Student Special: Fashion 101

Leave behind all memories of boring, individuality-supressing school uniforms. In college one of the key ways of expressing yourself is fashion. You'll see people on campus who expertly mix vintage with high street, dress garishly, outrageously, wonderfully. Being free to wear what you wish is fantastic but, if not used to choice, it can be a little overwhelming. For the basics, read on.

The bedrock of all fashion is “basics”. Black leggings will serve you well if you have a penchant for skirts, dresses and hot pants. However, it's also worth your while stocking up on basic black and white vest tops and t-shirts. They will match everything; you're guaranteed to get a lot of wear out of them.
They also work perfectly for layering. Basic dresses shouldn't be overlooked – they will never go out of style as they're typically in one colour and will function perfectly on warmer days because they tend to be quite light. It's also worth noting that the cost of basics is cheap in comparison to more detailed and decorated counterparts. And yet you're likely to get a lot more wear from them than anything else in your wardrobe.
Layering is essential during winter. On your way to college, it may turn really cold. In the sweltering lecture theatre, however, temperatures may resemble those of a sauna. The answer is light layers. A really good twist is combining summer clothes with winter styles. It's daring, stylish and comfortable. Take your favourite dark floral summer dress, wear basic black leggings and throw on a very on-trend oversized shirt. Bonus points if you can source genuine flannel. Right now grunge-inspired black and red check shirts are in. However, you should feel free to think outside the box: find the most garish, attention-grabbing shirt you can get your hands on and mix it with more muted wintery shades of black and grey. It'll give your outfit an extra pop, and will be fun – as all fashion should be. 
However, if dresses during winter makes you shiver, time to invest in a good pair of jeans. It's likely you already have a favourite style of jeans; now is your opportunity to try something new. If skinny jeans take your fancy, Topshop's Leigh moto super-soft denim are hard to be beat and offer a 10% discount. If cigarette style jeans make your heart flutter pick up a pair of Cheap Monday denims in Urban Outfitters, which offers a 10% student discount. If these all sound a bit too safe, then embrace the rising popularity of ripped boyfriend jeans. It's a tough style to pull off: you can easily team it with a basic vest or t-shirt to offer a contrast, and, as with every style, wearing it with confidence is essential. Boohoo.com have some of the best boyfriend style jeans around and they also offer students a 10% discount.
Shoe-wise, a good pair of boots should make traipsing around college a doddle. The popularity of Chelsea boots, generally with a chunky heel and elasticated side inserts, show no signs of waning. They've been spotted on the likes of Alexa Chung and Kate Moss, and similar ones can be bought in New Look, which follows suit with a 10% student discount, and Penneys. For a tougher look, military boots will easily see you through winter. A favourite of Cara Delevigne, these have a rough edge that can easily be paired with ditsy floral prints and grungey styles. If you're in it for the long haul, have a look in Tower Records on Dublin's Dawson Street and in Schuh, where they stock the king of all military boots: Doc Martens. Once again, 10% off for all of you studious students. For something a bit easier on your bank balance, Boohoo and New Look have similar styles at more student-friendly rates.
For autumn and summer, ballet pumps make the perfect accompaniment to almost any outfit. They're comfortable, light and work from day to night. You can pick them up in Shoe Zone, who also offer 10% off, in H&M and also Penneys. They're pretty much a staple of every shoe shop and every wardrobe. 
The key to all fashion trends is to feel comfortable and confident: everyone has an innate sense of what styles they like. However, mixing it up a bit keeps it interesting. Look around at other students in lecture halls, in the Students Union, even in the library – and try to learn from how they mix and match. There are things to be picked up in college outside of lecture halls and seminars.