Pointlife
Fashion bugs or dung beetles: Style on campus
The Pointer
jwittt477@uwsp.edu
Professors sometimes notice a change in students’ dress and behavior as the semester progresses. Some students throughout the semester will sit closer to another classmate. A gradual progression of different and better clothes can be apparent to professors and students alike.
“Students who have interest in a classmate will gradually start sitting closer and closer to that student and they’ll start dressing nicer,” University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point professor of social science Dorothy De Boer said. “I sometimes see that, and it’s kind of cute. I can see classroom romances start to blossom.”
There are many different sentiments with clothing, especially on campus. Some are content with clothing just keeping them warm, while others believe that it serves a different purpose.
“I only dress to impress if it’s like a job interview or a presentation. Certainly your appearance does affect the way people see you, but going to class, I want to be comfortable,” UW - SP super-senior Linnea Weeden said.
Although clothes that are worn are often based on a student’s temperament, there may be other factors involved.
“In my classes at 8 a.m., I have sweatpants on, and then later on I’ll wear jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt,” said UW-SP senior Danielle McDonald.
Time and sleep are things all students try to balance and conquer, but many struggle to perfect at universities.
“Most of our students come roughly from similar social and economic backgrounds, so clothing decisions may end up being made due to time,” said De Boer. “It also may come down to who made the sweatpants too.”
The need to wear name brand clothing may not be as prevalent as it was in middle or high school, but this doesn’t mean it has been erased completely.
“It’s a vicious cycle. Everybody buys name brand clothing because they want to fit in with everybody else,” said Weeden. “Name brand clothing companies in return charge more because there is such a high demand for it.”
McDonald agrees that these name brand clothing companies aren’t a huge deal to her. She believes there is something else more important.
“I’m in higher level classes. Most of my classes are for those who want to be teachers; we want to look professional,” said McDonald.
McDonald also thinks that as temperatures drop, sweatpants will be more widespread throughout the student body.
“I don’t think students should be so focused on their image; we’re here to learn,” said Weeden. “I don’t think it should be the most important thing. Go to class and be comfortable and not have to worry about getting up an extra hour early just to make yourself look pretty.”
A lot of college students don’t have a lot of money to go shopping for new clothes. Students resort to shopping at thrift stores to find “new” clothing.
“I think we should recycle our clothes; what’s junk to one person is treasure to somebody else. If you don’t like it, pass it on to somebody else to enjoy it,” said Weeden.
De Boer sees a lot more freshmen and underclassmen dressing nicer, but as students get older they tend to care less and less.
“When I was an undergrad, I cared my first year of school, after that I didn’t care,” said De Boer. “I care so little about fashion and clothes I don’t even notice it; it’s just never been a huge priority to me.”
This is quite a change from 40 years ago, where all students would dress what we would call today ‘professionally’ all the time.
“If I’m feeling lazy, I’ll just throw sweatpants on, or sometimes you have to dress up for something specific,” said McDonald.
This is common for most students on campus. Professors generally notice when a student dresses in business attire, such as a suit and tie or a dress or skirt.
“Occasionally someone shows up very well dressed up, and I might notice that and comment on that,” said De Boer.
