As a child, I spent a variety of time serious about what I used to be going to put on on the primary day of college. I beloved going searching for new provides, garments and footwear. Then, the evening earlier than the primary day, I’d lay out my look — backpack and all — and daydream about how I used to be going to indicate up the subsequent day. (This TikTok from comic Massive Homie Blocks completely describes the sensation.)
For a lot of college students, the primary day of college can really feel like New Yr’s Day. It’s an opportunity to reimagine your self and provides a glimpse of the brand new you. The way in which you do that is by your outfit. Maybe you had been extra into the preppy look final 12 months however now you wish to discover extra unisex kinds — the alternatives are limitless.
Monday marked the primary day of lessons within the Los Angeles Unified Faculty District. As college students scurried in between lessons and reunited with their associates at Venice Excessive Faculty, we had been capable of ask them: What did they select to put on and why?
Whereas some college students took greater than an hour to prepare, others wearing minutes, throwing on no matter felt most snug. However even when they didn’t “costume up,” per se, most college students agreed that they put in no less than a little further effort — pajamas had been an apparent no — for the primary day of college. Right here’s what they needed to say. Responses have been calmly edited for size and readability.
Melanie Chevarria, 16.
“I like girlie garments. I like to keep up myself. I like doing my hair and stuff. It’s enjoyable for me,” Chevarria mentioned.
Melanie Chavarria, 16, junior
Inform us about your outfit. I received this entire outfit from Endlessly 21, besides the footwear. I received them from Foot Locker.
What impressed your look right this moment? I needed to seem like I used to be going to high school, but in addition cute and girlie.
How lengthy did it take you to prepare right this moment? An hour and half-hour. It was principally stuff I did the evening earlier than. I scrubbed my face. I shaved my face. I did a face masks and all the pieces so I wouldn’t have dry pores and skin to ensure right this moment could possibly be good. My mother helped me select my outfit, and I then I put it on my mattress the evening earlier than. I used to be actually excited.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit? In all probability my hair. It took 20 minutes. I needed to include the bows.
What do you assume your outfit says about you? I believe it says that I’m excited for college. I like girlie garments. I like to keep up myself. I like doing my hair and stuff. It’s enjoyable for me.
How does this outfit translate to the way you wish to enter your junior 12 months? I believe that I’m extra put collectively now. I wish to be extra on a set observe and have extra issues ready as a substitute of simply going with the move. [This summer], I received all my stuff collectively. I received all the pieces I wanted, like my notebooks. I believe first impressions are all the pieces. Additionally, going to high school feeling your finest can set the temper for the remainder of your 12 months and the way different individuals see you first. I really feel like everyone ought to attempt to make themselves look good to really feel higher.
Taylor Gallen, 14, freshman
Inform us about your outfit. I believe my prime and my bottoms are each from Cotton On, after which I’ve on Converse. I received my earrings from Lovisa. They’ve good ones that don’t harm. I’ve very delicate ears. I do not know the place my necklace is from. My dad gave it to me. Technically, there’s speculated to be a turquoise piece inside, but it surely got here out and I don’t wish to put it again in as a result of I prefer it higher this manner.
What impressed your look right this moment? Nothing specifically. I imply, this sounds dangerous, however [I wanted to] mix in a bit of bit so I can get used to [high school] first after which I can are available a sizzling pink shirt. That was certainly one of my choices, however I used to be like, “Perhaps I’ll simply go a bit of bit much less.” And I’ve a pink backpack, so I have already got some shade, and I’ve pink on my footwear.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit? Perhaps my necklace or my footwear. I’ve had my footwear for a very long time. I don’t actually do footwear. I informed my mother, “Stereotypical ladies have a variety of footwear. I’ve a variety of sweatshirts, and I’ve a variety of clothes. That’s my factor.’ That is my one pair of footwear that I all the time put on. These Birkenstocks and slippers.
How lengthy did it take you to prepare right this moment? Perhaps an hour and a half. I already had my outfit picked out, however I needed to do mascara and my hair. My hair took the longest. After which I needed to eat, after which I needed to stroll my canine.
How a lot effort and time did you set into your look? I used to be specializing in what backpack I needed as a result of I received two yesterday after which I couldn’t determine, after which I made a decision this morning proper as I used to be leaving. I just like the one I went with, however I hate [making] choices.
What does your outfit say about you? I believe persona, but in addition feeling in that second. If I’m with individuals who I already know, I’m going to be carrying a vibrant inexperienced prime and different pants. However you realize, new issues, new individuals, new adventures. I’m like, “Perhaps I’ll keep a bit of within the center.” Particularly as a result of… I imply I’ve vibrant purple hair, that’s one thing. [Laughs] I’ve a vibrant pink skirt — I’m not going to put on that till second semester.
How does this outfit translate to the way you wish to enter your freshman 12 months? I do actually like management, I believe it’s a professionalism kind factor, however then additionally by dressing in a sure means, you come off with a special power, like I’m right here to do that or I’m right here as a result of it’s a simple A.
Rosby’s vibrant orange jacket is from Bape. “I believe it [my outfit] brings persona,” she mentioned. “You bought the patches. You bought the colour, so it’s totally different.”
Dallas Rosby, 16.
Dallas Rosby, 16, junior
Inform us about your outfit. I received this jacket from Bape. My tank prime is from Walmart, the shorts are from Shein and the footwear are from Foot Locker. All of my jewellery is from Lovisa. I received it on the Del Amo mall.
What impressed your look right this moment? That is my on a regular basis life and the way I’m going out.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit? My jacket. I often select my footwear first, then I simply discover one thing that matches it.
How a lot effort and time did you set into your look? I simply picked it up. It took 10 minutes this morning.
How lengthy did it take you to prepare right this moment? Not that lengthy both. Perhaps quarter-hour.
What does your outfit say about you? I believe it brings persona. You bought the patches. You bought the colour, so it’s totally different.
How does this outfit translate to the way you wish to enter your junior 12 months? I believe it’s totally different as a result of final 12 months I got here in with sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Now, it’s positively extra trend.
Bruno Ciment, 15, sophomore
Inform us about your outfit. Properly, truthfully, I’ve a pile of unfolded laundry on my chair and this was on the highest. I didn’t put a variety of thought into it.
What impressed your look right this moment? I’m simply informal. I nonetheless have summer season thoughts. Not taking it too severely but.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit? In all probability my shirt. It’s a reasonably good shirt. It’s impartial and may work with a variety of issues.
How a lot effort and time did you set into your look? Not a lot.
How lengthy did it take you to prepare right this moment? In all probability 20 minutes.
What does your outfit say about you? I’m versatile. Simply go together with no matter there may be. Don’t stress about it an excessive amount of.
How does this outfit translate to the way you wish to enter your sophomore 12 months? I believe it interprets that I’m attempting to take pleasure in it and achieve what I wish to. Not overthinking.
Ava Samuel, 16.
“I received my nails completed on Friday. I prefer to have one thing totally different on each nail,” Samuel mentioned.
Ava Samuel, 16, junior
Inform us about your outfit. I discovered this shirt someday this summer season at a classic retailer on Melrose referred to as Newfriend Classic. These denims are from H&M, after which I simply have Sambas on. The glasses are from Temu — they don’t seem to be actual. I received my nails completed on Friday. I prefer to have one thing totally different on each nail.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit? I actually like this shirt. I tucked it into my bra so it has some form. Then the inexperienced from my footwear with the inexperienced shirt. I additionally actually like my hair.
How a lot effort and time did you set into your look? Not lots. I imply I had the concept that I used to be going to put on this shirt, however I put it collectively final evening. I braided my hair final evening for enjoyable after which I used to be like “That is really sort of cute.”
How does this outfit translate to the way you wish to enter your junior 12 months? Very chill, like I’m not attempting to overthink something. I’m attempting to remain calm and never stress myself. I’m taking AP bio, U.S. historical past and literature.
Dylan Rezvani, 17, senior; Shane Flores, 18, senior; and Seth Romo, 18, senior
Inform us about your outfits.
Rezvani: I’m carrying a Gucci chain, a $60 [Nike] Dri-FIT, pants from Zumiez, however I reduce them off as a result of it was sort of ugly. $110 on the footwear.
Flores: I received the chain, genuine gold. I’ve a thrifted $10 hoodie, Chrome Hearts sweats (at the moment $1,000+ on resale websites), a reasonably costly piece, after which Yeezy slides.
Romo: I received the Goodfellow T-shirt on, Nike sweats and Yeezy slides.
Shane Flores’ wore Chrome Hearts sweats, paired with Yeezy slides and socks.
Dylan Rezvani’s chain necklace comes from Gucci. The bling is his favourite a part of the outfit.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit?
Rezvani: The jewellery.
Flores: My sweatpants, as a result of they’re unique.
Romo: The comfiness of it.
What does your outfit say about you?
Rezvani: I believe I deem myself very approachable based mostly on my clothes.
Flores: I prefer to be snug with a bit of little bit of trend in there.
Romo: I’m a reasonably chill particular person.
Religion Lister’s jewellery is from numerous thrift shops — she acquired a variety of items from a summer season trip journey to England.
Religion Lister, 15.
Religion Lister, 15, sophomore
Inform us about your outfit. I’ve this sweater in order that I’m in costume code. My dishevelled denims are from Subdued. My jewellery is from some thrift shops, and I received lots after I went on trip this summer season in England. My buddy has a home there.
What impressed your look right this moment? I simply need one thing snug and one thing that sort of reveals my model for the primary day. One thing new. Costume to impress.
What’s your favourite a part of your outfit? I like my denims. I’ve been into dishevelled denims just lately. It’s more durable to search out this model Subdued right here.
How a lot effort and time did you set into your look? I considered my outfit for the entire summer season just about as a result of I like back-to-school buying. I awakened this morning at 5:45 so I might take my time and name my associates. We had been exhibiting one another what we had been going to put on, what time we had been going to get right here [and] doing our make-up on FaceTime.
How lengthy did it take you to prepare right this moment? It took me an hour and half in complete for the outfit, make-up and all the pieces.
What does your outfit say about you? It’s positively more durable to decorate at school as a result of there’s costume code, however I’d say my outfit sort of reveals how I costume outdoors of college. I like carrying summery, beachy outfits so I made a decision to put on one thing that sort of represents that.
How does this outfit translate to the way you wish to enter your sophomore 12 months? It’s beginning to be extra transformative … like looking for my very own private model, fairly than simply carrying what’s stylish. Clearly, in my freshman 12 months, I used to be attempting to put on what was cool, like the brand new factor. Now it’s like extra me.