When fall hits, everyone arrives with a comeback, especially in fashion. Howard University has been at the forefront of collegiate fashion nationwide. That being said, it should come as no surprise that when classes resume, so will students’ desire to dress up and push the bounds of Howard fashion.
What styles and aesthetics will we see dominate, and what will that say about the student body? Well, a list of do’s and don’ts would never suffice, but rather, here’s a template for students to tap into their own fashion ethos and catapult their style for the new year.
It should be noted that some Bison will undeniably be seen wearing certain trends on The Yard this year: western wear, maximalist dressing, and sportswear.
Already, students have been seen in iconic western staples like cowboy boots and even cowboy belts. While not exclusively belonging to the Western aesthetic, blue denim jeans have also risen to popularity helping add to the overall aesthetic.
When it comes to maximalism, taking hints from last year, we can expect to see a surge in flashy jewelry, and a lot more play with different hues and silhouettes.
Popular colors include dark reds, navy blue and even bright colors such as yellow and the occasional yellow. Alongside colors, detail is mainly accentuated through silhouettes and accessories.
Seen on city streets and soon campus is the common silhouette of small tops like shirts and button-ups, with bigger bottoms like jeans and jorts, which are usually coupled with personalized accessories.
This summer, fashion saw an incline in casual sportswear. This ranged from wearing sports jerseys, athletic shorts and shoes like Adidas Sambas pushing the sporty, athletic narrative.
Why? Well simply because fashion follows culture. Beyonce’s release of Cowboy Carter introduced a new excitement for embracing a western style. This year is one of experimentation, as people continue to lean more into the idea of personalizing themselves as seen with the popular maximalist trend.
Sports culture is heavy in America and has been seen rising more than usual among Americans and in fashion. And with the 2024 Olympics, generating a sense of American patriotism, it makes sense that donning sportswear is a sense of pride, causing it to trend.
So, what do I expect to see on its way out from last year? Of course, people should wear whatever they want, but in hopes of staying up to date, it’s vital to keep an eye on how fashion is moving.
Firstly, the “preppy” style is complemented with crispy collars and tucked-in shirts/sweaters. Not that it will disappear completely, but the influence of sticking to, arguably, a rigid uniform has fallen prey to students who wish to experiment more with their clothing and have fun.
Secondly, Y2K. While Y2K is still a dominant trend, on Howard’s campus it, too, seems to have fallen prey to another rising trend. With baggy jeans, oversized jerseys, and chunky sneakers being seen popping up late last year and again during move-in, it seems that ‘90s fashion has taken over as the style decade.
And lastly, the ASAP-Rocky style, trendy among men. Characterized by heavy layering, baggy t-shirts, shirts and ties and balaclavas. While the individual elements of this style will still be utilized, it appears students will want to find their ways of styling them instead of relying on one person.
This of course is not an exhaustive list. Fashion continues to change and evolve. Therefore students should aim to change and evolve with it, especially in hopes of finding out who they are fashion-wise.
Photos by Hilltop photographer Jacob Hanesworth taken during the first week of classes in August 2023.
