Sophomore Madison Schaus sits in Holcomb Gardens on a lovely autumn day, showing off her fall staples. Photo by George Beblo.
SAMANTHA RITTENBERG | STAFF REPORTER | srittenberg@butler.edu
Lights, camera, fashion. With November finally here, students can start unpacking their fall fashion looks. From platform Uggs to tailored vest tops, people are dressing to the nines this fall season.
Here are several of the most popular trends from fall 2023:
Photo courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar.
Layers, layers and more layers
Layering is the perfect transitional weather look. This is a trend that anyone, from students on Butler’s Sunset Avenue to celebrities on New York City’s Broadway, can adopt. For a cozy autumnal look, people can be seen wearing jackets over sweaters over long-sleeved tops or even the other direction such as vests on top of flannels on top of sweatshirts. The trend is layering, but no one said which direction it had to go.
Ava Esteves, a first-year speech-language and hearing sciences major, said fall fashion is her favorite kind of fashion.
“I feel like that’s [when I can wear] layered looks,” Esteves said. “Especially when the temperature changes [frequently], you have to go out in a layered look, otherwise [you will] be overly hot or overly cold.”
Playful oversized pants
Jeans will be stylish for the foreseeable future, the only question is what type of fit. The fan favorites in 2023 happen to be 90s straight-leg and baggy. The same can be said for other types of pants trending. Trouser-style pants have made their way into the fashion industry as the hot look of 2023. Cargo pants, corduroys and sweatpants are also trending, but still with the same style advice — oversized is the way to go.
Italy Lewis, a first-year international business and accounting double major, is a big fan of the oversized style.
“I love that mom jeans are coming back,” Lewis said. “Because it used to be all skinny jeans, and I’m for sure a mom jeans girl.”
Power dressing
Dressing in the workplace — and outside of the workplace — does not have to be boring. Power dressing is a fun and creative way to add one’s own personality to their style. It was first developed in the 70s and 80s as a way for women to show that professionalism is not only for men. The style trend demonstrated that the difference in the outfits that men were allowed to wear to work versus what women were allowed to wear was sexist. Allowing people to have more freedom with what they wore led to women being able to further show off their individuality.
Butler students embrace the power dressing style by adding components that elevate a boring look. On campus, two examples of this craze are pairing a tailored vest top with baggy jeans and accessorizing tapered pants with an oversized t-shirt or a form-fitting top. Creating an upgraded look from a simple outfit is the essence of power dressing.
Photo courtesy of People Magazine.
Uggs are back
There are two ultra-popular styles of Uggs right now: the “Classic Ultra Mini Platform Boot” and the “Tasman” slippers. These might just be the most popular trend right now on Butler’s campus. People are seen wearing these all over — from dorm halls to the dining hall, even to classes.
Captivating pops of color
Color is making its moment again, and it is here to stay. Not only is Butler’s campus filled with colorful leaves, but also colorful pants, patterned sweaters — with lots of color of course — and brightly colored shoes. The “it” color this season is tomato red — the mixture of red and orange tones brings this color to life for anyone who wears it. Both Stella McCartney’s models on the runway and students across Butler’s campus have been seen flaunting the shade.
Madison Schaus, a sophomore speech-language and hearing sciences major, said what people are wearing matches the feeling of fall.
“I would say bright colors [are one of the most popular trends right now],” Schaus said. “I feel like people are matching the vibe of fall in general. You see the bright colors [from] the leaves, and so people are wearing fun-colored jeans and fitted tops. [People] are [also] wearing fun pops of colors with their sweaters.”
Photo courtesy of The Guardian.
Hopeful for hats
While headwear trends come and go, hats are an accessory that has not come into style recently.
Esteves is hopeful that hats will come back into style.
“I like the idea of fun hats becoming more popular,” Esteves said. “I feel like nobody wears hats unless it’s raining or it’s really sunny [and] you’re wearing a baseball cap. I want it to be normal for me to walk out with a bucket hat.”
Fall fashion in 2023 has taken on looks that can live through the test of time. The trends are not as “out-there” as they have been in previous years, which could mean that the current fashion looks are here to stay.
Schaus said the style of fall 2023 is more “laid-back.”
“I feel like everything that’s in style right now is still pretty casual,” Schaus said. “It’s nothing crazy. And so I feel like if anything, it’s not gonna go completely out of style. They [might] just go under the radar, and other [styles] will pop out in front of them.
Whether people are dressing according to the newest fall trends or expressing their own unique style, fall is the season for all things fashion.
