13 Brands College Students Love

Happy Friday the 13th! In honor of today’s spookiness I am providing you with 13 brands college students adore.

Being a broke college student and an aspiring fashionista, all while saving money is HARD. If you are a fellow broke college student looking for affordable fashion, this is the article for you. These are some of mine as well as some of my fellow fashionistas favorite websites that have trendy clothes for a reasonable price.

1. TJ Maxx

Need a good deal on everything from clothes to home decor? TJ Maxx is your one-stop-shop! They have amazing deals on your favorite brand-name items. Plus new styles arrive all the time so you can make sure your closet is still one-of-a-kind.

2. Nordstrom Rack

Love designer brand but hate the price tag that comes with it? Nordstrom Rack will be your new best friend. They have sales on all your favorite designers – it’s where style meets savings! Everyone needs a staple designer piece in their wardrobe, but why pay full price?

3. SHEIN

Do you want affordable affordable? Then meet your new bestfriend – SHEIN. With new deals and styles coming in everyday, you won’t every get tired of your wardrobe. Just be sure to read the reviews on sizing because every piece is sized a little differently!

4. American Eagle

Here you can find cute clothes in almost every mall across America. For the best deals check out their clearance section! They usually run 40%-60% on the lowest ticketed prices. You can’t miss out on these deals – plus the quality of American Eagle Jeans – AMAZING!

5. Nasty Gal

Looking for clothes you can dress up and down, all while looking classy, and not breaking the bank? Nasty Gal has new deals almost every week (hint hint right now EVERYTHING is 50% off ). Chic clothes for cheap? YES please!

Also, check out 8 Things You Never Knew About Nasty Gal

6. ZARA

Not only is ZARA one of my favorite affordable fashion brands, but they are now partnering with Join Life . You can buy trendy clothes for a great price while helping to create a water-positive impact on ecologically grown cotton communities. Treat yourself to some new clothes and help those in need!

7. ROMWE

With prices starting as low as $1.99 – WHO can beat that? ROMWE has over 10,000 fashion items for sale on their website so you’ll be sure to find something that suits your style. Again read the reviews because everything is sized a little differently!

8. Boohoo

Resigster on the website Student Beans and receive 55% off Boohoo’s website! That’s right 55% off!! Even before this crazy discount, Boohoo has so many styles for so little money. You can even become a student ambassador for them!

9. Forever 21

Your go-to retailer since middle school has some of the cutest outfits at the best deals. Forever 21 has online and in-store deals that you can’t beat. They have everything from that little black dress you need to intimates that pair perfectly under any outfit!

10. H&M

For quality fashion at low prices – H&M is your place to shop. With online and in-store shopping, their deals are hard to beat! They have pieces starting as low as $3. What’s even better is H&M started becoming a more sustainable brand in recent years. They even started a Garment Collection program where every bag of textiles you bring into the store for recycling they’ll grant you 15% off your purchase!

11. Fashion Nova

Looking for something a little more sexy to spice up your outfits? You can with Fashion Nova and you can do it without breaking the bank!

11. Missguided

Missguided has cute clothes for every style with hundreds of new pieces hitting their shelves every week! Stay on top of trends while staying in your budget!

12. PrettyLittleThing

Everything up to 70% off? How can you resist? PrettyLittleThing promises fierce and affordable fashion that will be delivered right to your doorstep. Now this is how you stay in style with the fashion elitist!

13. Target

Last, but not least, your favorite go-to store for everything… Target. Not only can you buy the cutest room decor to match your new trendy outfit, but open a RedCard with them and save 5% every time you shop (no matter what you buy)! The women’s department sells your favorite brands from Wild Fable to Xhiliration and every other brand in between.

That wraps up this Friday the 13th post, but I’d love to hear all about your favorite affordable brands!

P.S. Check out this article on why THIS Friday the 13th is so special ⇉

Fashion education is future-proofing its curriculum. What does this mean for the industry?

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This is the first in a new a series analysing fashion education's impact on the future of the industry.

As fashion students become more aware of environmental and social issues, fashion education is facing an existential question. Its response will shape the next generation, with major implications for brands in turn.

“Fashion education is the birthplace of worldviews and practices for the next generation,” says Ben Barry, dean and visiting associate professor of equity and inclusion of the fashion department at Parsons School of Design in New York. “Historically, fashion education measured its success on its ability to match the ideology of industry and prepare students for careers in the industry as it was, rather than as it should be.”

When universities train fashion professionals to be critical of the industry, this has knock-on effects for their employment prospects. “There is a lot of conflict among recent graduates about where they work and where they feel morally safe to participate,” says Zinzi de Brouwer, head of society and context and interim head of design at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (Amfi).

On top of this, tutors are aware of the debts that students often rack up during their education and feel responsible for making this worthwhile. “It would be immoral of us to churn out 140 designers each year, just to join the queue to work in oversubscribed houses,” says Sarah Gresty, BA Fashion course leader at London’s Central Saint Martins (CSM).

Changing values lead to changing aspirations. “Employee expectations are higher than ever since the pandemic,” says Gena Smith, SVP of HR and head of global executive and creative recruitment at LVMH. “Not only in terms of development and wages, but how we’re adding to their lives in a meaningful, positive way.”

At CSM, Gresty says around 30 per cent of students now describe themselves as creative practitioners rather than fashion designers, with more pursuing art and activism over traditional roles. While the allure of heritage brands remains, increasing numbers of students are forming their own collectives or brands, and building careers outside of major fashion capitals, adds CSM fashion programme director Hywel Davies. Senior lecturer Maria Nishio, who manages third year placements, says students often return from industry placements concerned about sustainability, worker wellbeing and time constraints. In response, the university tries to equip them with more resourceful and less wasteful habits, using old hotel bed sheets as calico and partnering with LVMH startup Nona Source to utilise deadstock fabric.

The Best School-From-Home Clothes, According to Stylish Students

21 items in this article 4 items on sale! Photo: Graphic House/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Like much of the in-office workforce, millions of high-school and college students are now also working from home — though in this case, by work, we mean homework, and by home, we mean their parents’ homes.

And while many WFH professionals told us they reach for sophisticated smock dresses and double-breasted blazers to take conference calls from the comfort of their couches, we couldn’t help but wonder what students are wearing now that their days consist of Zoom classes and remote exams from their poster-covered bedrooms. So we reached out to 15 stylish young people and asked them just that.

BDG High-Waisted Mom Short in Light Wash $49 $49 “My daily routine goes like this: Wake up, do online school, watch around 700 TikToks, and maybe, if I feel like it, get dressed,” says Georgia Freyer, 15. When she does get dressed, she reaches for BDG mom shorts and one of her many oversized T-shirts that have been “stolen from siblings or gifted by well-meaning relatives.” And because she lives in the South, where it’s already hitting 80 degrees, she often throws on a bathing suit top underneath. She calls her look “summer at the beach — but we can’t go to the beach because there’s a global pandemic, so now it’s just summer at the house with anxiety.” $49 at Urban Outfitters Buy

Levi’s Dad Jean $98 $98 Sylvie Nelson, 20, says she’s “pretty much figured out a comfortable stay-at-home uniform that still makes me feel cute.” She likes square-neck tanks from Brandy Melville — which she can wear without needing a bra, “the last thing I want to put on in quarantine” — with oversize, relaxed-fit Levi’s that are “perfect for lounging around in.” $98 at Urban Outfitters Buy

Girlfriend Collective Wildflower High-Rise Bike Short $48 $48 When she’s not in Levi’s, Sylvie likes Girlfriend Collective leggings and bike shorts. She loves that they’re “supersoft,” come in cool colors, and are made out of recycled water bottles. $48 at Girlfriend Collective Buy

Aerie Real Me Wrap Bike Short $30 $30 Alli Hoffer, 22, says that while she has been dressing for comfort, she’ll “go crazy if I’m not at least a little put-together, so I’m trying to look cute as well.” To satisfy those conditions, she’s been reaching for big T-shirts and biker shorts. Her favorite is this pair from Aerie; they’re high-rise, hit mid-thigh, and have a stylish V-shaped waistband. When she has to venture out to the grocery store, she adds platform Tevas. $30 at Aerie Buy

Blondie Graphic Band Tee $40 $40 “I always pull inspiration for my outfits from whatever I’m watching at the moment,” says Elise Esquibel, 17. “Earlier this year, I was heavily influenced by Rory Gilmore and Miriam Maisel, but during this self-isolation period, I’ve really embraced a more casual androgynous style inspired by Zoë Kravitz in High Fidelity and Diane Keaton in Annie Hall.” With that in mind, she’s been wearing vintage-y band tees, like this Blondie one, with Levi 501s or her vintage army pants. And when she’s forced to wear shoes, “I’ve been living in my platform Vans,” she says. $40 at Nasty Gal Buy

Bobbe Perfect Swing Polka Dot Skort $89 $89 Jill says she’s been making a point to exercise every day, even if it’s just a (socially distanced) walk around the block, and for that she wears “exercise clothes that make me feel cute and confident.” She likes Bobbe’s tennis skirts, especially the Perfect Swing High-Waisted Skirt in Polka Dot and the Layer Cake Skirt in Rosso. $89 at Bobbe Buy

Missguided Pink Tie Dye Oversized Joggers $57 $57 “I’ve always liked dressing up for school because it gets me ready for the day and helps me transition from sleeping to actually starting my life,” says Julia Tarnow, 20. And SFH is no different. When she feels like dressing up these days, she turns to Reformation, “because of their sustainability values and the quality of their clothing.” But when she wants to be comfortable, “I’m grateful that sweatsuits are in,” she says. “I’m obsessed with this tie-dye one I just got from Missguided.” She also loves the graphic sweats from Petals and Peacocks. “I just got an obnoxiously bright yellow sweatshirt that says ‘No Tears’, which is a great reminder right now.” $57 at Missguided Buy

Adidas Adibreak Track Pants $80 $80 Gwen Attridge, 19, started wearing track pants religiously when she moved to New York last year — “as a fashion statement, obviously” — but says she wears them now more than ever because comfort trumps fashion “in this time of Zoom University.” She likes that they feel like pajama pants, but look a little stylish, especially when paired with one of her many Goodwill crew-neck sweatshirts. “And of course fuzzy socks have taken the place of shoes,” she adds, “but honestly, I’m not complaining.” $80 at Adidas Buy

Lett Heathrow Pant $108 $108 “My go-to work-from-home fit is about staying minimal, yet very goofy and playful,” explains Kate Glavan, 21. She’s been wearing her Lett pants with a thrifted Gildan heather-gray crew neck that says “The Pickle Factory” on the front because, she explains, “I love bringing out funky pieces like my pickle sweatshirt and Crocs to keep my spirits up during this time — they remind me of being home in Minnesota with family.” $108 at Lett Buy

UO Clara Plaid Knit Mini Skirt $39 $39 Keara Sullivan, 20, found that she was struggling to feel productive in sweats. Then she discovered that “for some reason, dressing like Nancy Drew makes me feel more motivated to do work and Zoom into classes.” Now her go-to outfit is a green turtleneck from & Other Stories with a brown plaid miniskirt from Urban Outfitters. “I’ve also realized that if I wear my brown Doc Martens I’m less likely to flop onto my bed and procrastinate,” she adds, “since no one like shoes on their bed and Docs take time to take on and off.” $39 at Urban Outfitters Buy

Dickies Girl Juniors’ Relaxed Fit Shortalls $38 $38 Rather than dealing with separates, “I’ve been wearing a vintage pair of Dickies shortalls and changing the shirt underneath every day,” says Alyson Zetta Williams, 21. She says her look is reminiscent of Owen Wilson’s character in Bottle Rocket with his yellow jumpsuit. $38 at Dickies Buy

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Maryan Barbara
Maryan Barbara

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