It is rare for a professional show to embody all my favorite clothing items and styles, but Marc Jacobs spring 2016 ready-to-wear show did just that, with his academia-inspired collection of long skirts, warm sweaters, loose pants and fuzzy shawls. The show was a nostalgic celebration of American culture, which was shown through obvious themes such as the clothing’s red, white and blue color scheme as well as more subtle details, such as a double-breasted military jacket, or red and white striped clutch.
While I would have loved to wear anything from the collection (ankle-length blue peacoat? Sign me up!) I focused my reflection on his collegiate-style wear that opened the show. Jacobs mixed patterns and combined college sweaters with patterned skirts and lace-up boots for a youthful and exciting take on vintage academic clothing.
This was perfect for me because to me (and most college students), skinny jeans just are not fun to wear. I am willing to suffer for the sake of fashion once or twice a week, but most of the time I strongly prefer boyfriend jeans or warm leggings. My favorite alternative, however, is finding creative ways to warm up my spring and summer dresses to adapt to cold weather.
For my Jacobs-inspired look, I layered a blue floral shift dress under a dark red sweater, and wore a red, white and blue shawl over the entire ensemble. This was meant to reflect the clothing styles and color schemes of Jacobs’ collection, but was toned down enough to be classroom-appropriate. To replace Jacobs’ shiny red lace-up boots, I wore my suede black booties. The ribbon in my hair pays homage to the loosely draped ribbons he incorporated to hold up skirts throughout the collection.
This look was inspired by Jacobs but I changed the aura from one of bright spirit and energy to a more earthy and calm feel, which matches my wardrobe and personal style much more accurately. While the collection also had tighter pieces and other materials, I chose to only incorporate the softer styles and fabrics not only because of my personal style but because they are better suited for daywear at a northern campus.
Get My Look: 1. Patterned shawl. 2. Blue floral dress. 3. Heeled ankle boots.
