Winter styles takes over Penn State’s campus | Lifestyle

As freezing temperatures settle over campus, Penn State students are reaching for their long winter coats and scarves to battle the cold. But that doesn’t stop students from still showing up to class in style.

For Caya Kassaraba, winter fashion starts with pieces that elevate her everyday outfits.

“My go-to winter staple this season has been a scarf and a good pair of jeans,” Kassaraba, a second-year student studying elementary and early childhood education, said.

Kassaraba said she plans her outfits so they are practical and chic, rather than sacrificing one for the other.

“One way I balance staying warm and expressing my personal style is by layering and wearing my winter coat,” Kassaraba said. “This allows me to stay warm when outside but still express my style once I get inside.”

Kassaraba said she refuses to trade in her jeans, even on the cold days. Although she’s considered wearing sweatpants for their extra warmth, she still sticks with the denim because she believes that looking good helps her feel good.

Jillian Shortridge said winter dressing is about making small adjustments.

“I am definitely a spring, summer girl, so most of my tops are tanks, which is tough during the winter,” Shortridge, a fourth-year studying plant sciences, said. “But I love throwing on this knit cropped sweater so I can still show the tank top’s pattern but stay warm while doing so.”

Lucy Ann Hinkle said she sees winter style centers around a statement accessory.

“My most-used winter item is my cream cable-knit scarf because it’s long and wide enough that I can wrap it around my head like a hood to keep warm without earmuffs,” Hinkle, a second-year majoring in health policy and administration, said.

Hinkle said even when she dresses for the colder weather, she keeps the core of her style intact. She chooses winter pieces that match the colors she typically gravitates toward, and always incorporates jewelry she already enjoys wearing.

She also gravitates toward bold outerwear.

“Colorful and textured jackets or sweaters add a lot to my simple daily-wear winter outfits,” Hinkle said.

For Abby Roniger Alarcon, winter style is all about timeless outerwear.

“My go-to winter staple is a cropped trench coat,” Roniger Alarcon, a third-year majoring in public relations, said. “There’s this sound on TikTok, ‘trench coat buttoned to the top,’ and that really inspired me because it kind of channels Lily-Rose Depp vibes and I feel like it goes with everything while also being aesthetic and timeless.”

She said layering is the foundation of her outfits because it allows her to add warmth underneath while still styling a more intentional look on top. She added that even when she is bundled up, her accessories help her to maintain her personal style.

“If you get a bag that you adore, it can change everything, even if you’re wearing something simple, a cute bag pulls the whole outfit together,” Rongier Alarcon said.

She’s been enjoying the way scarves and gloves have become more stylish on campus. She said when she was younger, those pieces weren’t considered fashionable, but now students are wearing them in ways that enhance their outfits.

Additionally, even in freezing temperatures, she refuses to give up ballet flats.

“If you wear them right, they can bring every outfit together and no matter if it’s two degrees, I’m not willing to sacrifice my flats. Ballet flats are a lifestyle,” Rongier Alacron said.

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