They don’t call it New Hangover for nothing. Nestled in the hinterland of Hanover, N.H., Dartmouth boasts a hard-core drinking culture and a frigid clime. Fashion takes a backseat to both.
On a frosty day in April, students scurry across the Green to class bundled up in puffy North Face jackets, knit snow hats, Patagonia fleeces and sweats — bracing themselves against the whipping winds.
“When there’s snow and it’s 20 below, as much as you love your flip-flops, functionality prevails,” says Sarah Stein, a junior from St. Louis who writes a fashion column for The Dartmouth.
In addition, small-town constraints impact style. “There are no bars, no town, so fashion on campus is more low-key because there’s no real public realm to explore,” notes junior Maddy Lefton, who hails from Santa Monica, Calif.
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That said, ultimately preppy looks dominate. A large segment of the student body pairs polos with “shocked” collars, pearls, L.L. Bean totes and cashmere cable knits — and Lilly Pulitzer dresses abound when it finally warms up.
Since the social scene at Dartmouth centers largely around grimy fraternity basements and drinking games, nighttime ensembles also require an element of practicality. Stilettos and high-heeled boots don’t really do the trick when you’re an inch deep in beer. Tomoko Ogura, a senior from Tokyo, stresses the importance of comfortable shoes. “I’m not really that into sneakers, but during a game of beer pong they give me better traction.”
— A.W.
Classics 101: “Shocked” polo collars, pearls, Lilly Pulitzer and cable knits.
Best fashion moment: Toga! Toga! Toga! Dartmouth served as the inspiration for the frat classic “Animal House.”
If your school were a designer, who would it be? “Ralph Lauren. Polos and pearls are definitely de rigueur.” — Sarah Stein, ’05
Style syllabus: “The boys wear khakis, polos, backward baseball caps and flip-flops. It’s really ‘fratastic.’ ” — Diane Kim, ’05