Velvet jumpsuits, that’s all: The best Looks in Lockdown from Exe students this week

Lockdown 3.0 done the stylish way


Lockdown 3.0 seems to be never ending. However, the dull grey winter skies have not been reflected in this week’s Looks in Lockdown. We have seen a massive surge in colourful and fun accessories in this edition. This has brightened up our day and we hope it brings a bit of positivity and summer hope to you all.

This week, the viral Peachy Den jumpsuit has taken the main stage in Exeter, reigning supreme above all other fashion brands. There are also lots of faux leather jackets on display, which bring a level of chic to the comfy attire we have all come to love in these times. These outfits are making lockdown just a bit more bearable, and have given us more inspo than our Pinterest boards ever have.

Here are the best Looks in Lockdown from Exeter students this week:

Isabel, Second Year, PPE, (@isabelfarmer) (@whatwizzymade)

Isabel’s lockdown look shows just how fashionable dog walks can be. She tries to stay cosy whilst wearing some of her favourite new pieces. Similar to many of the other Looks in Lockdown gals, Isabel loves to raid her mum’s wardrobe. In this outfit, the piece in question is the gorgeous vintage coat which keeps her warm. Her look also shows the Forum is not only a place for learning, but also a catwalk for fashionable students. The Charlotte Simone scarf is an outcome of Isabel “rushing to a girl in the Forum and asking her where her scarf was from.” She’s taking Fashion in the Forum into her own hands. Just like her, we are drawn to the beautiful bright colours of the scarf, which is also her favourite part of the look.

One of the eye-catching garms is her chocolate brown velvet Peachy Den jumpsuit, with this brand being her number one at the moment. Her obsession goes further than their viral jumpsuits, with Isabel also owning three pairs of trousers from them. She says: “They design the most unique pieces that are made to perfectly fit the female figure. Also, they have amazing customer service and the items are definitely worth the investment, as they are very high quality.”

We’ll let you in on a secret… one of your beloved writers owns two of these jumpsuits and can verify Isabel’s claim. Plus supporting smaller business is always ideal.

India, Second year, Drama, (@blu.indie)

India’s look celebrates her recent style shift towards a more “tomboyish or masculine” aesthetic. Spending so much time in her room over lockdown allowed India to fully accept that she doesn’t like typical feminine clothes anymore. This allowed her to realise “clothing is completely fluid” and she can dress more “masculine” whilst still being herself. She tells us she’s found her comfort in “trackies, jumpers and t-shirts”.

We’re super impressed with her coordination. The mesh sleeves perfectly match the electric blue logo on the old band t-shirt she wears over the top. The mesh top was a charity shop steal, and the trackies were a Christmas present from her mum, who is supportive of her style and “doesn’t try to push ‘girly’ clothes” on her.

The colourful assortment of necklaces, rings and bracelets that India wears are her favourite part of the look, as she says: “they make the whole outfit pop a bit more”. Plus, they compliment her multicoloured Nike shoes. She’s never seen without jewellery and loves the “kid core” aesthetic because of the various beads and colours she can layer. Some of these accessories were handmade by her aunt, who she says is her main source of fashion inspiration. Over summer, they frequently went to charity shops together alongside upcycling India’s old clothes. Describing her as a “crazy fashion designer with pink hair and constantly dripping in colourful beads”, India tells us her aunt fuels her love for clothes and jewellery.

Freddie, Second Year, English Literature, (@fredd.c_)

Can we just take a second to appreciate how cute Freddie’s dog is, almost upstaging everyone in this edition! Freddie holds his own though, with a look made up of super comfy clothes which are perfect for a sunny winter’s day. His favourite part of the outfit is definitely the blue jeans, which he is seriously glad came back into fashion as he says he couldn’t handle wearing skinny jeans any longer. You and the rest of us Freddie! He says: “I’d have started going to clubs in trackies otherwise.” We can only dream of the day clubs are open again, whether we turn up in trackies or not.

The look is completed by a black Ralph Lauren three-quarter zip and white Nikes, with a black tick that compliments the colour of his sweater. However, we must not leave out his bright yellow socks which add a pop of colour to an otherwise neutral outfit.

Amelia, First Year, Liberal Arts, (@amelia.simpsonnn)

Amelia’s sick layered look is mostly made up of second hand pieces. Her coat was a charity shop steal, the hat was bought from Depop and her boots are Ebay. She tells us the furry hat – which was a Christmas present – is her favourite item, as it’s fashionable but also keeps her super warm. Colourful and cozy accessories seem to be the way to jazz up an outfit at the moment and we are most certainly here for it. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the standout item for us is her vibrant striped scarf, which is from French Connection. This piece and her groovy red mittens add a splash of colour to the look, and her wardrobe staples allow the accessories to pop. These are Karren Millen low waisted flared black trousers and a Realisation Par crop top.

Amelia tells us her fashion sense changed a lot over the first lockdown as a result of endless spare time. This meant she started altering and making her own clothes, as well as constantly scrolling through apps like Depop and eBay. She bought a load of new clothes and her daily walks became an excuse to dress up. Like others, Amelia credits Instagram for her style, where she mostly finds inspiration on her Explore page. Please share your findings with us!

Orla, Second Year, Art History and Film Studies, (@orla_worthington)

Orla’s outfit makes her look super put together, which is only enhanced by the peng photo quality. Her baby blue Peachy Den jumpsuit – the second one we’ve seen today – is super on trend at the moment. It’s understandably her favourite part of the outfit and ours too. She particularly likes the velvet material as it’s super shiny when it catches the light and she thinks the fitted shape is flattering and comfortable. Orla has layered the jumpsuit with a faux leather jacket from Nasty Gal, which is another piece that seems to be popular in this edition. The addition of the Asos purple bag brings a pop of colour to the look.

Orla tells us about her lockdown fuelled decision to buy from more independent boutiques that may have been struggling over the past year, which in turn means she now has some unique pieces that not many other people have. Like a lot of us, seeing fewer people in real life has meant she feels more confident to make braver fashion choices, picking pieces she may have once been too self-conscious to wear.

Yet again, Instagram proves to be everyone’s main source of fashion inspiration, with Orla crediting the app for her style at the moment. She follows a load of fashion influencers, but tells us most of her ideas come from the Explore page, as well as the newly added shopping section. Maybe this update to the app wasn’t such a bad idea after all, as the fashionistas of Exeter seem to be loving it.

Livi, Third Year, Anthropology, (@lividevitry)

Livi’s love of a “girly” aesthetic is reflected in her look. Her Zara dress is made suitable for winter with the addition of her furry teal Topshop gilet, which also adds a splash of colour to the outfit. She completes the look with knee high black socks from Urban Outfitters – the recurring Exetah favourite – and chunky ASOS shoes. We’ve been seeing these shoes everywhere and are both prepared to make an investment to get our hands on a pair. It will be good for the economy.

Livi gets fashion inspiration from a bunch of different sources, such as the incredible fashion on the streets of Tokyo as well as 60s and 70s inspired looks. We’re seeing these sorts of looks becoming increasingly popular at the moment. She also loves anything traditionally feminine, making the dress her favourite piece of the outfit as she says “my body looks like slender man so it makes me feel girly”. An iconic line.

Adam, Second Year, Maths and Computer Science, (@adamtweedie_)

Adam says baggy garms are the way to go during lockdown, as it is essential to stay comfy. In this look he achieves this by wearing a Ralph Lauren gilet and comfy Moschino jeans that he ripped skating. He adds a hint of colour to the outfit with his Jordan 4 Retro Fire red trainers. Mysteriously, Adam tells us he cannot give any information about his hoodie and that it’s a bit of a secret. We don’t think we’ve ever been so intrigued! He tops off the look, literally, with his Von Dutch Cap.

His completed outfit is all thrifted apart from the shoes and the cap, which he tells us is because he “wants to stay sustainable”. We also can’t forget to mention the subtle Louis Vuttion bag a friend gifted him. No biggie. Adam prefers older collection designer items to a specific brand, which proves he really is sustainable.

Giulia, Third Year, International Relations and Criminology, (@giuliavvmm)

Giulia’s look is smart and super sustainable. She tells us her fashion inspiration comes from everyone around her, and so it’s no surprise that her flowy white top is a hand-me-down from her best friend. They are clearly a fashionable duo. The Doc Martins were an eBay cop. She likes how chunky the soles are as she says: “I’m pretty short so appreciate any height advantage”. Relatable content. Her coat was found in a charity shop (but is originally Hobbs) and completes the stylish outfit.

Giulia’s favourite piece is her jeans, which she cut herself to be ankle length. She confesses they’re from H&M – and so not as ethical as the rest of her outfit – but has worn them a load of times and ‘they still look good and have maintained their shape’.

Isabelle Matthews, Second Year, Politics, (@isabellematthewss)

Isabelle might be our first Looks in Lockdown contributor repping the beauty that is Exeter’s society stash. She uses her black puffer jacket, courtesy of the outstanding Welsh society, to layer and keep her warm. Isabelle’s blue top is from Motel Rocks and the zip up black hoodie is from Topshop, which colour wise works very well with her jacket. The white jeans from ASOS perfectly contrast the darker colours of the top half of the outfit and compliment the chunky boots from Stradivarius.

Isabelle thinks the best part of her look is her necklace as it gives off hopeful summer vibes. Plus, it was made by Isabel, a fellow Looks in Lockdown gal included in this week’s edition. Her small business @whatwizzymade was hugely popular with Exeter students over the summer.

Jess, Second Year, Business Management, (@jess.leeclarke)

Jess tells us: “This is my Look in Lockdown because when I do the weekly shop, I like to check my jeans still fit me”. This is the most relatable comment we have heard in any of the editions so far. Her favourite part of the outfit is the brown leather coat she has layered over a plain white t-shirt and a staple pair of denim blue jeans. The coat is a charity shop find, which she is proud to have found, as it was super cheap and also sustainable. We need an insight into the charity shops she is visiting!

Jess’s number one fashion brand is Zara, calling herself “a basic Exe girl.” We think everyone needs some Zara in their life, especially essential tops that you can never go wrong with. Just have a little look at TikTok if you want to see the current Zara hype. Oh, and their sale section is amazing.

Thanks for reading the latest edition of Looks in Lockdown. We are very excited to announce our next edition will be our Valentines Day Special. So grab your best friend, girlfriend, boyfriend, whoever you love and message us to be featured!

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• New year, new garms: The best Looks in Lockdown this week

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• Crocs, yes Crocs: The best Looks in Lockdown from Exe students this week