AESTHETICS ON CAMPUS

Aymen Sherwani

& Where to Shop Them

Voices Editor

Campus style pre-COVID-19 was boring, vague and barely had a personality to it. I still remember people wearing their black turtlenecks, fanny packs and blue jeans all while having the audacity to call it fashion. It’s giving Steve Jobs and ‘90s era Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, bestie. Now, we have TikTok and Instagram to thank for the rise of “aesthetics” that are so much more than just styles — they’re romanticized visual manifestations of what people want out of their lives represented through the media they consume, the way they decorate their house and most importantly, how they dress. Aesthetics like Y2K and Dark Academia have become so iconic that you can search them up on Netflix and watch movies and shows that fall under their respective categories. Now that’s marketing.

Something particularly unique about style aesthetics nowadays is how they are also heavily reliant on thrifting and peer-topeer online shopping stores like Depop — where you can quite literally find and wear clothes dated from an era you’re trying to emulate. Below are arguably the most popular style aesthetics you’ll see while walking around campus during your first week, their style essentials and where to shop them on a university student-friendly budget.

Y2K (Early 2000s Era)

The 2021 return of Y2K — which stands for the Year 2000 — is a result of a lot of things. It could be because the internet was obsessed with vaporwave lo-fi study beats, the nostalgia behind ‘00s romantic comedies like Legally Blonde and Clueless, or maybe even just the #FreeBritney movement. When I think of Y2K style I think of two words: purposeful flashiness. You want to turn heads when you’re walking down the hall and aren’t afraid to throw on some latex boots to match your nylon shoulder bag to let everyone know that you are that girl. Definitely accessorize with butterfly hair clips and a statement headband too.

This aesthetic means the return of cute corset tops, leather pants, lip gloss, bucket hats and patterned fruit on everything. For a more masculine look, the essentials would be the leather shirt jacket with a cool pair of statement shades and some baggy jeans. If you’re a Y2K lover your style inspiration would be the Barbie-esque lifestyles of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Elle Woods, combined with the more statement-making styles of Destiny’s Child, N-Sync, the Backstreet Boys and Christina Aguilera. While the most ethical option would be to go thrifting, Y2K has always been fast fashion so the best places to shop this aesthetic without looking absolutely cheugy would be online stores like Amazon, Cider, Princess Polly and Pretty Little Thing.

Dark Academia

Dark Academia is a popular aesthetic focused on classical literature and ultimately romanticizes the pursuit of higher education as a journey of intellectual self-discovery, with a heavy emphasis on reading, writing and learning dead languages. The New York Times describes it as “traditional-academic-with-a-gothic-edge,” drawing inspiration from vintage English fashion choices of the 1940s like tweed blazers, long woollen coats, sweater vests, plaid skirts and high-waisted cigarette pants. If you see someone walking across campus dressed like this, just know that they own a bust of Michaelangelo’s David or their

favourite Greek god or goddess, like to write dark brooding poetry in their free time and probably have stacks of books on their floor. Think of the ivy-covered walls type of lifestyle represented by the Hogwarts castle in the Harry Potter series, The Queen’s Gambit and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Compared to Y2K, Dark Academia fashion stands the test of time, so grabbing a bunch of friends and heading to your local thrift store is a great option if you want some well-aged leather shoes, or maybe even a vintage beret. Your best bet would be to shop at Aritzia, Oak & Fort, Zara and H&M. If you prefer quality-made — although pricier — materials, opt for Ralph Lauren, Pringle of Scotland or even Poshmark.

Brandy Melville Chic

Think of Y2K’s cooler and more laid-back stoner cousin — that would be this aesthetic. While the store Brandy Melville itself was put on the map by influencer Emma Chamberlain, the sporty California-girl aesthetic has dominated fashion for decades. Think of Princess Diana in the ‘90s running away from the paparazzi while wearing biker shorts, a worn-looking Harvard sweatshirt with a turtleneck underneath and cat-eye sunglasses. Some contemporary style icons that rock this aesthetic would be the fun and sporty off-duty model looks pulled by the likes of Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. In comparison to Y2K and Dark Academia, Brandy Melville Chic is relatively gender neutral, and effortless for the days during midterm season where you still want to put in an effort to look cute but still want all the comfort that this aesthetic has to offer. Your style essentials would include plaid oversized shackets — A.K.A. shirt jackets — statement sweatshirts, rectangular sunglasses, tennis skirts, biker shorts and cropped cardigans.

As for where to shop, other than Brandy Melville, stores like ASOS, H&M, Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 never fail to disappoint, but it doesn’t hurt to thrift a 2012-era tennis skirt or repurpose your dad’s old college sweatshirts and call them vintage either.

Bad and Bougie

This aesthetic has been around for a while and we all have Black women to thank for popularizing long lace front weaves, designer bags and accessories, acrylic nails and Fashion Nova-Esque outfit ensembles. Beauty influencers and the Kardashians are the most mainstream style inspiration for Instagram baddies, but let’s be honest — the hip-hop and rap scene practically paved the way for them too. Icons like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Travis Scott and Kanye West are trail blazers in modern day street style through the popularization of Yeezy, and the revitalization of brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. When you see someone walk into the campus Starbucks with a fancy backpack, tinted sunglasses and wearing SKIMS, you just know they have over 10K followers on Instagram and are completely unbothered by anyone trying to bring them down that day. Baddie fashion is as if confidence was an aesthetic and can be best found at Fashion Nova, Nasty Gal, boohoo and MissGuided.