Do Clothes Make The Freshman?

By Amelia Vasquez

“Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants.” 

Karl Lagerfeld, the renowned fashion designer known for his residencies at Chanel and Fendi, was quoted as saying this in the 2016 book “The World According to Karl.” 

Pictured from left to right: Valentine Purcell and Nikole Rodriguez, both holding their diplomas. Photo Credit: Sierra Johnson

Surely, this statement is not applicable to college students. Or is it? At some point in our academic careers, there will inevitably come a time where we simply cannot be bothered to care about the flashiness of our outfits. No one in their right mind is putting on a suit and tie for their 9 a.m. lecture.

Ironically, though, it wasn’t always this way. The gravity of academia used to be drilled into the minds of students. In 2023, LIFE Magazine painted a perfectly clear picture of this seriousness by describing the dress of 1950s students. Fabulous A-Line skirts, classic blouses, and form-fitting cardigans were the norm for the women, while button-down shirts and slacks were the usual choice for male students.

The status quo has long since become something entirely different, and instead of dressing to impress our faculty and peers, the student body now conveys comfort and leisure. Whether you’re sporting the latest ALO sets paired with cozy Ugg slides or a Nike Tech sweatsuit with Birkenstock clogs, it looks like no one is immune to the allure of the Miami uniform.

Students showcase their personal style: Some opting for a relaxed look, the others dressed in business casual attire. Photo Credit: Sierra Johnson

From Surfside all the way down to South Beach we can surely find hundreds of people wearing different versions of the outfits mentioned earlier.

The question now lies in whether or not this is an issue. Are students really that affected by our choice to wear sweats, leggings, or a hoodie to a class they paid hundreds of dollars for?

The student body seems to be split on the topic.

Some, like pre-law student Nikole Rodriguez, advise the student body to “dress like the person you want to be,” implying that the fashionable outfit she wears allows her to embody the success she hopes to achieve.

Others are unknowingly standing with Jude Taylor, a pre-professional biology student who claimed his sweats and hoodie made him “feel calm and casual.”

So, who is in the right? 

Ginette Melchiorre, an associate director of Barry University’s Career & Strategic Partnership, weighed in on the debate about the current trend in student dress affecting us as we entered the workforce.

“Professional presentation signals readiness and respect for the space they are in, helping build credibility with faculty, peers, and potential employers,” she said. “When students are intentional about how they present themselves, they often gain access to higher-value opportunities and stronger professional connections.” 

With these statements in mind, we must assume that this is not only a matter of personal preference, but a butterfly-effect-like choice that could possibly affect a student’s future.

People are no strangers to the notion that how we speak, walk, talk, and dress will affect the way others perceive us and treat us.

As explained in a 2021 article in Psychology Today, “dressing for success incorporates personal style as well as self-confidence. You may not wear your emotions on your sleeve, but you can boost workday well-being with your wardrobe.” 

The workplace is a destination that Barry students are heading to, and it seems that dress determines whether we even make it through the door. Whether we care or not is a wholly different conversation.

Pictured: Sydney Thomas, Computer Science senior.

Photo Credit: Sierra Johnson

Pictured from left to right: Victor Frizzera, Business Administration in Management senior, and Nikole Rodriguez, Pre-Law.

Photo Credit: Sierra Johnson

There are many Mark Zuckerbergs in the world who are able to nonchalantly walk into rooms wearing jeans and a black tee to close multi-million-dollar deals. Oppositely, there are still millions of businesspeople who believe in the simple ritual of choosing a decent outfit to step into the office so that they may feel like the most productive, inspired version of themselves.

Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide whether their career will be built comfortably and leisurely, or if they are willing to sacrifice comfort to make an indelible impression on those they meet.