Fall Fashion at DHS: Just Sweatpants and Flannels – or Something More?
Comfort and style: can both be achieved by dudes at DHS this Fall?
As crisp weather approaches, the days of flip flops and Vineyard Vines shorts are beginning to leave Darien High School while sweatshirts and sweatpants make their return. Aside from this “usual look for dudes,” what are the new trends this fall? I caught up with some of the more fashionable students at DHS to find out.
One popular look that I’ve seen lately is a jacket over a sweatshirt, a look that sounds simple but may not be so easy to pull off. Many people seem to like this layering because it will keep them warm on a cold fall day while spicing up the boring sweatshirt look. Senior Arthur Xanthos can be seen on a chilly day rocking this style. When asked about it he told me; “I really like to do this because it is sure to keep me warm on a cold day, but also brings together a low key look with the sweatshirt, but a more sophisticated vibe with the jacket.”
All trends start somewhere, usually with celebrities. It’s tough to argue who really got this trend going, but in my opinion it began with the always unique Kanye West. This look really fits well with “Yeezy’s” interest in clothes that are a little oversized but still look stylish. West is obviously a very influential celebrity, so it’s no surprise that Xanthos and many other guys at DHS are trying to emulate him.
The next thought I have on fall fashion I’ll keep short, three words in fact: jeans are back. They’re back in a big way. Over the past few years jeans have decreased in popularity, but these days you wouldn’t be able to find a guy at DHS who doesn’t wear jeans on a regular basis. One of the reasons jeans are so popular is because they are a great alternative to Nantucket red or plain white khaki. Jeans offer a much more casual style that can go with any shirt or sweater. I asked senior Cameron Raia if he agreed with my thoughts, to which he said; “Jeans are most definitely back. I think everyone likes them so much because they make you seem like a more rugged guy, even if you’re not.”
Senior Lucas Thompson, a fashion aficionado, explained to me that jeans fit perfectly into the current style, and are a product of many people’s efforts to bring back a look from a different era. Thompson told me, “A lot of people are really into the 90’s look. Jeans were definitely a big part of 90’s fashion. So they’ve become a big part of people’s repertoire.” ”
So you may now be wondering, why is 1990’s fashion making a return? Many students like that it looks “thrifty” or “vintage” and is pretty unique to the usual Darien guy fashion. The “90’s look”, as I’ll call it, also fits under the umbrella discussed by senior Arthur Xanthos that over sized is good.
Other than jeans, another widely popular style has been flannels. Everybody seems to love flannels because they are super comfortable, easy to throw on in the morning, and can make you look much more presentable than a t-shirt or a sweatshirt would. Rappers like A$AP Rocky have brought the flannel look and have made it mainstream again. This flannel and jeans combo is reminiscent of the 1990’s “grunge” look that started in Seattle and took the country by storm thanks to artists like Kurt Cobain.
One article of clothing I have yet to talk about are shoes. Many student’s favorite shoes to wear on a cold Fall/Winter day are Ugg Slippers. Freshman Teddy Laird described his love for the Ugg Slippers, he said “They are the best shoes that I’ve ever owned. There’s nothing like sitting by a fire watching football with a pair of Ugg Slippers on your feet.” I happen to own a pair myself, and they are indescribably comfortable. They also happen to look like loafers, so the shoes offer the perfect sense of, “look good, feel good”. If you can’t tell already, I’m far from a fashion expert, so some people would would probably disagree with me that you could pull them off as loafers, but hey, I say go for it and see what happens.
Hopefully you guys found these tips helpful and you have some new looks to try out this Fall and Winter. If you want any more info on what’s what in the fashion game, definitely don’t talk to me ’cause I don’t know what I’m talking about; instead I would recommend talking to one of the sources in this article. Good luck, and I hope everyone is looking stylish this season.