Starting your first year of college is going to present a number of challenges, and fashion is no exception, writes Ana Kinsella
Whether or not you’ve spent the last six years in uniform, the prospect of choosing the clothes in which to parade yourself in front of legions of strangers is definitely a daunting one, but here are some quick pointers to help you find your feet. Work with shapes and silhouettes that you are comfortable with and that suit you – for example, skinny jeans with a belted trench coat, or pencil skirts with a chunky jumper. This means you can spend less time choosing your outfit in the morning. Invest in a good coat for the winter. This doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive, as shops like Topshop, H&M and Zara will be filled with coats in a host of shapes and colours. Look for a neutral colour in good quality material and make sure the fit allows you to wear layers underneath it without looking overly bulky.
If this is your first time in Dublin, make sure to look past the range of basic high street apparel. Look out for occasional jumble sales or vintage clothes events, details of which can be found in event listings or online. Cows Lane Market in Temple Bar, as well as various markets in the suburbs, can be great opportunities to pick up unique items at low prices.
If you’re going to blow your money on one thing, make it a good quality, large bag for your books and gear for college. On the high street, Urban Outfitters and Topshop consistently have a good selection of large, durable bags at reasonable prices whilst Brown Thomas stocks more upscale bags from the likes of Marc Jacobs, Prada and Miu Miu, all of which have a great range of college-size bags on offer this season.
If you’re rushing out of the house in the morning or just have a bit of a sore head after the night before, grab some cute accessories to add a splash of individuality to an otherwise generic outfit. Look for hair bands, bows, chunky necklaces, vintage belts or a colourful ribbon, and there’s no need to play down shoes and bags – essential needn’t mean boring.
Personally, my back-to-school must-haves are a leather bomber, a Miu Miu satchel, pencil skirts & tights and a pair of sturdy Chanel motorcycle boots – well, a girl can dream, right?
