Bristol24/7 Student Guide 2020: Student fashion scene

Student fashion exists in its own bubble. As is the case with many cities with universities, Bristol’s student fashion scene can be viewed as an expression of the student body.

The first weeks of a new academic year can be stressful in many ways, but your style choices should not be a contributing factor. It may take you a while to nail down your university style. But rest assured that you will never be out of place on any of Bristol’s campuses because of the variety of trends and fashions present.

Bristol’s style palette
The Urban Outfitters style-palette reigns supreme – when in doubt, you can’t go wrong looking at their website.

However, when you begin to scratch beneath the surface of the Urban Outfitters stereotype, you’ll notice that it is, perhaps, an oversimplified take on student style.

Bristol is an incredibly eco-conscious city. Students don’t just shop at Urban Outfitters, even if it might look that way. Instead, they often capture the aesthetic and reproduce it authentically. Vintage shops can often help recreate the Urban Outfitters look, without the financial and ecological price tags.

Through their attention to detail, students in Bristol challenge the tired stereotypes about the dominant trends on campus. Whether it be through a signet ring, nose ring, or green hair-dye; every student will set themselves apart with a small detail. These quickly add up and turn a seemingly uniform fashion landscape into something unique and personal to each student.

Sustainable fashion
Sustainable fashion is encouraged and facilitated by the string of vintage shops all over Bristol, from Uncle Sam’s to Loot. As a result of this, you’ll probably spot the army of vintage-warriors all over Bristol, scurrying along to their next tutorial, clad in their newest second-hand purchases.

Looking for some vintage gems at the Rhubarb Jumble, located in south Bristol. Photo: Emma Gorton Ellicott

If given the choice between baggy-and-comfortable clothing or tight-but-aesthetically-pleasing, the former wins every time. Experimentation with sweatpants, jumpers, hoodies and baggy trousers is encouraged!

Baggy jeans come back
Mom jeans and flares are amongst the most common substitutes for the discomfort of tight-fitting jeans.

Baggy jeans are making a comeback. Photo: Loot

This year, baggy-and-comfortable will be given a whole new meaning, as the high street officially resurrects the baggy jeans of the 1990s, sending them barrelling towards university campuses. Perhaps this marks the end of the long run that high-rise jeans have had, propelling students into a decade of mid and low-rise trousers…

Face masks
A previously unseen, but exciting development that awaits in the new academic year will undoubtedly be the colourful and inventive variety of sustainable, and home-made face masks that will most likely be a necessity to attend classes.

Many talented local vendors have wanted to do their part during this pandemic and have started producing some beautifully decorative hand-made face coverings. A particularly good initiative worth checking out, is Change Bristol’s Masks for Good. Not only do they design custom masks, but by purchasing a mask, you will be making a donation to support mental health services in Bristol.

Josie Irvine of Good Store Studio is making masks locally. Photo: James Koch

What better way to encapsulate the values of Bristol’s students than to help the environment and the local community all at once?

Main photo: Anna Baylis

Read more: Instagrammable Bristol