in self-exploration and confidence and recommended that everyone use style to learn more about themselves.
“If you’re a reserved person, fashion is such a great way for you to just put yourself out there and be your own kind of extrovert within your clothes. Let your clothes do the talking for you, because people will go up to you be like, ‘Hey girl, I love that bow,’ and it just helps so much with confidence,” Facio said. “I really do recommend people, incoming freshmen, anyone going through a large transition of their life to just explore their fashion, and it’ll kind of help with their transition for sure.”
