For fashion students, the mundane task of finding something to wear to class takes on an entirely different meaning.

By dressing up for class and putting together their best looks, students embody what they are learning.

However, the unspoken pressure looms.

Sophomore fashion merchandising major Courtney Hines said the pressure to dress well comes from the expectations of her peers.

“I think we all expect each other to dress well and other people who aren’t fashion majors expect us to always look cute and to dress up for classes,” Hines said. “We feel like we are held to a higher level style-wise than others.”

Hines said while she thinks some professors care about what students are wearing, most of them stick to acknowledging the work that students put into their outfits and motivate them to continue it.

“I think some do (pay attention to the way students dress), but I don’t think they mind or put as much pressure on us as others do,” Hines said. “They just compliment and encourage us.”

Students at the Fashion School look to clothing and dress as a way to project themselves outward. Although dressing well is something that they feel they are expected to do, it’s not something that they are being forced to do.

Associate professor Noël Palomo-Lovinski said the most important thing to her isn’t what the students are wearing, but it’s the work they are turning in.

“Personally, me, I don’t care what they wear,” Palomo-Lovinski said. “They’re working. I just care about the work.”

Sophomore fashion merchandising student James Sullivan said he likes that fashion students dress up for class because it allows them to share their style with their peers.

“I’m not always like ‘I need to dress up,’ there’s not that pressure,” he said. “I think it’s fun to (dress up). Everybody dresses up and you get to see what everyone else is wearing.”

Palomo-Lovinski said the outfits that fashion students put together for class have less to do with what’s on trend and more to do with who they are and what they like.

“I think that people in fashion understand that there are no such things as trends. If someone told you that you could only wear hot pink, you’d say no, you’d wear what you like,” Palomo-Lovinski said. “That’s what fashion is; it’s all about self-expression.”

Abigail Miller is the fashion reporter. Contact her at [email protected].