Tech students are nearly a month into the fall semester, and the once miserably hot days are cooling down to make way for fall. Atlanta autumn is never consistent, though: the walk to an 8 a.m. feels drastically different from the walk back home eight hours later. With cooler mornings, humid afternoons and air-conditioned lecture halls, how are Tech students dressed to accommodate the changing temperature?

Tina Willoughby, third-year BIO from Kennesaw State University, wears a combination of baggy and tight —  the baggy piece to control sweat and the other to balance out her outfit. 

“I usually like a baggy top on shorts…  but right now, [my outfit] is kind of switched,” Willoughby said, referencing her baggier jeans. When it gets cold enough, Willoughby reaches for cashmere scarves for style and comfort. “You could make it into a hood, and it actually keeps you really warm.” 

Bihan Bhattrai, second-year CS, instead chooses to dress for cooler temperatures. “I thug it out. I thug out the heat,” Bhattrai said. On the days he dresses for warmer weather, Bhattrai brings a jacket to throw on in colder classrooms, ensuring that it still matches what he’s wearing.

Like Bhattrai, Tejaswini Ramkumar Babu, fourth-year CS, brings a matching jacket with her. However, she enjoys a consistent outfit for less laundry and more wear time. Ramkumar Babu highlights the point of sustainability in her fashion choices. Washing clothing more often, depending on the fabric composition, can cause more wear. 

“Polyester takes longer to decay… Cotton is better for you, fewer microplastics, but it also decays a lot faster,” Ramkumar Babu said. With the knowledge of material in mind, Ramkumar Babu encourages incoming college students to wear what makes them feel their best. “Wear what makes you feel comfortable and makes you feel confident, because at the end of the day, it’s for yourself. It’s for your perception of yourself.”

Around campus, Aoi Chiara Misawa, third-year AE, has seen students expressing themselves through their essential school items. Over-the-ear headphones are popular for studying, but Misawa has seen students customize them to elevate their style. 

“I’ve seen a lot of people wear headphones as accessories… they make it their own thing,” Misawa said. She’s also noticed a shift from standard backpacks to larger totes, a trend that’s most popular among European students. Misawa bought her shoes from Onitsuka Tiger while in Europe and acknowledged the influence European trends have on college students after they travel abroad.

John Ryan Hardy, third-year AE, got his rings from Prague, a necklace and watch from his dad (a Tech alumni), a bandana from his sister and clothes from a vintage market. Austin Suess, third-year EE, emphasises thrifting. Some thrift stores mark up prices but Suess ignores high-priced items.

“Anything under 10 bucks [is good],” Suess said. 

Both are on the cheer team, and Suess takes tricks from his time on sports teams to stay warm during colder months. “I like to tuck my sweatpants into my socks if it’s cold enough,” he said, a common method to trap in heat. 

When it comes to essential clothing pieces for college students, Hardy thinks “jorts” — jean shorts — are the way to go. 

“Jorts are so back in… they’re pretty comfortable. I like them shorter or longer,” Hardy said. 

Both Hardy and Suess are excited to wear pants as it gets cooler, believing it’s easier to style outfits for cooler weather.

The unpredictable weather during the beginning of fall makes styling outfits daunting, but Tech students are finding unique ways to retain their style and comfort. Versatile, breathable and layered clothing choices are best — such as jackets, cotton tops and jorts — but the consensus among students is to keep parts of yourself in every outfit.