When Weinberg sophomore Andrea Rosa visited the University of Southern California, they noticed USC’s student-run account showcasing students’ outfits on campus. Inspired by the account, Rosa enlisted Medill sophomore Julianna Zitron to co-create the Instagram page @northwesterngarb. 

Together, Rosa and Zitron run around campus taking pictures of students’ outfits, showcasing everything from everyday wear to looks inspired by 2014 Tumblr.

“Other schools have been doing outfit accounts for a while, and I figured Northwestern needed a little bit of love there,” Rosa said. 

In @northwesterngarb’s first post on Sept. 22, Rosa and Zitron wrote that their goal is “to showcase interesting fashion and highlight expression through clothing.” 

When they started the account, the sophomores relied on approaching people and asking if they could post a picture of their outfit on the account. 

While they faced some rejection, Rosa said most people have been flattered to be featured.

“Sometimes they’ll say, ‘Thank you, I didn’t realize this was a fit,’ or they’ll be like, ‘I love my fit, I’m so glad you noticed,’” Rosa said. 

Now that the account has grown, students submit outfits they want to be reposted, Zitron said. 

Most of the submissions come from students sending photos of their friends’ outfits, but Zitron said she hopes more people will submit photos of their own outfits. 

“If you submit to us, we will post it,” Zitron said. “If you think it’s good fashion, then it’s good fashion.”

By making submissions open to anyone, @northwesterngarb differs from student groups that require an application or competitive process to get in. 

Countering the competitive culture at NU was not an initial goal of the account, but Rosa and Zitron said they hope the open submissions encourage inclusivity. 

“You don’t have to have our permission to be a part of it,” Rosa said. “If anything, we’re asking for yours. We always need new content, so it’s not like you have one chance to get in during the registration period like with some clubs.”

Some of @northwesterngarb’s posts are themed around events on campus, such as the WILLOW concert for A&O Blowout, for which Weinberg sophomore Olivia Masse and her friend were featured. 

“They DMed my friend Emma to repost a picture of us from the concert, so it was super fun to get featured and see other concert fits,” Masse said. “I really like following @northwesterngarb and seeing people’s fits.”

Rosa and Zitron said they hope to do more themed posts in the future. For winter, they are already planning “Coat Check” — a special post showcasing the outerwear students use to keep warm. The duo also said they plan to feature more coordinated outfits from student organizations. 

Outfit accounts are common at other universities as well, Rosa said, and every account provides a look into each school’s unique campus culture. At NU, Rosa and Zitron said that means exploring the difference in fashion between north and south campus. 

“The stereotype for fashion here is like the North Campus athleisure and the South Campus artsy, indie kind of look,” Zitron said.

While running the account, Rosa said she has noticed changes in fashion trends as the quarter progresses. For example, Rosa and Zitron said they saw a lot of pajamas during the fifth week of the quarter. This could be due to a strong correlation between people’s schedules and what they’re wearing, Rosa added.

The account also serves as a passion project for Rosa and Zitron, giving them an outlet to explore their interest in fashion.

Zitron said the best part about running the account is getting to interact with students who share a passion for fashion.

“I love the short interactions I have with people when I ask if I can take a picture of their outfit for the account,” Zitron said. “They get really excited most of the time — and that makes me excited.”

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