New Country, New Uniform?
Written by Esti Goldstein
When you live in Madison, Wisconsin as a college student, it is pretty obvious from a glance up and down State Street what the ‘uniform’ is. From athleisure and puffy coats to class and a going out top paired with jeans or leather pants to the bars, the look across campus is often fairly universal. One of the many privileges of going abroad is feeling like you get to curate a new image for yourself, after many of us fell prey to the insistence that Europeans do not wear loungewear and infrequently wear jeans. This rule is especially pervasive in Italy, where I am studying abroad this semester, as Italian culture focuses on a modest beauty standard. However, one only need take a look around in most study abroad classrooms to see the new shift in uniform: wide leg trousers, off-the-shoulder sweaters with a trench coat to class and an all black skirt-top combo with black boots to the clubs. So, although many advisors, students and programs advertise going abroad as a way to hone one’s personality and image, how do so many of us still end up wearing a new uniform?
One of the main players to blame, of course, is TikTok. Somehow, their snooping technology figured out my intent to study abroad long before I even knew where I would be studying. My ‘For You’ feed was flooded with girls in their artful European apartments, preaching a capsule wardrobe of neutral-colored basics and all-black going-out attire. I was advised on which shoes held up the longest without blistering one’s feet, which skorts worked well with and without tights and the importance of a leather jacket. Unbeknownst to me, I was falling into the trap of conformity. The best part is, I didn’t even intend on following all of these random advice-givers, but it is certain that they had influence over what ended up in my singular checked bag. Another ridiculous thing: the trench coats that are so common with study abroad students aren’t even particularly popular with most locals - probably due to how irritating their bulkiness can be.
This is not to say that I haven’t enjoyed the forced reformation of my daily style, which truthfully was leaning more toward hot mess than messy chic. I was also blessed with a mother who (of course) knew better than I did, and advised me to pack light so I would have some room for Italian creativity. I’ve loved exploring the zillions of vintage shops and hole-in-the-wall thrift stores in Florence’s twisting streets, as I looked for new pieces to shift my every-day attire out of the style marketed to me by our daily influencers. However, it wasn’t until my professor introduced me to the Italian concept of “la bella figura” that I truly understood why it was so important for Italians, women specifically, to put effort into their appearance. “La bella figura” is a lifestyle, centered around the ideal of making yourself and your life beautiful, solely to bring yourself joy. This was big news for this Midwestern girl, who used to define self-care as comfort – A.K.A. going to class in mismatched sweats with my hair in a messy bun.
None of this is to say that either of these so-called ‘uniforms’ is a bad thing - and I’m honestly really excited to see how my style abroad and my usual Madison style will intermingle when I return. The most important thing I’ve learned about fashion while abroad is to question which clothing you reach for; and whether or not it is bringing you joy.
Edited by Lauren Veum and Katherine Rubinstein
