9 Outfit Ideas For This Semester

With school not for another week or so, there’s plenty of free time. Something I find that is productive in my free time is picking out outfits. If you’re a fashionista, or you’re looking to up your style this coming semester, I got you girl.

Here’s 9 outfits I think are great for school, whether you prefer casual or more dressed up. I hope it helps you out.

I’ll start off with my newest purchase, floral joggers! Even though I’m rarely in pants, I figured I’d try out the trend of these fashionable sweatpants, and I’m glad I did. They’ll be perfect for more lazy days, like rainy or freezing ones.

The way I see it, there’s four options for pants: leggings, jeans, skirts, or sweats. But now fashion is expanding with joggers and harem pants, which is fabulous. I love pairing these comfortable bottoms with a cute sweater, combat boots, and a leather jacket. They’d also look good with moccasins or even Converse. Shorter or cropped sweaters go better than oversized ones, especially if the joggers are printed.

In case you’re wondering, my joggers were a steal (not the 5 finger kind) at Bob’s, my combat boots are from Charlotte Russe, the leather jacket is vintage, and I believe the sweater was thrifted.

Here’s another example of an additional choice of bottom besides leggings, jeans, skirts and sweatpants. These are fabulous pants. They are really long so I have to wear them with heels, which I love. If you don’t like heels, you could always opt for boots, but I suggest heels.

I love pairing them with a crop top, but since I don’t own a long sleeve one (yet), I’d go for a sweater. I suggest picking up a pair of these if you love dressing comfortably, but still want to be unique and stylish. They literally feel like sweats.

My mom even suggested I wear them when I work out. Patterned ones are fabulous, and have a real ’80s vibe, but neutral colors like black are just as fun. These are from Marshall’s, the gray sweater is thrifted, and the heels were my mom’s when she was young.

My final alternative is shorts. I know what you’re thinking, it’s winter. If you’re like me, you live in a place where you dread going out because the temperature has been literally freezing. And maybe it’s snowing. However, beauty is pain … just kidding.

If you think about it, on campus, you spend most of your time inside so you can survive without being totally covered on your legs. Shorts and leggings, especially knit shorts are a cute outfit idea. Just wear thick leggings or tights, and pair it with a sweater and jacket or cardigan. Or both.

Moccasins are so comfortable for cold weather, but if there’s snow on the ground, or it’s raining, opt for boots. Those knit shorts are from Forever 21, the moccasins are Minnetonka, and I think the top was thrifted.

If you are more of a casual gal, step up your jeans game with a bodysuit. This is such a cute top and definitely unique compared to the typical top people wear with their skinnies. I’d pair this one with my vintage heels, or just boots, and my fur headband.

Even though skinnies are a standard go-to piece, there are ways to style them that go beyond sweaters and tops. Maybe this semester you’ll strive to make the effort to change it up, even if it’s out of your comfort zone. In case you’re wondering, my jeans are from Aeropostale, the bodysuit is thrifted, and the headband is from the Dollar Zone.

For the more edgy girls, I always like this outfit. Leggings, tees, and flannels are a go-to pairing of mine. It’s a comfy pairing that is so versatile. I love going for a graphic top and keeping the flannel open to show it off. Thick leggings are the way to go now that it’s winter.

Also, a long cardigan may be a good idea over the flannel before throwing on a leather jacket and combat boots. I love leather jackets because they can stand bad weather like rain and snow, plus they’re totally edgy. The same goes for combat boots. If it is snowing or raining, try adding a beanie to finish the look. By the way, the top is from Wet Seal and the flannel is from PacSun.

Here’s another cute leggings outfit for those who love leggings. Oversized, thick sweaters are definitely a winter staple, in addition to all your other sweaters. Then, the scarf really makes the basic outfit pop and give it more style. This is another versatile pairing.

High socks are cute to wear to show above combat boots to show that you put time into your outfit, even if you really didn’t. A beanie would also be a good finishing touch. The sweater was a gift, but I believe the scarf is from Forever 21.

If you’re anything like me, you rarely wear pants and have an addiction to wearing skirts and dresses, even when it’s cold. This is a classic school girl dress that is adorable with its peter pan collar. Plaid will never go out of style, and dresses with flowing skirts are great for layering sweaters, or just cardigans over.

I usually pair a black cardigan on top and pull the collar and bow tie out. Then, to fit the school girl look, I love pairing this with matching knee socks over black tights to stay warm. I finish the look with my vintage heels, and a coat of course. The dress is from Forever 21 and the socks were thrifted.

This has been one of my recent favorite outfits. The black bottom is a skater skirt that is an essential in every fashionista’s wardrobe. Then, rather than wearing a tight top, I chose a flowing sweater with a bow and open back.

I wear a tank underneath, of course. That’s the back shown above. I pair it with knee socks and tights to stay warm. For shoes, I either wear my heels or gray boots that belong to my sister. In case you are wondering, the lovely sweater is from the Bethany Mota collection at Aeropostale. I bought it a long time ago so I don’t think it’s available anymore. The skater skirt was thrifted.

Okay, you may be thinking you should put your sequins away because NYE is over now. However, a true fashionista doesn’t let special occasion wear go to waste. Sequin pieces look fabulous with knits like this. This sequin skater skirt goes perfectly with a white cropped sweater, tights and knee socks.

Then I pair it with heels and a few necklaces. If you wanted to make sequins even more casual, consider pairing it with a beanie and/or opt for flats. Here, the pastel skirt is from Forever 21, the cropped sweater was a gift, both necklaces are Bethany Mota, and I believe the heels are thrifted.

If you like to look cute for class, it may be a good idea to take some time to plan outfits for the new semester. That way, it’s not one of your worries as the semester gets started and your schedule fills up. Maybe even write them out in a notebook for easy reference.

I hope I gave you some ideas that fit your style and let you use what you have to recreate these. For more fashion inspiration follow my blog on Instagram @montclair_state_style!