Individuality the key to this year’s fall fashions

It’s cold, finally, and in Texas that carries a special kind of excitement for lovers of fashion. Except for the inevitable random warm fronts that so love to grace us mid- December, we can once and for all throw our tribal print tanks, gladiator sandals and cut-off shorts to the back of the closet and make way for bigger and better cold weather clothes.

Infinity scarves, chunky sweaters, equestrian boots and everything in between are on the tip of our tongues, and nothing is off limits this season at St. Edward’s University, where strong personal style and flair seem to be a given.

As the weather has tentatively dipped into the 40s, we’re all starting to pull out our winter favorites with anticipation. It’s early in the cold weather season, but a few styles have emerged as breakout frontrunners.

It appears that everyone, ladies and gentlemen alike, has at least one cozy, oversized sweater in his or her arsenal. The benefit of this particular trend is twofold: one, you can either go for a higher priced sweater at a chain retail store or opt to scavenge your local thrift store, which is more than likely overrun with this piece, and two, you can dress it up or down.

Another growing trend is in colors. Cold weather doesn’t have to mean casting away color in favor of neutral black, brown, grey and navy—jackets, dresses and even pants are popping up in beautiful winter colors like mustard, rust and jade green. These colors and many others look wonderful on jackets and scarves, especially, and provide a perfect accent to an otherwise drab ensemble. So don’t forget about such hues—they can be your best friends to liven up the dark days of winter.

Senior Austin Rausch, who has helped to design costumes for St. Edward’s Mary Moody Northen Theatre productions, has a few ideas about upcoming trends in cold weather fashion. Rausch sees Austin fashion, and St. Edward’s in particular, as a haven for individual style.

“It’s kind of hard to say, ‘I don’t like that,’ because here it’s so individual,” Rausch said. “There are times when I think, ‘There’s an interesting combination,’ but it doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s just on.”

Rausch also has noticed the oversized trend and believes that it’s flattering on everyone. “I think oversized clothes is one of the biggest trends I’ve noticed – on girls and guys both,” he said. “For example, wearing oversized sweaters and lots of stuff like scarves on top and being really slimming on the forward.”

As far as shopping for cold weather wear, Rausch is the first to recommend a popular Austin pastime: thrifting.

“Austin is really big about the thrift stores, and I shop at a lot of thrift stores because it’s cheap, first of all, and they have one of a kind type of pieces,” he said.

Whatever students’ personal style, it’s safe to say that what’s left of this fall and the coming winter will provide many an outlet for making a fashion statement.