To some, Colgate is as known for the preppy clothes that the majority of the student body wears as it is for its academics. The common conception on campus is that it is all Vineyard Vines in the spring and L.L. Bean boots and Barbour jackets in the winter. While a more classic look is indeed favored by many students, there is so much more going on with the fashion scene. With the school year drawing to a close, let’s look to summer trends that can be worn with a Colgate sensibility. 

Stripes are a Colgate staple, whether thin lines on a boat-neck shirt or thicker “Beetlejuice”-style vertical stripes. Most popular on this campus are pieces in black or navy, and though this style is a classic, monochromatic stripes can get a bit boring. Revamp the look by picking up striped items in bright pink, green or orange. Electric colors like this are the best way to get aboard the summery neon trend without looking like an extra from “Spring Breakers.”

If you are a bit over stripes, explore the related trend of geometric shapes. Designers like Moschino and Marc Jacobs heavily featured checkered prints, triangles and various other angular designs on their spring runways, but you can get the trend from high-street retailers like River Island and H&M.

Geometric patterns also factor into the reemergence of a mod-inspired sensibility this spring. Taking inspiration from the 1960s fashion that came before it, this trend features sharp cuts like the A-line dress and angular, boxy clutches. Silhouettes like these are quite similar to the classic cuts popular on campus, though they never run the risk of being too prim and proper in part due to the fact that these pieces also adopt a pop art look, combining clashing colors and different shapes to make up a pattern. Phillip Lim designed a patchwork denim dress that is an obvious call back to Yves Saint Laurent’s famed “Mondrian” dress from 1966, and even Topshop offers color-blocked miniskirts in the same color palette of works by Warhol and Lichtenstein.

Also very much in keeping with the ’60s aesthetic are metallic pieces. Iridescent fabrics add the perfect touches to accessories, though something like a full-on silver top will run the risk of making you look rather extraterrestrial. Nasty Gal offers a variety of metallic sandals, sneakers, heels and brogues for those looking to get in on the trend. Metallics can be worn with anything from dark jeans to neon dresses, though shiny shoes like these would look coolest against a big contrast, like paired with an otherwise all-white or all-black outfit.

There are several trends from last year that are still popular, albeit they have been reinvented in some way. The athletic trend has been updated to feature metallic and neon versions of jogging pants and muscle tees. Ruffled pieces have gone from feminine details to attention-grabbing centers of an outfit. The ever-present delicate floral print of last summer has been reincarnated into large, digital flower designs. These saturated florals are stripped of their preciousness and are turned into edgy prints when matched with abstract prints and colors. ASOS has an incredible shirtdress that combines geometric patterns with gradient roses and splotches of color. It is, in my opinion, the perfect example of every different trend right now.