When thinking of fall fashion, some students see nude sweaters, boots and patterned sweaters, while others think of leggings, sweatpants or oversized hoodies. Either way, students usually have a go-to look for fall. With the influence of social media, trends pop up on students’ social media feeds, and with masks as a new accessory, there might be some changes in the 2020 fall fashion season. 

On TikTok, influencers are seen wearing statement hoodies with logos from big companies like Champion and Gucci, or they are sporting sweatshirts with their own brands to help promote their companies.

“I’ve seen a lot of scarves this year, the more… fashionable ones instead of anything particularly thick, and some thin jackets given how warm this fall has been,” said Guilford senior Laura Simon. “I’ve been wearing a lot of pants. I prefer durable ones or ones with lots of pockets. I’ve recently come into possession of a hooded flannel for my birthday… that I’ve been wearing consistently, because it’s comfortable and has a large sewn-in microfiber cloth for cleaning my glasses.” 

Simon has a more practical look for her outfits, as she wants to find items that have several other uses besides clothing. 

Senior art major Deanna Lassiter also commented on her favorite fall clothing.

“I’ll be honest, I have multiple favorite hoodies that I love wearing,” Lassiter said. “They go down to my knees, and I can just wear comfortable leggings and Crocs or sneakers. The hoodies are from Jeffree Star… they’re just so… fun and add color to my look.” 

“I just think any color can be made into an autumn look,” Lassiter continued. “…I want to… be able to wear bright pink or a soft blue and still be warm, but I do like wearing soft knitted sweaters with my cheetah-printed ankle boots when I want to dress up. I don’t look at trends because I know that I won’t always like them. Plus, I already have too many clothes to keep track of.” 

According to a Vogue article by Madeline Fass, the fall fashion trends in 2020 are metallics, patchwork pieces and finding ways to make sandals work in the cold weather. On “WhoWhatWear,” Yusra Siddiqui discussed what is trending on TikTok, like platform boots, sweater vests, 90s denim and vintage jewelry. But do college students really care for trends? 

Sometimes students don’t always look at trends, or even care to think of them. Some just want to find cool thrifted items and want their outfits to reflect their moods for the day. Fall is also a perfect time to pull out hand-me-down vintage clothing and turn old items into a new look. 

“My own style is definitely more masculine leaning with plenty of pockets to put things in,” Simon said. “I wouldn’t say I have a particular fashion icon, but as a butch myself I do take notes from pictures of butch women if I see something I haven’t considered.”

 Junior Sarah Seguin described herself as an “old man from the 90s, some people love the look and others don’t.” She finds herself drawn to mom jeans, flannel and mismatched socks. She also doesn’t like to base her look on trends: “I thrift a lot so a lot of my style is based on what I can find rather than what is trendy right now. I love my style, it’s a reflection of how I’m feeling in a moment and those moments are liable to change. I never try and box myself in when it comes to my clothing.” 

As the temperature cools down, platform boots trend among students.

“Doc Martens for sure are something that I wish I could incorporate more,” said Seguin. “They’re just a total nightmare to break in so they’re a real commitment.” 

“I just bought my first pair of black platforms and I’m so excited to break them in and double up on socks,” Lassiter added. “I saw a girl on Instagram show off a cute outfit that I think I could pull off.” 

Students at Guilford are shifting from summer to fall with their looks, even if the weather has been a little bit of a roller coaster—warm for a few days and then cooler for the rest of the week. Some are wearing sweaters or hoodies over a shirt just in case the weather changes within the time it takes to eat lunch. Others are still clinging onto the summer weather with their gym shorts, tank tops and sneakers. 

“I hate the cold, so I only have like two fun sweaters,” senior Kenzie Steele said about her fall fashion favorites. “I tend to borrow my roommate’s. I’d just rather it be summer all the time so I can wear shorts and crop tops. I like outfits on other people, but it’s not for me.” 

For Guilford students, there’s an abundance of influences and fall outfits you can piece together. Whether it is warm and you want to sport summer tops or you’re more into the leather jackets and boots, you can appreciate those who show off their creative outfit choices, no matter the weather.