Another perspective on spring style

By: Libby Segal

Posted: 4/15/08

04/15/08 - I will be the first to admit it: I am not the most stylish person in the world. I am not the most stylish person in Rhode Island. I am not even the most stylish within my friends-nor have I ever been-nor will I ever be.

But I know how to match my dark blues and my light blues, my reds and my pinks and my oranges and my greens. I know that brown doesn't go with black and that you shouldn't wear white after Labor Day-but I also know that style on the quad isn't necessarily about wearing linen pants to pick up the guys, tank-tops that you need to wear a cardigan over 'cause your shoulders are cold, or wearing sneakers when maybe you really want to wear socks with sandals. As long as you're comfortable-it shouldn't matter what the latest "trends" are, right?

Saying this, I guess I am the "spring rule breaker." I'll admit it, there are times when I don't let my feet go commando. Sandals are comfortable. Socks are comfortable. Sandals and socks are comfortable together. Now I am not saying that socks with sandals are always acceptable. (I say-When it's 85 degrees outside-go commando). I am just saying that there are perks to wearing socks with sandals.

For one, socks help avoid the blisters when the edges of sandals are digging into your skin (don't lie you've all gotten those blisters). And two, cold feet suck, but feet that sweat because they are suffocated suck worse-so if you wear socks with sandals you, like Hannah Montana, will get the best of both worlds.

As for the puffy winter jackets-one they annoy me during the winter, and two …well they just annoy me. But I say, go with the sweatshirt-not a trench coat. Or go with a Puma track jacket. It'll keep you warm, without being too heavy. It can be sporty, or cute and it's easy to carry around when you get warm.

Trench coats can suck to carry around if you get too warm to even wear a coat. Also, track jackets come in lots of colors and if you feel like being extravagant, you can wear a polo shirt under and double pop the collar-because what is cooler than one popped collar? Two popped collars-no lie especially when you find contrasting colors-like baby blue and black. You can even match a scarf with it!

And T-shirts? I am a T-shirt advocate. T-shirts can be tight. T-shirts can be loose. T-shirts can have cool phrases. T-shirts can be boring. T-shirts can keep your shoulders warm when it's a little too cool for a tank top. T-shirts are comfortable. And what else? You can wear T-shirts any time of the day, outside, inside, to bed, to class, with jeans, with shorts, with skirts, with sandals-and socks, with sneakers, with heels, with sweatpants, with spandex, with Uggs, with a sexy pair of underwear. If you want to wear a "Ram It" T-shirt on the quad, then by all means, go for it.

And guys, while you look great in khaki shorts (when we're on a date), some girls really do prefer to see you throwing a Frisbee on the quad in your mesh URI shorts. Girls-sure you can get dressed up to go to class, and if it's okay if you want to, but when it comes to me -I think about how comfortable I want to feel when I am walking from the bottom of campus to the top. It's okay if you wear sweatpants to class-in fact it's more than okay-because there's a good chance when you get back to your room from your 8 a.m. class you are getting ready to curl back into your sheets anyway.

Also, girls: if you go to class in your sweatpants you can have an extra two minutes to sleep rather than waking up an extra two minutes early to suck your stomach in while you fight World War III to get into a pair of jeans you accidentally threw in the wash two nights ago.

Even if you hate the advice I have left here-that's okay. Like I said I am no fashion authority. In fact, I really don't care what you wear (at least wear something)-but that is the point of this article.

If you shop for new socks to go with your sandals, it's okay. If you shop at a Payless for a new pair of sandals that goes with your nail polish, that's okay too. If you buy a new track jacket after this article, that's great, but if you buy a new trench coat despite me, that's perfect!

If you are comfortable-wear it. If you aren't comfortable-give it to the Goodwill. Going to class isn't about impressing people. If you get an "A" when you wear your Christmas outfit, then I say iron that thing up and put it on. If you get an "A" when you're sporting your No. 20 Jimmy Baron jersey and mesh shirts, wear it.

This spring, just be yourself. Don't split your jeans over it. If someone can't like you when they think you look your worst, then they definitely can't like you when you are at your best.