HAMPTON, Va. – HBCU culture often means looking your best every day, but students go all out for homecoming season with tickets, parties and, most importantly, fashion.
Current fashion trends at Hampton University consist of “Tims, fur boots, Alo sets, Lululemon and baggy jeans,” says Lynette Smith, a finance major from Carmel, Indiana.
“For homecoming, I’m wearing fur boots, cheetah print shorts, a white tiny top and a small red handbag,” Smith said. “But overall, I think I’m gonna see a lot of Tims, jeans and skirts.”
Austin Luke, a music education major from Cleveland, said “If you’re looking at shoes, Puma Speedcats. Asics are pretty popular still and Sambas.”
“Fashion-wise, jorts, cardigans with joggers and baggy jeans have always been around,” Luke said. “The North Face puffer coat is popular. One of my favorites is pairing a sweatshirt with a wool trench coat.”
“For homecoming, I think people will be incorporating ties with a button-up — like combining formal wear with casual wear, which is what I’m gonna wear.”
Jordan Bryant, a marketing major from Bristol, Virginia, believes social media influences a lot of current fashion.
“Anything people see on the internet, they copy, which is not a bad thing,” Bryant said. “But like TikTok, Instagram or Pinterest, and me personally, I like them. People on campus can dress, but sometimes I think they’re just following a trend.”
“But homecoming is like when they really step it up and go all out” — especially at HBCU fashion shows.
“The Blacker the Berry” was the theme for this year’s fashion show at Hampton. Designers used their art to highlight the history of Black fashion.
Luke enjoyed how the show creatively exemplified Black culture and fashion. “I caught the tail end, but I enjoyed seeing this pair of a girl and a guy wearing afros with roses on it, and I also saw a girl with floor-lengthed braids with roses on the end,” he said.
“I also liked this one girl who paired a blue-button up shirt with a yellow-gold tie.”
These looks accomplished what organizers intended, according to the show’s official page.
“We explore the richness of Black fashion history and culture, capturing the essence of Black dandyism, honoring Black ingenuity, celebrating excellence and professionalism, and reclaiming cultural pride.”
Destiny Pierce is a junior in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University. Pierce wrote this article as part of a collaboration with HUNewsService.com.
