This fall, Bates students are infusing a multitude of fashion eras into their everyday wardrobes.
Fashion at Bates has always leaned practical.
As soon as temperatures drop, out come the fleeces, Blundstones and oversized flannels. Commons fills with students in scarves and clogs and Nalgene bottles clipped to backpacks. Athletes primarily stick to sweats, prioritizing comfort for the long walk to Merrill in between classes.
Not many students sport dress clothes or high heels. Instead, it’s a familiar mix of comfort and utility: Most students seem to care less about trends and more about getting to class warm and dry in Maine’s unpredictable weather.
This fall, though, the weather itself has added a layer of complexity. With cool mornings and hot afternoons, students face the daily puzzle of whether to dress for summer or fall.
For some, the challenge is inspiring. “I’ve been enjoying the nice weather to try to dress up for class every day,” Kelly Siegal ’26 said.
More students are beginning to see clothing as a reflection of personality rather than just a morning necessity. Comfort, resourcefulness, and nostalgia, without loyalty to a single era, define the look. Long flowing skirts, wide-leg denim, buttoned blouses, worn corduroy, and patterned knits are appearing all over campus. The style feels lived-in and layered, pieced together from different times and places rather than bought as complete outfits.
Students are mixing older items with everyday staples: a thrifted sweater with jeans, a blazer over a hoodie, or a plaid skirt with trail runners. Vintage is everywhere, on the quad, in Commons, at football games. At Garcelon Field, current students wore crisp varsity jackets while alumni arrived in faded originals that could just as easily anchor a modern outfit.
Fall footwear reflects this same blend of nostalgia and practicality. Sneakers remain a go-to, especially Adidas Sambas and Spezials, while running shoes and hiking boots serve the more active crowd. Ballet flats offer a casual-chic touch, and cowboy boots add a bolder edge. Mary Janes, too, have appeared around campus, worn across a range of personal styles. Together, these choices show that shoes can be just as much of a statement as the rest of an outfit.
For some, footwear is the staple of their daily ensembles. “I like to play with textures and silhouettes when it comes to footwear,” Kobby Nimako ‘26 said. “Footwear feels like a defining element of any look, and having a strong rotation is essential.”
Nimako added that his Mary Jane Tabis and suede Wallabees are his preferred shoes due to their versatility and timelessness.
We are still seeing plenty of summer colors on campus. Bright whites, pastels, and lighter shades linger in outfits for now. But fall will soon bring a shift.
The season’s palette runs darker and richer: forest green, rust, deep navy, burgundy. Textures stand out too: velvet, wool, canvas, satin. Much of it is secondhand or handed down, sourced from Depop, curated thrift stores, the Salvation Army, or even parents’ closets.
Where sustainability meets individuality, no two outfits are the same. On a personal note, I recently found this colorful striped sweater at the Goodwill by the Pound in Gorham. It’s a perfect transitional piece that blends the last hints of summer brightness with heavier fall texture.
Accessories complete the picture. Layered necklaces, thick belts, burgundy crossbody bags, wired earbuds making a quiet comeback, carabiners, skateboards, and countless totes all work their way into looks.
“Being at Bates this fall, I’ve started getting really into maintaining a simple but timeless look while adding a fun jacket, outer layer, or some sort of accessory to change it up,” says Iulia Andrews ’27. For Andrews, even practical items feel intentional, like they belong.
What stands out most is how natural it all looks. The layering, the textures, the small details. Bates staples have not disappeared. Fleeces and flannels are still everywhere. But this fall, more students are dressing as though their closets have stories to tell. The result is a style that is unfussy, layered, individualized and already beginning to feel like its own tradition.
