DePaul’s fashion has changed since the school shut down. After 16 months of online classes and pajamas, the new school year also brings a new season to dress up and challenge past fashion choices around campus.

For many freshmen, this is their first experience in Chicago and it can be a shock to see fashion here compared to their hometowns. Malia Chan, a DePaul freshman, said she brought a lot of her Oregon style with her in how she dresses.

“I’m happy to bring a part of home with me,” Chan said.

Standing next to her, fellow freshman Audrey Brinkmann-Piuma expressed her excitement for Chicago fashion.

“Chicago is so open to different styles it’s more welcoming to try new things,” Brinkmann-Piuma said.

Freshmen aren’t the only ones excited to show off their new fashion. Sitting on the stairs enjoying one of the last warm days in Chicago, Elena King and Goerges Mefleh revisit their pandemic looks and their excitement to start their senior year finally having a reason to dress up again.

“I used to get all dressed up for the grocery store, pretending to have a reason to look nice made it easier,” Mefleh said.

King, on the other hand, said she and her roommates stayed inside for most of the pandemic so her wardrobe consisted mostly of sweatpants. King is excited to finally dress up again.

“It’s not like I’m thinking about this for hours, but I do get excited every day to put on actual clothes and go somewhere,” King said. “I like planning it out and liking what I wear.”

Fashion provides an opportunity for people to express their personalities and creativity. For sophomore Teagan Baker, wearing clothes that make important statements and giving money to companies that help others is just as important as the style itself.

Baker is wearing a green hoodie with the print “The death penalty kills innocent people.”

Baker said they love supporting clothing companies that support good causes like For Everyone, a abolitionist clothing store that hires formerly incarcerated people and donates to the cause.

“I try to buy most clothes second hand or somewhere I believe they are doing good,” Baker said. “Your clothes make a statement for you before you even speak.”

2021 fashion is growing to become more sustainable for the environment as well as being aware of where you buy clothes from. While trends come and go, personal style is not lost at DePaul.