Comfortably chic: How to perfect your autumn wardrobe this semester

If you’re anything like me, your eyes wander during a lecture – not to the whiteboard, but to the wardrobe choices of everyone sitting around you.

Pretty much everyone at university is broke, exhausted, and trying to figure out who they are. If you go to campus, you’ll see a microcosm of internet subcultures and region-specific inspirations showing up in people’s clothing choices.

But let’s be honest: The era of waking up early to curate a jaw-dropping outfit for a 9am seminar is officially dead.

It’s semester one. The mornings are grey and drizzly, and you have probably given yourself approximately seven minutes to get from your bed to campus. The temptation to roll out of bed in the same grey tracksuit bottoms you’ve worn since Freshers’ Week is incredibly real.

With the autumn chill finally setting in, it’s the perfect time to embrace a seasonal wardrobe reset. But you don’t need a designer budget or luxury wardrobe to survive the Newcastle elements. Consider this your ultimate blueprint to perfecting “lazy but fashion” – how to steal premium styling tricks and apply them to simple autumn basics you already own.

Outerwear

The easiest way to trick people into thinking you’ve got your life together is simple: Invest in a shield coat.

A long, high-quality structured coat hides a multitude of fashion sins underneath. Not only does it act as a tactical barrier between the harsh winds of the North Sea, but it also disguises whatever chaotic clothing choices you made five minutes before leaving the house.

This term, campus is trading thin jackets for pieces with genuine texture and weight – a heavy leather jacket, or boxy suede jacket adds immediate shape and structure.

Skip the scarf you’ll have to carry around during the day. Instead, opt for a funnel neck coat, offering maximum protection from the chill, while framing your face perfectly.

For the guys, the ultimate campus staple remains the heavy canvas Carhartt work jacket. It is indestructible, entirely waterproof, and looks better the more worn it gets.

Checkmate your wardrobe with checkers

Bold, contrasting tartan and check designs are having their moment on campus right now. A major piece in the “it girl” wardrobe, these patterns emphasise chic. Paired with minimalist neutral layers, it’s put-together, cosy, and stands you out from the black puffer crowd. (Sorry, black puffer crowd).

Footwear

Swapping your trainers out for actual footwear is a hot move. Uni is theoretically about transitioning into adulthood, with your frontal lobe nearing major maturation, and your footwear should reflect that. It’s time to retire the battered Air Force trainers that have survived one too many nights in Popworld.

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Pick up a real boot. Whether it’s a sleek Chelsea boot or utilitarian Timberland’s, a leather boot keeps your feet dry through Newcastle’s unpredictable downpours, whilst pulling your silhouette together.

For those rare autumn occasions where it might be dry and warm, switching to Mary Jane shoes or ballet pumps gives a Parisian feel, without sacrificing comfort. For the guys, nothing can go amiss if you have a good pair of loafers.

On the inevitable drizzly days, channel your inner Rory Gilmore, and accompany your shoes with long, thick white socks.

Jeans

Let’s be completely real – jeans are always a step up from tired joggers. If you are going to wear denim, go indigo. The dark mornings see us moving away from distressed, light-wash denim, and moving into crisp, dark-wash tones. Unwashed or raw indigo looks cleaner, sharper, and significantly more expensive than it actually is.

Relaxed, wide leg, and straight leg cuts ensure you’ll still feel comfortable sitting for three hours in a lecture theatre. Plus, it elevates your outfit instantly, with zero effort required.  

The palette

The easiest way to look appropriate for the autumn term and editorial on a budget is controlling your colour palette. Warm, conversational tones harmonise perfectly during the “-ber” months.

Burgundies and deep reds are an undisputed colour of the season. Elegant and chic, a burgundy knit or shoulder bag adds luxury to dark denim.

While black is more versatile and seems like brown’s younger, more attractive sibling, chocolate and espresso tones give a softer and less drastic look to dark-toned outfits.

Buttoning up 

Stop overthinking your campus dress. The next time you find yourself staring at your wardrobe at 8:43am while your alarm blares, remember that style and comfort aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.

Mastering the “lazy but fashion” aesthetic is just a game of optical illusions, through making the bare minimum look intentional. There’s never any judgement for rolling up to classes in joggers and hoodies, because let’s face it – we’re all going to do that from time to time.

But as the famous saying goes: When you look good you feel good. Maybe that’s the key to getting our degrees. Go forth, look effortlessly chic, and enjoy your extra 20 minutes in bed.