Ithaca Meets Bohemia

As the air begins to get colder and the sun struggles to make itself seen, it would appear the students at Ithaca College are ready for autumn weather. The girls walk around with their flowing shirts & skinny jeans, and the boys don sweaters over their t-shirts. Despite it being clear that this campus supports anyone, whether they be artsy, vintage, hipster, athletic, what have you, the mainstream fashion this fall is 80s & Bohemian-inspired looks.

There are, of course, certain exceptions to this natural style. For example, rain boots are ALWAYS cool, and they're not exactly made from leather and potato sacks. Especially at Ithaca, where it rains 99.9 percent of the week, I see an abundance of rain boots in an array of colors, patterns, and prints. Despite these exceptions to the natural style, the majority of the student body -- male and female -- are experimenting with the artsy side this fall. There are a lot of bare midriffs flaunting their way all around campus, through the use of cropped shirts or tops cut on an angle. A few years ago bare stomachs were taboo and layering lots of long shirts was the way to go. The styles are constantly fluctuating.

As for the male population, I've noticed that a lot of guys like bright colors now more than ever. And sweaters! I've also noticed a lot of male students wearing jeans that are rolled up at the ankle, and interesting hats are always appreciated, no matter what your personal style may be.

Before I came to Ithaca, I wanted to put feather extensions in my hair. When I got on campus, I was overwhelmed by the amount of girls who actually have feathers of all different colors and sizes in their hair. Not only that, I've noticed that any form of expressionism through hair alterations is common and accepted. There are plenty of girls (and guys, for that matter) who have dreadlocks, feather extensions, fabric braided into their hair, streaks bleached or dyed with Kool Aid, etc.

Besides feather extensions, I've noticed a few other Bohemian trends: rings in the shapes of exotic reptiles, interesting sandals, slouchy bags with lots of leather straps, and cropped shirts with tribal colors. Perhaps it's because of the close proximity of the Urban Outfitters in the Commons, but whatever the case may be, the Bohemian look is IN. Everything is tribal and natural.

It has become increasingly obvious to me that a lot of the style that's considered “in” right now is inspired by the 80s. Skinny jeans, off-the-shoulder shirts, loose, cropped shirts that expose the midriff, big sweaters. There's also a vintage-y twist to this style that makes it acceptable to juxtapose bright, Africa-inspired colors with pretty, low-tone clothing with tiny flowers.

Personally, I think all of this is great! I love me some turquoise rings and long cluster necklaces, but I've had my ring since I was eight and I made my own necklace out of wire, glass, and old charms I took off a vintage bracelet. I probably found it at a garage sale for 50 cents. I'd much prefer having a bracelet that's alive with the dusty stories of its past endeavors than one that was thoughtlessly manufactured for Forever 21's online site.

I wanted a rucksack before I even knew what they were called. My craving was inspired by the magical land of cinema; while watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, I noticed Harry carried around this cool backpack type thing. He leaves it at The Burrow when he has to make a quick getaway. Once he realizes it's missing, he says, “Ack! My rucksack with all of my things!” HA! I was inspired by Harry Potter! Then I came to college and thought I was living in a Tumblr blog. EVERYONE HAS A RUCKSACK! It's so genuinely upsetting. I suppose I just have to accept that there are some things that just won't be completely one of a kind.

So what can you do to resist falling into the latest fashion trends with everyone else? I tell myself to just wear what I like, and I always mix it up. Some days, I wear a skirt and a pretty tank top. Others, I wear a quirky T-shirt & Converse Hi-tops. And you can't go wrong with making your own stuff! Knit, sew, paint, whatever you want. And of course, I still wear my duck boots, loud and proud. They were my Mom's snow boots for as long as I can remember, and I'm absolutely sure no one on campus has them.