From Paris to Boston: Navigating College Style & Confidence
Here I am, sitting on the plane back home after an amazing first semester. Coming from Paris, France, I had high expectations regarding what my typical American first semester at college would be like. It was everything and more. I went to all the football and hockey games, attended frats, wore all BC gear, and even got around to eating dinner at 6pm. One thing I haven’t gotten around to yet, is the athleisure look many seem to adopt on the other side of the Atlantic. I personally have nothing against it, but I must admit that my outfits don’t generally blend in with the crowds. Therefore, I wanted to share my experience regarding getting ready for class and picking cute outfits despite the cold and uncertain Boston weather.
Getting ready in the morning is some sort of therapy for me and allows me to be confident and sure of myself throughout the entire day. The last thing I want to be distracted by during a long day of classes and studying is wondering how I look and feeling self-conscious about myself. I’d rather wake up a little earlier in the morning and take the time to get ready, as I know it’ll significantly improve how I feel and my productivity for the day.
The first thing I do in the morning is hit snooze a couple of times, as getting up is definitely not my favorite part of the day. Once I’ve gotten myself out from under the covers, I check the day’s weather (in Celsius because my brain can’t seem to internalize Fahrenheit), and while I brush my teeth in Duchesne’s beloved communal bathroom, my brain gets working and starts imagining different outfit combinations for the day.
Most of the time my outfits depend on how I am feeling about myself and what type of energy I want to project. I’ve come to realize that wearing heeled boots gives me a lot of confidence and power, and I therefore love to wear them on a day when I need a little more of that. If I have trouble concocting an outfit, I like to repeat outfits I’ve worn previously. An easy formula that always works too, is a black turtleneck, black mini skirt, and boots. If I want to spice it up, patterned or colored tights are always a cute accessory to add. Speaking of accessories, my biggest tip to anyone wanting to spice up their fits, but not knowing where to start, is to begin by investing in a couple of cute accessories like chunky gold hoops, fun rings, sunglasses, and a belt. Shoes are also an amazing way to make your outfits more interesting. Instead of white sneakers, try a patterned or colorful one. Exchanging your sneakers for a pair of ballet flats, booties, or loafers, is also an amazing way to start!
I tend to find most of my inspiration in TV show characters like Serena Van Der Woodsen or Rachel Green. I also find some inspo in my Instagram Reels and love to screenshot outfit ideas in order to go back to them really easily in the morning. Most of the time, the outfits are easy to recreate, they simply represent new ways of styling the same pieces for me. Coming to college also allowed me to double my wardrobe as I now have 24/7 access to my roommate’s or floormate’s clothes. This helped a lot in recreating outfits! If I find myself borrowing the same piece more than two times, I consider it a sign for me to invest in a similar article of clothing!
What I really appreciate about going to college here in the US is that everyone is very open-minded and it therefore makes dressing up really easy for me. I can try out a bunch of different styles without ever feeling judged or looked at sideways. That’s why I would highly advise anyone who thought of spicing up their style and switching up their flair leggings for low-rise jeans, to just do it. There is no better time than now!
