The return to campus means a new opportunity to explore and create, and what better way to do so than with an amazing outfit? We interviewed students outside Vanderbilt’s most popular unintentional fashion runway — outside Rand Dining Hall — to discover the inspiration for their outfits.
Katie Greenfield, a sophomore, described her style as simple. Her outfit, a black fitted tank top paired with white, wide-leg linen pants, spoke to the put-together minimalist inspiration she took from. To elevate her style, Greenfield likes to accessorize with jewelry like chokers and her favorite fun earrings.
Mai-Xuan Mantwill, also a sophomore, echoed Greenfield’s sentiments about accessorizing, but she enjoys taking a more maximalist approach, which includes layering and adding pieces such as jewelry. She does this by adding a lot of rings to her outfits.
“Right now I am really in my silver phase, so lots of silver. I like to do a lot of jewelry, and sunglasses, always!” Mantwill said.
Truong Nguyen, a junior, expressed his need for a comfortable style, by wearing pieces that feel practical for day-to-day activities.
“My style is just anything I am comfortable in or anything that people usually don’t want to wear,” Nguyen said. “I’m not really into fashion trends. I like to be comfy but I like to break out of the box a little bit sometimes.”
As it begins to cool off a bit on campus, students are taking advantage of the fall-like weather when making their outfit choices. Olivia Boykin, a senior, was inspired by the beautiful weather when she put together her outfit for the day.
“I went on a run this morning and realized it felt really nice out, so I wanted to dress for that,” Boykin said. “ Obviously, I am doing a lot of walking around campus, so I had to wear something that had shorts underneath it, so that was why I picked the tennis dress. It is kind of cooler, so I put on the jacket and matched it with the shoes as well.”
Because Boykin is a senior this year, she has set a goal for herself to be more intentional about putting effort into her outfits. She explained how wearing something that makes you comfortable and happy can help contribute to having a great day. She also loves to accessorize her outfits with jewelry that holds special meaning to her. For example, she literally holds her sorority close to her heart with a pendant engraved with its letters.
Functional and fashionable outfits are a theme among students, especially for sophomore Gabrielle Beck. She shared her love for pockets that can hold all of her belongings.
“Anything utilitarian like overalls is great. A lot of vintage denim or anything that is thrifted is great,” Beck said.
Thrifting is a popular way that students find their outfits. There are many unique pieces at more affordable prices that provide a sustainable avenue for creative expression. Many of the students I interviewed, including Beck, shared their love of thrifting and their favorite local spots. Beck personally favors Anaconda Vintage and East Nashville Antiques.
Special pieces can also come in the form of souvenirs. For example, senior Julian Delamaza got his statement t-shirt at a concert by one of his favorite artists, Dominic Fike.
Delamaza described his style as casual. Like others, he shared his desire to prioritize comfort when crafting his wardrobe.
Nate Morrin, a first-year, highlighted the sentimental value of certain pieces such as gifts from family. They explained that one of their necklaces, a tarot card, was a gift from their aunt, which serves as a reminder while going away to college that they have great potential and everything they need is within them.
Most importantly, Morrin expressed having fun with their fashion choices.
“I was just having fun with my outfit today! I really like to do the white on my inner corner because I like to brighten up my eyes, and then I love glitter so I added a little gold,” Morrin said.
When interviewing students on why they chose their outfits, I found a few aspects in common. Commodores love to be comfortable and lean into fashion with function and style with a story behind it. Each piece of your outfit is a unique feature that you show off on your own personal runaway. Ultimately, the fashion scene at Vanderbilt is all about what it means to you.
