Look at the people surrounding you on your college campus and the main fashion trend you will see is girls wearing is athleisure wear. If you are not familiar with the term, athleisure wear is comfortable, casual clothing that works for working out and everyday wear. Athleisure is a trend that has been in popular demand for the past few years. It has swept the fashion industry and has found a home in the closets of young college students. Stores such as Lulu Lemon, Athleta, and Fabletics are responsible for keeping this trend thriving on college campuses all across the U.S. They create comfortable, stylish clothing that college students can’t seem to get enough of.

In today’s society, we have been taught that being comfortable is key in all social situations. To an extent, this is true; you want to feel comfortable while sitting in class listening to your professors, or hanging out with friends.

As a college student, I am not ashamed to say I am a culprit of wearing the trend almost every day of the week, but where do we draw the line? Where is dressing in athleisure acceptable and unacceptable? Have college students become too comfortable with the idea of never having to look professional in certain school settings?

College students have the idea that we are free to wear what we want; when we want, and where we want. While there is nothing wrong with creatively expressing yourself through popular fashion trends, I believe that the athleisure trend has caused a majority of students to forget how to dress correctly in professional settings.

This partially stems from us not being educated on what is accepted as professional attire, we are young and still learning but we have become so comfortable with wearing casual clothes that for some, wearing a pair of jeans and a blouse to class is considered “dressing up.”

Many professors have expressed their opinion on how students do not know how to dress professionally in certain environments such as class presentations or field trips. It’s important for college students to practice dressing professionally in these smaller environments so when we have an interview or get hired for a job we are familiar and comfortable with the dress code that is required.

College students should be using their classes as a way to practice dressing nicer. Instead of wearing a cute pair of running shorts and a top to match, try wearing a pair of jeans and casual blouse to familiarize yourself with the idea of dressing up on a more professional level. If you start dressing nicer to class, the idea of dressing professionally on a regular basis will begin to not feel so foreign.