How to Nail that College/University Style | Curated Mint

There’s no need to wait until everyone is wearing it to know what the college style is. With this handy little guide, you can stand out from the crowd effortlessly. 

What to Wear in College: College Style

The thing about college is that there’s loads of stuff going on all of the time, which is one of the greatest aspects about it. With so many different events that you could get invited for, you need a versatile and stylish wardrobe to get you into these places.You want to be able to look cool whatever you end up doing that morning or evening, and having a collection of good threads is essential to maintaining that college guy style you want to represent.

How to Dress in College

We are going to talk you through step-by-step how to get the college look. From top to bottom, and all things grooming. Knowing how to dress well in college won’t be a massive task after you’ve followed this guide.

Men’s College Clothing

T-Shirts for College

Whilst it can be tempting to see your way through college and university armed solely with T-shirts emblazoned with mildly funny one-liners, it will only see you so far. Have one for the occasion you feel it’s needed, sure, but don’t make it a go-to.

If you’re gonna go ahead and do that anyway, at least make sure it fits well. The key to style overall is making sure that something fits like you picked that piece of clothing just for you, and it looks better on you than anyone else.

When a top doesn’t fit, the chances are that you’ll immediately look at whoever is wearing it and think to yourself: has he even noticed? Does he not know that the top doesn’t fit? Should I let him know?

You can if you want, be a style hero. This is about you, though, and getting you to look fresh. Show this article to your friends too, and help them get in the best nick so you aren’t showing them all up. Men’s college clothing might have an overall style, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it your own.

By addressing how your clothes fit you, you’re instantly displaying to everyone in the vicinity that you’ve got this fashion thing on point and that you know all about cool college clothes for men. You’ll need a few good t-shirts in your draw at a minimum, and having some fresh white tees for any occasion will always go down well. They won’t cost a fortune either, so stock up.

Jeans

If you get easily confused by the myriad of different descriptions levelled at a pair of jeans, fear not. That’s why we’re here. When you try them on in the fitting room or order them online, check out the dimensions and see what’s what. If you have thighs to make an Olympic cyclist jealous, by all means, flaunt them. However, make sure you’re wearing the right jeans for your shape. There are plenty of choices to ponder over. How to dress for college 101 is to get some nice jeans.

Oh, and dark jeans are a must. When you need to look smart casual or you’re turning up for an interview, wear dark jeans. There’s undoubtedly a time and place for lighter jeans, but for a classic and defined college style, dark jeans always win, so make sure you have a fresh pair for when it’s needed most. You can also pair them with almost any trainers or shoes. Just not black shoes! To save you some future horror, jeans and nice black shoes are almost always a total no-no. Any other colour will see you right.

Jeans aren’t super expensive unless you fork out for some serious designer labels. Therefore it is always good advice to have more than one or two pairs lying about. It’ll mean they smell far less in a month.

Corduroy Pant and Chinos

Maybe you’re bored of just jeans, allergic to denim or need some additional threads. Good idea. Corduroy pants are definitely in right now, and like jeans, they have that benefit of still looking good a year later, the kind of clothes you want to wear in and get a feel for.

Chinos are also a college favourite and a beige pair scream graduate. When wearing chino’s opt for a shirt and finish with a merino jumper to for the ultimate college look.

Summer Shorts

As it starts to get warmer, many want to throw the jeans at the back of the pile and embrace some vitamin D loving on those pasty calves. With good reason too, you’ve been hiding them for months, but this doesn’t mean any old pair of shorts will suffice. There’s an underlying misconception that you can’t look good in shirts. We confidently reject that notion.

You can get your favourite types of legwear in shorts form, rather than rolling them up so much you start to lose circulation. Because the college style men thing is in means denim and chino short cuts are popular right now, so you can keep the style you like without reaching unbearable temperatures downstairs. Having some good style all year round is key. You don’t wanna be caught out by a sudden change in temperature!

Best Shoes for College Guys

Trainers

You could easily find a million pairs of garish, or super out-there, near future looking trainers. That doesn’t mean you should buy them all. You need shoes, and trainers, that fit in with your look. If you have opted for some refined, easy-going, non-clashy clothes, you may not get away with a pair of fluorescent orange trainers.

If you’re after something fresh to compliment your spanking new denim, white trainers can stand out a mile, and as long as you keep them stain free it will always remain a good look. If you know yourself too well to be convinced about keeping your white trainers white, other single colour sneakers can still help you attain the vibe without stressing every time you see a puddle.

For the same reason that you’ll need at least more than one pair of jeans, it is essential to have more than one nice pair of trainers. One day they’ll get wet and smelly if you keep on traversing in them all day, every day. By having a selection on rotation, you can minimise excessive wear and tear and keep the good look lasting for longer.

Brogues and Desert Boots

Trainers are not for every occasion. Sometimes you have to look more than a little smart and make plans to up your game. When the time comes, and you know this is more of a formal thing, you’ll be glad you made the investment. You can also wear them with some fresh looking jeans whenever you feel like pioneering the smart casual approach.

Don’t get the cheapest pair of shoes, either. They’ll fall apart as soon as you’ve bought them, and if you can deem it worth paying for within your budget, finding shoes that have been hand stitched rather than the fabric superglued to the sole will always work out better in the long run. Always shop for a bargain, but cheap for the sake of cheap always looks that way.

In terms of choosing shoes for college guys, brogues are always in fashion. Smart, but with a little fair, these are the way to look formal as anything whilst adding that little bit of style into the mix. With smart trousers or dark chinos, then black shoes are absolutely fine. If you’re looking to mix some smart shoes in with jeans, desert boots could be the option you are after.

Knitwear

Let’s carry on with this casual theme, and get this boxed off before we move on to some smarter gear. Alongside some good tees, let’s remember that it isn’t sunny all the time and you won’t spend all year standing out at barbeques. Therefore some jumpers and hoodies are also a wardrobe staple, and you can sort what to wear in college all year round.

The bigger the item, the more potential to get something ludicrously oversized, the kind of thing that will carry you off in the wind during a big storm. The general advice is to get your sweatshirts in your exact size, but for a more casual loungewear feel having it one size up is not a bad thing. Besides, next time you get someone over to stay you can offer them your giant cosy hoodie, and you’ll seem like a gentleman. Instant bonus.

When you’re going out, though, none of that baggy behaviour. You want to look on point, and like you care about how you look, right? So let’s nail this. Sweatshirts and long sleeved tops are ideal for nights out when it’s cold, as you can walk to and from the club or bar and feel super warm, and then step inside and carry on being fresh. No cloakrooms, and no nip show in thin T-shirts. Style shouldn’t have to suffer just because of the weather!

If you get that sweatshirt or jumper that fits just right and hangs nearer the shoulders than the chest, it’s an instant good look. Having stylish clothes that are also versatile is perfect for college times when you don’t want to throw away all of your money chasing those fresh new looks. Picking out some timeless classics means you’re always ahead of the trend. How to dress in college for men doesn’t have to be difficult.

Jackets and Coats

Coats aren’t just made to get wet in. Over the years, style has moved away from just being attached to blazers and long overcoats, though these are by no means out. This just means there are a plethora of choices of coats that maintain that refined look.

Imagine the scene: it’s raining something torrential, and you can either turn up to a lecture late that one time looking like a drowned rodent, some thin mac clinging to your skin and offering as much protection as a paper bag; or you can enter like it’s no big thing, your snug-fitting parka has kept you bone dry underneath and no-one is laughing at you as you take it off. The guy who got soaked is probably more than a little jealous.

What do College Guys Wear?

One issue with so many choices is that the overwhelm could lead to you picking something on a whim. Right now, you could take a parka or bomber jacket, or opt for a peacoat or trench coat look and still appear cool. What a time to be alive. If you’re wondering what do college guys wear, it’s probably less of the trenchcoat vibe, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

Parkas always look fresh, as long as it fits right. That said, when it moves away from winter and you’re sweltering in some mild April sun, chances are you’ll feel like adding another, lighter coat to the list. Having that spring coat to shrug off the showers and not turn into a furnace at the slightest hint of ultraviolet radiation is definitely worth the investment. You never wanna get caught out by freak weather and be short of something complimentary in your wardrobe.

Chinos are always worth having if you want trousers in between the super casual joggers end, and less uncomfortable, figure hugging jeans. You can also have the greater option of colour choice, in case you’re looking to match up some threads for an outfit

How to Rock a Suit in College

There’s always an occasion to don a suit. Right now you probably feel like putting on a suit. Pulling on your best clothes always helps to elevate your look, and it is a necessity to have that option in your wardrobe. For end of year awards, or just for that one night out where everyone decides it’s time to suit up, it’s always worth being able to pull out all the stops.

Ideally, pop down to the tailors, get it measured and let the experts do the work. If you’ve neither the time or the money, meticulously measure all of the necessary lengths with a friend and use these to assign yourself the perfect suit. From sloth to Esquire in minutes. That said, an ill-fitting suit will ruin all of your efforts to look cool, so make sure that shirt is ironed!

Accessories

Now you have a suit, and some fresh casual wear, making sure you have all of the accessory items to pull a look together is key for college men fashion.

If you’re the type to wear a watch, don’t make it too bling. There’s a difference between looking awesome and cool and appearing flashy and like a show-off. The latter does you no favours, and you can get something to compliment your look without being distracting pretty easily. Invest in a nice tie for college, you won’t be wearing it often but it makes all the difference when it comes to nailing the suit look.

A selection of good fragrances should also be a part of your planning. Imagine going to all of the effort to wear a suit and look good, and by the time you’re about to be in someone’s arms, you realise how many exertions you’ve been pulling on the dance floor and get a whiff of your pits. That can so easily be avoided with a few quick sprays before you leave.

Essential Grooming, College style

Let’s start with the basics. You could go and get tailored by Versace but if your general face and hair ensemble looks like you fought off a pack of baby wolves and swam through some hedges, it’s the immediate place to begin.

Hair is often overlooked at the expense of nice threads, but keeping it fresh is never going to harm your chances of adding to your burgeoning stylish reputation. Find the right balance between short and long, and wear it out to fit your face. Long hair is also in right now.

This is the great thing about sorting out your hair, though. If you get it right it can be very much an individual look. Some people can just make all kinds of hair look cool, and if you need inspiration, check out a bunch of people looking awesome on our website

If that choice is far too much for you, and you wanna go to the barbers in five minutes, here’s nine of the freshest cuts that will never fade from time.

A champion hairstyle can elevate your look instantly, getting the impetus of looking good both in a meeting with your professors and in the queue at a packed bar. Treat it with care, though, because it’s the only haircut you’ll have for a little while if it goes wrong.

University Style for Men

• Remember dressing for college is all about looking suave but comfortable – so perfect your cool casual look.
• Invest in a few pairs of jeans, they will be your best friends.
• A good variety of shirts, staple tees and tops is a must.
• Remember you may need a suit at any point during college, so invest in a well fitted one,
• Get a signature haircut and trim regularly.

On That Note

So there we are, all ready to freshen up your wardrobe and nail that killer college style. Now that you know what your essentials for the ultimate university style are, what are you waiting for? Check out our website to get your key pieces.

Feature image from Pinterest