Students talk fall fashion inspiration, campus style icons

A close-up of Medill freshman Caleb Evans’ outfit.

Karina Eid and Macy Millones

October 11, 2023

The dulcet aroma of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes coupled with a recent drop in temperature signal that fall has officially descended upon Evanston. Right on cue, Northwestern students swapped out their tank tops and shorts for cozy sweaters and flannels, gearing up for the season.

Inside Norris University Center, McCormick sophomores Alex Rubin and Jacob Pomerantz each sported a quintessential fall outfit, sipping on their go-to seasonal Starbucks orders.

Rubin wore a gray sweatshirt layered with an L.L.Bean flannel, blue jeans and sneakers, while Pomerantz dressed in an olive green t-shirt layered with an Eddie Bauer flannel, blue jeans, Blundstone boots and a backwards hat.

Rubin, a frequent shopper at Crossroads Trading, said layering is of the utmost importance.

“You need to get a couple of well coordinated pieces that you can interchange and put them on top of each other,” Rubin said. “It’s not that hard.”

Pomerantz said he cares little for fashion but indulges as long as it includes flannels — the cornerstone of his fall fits.

Rubin said much of his fashion inspiration comes from his friends. Pomerantz said strangers inspire his style. Once, he added, he saw a man layering a flannel with a vest on a train — he called the outfit a “gamechanger.”

Just outside of Parkes Hall, Medill freshman Caleb Evans donned a vintage brown leather jacket – a birthday present from his parents — a Chicago Bears t-shirt, medium wash jeans, gold-rimmed glasses and his hallmark “C” pendant necklace.

“(The necklace) just represents me,” Evans said.

For Evans, fashion supersedes a superficial concept. Instead, he said he uses clothes to display his unique identity and interests, like sports — drawing inspiration from none other than himself.

Evans reduced fall fashion to one word: layering. He plans to incorporate a wide array of layers into his wardrobe this fall, including flannels, sweaters and possibly even a denim jacket — the top item on his wishlist.

Settled on South Campus, Weinberg sophomores Jesse Lee and Joanna Jung each describe their fall outfits as “casual” and “relaxed.”

Sporting Korean brand Hyein Seo from head to toe and a backwards fitted cap, Lee said he takes fashion inspiration from trends he sees on Instagram. Lee said Justin Bieber, who can typically be spotted in oversized pants and sweatsuits, is one of his influences.

Jung broke down the specific details of her outfit, wearing Acne Studios pants, a K2 jacket and a New York Yankees beanie. Jung defined her outfit as “y2k,” a term commonly used to describe fashion of the early 2000s. She also draws inspiration from Korean street style. She said she tries to replicate actress Han So-Hee’s style.

“I also look through Insta and if I like their fashion, I try to imitate it,” Jung said.