An entirely subjective guide to Durham fashion trends – Palatinate

By Katerina Panayiotou

Durham is a microcosm of unique and shifting fashion trends. I’m not here to regurgitate the Urban Outfitters parachute pants, cargos and bright satin corset tops – a simple scroll through TikTok would do that. Beyond skinny scarves and flares, which trends are becoming quintessentially ‘Durham’?

Let’s start with the basics: black and navy blue, while timeless, are no longer the only ‘neutral’ colours on the block. The brown of the iconic Carla hoodie, and the khaki green of classic cargo pants have leached into our understanding of basics. These new neutrals are the glue that will stick our outfits together, and considering their wide availability in flares, jumpers, and baby tees, are here to stay. Our understanding of texture is also shifting, with avant-garde leaps into embracing furs, velvets and satins alongside staple denims, wools and jerseys.

Now, onto the clothes themselves:

We have reached a renaissance in how trousers are styled. Corduroy and denim have long been Durham favourites as versatile basics that succeed in keeping the cold out. This year however, graphic and embellished jeans will win out against plain denim. Flares will always have their place, but following the summer cargos trend, our silhouettes are shifting back to the oversized. Light-wash and pattern-dyed denim is seeing a growing majority, and unfortunately plain black denim is fading into the background. Choices in material are also expanding (shoutout to the girl wearing a pair of amazing silver satin cargo trousers at the Billy B the other day). It seems that patterned trousers are becoming the party piece of outfits, paired with plainer long-sleeves and black leather jackets.

Although funky trousers are definitely having their moment, we can’t ignore our upper halves: our necklines are dipping into V-necks (thanks in no small part to Urban Outfitters’ wildly popular Josie tops) and becoming more structured to reflect corset and waistcoat trends. Our sleeves are becoming more adventurous, with bell- and balloon-sleeved Depop mainstays popping up all over campus. Pair these with paisley mesh and a denim maxi skirt and you will be well on your way to Y2K realness.

The make-or-break for any Durham outfit has historically been the outerwear. How can one stay effortlessly fashionable and fend off the approaching cold weather? Beyond the classic college puffer, there are a variety of options (although none are entirely effective against rain). The gilet is seeing a stunning Y2K revival, both puffer and the classic fur-suede combo, providing an excellent opportunity to show off your newly acquired vintage jumper from one of the periodic Headlock Vintage sales. Thanks to the likes of Superdry, New Look and previously Urban Outfitters, the Afghan coat is now widely available without spending hours trawling through overpriced Depop listings. Following the mainstream blazer trend, structured vintage blazers and jackets in leather, corduroy and suede are another affordable go-to.

Now, we cannot forget about accessories, and there are several different trends to jump on: shoulder bags are at their peak, and easy to come by with a simple Vinted search. You can’t really go wrong with jewellery, but currently trends are leaning towards chunky beads and chains in layered necklaces, and mixed metals seem to be thriving at the moment. Once again in true Y2K style, the paperboy hat is back, and combined with a crocheted skinny scarf in the perfect autumn pair. If you’re looking for something slightly under the radar (and bear with me on this one) a statement belt buckle can elevate a more simple outfit into the Durham fashion heights.

The joy of all these trends is that most are widely accessible through the second-hand market –although Urban Outfitters seemed to have the monopoly on summer trends, throwback fashion lends its strengths to sites like Depop and Vinted. It’s easy to get involved even without massive alterations to your current wardrobe. At the end of the day, fashion is all about self-expression, so take what resonates and most importantly, have fun with it!

Illustration: Isobel Warwick