At times, the halls of Tator and the sidewalks along Dorm Road can seem like runways for every fashion trend and style on the market. Students at Quinnipiac take fashion seriously and it shows in what they wear when they venture out on campus. More often than not, a student’s ensemble is a reflection of his or her hometown. Quinnipiac’s student body consists of students mainly from the New York, New Jersey and New England. From observing the styles around campus, it’s clear that people really are what they wear.
“I’m from the beach and kids near me wear flip flops and shorts all year round. People have a skater/surfer style,” freshman Jordan Berardi said. The easygoing appearance of the Jersey shore can be spotted in the QU cafeteria, with kids eating lunch with skateboards at their feet or in the library with the students who casually wear knit hats. When the Connecticut snow melts away, they will be the first to break out the sandals on the quad.
New Englanders seem to represent opposite stylistic partialities.
“No matter the consistency of your hair, it is worn straight. Polo is a big brand,” a Rhode Island student said. She noted that the most popular style in her New England hometown, is either “athletic or preppy.” Designer clothing is also apparent in schools across Massachusetts.
“In my [high] school, there was a mix between preppy and urban. Most of the emphasis on clothes was designer jeans like J Brand, Seven for all Mankind, and Rock & Republic,” Katie Spillane, a freshman from Marblehead, Mass.said.
Like pizza and fresh bagels, distinct fashion sense seems to be a staple of New York state. Students everywhere from Upstate to Westchester and Long Island are showing off the clothes that defined them and their peers in high school.
“Coach bags and Vera Bradley bags are very popular,” freshman Victoria DeSalvo said. “People from Long Island are attracted to brand names. They are not obsessed, but they are definitely attracted to them.”
With that said, there is no question that students here enjoy their designer jeans and purses. On the walk up to the College of Arts and Sciences, flashy totes dot the paved hills. DeSalvo said that the Juicy Couture sweat suits, paired with Uggs never gets old around Long Island.
“North Faces were big; everybody had them,” Westchester-bred business major Christine Fitzsimmons said when recalling popular high school fashions. “Uggs were so popular; they were even banned at school!”
DeSalvo said that style shouldn’t be stereotyped. “New York as a state is different from Upstate to Long Island. Everyone has their own style. Everyone in New York tries to create their own style,” she said. This is also true of Quinnipiac’s student body, as the students are diverse in what they wear and how they appear. Personal style is evident all over campus and in every dorm room.
Despite geographic contrasts, coming to Quinnipiac has positively encouraged students to reevaluate the usual styles and trends they affiliated themselves with growing up. As demonstrated on the walks to class, items such as Northface fleece jackets and Ugg Boots have proven to be equally admired by students from state to state. There are very few people on campus who don’t own one of these coveted brands. Styles are quickly coming together as students inspire their roommates by sharing clothes or sorority sisters give each other fashion advice.
Personal style will always be dominant, but at college, where you are from tends to dictate how you look to those walking around you.
Whether you rock the clothes from the Long Island coastlines or the shoes found in a Boston boutique, Quinnipiac welcomes state-wide fashion all year round.
