Campus fashion as diverse as UIC’s students
Videography by S K Vemmer
Campus fashion is as diverse as the students at UIC.
Some dress to follow trends and others focus on comfort. But most students take an extra few minutes each morning to think about what to wear.
“You can find any cultural background here,” said Christine Yum, president of the student organization The Veil, and a senior in psychology.
The Veil is a student-led, fashion-inspired organization, founded in 2009 by Yum’s older sister, Gloria, a 2012 psychology grad. Each year, The Veil chooses charities to raise money for through its annual spring fashion show and bake sales. This year the group is supporting domestic abuse organizations.
“Our motto is: ‘Beauty, inside and out,’” Yum said. “We try to help people embrace their inner beauty, as well as appreciate their outer fashion and appearance. Beauty is your own definition and no one else can really define that meaning for you.”
Fashion also lends itself to culture and cost, said Marcos Hernandez, vice president of The Veil.
“We have so many different people here at UIC, so in terms of cultural variety and cultural fashion, it’s really expansive,” said Hernandez, a junior in biology. “I think the biggest thing here is being in an urban setting, but at the same time being on a college campus, there has to be a sort of thing where you can put style and cost effectiveness together.”
Fashion trends
Yum and E.J. Luna, a senior in bioengineering and secretary of The Veil, highlight some fashion trends:
Women:
- cranberry and camouflage-green color palettes
- a “glammed up” look for the holidays
- corals, pastels
- accessories, like scarves, glasses, jewelry
- boots, sweaters
- timeless pieces, “so that you can wear them throughout the year,” said Yum.
Men:
- pastels
- dark-wash jeans
- desert boots
- plaid shirts
- crew-neck sweaters
- accessories, like watches and belts
Places to shop
Buffalo Exchange (1478 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
A thrift store in Wicker Park where shoppers can sell gently used clothes for store credit or cash. “You can find very nice, expensive pieces for a way cheaper deal,” Yum said.
Directions: Take the Blue Line toward O’Hare and get off at Division. Walk northwest on North Milwaukee Avenue toward Ashland Avenue. Buffalo Exchange will be on the left.
Roosevelt Collection (150 W. Roosevelt Road)
This modern mall has Luna’s favorite store — Banana Republic. “It’s very clean-cut and I feel like the girls like it, too,” he said.
Roosevelt Collection also houses H&M, Hernandez’s go-to place to shop. “It’s cheap, it’s very simple and you can make a lot of things out of it,” he said.
Directions: From Halsted and Roosevelt, east on the CTA 12,18 or 62 bus. Get off at Delano Court.
State Street
The iconic State Street is home to fashion chain stores. You can find Forever 21, Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s, Urban Outfitters and more.
“The clothes they have [at Urban Outfitters], it’s the way I like to dress,” said Carrington Lemon, a senior double majoring in political science and sociology. “The color schemes, the way the clothing looks on the mannequin, the seasonal outfits that they offer – I just enjoy going there, looking around and figuring out what to buy in the future.”
Directions: Take the Blue Line toward O’Hare and exit at Washington.
Earthbound Trading Company (444 Chicago Ridge Mall)
The Chicago Ridge Mall holds many stores, but Ayah ElKossei, a sophomore in LAS, advises students to check out Earthbound for its unique jewelry. “It has the best things,” she said.
Directions: Drive or take the Metra to the Chicago Ridge neighborhood.
The world
Why stay limited to the shops in Chicago? Check out trends wherever you go.
“I like the local stores in South America, or the markets where you have to haggle,” said Candice Yi, a senior in Spanish with a minor in sociology, who has studied abroad in Spain and Chile. Yi has a collection of bracelets from every country or city she’s visited. “It represents my time abroad, which was an amazing year,” she said.
