Wardrobe Essentials For College Girls
9 min read
Making the decision to study and play your sport in the USA on an American Sports scholarship has many benefits, including getting the opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture.
During these four years, you will learn a lot about yourself, and with that you will develop your sense of style that will carry through College and on to your professional life.
If you are a fashion-conscious female embarking on a sports scholarship to the USA, then you might be interested in this article from Collegefashion.net about what wardrobe essentials you might want to consider when packing for a new life in the USA! It's a great blog, so check it out!
Wardrobe Essentials For College Girls
Article featured on Collegefashion.net
Absolute Must's
4-5 Pairs of Jeans That Fit Well
Jeans (not sweatpants!) are the basics of a college girl’s closet. Find a brand of denim that fits you well, and then stock up on different basic washes and styles. Rotate these through the week (no one will notice if you wear the same pair twice in one week, I promise.)
One of these pairs can be a trendy style, like skinny jeans or wide leg jeans. Just don’t buy all trendy denim, because you’ll have to buy new jeans next season or risk looking really out of date.
Brands to check out: American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap
A Classic Dress
This is my favorite because it’s pretty much an entire outfit in one easy piece. A lot of fashion experts say that you need a “little black dress”, and of course I agree that black dresses are chic and classic. However, I think if a dress fits you well and isn’t trashy looking, it doesn’t need to be black.
Let’s face it: most college girls aren’t going to cocktail parties that require LBD’s. If you are, by all means, buy a little black dress. If you’re the typical college girl, just get a dress that fits you well in a color that flatters your skin tone.
4-6 Basic Tank Tops
Get a few tank tops of varying lengths in different basic colors like black, white, grey and navy blue. These can be worn alone in summer or layered under cardigans, jackets and long-sleeved tops in winter.
Also, look for tanks that are 100% cotton to avoid the weird clinging that some blend fabrics can cause. No one wants to see the outline of your bra under your tank top!
1-3 Chic Cardigans
You don’t have to go 100% cashmere, although that’s certainly nice and everything. Most college girls don’t have the time or money to get things dry cleaned regularly so don’t think that cashmere is a must!
Pick up some basic cotton cardigans at H&M, J Crew or GAP and layer them over your tank tops for a look that’s chic and trendy at the same time. Get one basic black and at least one in a color like purple, hot pink or chocolate brown.
Great Bras & Panties
These will take you SO far. Underwear is the foundation of your look. If you don’t have a bra that fits well, the rest of your outfit is not going to look right. Same goes for panties.
Spend the time and the money shopping for good well-fitting bras and panties that don’t pinch, bulge or show under your clothes.
A Bag That Holds Everything
You want a bag that’s good quality (canvas, leather, or strong fake-leather are good bets), goes with most of your wardrobe, and still looks chic. The right bag can also go from day to night, so look for classic details like metal accents.
Also, bonus points if you can find a bag that has lots of pockets and zippered compartments to keep you organized!
1-2 Dressy Tops
Look for satin, lace, bright colors and cute prints. Wear a dressy top under a fall/spring jacket or by itself with jeans and heels to a party. Don’t go see-through, uber low-cut or too-tight.
1 Pair Nice Dress Pants
Get a well-fitting trouser in black or dark grey with a wide leg to wear on job interviews and recruiting sessions. Your dress pants should be long enough to wear with heels, but not so long that they drag on the ground.
1 White Button-Down Shirt
Again, this is most likely going to be used for job interviews and/or internships.
Look for a button-down with a little stretch and a cut that’s flattering to your body shape. You don’t want one that’s too tight of course, but you also don’t want to look like a box.
Spending a little more money here will be well worth it because you can wear this shirt to work when you get a big girl job later.
1 Well-Cut Spring/Fall Jacket
This can be as casual or as formal as you like. It just needs to match most of your clothes and has to fit well!
The cut is everything with jackets so spend as long as it takes shopping around for the right jacket. Don’t settle for something that doesn’t fit just right.
1 or 2 Winter Coats
Those of you who live in Cali don’t need these, obviously (unless you like to ski). For those of us in areas that actually have winters, warm winter coats are a must. I like classic wool pea coats and cute faux-fur trimmed parkas by brands like J Crew and Juicy Couture.
1-2 Pairs Casual Flats
Essential for spring and fall, ballet flats add Kate Moss chicness to any outfit and are usually fairly inexpensive as well! Get one pair in a basic color like black or brown, and one pair in a bright color like Kelly green, red or yellow.
Other cute trends to try with your flats: metal embellishment (think Tory Burch), patent leather, and patterns. The choice is yours!
1 Pair Good Winter Shoes/Boots
If you’re living in an area that has a real “winter” season, you need some serious winter footwear if you’re gonna be walking anywhere (and I assume you will be.)
Unfortunately, you might have to sacrifice style for function a little in this category, but it’s better than slipping and falling in the snow or having really cold feet all day!
Or you could just buy a pair of adorable snow boots like those to the right by Juicy Couture. In that case, you wouldn’t have to sacrifice anything.
1 Pair Black Pumps
These are to wear with your dress pants and white shirt for job interviews and professional occasions. Spend a little extra money and get good-quality shoes because if you take care of them, they will last you forever!
Dormwear/Sweats
For hanging around the dorm or apartment, get some cute sweats! Note that these are for hanging and lounging only and are NOT to be worn to class, except if you’ve been up all night studying for a final and plan to go back to sleep after you take it.
Even for a final, think hard about wearing sweats in public. The only other exception is if you’re working out, but I’m sure you know that.
