Just when you thought you had no idea what to wear back to school this year, fashion stylist Altorrin, is here to educate us about what we can anticipate seeing in the hallways and on campus this year. Altorrin is a highly respected stylist and art director in the industry, working on everything from major fashion editorials and Target campaigns, to styling for red carpets (including the Met), so we’d say they’re quite the authority.
“As Gen Z enters the workforce, pays taxes, and truly become working components of society, we are going to witness fashion with no boundaries,” says Altorrin. “We are now in a rebellion of the College Girl Aesthetic. After every fashion wave, there comes disruption of the aesthetic, and this is the antithesis.”
Whether you are walking into your last year of high school or heading to your first year on a college campus, heads will turn when you enter the room as you embrace this antithesis for back-to-school fashion.
“Young adults are fixated on capturing the essence of what we lived in the 90s, it’s become an obsession for them,” Altorrin shares. “The influence is mind-boggling because, in their quest to capture the 90s look, there is a hodgepodge of many looks that make this era magical.”
So what do you need to accomplish this look? Altorrin gives us a few tips on what to look for when we are back-to-school shopping.
Tops
The tank is forever undisputed, but not just any tank think of fun and unique tanks like one from K.ngsley. Tanks are proving to be an essential piece to any look because they can elevate a simple pair of jeans, specifically when it has strategically placed cutouts, reimagined straps, and adorned with hardware.
Pants
There is a lot of freedom in movement as a result of the influence of the 90s hip hop style blending with contemporary dance/electronic music. Oversized pants are to be expected—the bigger, the better.
This style with a tank top reminds us of Destiny’s Child and Aaliyah.
Jewelry
It’s audacious, generous, and pays homage to the pinnacle of hip-hop and disco. The appearance is unmistakably big gold chains, oversized hoops, and rings on each finger.
Shoes
As I often say, “The higher the heel, the closer to God.” You take all this affirmation and pair it with a stacked boot by Jeffrey Campbell or stacked kicks by New Balance x Jaden Smith.
Consider traditional Jordans or your favorite Converse with the wide bubbling platform soles if you want to be more laidback with your style.
Backpack
The new generation is looking for backpacks that are heavy-duty and have several compartments to cover their busy lives.
Overall, Altorrin ensures us that comfort is paramount to fashion this year. “It is also necessary to embrace colors and break the fashion rules as often as possible.”
See some of the looks that we should be shopping for our back-to-school looks:
