It is no secret that Auburn does not see the coldest winters in the country, but that does not mean students cannot dress the part. Not sure how? No problem. According to Auburn students, it is all in the accessories. 

As temperatures cool down and the holiday season heats up, here is what Auburn students have to say about this winter’s must-have accessory trends.

Workwear, reimagined:

The must-have shoe this season? Loafers. Yes, you read that right. 

According to Sydney Hansen, junior in apparel merchandising and SWATCH ambassador, the comfort shoe once reserved for tired workwear is back in a big way. 

Much like any other trend that has been dug up from the grave, Hansen said, the loafer’s revival looks a bit different than most would remember it as. 

She believes the trendiest loafers this winter will feature a platform heel and gold, chain-link detailing. In addition to its revamp, part of the loafer’s appeal comes with styling.

“Sheer socks that show under the loafer,” Hansen said. “That’s going to be very trendy.”

The party returns:

After nearly two years in the pandemic, the itch to party is real, and students believe people are turning to fashion to scratch it. Ella Hocker, junior in supply chain management, believes that this winter will be full of glammed-out trends, specifically in the nightlife sector.

“Think jackets with fur piping, patterned stockings, jeweled fringe and feathers,” Hocker said. 

According to an article in Vogue Business, the fashion industry agrees. The post-pandemic fashion landscape is leaning toward full-on glam, and accessories and outerwear are no exception.

Not your grandma’s pearls:

Speaking of trend revivals, Aubrey Celmer, junior in fashion merchandising, said America will be seeing a lot more of the 1930s staple this winter.

“We’re seeing a rebirth of pearl jewelry,” Celmer said. 

Instead of seeing pearls in traditional, single-strand necklaces and stud earrings, Celmer said the classic jewelry piece is getting combined with mixed metals for a modern revamp. 

“Think touches of daintiness laced through the chunky styles we’ve been seeing in past seasons,” she said. “It’s dynamic and refreshing.”

Topping it off:

According to Hannah Cherrin, senior in apparel merchandising and SWATCH ambassador, winter headwear will be encompassing a lot more than beanies this season. Headscarves, in various forms, have recently been seen on runways worldwide. Cherrin emphasized the popularity of one specific variation, the balaclava. 

The balaclava, a fabric or knitted face mask previously reserved for ski slopes and combat, has been at the forefront of designer collections this winter. According to The Guardian, Depop searches for balaclavas have increased by 145% in the last month. 

This isn’t the balaclava’s first time in the trend cycle. According to an article in The Guardian, the headwear commonly goes through cycles of resurgence and backlash every few years. From Gucci’s 2019 withdrawal of the piece after wearing a controversial balaclava resembling someone donning blackface, to Nike’s 2018 controversy where the headwear was accused of “inciting gang violence,” its resurgence begs the question: have designers finally gotten it right?

From fur-laced overcoats to reimagined battle gear, accessory trends this winter are creative to say the least, according to Cherrin. 

“America’s fashion today is still in the process of being developed and defined,” she said. “Right now, I would consider it to be a carefully crafted mess that reflects Americans’ day-to-day lives.”