Spring female fashion

It’s rainy. It’s sunny. Now it’s rainy and sunny at the same time. Welcome to late spring in Portland.

Students weighed down by galoshes, sweatpants and rain-soaked backpacks can be seen trudging between Millar Library and Smith Memorial Student Union as they await the year’s most eagerly anticipated change of season.

As students, we are in the final days of classes and can easily be found daydreaming about all of our highly anticipated summer plans while staring out the window. Nothing is quite as intoxicating as letting suffocated toes slip into flip-flops and throwing on casual shorts for some time in the sun.

We long to debut the vibrant colors and breezy fabrics that symbolize the pleasantness of the summer sun, yet our excitement is dulled by the relentless drizzle.

This season’s women’s fashions are an exception to the doldrums of a winter overstaying its welcome and are attacking depressed closets with all that is bold, playful and comfortable.

The stores are full of pants, shirts, skirts and shoes that were practically made for Portland State students ready to turn our soggy campus into a lively runway.

For spring 2013, the fashion world and women everywhere have embraced the provocative and bombastic.

On the runway, contrasting black and white reigns supreme for spring, while graphic T-shirts and bursts of color proclaim that now is not the time to be timid.

Celebrities and the silver screen kept the momentum going with the annual Met Gala, famous for its red carpet fashion showcase. This year’s event was centered on all things punk, while the blockbuster The Great
Gatsby reboot revamped the allure of the in-your-face statement outfits of yesteryear.

Glamour magazine’s style guide for spring/summer 2013 points to graphics, metallics, fluorescents, bomber jacket silhouettes, stark whites and ’90s revivalism.

High fashion doesn’t seem to have a home on the Portland State campus (or any college campus to which I’ve ever been). Still, an undergrad budget doesn’t have to be the death knell for personal style.

The chairs are sort of uncomfortable, there are countless stairs to climb and the elements can be a pain to deal with—it’s no wonder Portland State’s campus is thick with Vikings sweatshirts and Nike sneakers.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t fuse versatility with expression, which brings us to the big question: Where does fashion fit in with this fast-paced community?

For PSU students, the answer is in fabrics and details. Comfort has become a higher priority in the fashion world lately: Flats are seeing a revival, forgiving shapes are replacing the skin-tight silhouettes of old and individuality is no longer conveyed through imported, overpriced garments.

This is great news for students since comfort is essential for long days of studying.

But what about cost? After all, one term of in-state tuition runs around 3,000 bucks, and so do many luxury dresses!

The solution is twofold: knits and accessories. Cotton and stretchy blends are ideal for the classroom and are both easy and expressive. Why not wear your signature Vikings shirt with a jersey maxi skirt for an appropriate campus look that also shows off your feathers as a fashionista?

Looking to embrace trends on a budget? Why not cash in on the metallic trend with a shiny backpack or headband? A Steve Madden book bag priced at $54 as opposed to a $2,000 metallic trench coat from a high-end designer is a no-brainer and still flaunts your flair on a budget.

Scarves are already a signature of Pacific Northwest style, and even the hot sun won’t keep them off of stylish necks in the next few months.

A vast array of available colors and embellishments mean that folks are free to don whatever they like and still have the ability to be eye-catching and expressive. Shop online, or locally like a good Portlander should—there are scarves all over the City of Roses.

As far as shoes go, I’ve unintentionally met the sidewalk in mile-high heels and I know I’m not alone. Nobody wants to do that in front of their classmates, so perhaps a casual sneaker like the classic $40 Keds would be a better fit for trips between Cafe Yumm! and Lincoln Hall.

As the saying goes, “Look good, feel good.” So find the right spring fashion for you and feel good; you could use that extra confidence for finals.