Sofia Sklar ‘27

For all of the first-years coming into Sarah Lawrence College from across the globe, it may be daunting to sense whether you will ‘fit in’. But fear not! After several hours of painstaking observation (dinner at the one and only Bates Dining Hall), I’m here to instill upon you what I’ve learned about Sarah Lawrence fashion in five simple components.

Step 1: Hair and Makeup

The heavier and more Euphoria-esque your makeup looks, the better! Granted, I’ve never actually seen Euphoria, but I imagine that the cast looks somewhat like Sarah Lawrence students. Utilize bold colors and interesting shapes, and don’t be afraid to do something different with your eyeliner! Also, don’t forget to have fun with your hair! The sky is truly the limit, and bigger is better! Dye your hair every color of the rainbow all at once. Feel free to get crazy with it. Or don’t. I don’t really care that much. It’s up to you.

Step 2: Tops

The number one rule of Sarah Lawrence College is that everyone must have at least one tight-fitting white tank top. Even better if it’s the one that has the apple on it and says ‘Fiona’. Who’s Fiona Apple? You’ll find out! Wait, maybe you don’t want to wear only a tank top. Luckily, you can always layer with the cardigan that your friend in the visual arts program crocheted you for your birthday!

Step 3: Bottoms:

Now that we have the top half of the outfit planned, we should probably plan the other half. Jeans are always a fashion staple, and at Sarah Lawrence this is no exception. How big are the jeans that you ‘thrifted in NYC’ from a boutique? Make them bigger. Then make those bigger. Now we’re talking! They should be close to falling off, low enough to show off your bedazzled Y2K whale tail. But wait: what are you going to wear to walk to class?

Step 4: Shoes

Yes, we’ve all heard the rumor that you can go to class barefoot, but why would you? Besides, you know how the saying goes: ‘the taller the shoes, the closer to God’. You should listen to that and wear a pair of less-than-sensible platforms! Perhaps even a pair of cowgirl boots that have only seen the inside of a Bushwick warehouse. Of course, you could wear a pair of black combat boots, but so is everyone else in your massive 20 person seminar.

Step 5: Accessories

Have you ever seen a Subaru advertisement? Yeah. There you go. Study up. Try getting a carabiner and put your dorm key on it, and maybe a Sanrio charm. Maybe try out a pride pin or two, unless it clashes with your indie-grunge-shoegaze-core outfit. What about a cool beanie?

In just five simple steps, you can look more like a typical Sarah Lawrence College student! Gryphon Pride! When people ask what your major is, remember to say that we only have concentrations —but above all, remember that there is no right or wrong way to dress like a Sarah Lawrence student! Except there is. Dress like this or you’re doing it wrong.

FSH HST 101: The Anatomy of Sarah Lawrence Garments