Like many of the students attending Benedictine College, I came from a background of 13 years of Catholic education. This meant 13 years of wearing a plaid skirt, buttoned shirt and sweater to school every day. I loved wearing a uniform because it made getting ready in the mornings significantly simpler, involving little thought and the homey familiarity of the skirt and sweater.
Coming to college though opened a new chapter in my “fashion journey.” Instead of wearing the navy and red uniform every day, I get to choose my outfits each day. While I did have opportunities on the weekends or after school to wear “normal” clothes throughout grade school and high school, I never really had the opportunity to create and express my own style every day.
The style amongst woman at Benedictine is notably different from most other universities and norms of women in college. Ana Guiterez, a freshman at Benedictine College described the style at the college “elevated.” Ana explained how the style is different from other college campuses stating, “Women dress classy. Classy keeps in mind the most flattering way for woman to dress — modest. Modesty is the standard here.” Ana emphasized how students’ outfits are elevated, even their casual outfits are elevated.
When walking around Benedictine, you will see glimpses of many different styles. Particular clothes that “scream” Benedictine include sweater vests, wide leg or barrel jeans, long beige pea coats, loafers, and buttoned sweaters just to name a few. Ana mentioned how many girls wear a gold miraculous medal around their neck as well as gold hoops and watches.
The question then arises, what is the importance of fashion? Fashion has been a part of society that has fluctuated and changed over time. Ana said, “Fashion reflects the internal beauty and dignity in every woman. Our feminine genius is so incredible.” It is no wonder the woman of Benedictine dress with such classy style, because they recognize how it reflects their inward beauty and expresses the God-given dignity that they have been gifted from being made in the image of God.
Since coming to Benedictine, Ana explained how her style has changed. She said, “I already had a sense of what I liked but seeing other girls wearing what was on my Pinterest board made me realize I can actually dress like that. Now I know when I style and pair things I can make it look a certain way.”
Seeing other women’s styles at Benedictine has inspired Ana to enhance her own style and bring it to life. There is something attractive about the fashion at Benedictine. It is classy, elevated, modest and inspires woman who attend Benedictine to boost their own styles.
It has been so fun to begin cultivating and expressing my own style now that I no longer wear a uniform every day. The fashion at Benedictine stands apart and has a particular charm that is attractive and reflects the beauty of the feminine genius of woman on campus.