6 Styles You'll See at Berkeley
We’re at the start of a new semester now, and it’s safe to say that most of the new students have a general idea of what’s going on at Cal. Some things—like why your GSI’s office hours are at 8AM in Koshland Hall (Where is that, anyway?) or why Barrows had all those caterpillars earlier in the semester—still don’t make sense, but generally? Everyone’s got the hang of things. Being the studious and fashionable individuals that you are, you’ve probably noticed the outfits here are actually easily categorized! But if you haven’t caught on quite yet, let me lay it out for you.
1.The Normie
These people are the majority. They dress not to impress, but to show up to lecture and sometimes take notes. Maybe it’s a quarter zip from their super exclusive consulting club, or just a t-shirt with a zip up. No colors really clash with each other, but they definitely don’t stand out either. These are the type of people who walk through Upper Sproul with their chins tucked into their chest and earbuds securely in place to avoid being flyered.
(Pro-tip: In case you haven’t noticed yet, you will still get flyered.)
2. Cal Gear
Is there another game? Again? Nah, it’s just school spirit! Well, either that or they really couldn’t be bothered to decide on a color scheme and realized that there’s nothing better than the good ol’ gold and navy. People who have Cal gear as part of their regular wardrobe are almost certainly some of the most wholesome people you’ll meet. Usually matched with a pair of worn and loved jeans and a backpack that could fit at least three laptops, these people are the model Cal students.
3. Dress Clothes
Seriously, what are these people wearing suits for? You can’t possibly have that many interviews, right? Or it could be another mystery that only Haas majors would understand. Often wearing neutral colors like navy or black, they stand out with how formal and fitted they look rather than with flashy colors. Either way, the lack of dark circles under their eyes or creases in their outfits will continue to perplex their fellow classmates who barely managed to get up for their 10 AM discussion in Dwinelle.
4. VSCO
The name VSCO as it refers to the style is derived from the photo editing app with the same name. She wears birks and bought a 20 pack of scrunchies off Amazon. Her t-shirts are well worn or thrifted and usually paired with mom jeans or shorts. She’s environmentally conscious, unafraid to text right in front of the professor, and somehow simultaneously the friendliest yet most intimidating person you’ll meet at Berkeley. How she can drop a Hydroflask in a 300 person lecture without flinching is beyond you, but impressive nonetheless.
5. International Student
Their outfit costs enough to pay off two months of your rent. You somehow see them all the time walking around campus, but they only show up on days where there’s a midterm or final and they still get a better grade than you. While of course, this style is not just worn by international students or that all international students dress like this, the look is distinctive enough to warrant its own category. The cheapest clothing they own is from Anti Social Social Club, and they’re wearing a pair of Yeezys that are so new,you didn’t even know that style existed. While they could overlap in areas like baggy clothing and monochrome schemes, the International look is not always the same as the edgy look which tends to employ more obscure thrifted clothes.
6. ABG/ABB
Where would we be without the backbone of Berkeley style: the ABG(Asian Baby Girl). You’ve definitely seen them around campus at AFX practices or on your Instagram feed at a rave living their best life. They tend to wear a lot of Adidas and crop tops, looking casual and better than half the room at the same time. Still not sure who we’re talking about? Well, we have an entire article dedicated to them, and rightfully so as they are a trademark look of Berkeley.
Now that you’re a little more educated on the styles of Berkeley, what now? You could just follow the trend of these styles, or break away from the standard and try something out of your comfort zone. You are at Berkeley, after all! Try drawing inspiration from celebrities or friends, going to a clothing store you haven’t been to before, or picking a random fashion article and praying that it all works out (like this semester).
Words by Elizabeth Lemons