By Sofia Lamdichi and Isaac John | September 2, 2024
Every morning students drape their bodies in items that they believe will put them at a greater advantage for taking on the world around them. For some, this looks like wearing items that capture their personality. Others rather focus on the functionality of their outfit to complete any task thrown into their path without struggle. Everyone, every day, participates in fashion, as fashion is simply using where you came from to help you reach your destination.
Student Isaac John -or formerly known by his subscribers on YouTube as Thereal Zak- felt inspired by the diverse outfit choices he observed around campus during not only his first day of classes, but of college as well. This motivated him to turn this inspiration into a creative context piece on the social media outlet TikTok that centers around all the different first day of class outfits that caught his eye. Now, he will lead readers through his creative process.
The first day of classes was perfect timing to do this type of video. Many people on social media, especially the thousands of students on campus, would be intrigued to see what UAlbany students were wearing on their first day. Content creation has always been a passion to me. Putting a smile on people’s faces and showing them that there is always a brighter side to life and things will get better just sounds great. Networking and connecting with people comes naturally to me. That’s where the TikTok video comes in. Knowing that it was my first day of classes as a freshman, doing this video would help me connect with different people and give them a way of expressing themselves through their fashion.
Similarly how TikTok is more than just an app and is instead a creative outlet, the outfits UAlbany students wore on their first day of classes were more than just outfits…
Name: Nia Semon
Photo Credit: Nia Semon
Nia’s love for fashion did not emerge on the first day of classes. Fashion and expressing oneself through fashion statements will always be something that she loves, as it is something that was a constant beacon of light throughout Nia’s life. Clearly, crafting outfits is not something that goes without thought, appreciation, and love for Nia. For her first day of class she wore sleek Jordan 4’s with the bright colorway of thunder yellow, a black Aeropostale mini tennis skirt, and an eye-catching graphic tee shirt to tie the whole look together.
Name: Udochi Uzoaru
Photo Credit: Sofia Lamdichi
Making a lasting impression to her peers and professors was what Udochi took into consideration while picking out her outfit for the first day of class. A graphic tee shirt that displayed the words “GIRL POWER” in bold is exactly what Udochi wanted the people she met on the first day to remember about her. This powerful outfit consisted of Jordan 3’s in the white cement colorway, cargo shorts, and a cropped shirt. Both clothing items were from L Train Vintage, a thrift store from her hometown of Brooklyn, NY.
Name: Cameron Hayles
Photo Credit: Cameron Hayles
Cameron mixes looks from magazines, vintage posters, 90’s New York fashion, modern classy looks, designer shoes, and a rockstar musician’s look, which influences his fashion choices everyday. For this outfit he’s wearing a cropped flannel with a plain white tee shirt underneath, black baggy jorts, a skull biker chain, his keychain and, for his shoes, Maison Mihara Yasuhiro sneakers. This outfit maintained the professional aspect needed to make a good impression to professors while also standing out through his accessories.
Name: Miyanah Robinson
Photo Credit: Miyanah Robinson
Miyanah’s first day of class outfit equipped her for her new environment at UAlbany with a little piece of home incorporated into it. The crocheted hat that she decided to wear was stitched with love by her younger sister. Miyanah allows her emotions to be in the driver's seat when it comes to crafting an outfit. The purple elements that are threaded into the outfit were chosen because that’s her favorite color. Miyanah’s outfit consisted of a cropped white graphic tee-shirt, black cargo pants, and violet and white new balance sneakers.
On the first day of classes, the feeling of wanting to express yourself to others is amplified. Especially as an incoming freshman, the realization that the new friends you are going to be making will most likely be turned into life-long friends due to success that came from making a lasting impression. The outfits shown above are only a snippet of what was presented on the first day of class here at UAlbany. Despite people putting extra thought into their first day of class outfits, students at U.A. unlock their creativity through clothes every day.
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