First in a two-part series.
Let’s face it, college life is tough. Students juggle studying, work, social lives and classes. Sometimes it’s challenging to keep the equilibrium; sacrifices must be made. The sacrifice
in this case is fashion.
These students are everywhere: The person whose alarm clock mysteriously malfunctioned so he or she is running down Liacouras Walk wearing pajama pants and an inside-out T-shirt. Then there’s the person who spent the night studying in the library, the evidence printed all over their face from when they passed out on their notes at 3 a.m.
Or there’s the late-night partier who passed out on the floor of a fraternity house. It’s time, though, for all of this to come to an end. There is no solution to making college life less chaotic, but being late doesn’t mean late and unfashionable. Just for the record, pajamas are not outerwear.
There are some other ways to combat the early-morning question of what to wear. If you’re truly one of the night owls, try to dress in layers – a tank top with a long sleeved shirt over it one day can be a long sleeved shirt with a tank top over it the next. Guys can do the multiple T-shirt look and switch them up when they need to.
Also, accessorizing never hurts. “I’m a huge fan of those really thick headbands,
the ones that you wrap a scarve around to dress it up,” said Erin Linquist, a junior nursing and Spanish major.
“They’re big enough to hide bad hair days your hair up in a bun,” Linquist said.
Scarves can also be used to spruce up an outfit that was picked up off of the floor of your closet, or even to hold your pants up if your belt is eluding you during your morning rush. Most importantly, when in doubt, wear what’s tried and true. Everyone has that one outfit in their closet that they know they look good in – throw it on and don’t waste time trying to figure out a new style for the day.
The next issue is hygiene: If not for yourself, do it for the person you sit next to in class.
Former salon worker Sharron Steiner said not having enough time to take a shower in the morning isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“Washing your hair every day is drying and damaging,” said Steiner, who is a sophomore
history major. “So skipping a day to get more sleep won’t kill you.” However, it’s still a good idea to jump in for a minute to wash the body, or at least have a quick wipe-down. Most grocery stores and drug stores sell some brand of personal cleansing cloths for this. If money is tight, baby wipes are fairly inexpensive and get the job done.
To combat oily skin, always carry a pack of oil-removing wipes. A few quick swipes with one sheet keep skin shine-free. Clinique, Black Radiance and Clean are fairly easy to find and are inexpensive, usually costing less than $5.
To take care of hair, there’s always the option of dry shampoo, a mix of natural ingredients known for eliminating grease and smell without water. It’s easy – just massage it in and comb it out. Oscar Blandi sells a version at Sephora, and plenty of other beauty stores sell a form of it.
Once again for the frugal, there’s a home version: HairBoutique.com recommends
using cornmeal, corn starch, or flour in the same way as a dry shampoo. However, overuse might remove essential oils from previously dry hair.
There are also a ton of other hair problems
to get tangled in. According to Valerie Barnes, a stylist at the Philip Pelusi Salon in West Mifflin, Pa., “The messy look is in right now.” She suggests using a hair honey or texture cream and running it through your hair with your fingers for some style and hold.
“Texture cream works for everyone, guys or girls, short or long hair, it doesn’t matter,” Barnes said. “It’s better than a gel because it provides hold while still leaving hair flexible, and there’s very little buildup, which is also great if you need to leave it in for a few days without showering.” Try Pantene Texture and Shine Defining Pomade ($4) or John Frieda’s Tousled Tresses Fine-Mist Wax ($6).
A spritz of leave-in conditioner will fix bed-head and tangles.Barnes also suggests styling loose curls into the ends of long hair.
“Loose curls can be done quickly,” she said. “You can take bigger sections of hair and roll it from the bottom-up, holding for just a few seconds. This provides a ‘done look’ without too much work.”
For those who are chronic over-sleepers
or considering moving into the TECH Center, never fear – Barnes has some tips. She suggested shorter cuts with a lot of texture and layers.
“Textured cuts take the weight out of your hair, which means that it dries more quickly, and there’s also less styling time, because most of the style is already in the cut,” she said.
Chrissy Reese can be reached at lolli.rot@temple.edu.
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