Put away the skinny jeans, chunky white Fila sneakers, and sherpa jackets and dig out your old Cargo pants, uggs, and puffer jackets. What’s in and what’s out among high school and college students as we go into the fall and winter season?
Trends are constantly changing, and it’s hard to keep up with what’s current. The best source for “what’s in?” Teenagers. Pioneer senior Isabel Rivera says, “‘I’ve been seeing a lot of animal prints. Like, cheetah print, leopard print, even some tiger. But mostly cheetah and leopard style in dresses, shoes, tops, whatever.”
Animal print has been popular recently. On social media, several users, like Tik Tok @mimiermakeup, have suggested “cheetah print makeup” paired with printed tops as last minute Halloween costume ideas.
Shoe trends have been changing, too. Sora Koss, a freshman in college, said, “I’ve seen a lot of the same trends around my college campus. Lots of Sambas and other flat shoes.”
For girls, Uggs have been very in demand. “I love uggs. They’re so versatile and comfortable. I can wear them with anything. Jeans and a cute top, sweats, they go well with anything. And they’re warm,” said Rivera.
Being in the Midwest, warmth is very important in fashion and style trends. For this reason, puffer jackets have been trending among both genders. Deanna Pych, Pioneer senior, says “Puffer jackets are very versatile, you can wear them with so many different outfits. A staple black puffer can go with almost anything.”
Puffer jackets aren’t just popular among girls, though. Puffer jackets have become well-liked among guys, as well. Koss said, “I’ve seen lots of guys in puffer jackets. North Face, particularly, but brands like Moncler, Canada Goose, and Patagonia too.”
Koss also has takrn notice of a general trend regarding the fit of clothes. “There’s a lot of baggy stuff going around right now. The skinny or tight fit on pants has really been going out. Cuffed pants have been going out of style, too. Like I don’t really see a lot of cuffed cargos, and if I do, I don’t really like them.”
Trending hairstyles have been a hot topic, too. Hedy Phillips, a writer for Popsugar, said that buzz cuts are trending because there are a variety of ways to wear and style them. The Pioneer Optimist staff, however, contended that this trend alert is incorrect, asserting that perms and more fluffy hairstyles are more popular among men.
Slicked back buns, a trendy hairstyle for girls in 2023, is going out of fashion, said Isabel Rivera. Instead, many are opting for fluffy, voluminous blown-out hairstyles. Laura Polker, celebrity hairstylist for notable stars like Sabrina Carpenter, said via Sechi Hair Academy that the blowout’s surge in popularity is because “‘everything from the ‘90s is making a return, from makeup trends to accessories and now hair, so it’s no surprise that the ‘90s blowout is the latest trend.’”Whether your style is straight from the ‘90s or comes from a new 2024 vibe, one thing remains certain: wearing clothes with confidence makes them look a lot better.