As the snow begins to melt below knee-level and hints of sunshine bring the promise of spring, Obies prepare their wardrobes and minds with one clear motivation: rising to the top of the performativity chain. Matcha and tote bags are last year’s news. Philosophy or feminist literature in Slow Train Cafe is overdone. So, what do Obies think will be trending this semester?

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Daniel Chian, College fourth-year:

Less is more. This spring, after being buried in snow for the past three months, everyone is going to take all of their clothes off as soon as they’re given the social cue that it’s acceptable. And so no one will be wearing any clothes, probably for all of April and May — weather permitting. 

Julia Cohen, College second-year:

Because Heated Rivalry did so well, there are gonna be more shows like that. There are gonna be parties based on those shows. There are gonna be co-op meals based on those shows. Also, we’re all cutting our hair. We are all having layers in our hair, and we are leaving behind tying femininity to long hair. 

Gian Ghai, College fourth-year:

You know how every guy is wearing those baggy jeans? It’s gonna keep trending because it’s been working. Your performativity increases. 

Ariana Salazar, College third-year:

There was a semester where I saw a lot more people walking barefoot than other semesters. I don’t know if it was because the summer was coming, and people were just like, ‘Let my toes be free.’ This spring, I hope that’s not the case. I think denim is coming back a lot. I’ve seen a lot of denim in the stores — jackets, jeans, shoes, and purses.

Bram Belonsky-Stern, double-degree fourth-year:

Trench coats and baby bonnets. If you looked at the fashion week runways, there were many interpretations of trench coats, and that was the big thing. Ralph Lauren had a take on it, and so did Maison Margiela and Prada. There was a raincoat on a trench coat. 100 percent impractical. That’s the point, I think.

Bix Weissberg, College fourth-year:

I think that boys will be trying to talk to each other more. I believe that people will start to dress in more and more greens. Also, there will be cologne. I think that’s when boys start talking to other boys. They will collaborate. Before, boys were shy. Now I think that, given recent trends, things might look different. 

Snigdha Pallikonda, College first-year:

I think polka dots are coming back, and there’s gonna be more emphasis on patterns. We’re seeing a rise in conservatism … an emphasis on modesty and being classy. But because there’s a lot of criticism about the White House right now, I feel like people are gonna move away from more conservative trends and back to a lot more bold colors, patterns, showing more skin, and stuff like that.

Caitlin Kluger, College fourth-year:

I hope that mini shorts will make a comeback. I just think they’re really cute, especially if you wear them with a big shirt so it kind of looks like you’re not wearing pants. That’s something I’m really into recently because it’s sneaky-ish. Like, am I wearing pants? We don’t know. 

Sasha Celimli, College second-year:

I think there will be many blowouts this semester. I keep hearing people talk about them, and everyone seems to know what a blowout is. Someone asked me if I knew how to do a blowout, and I didn’t. So I feel like everyone’s gonna want to get on that. 

Lydia Rommel, double-degree fourth-year:

Straight jeans that are slim fit to the point of being almost skinny, but they don’t taper at the ankle. They go down straight from the largest point of the calf, but everywhere else they are skinny — they’re mid-rise. It’s the 2010s again, baby. Also, I think having awkwardly short pants is gonna be in. I’ve seen it around. Like a sexy nerd who has ill-fitting clothes. 

Jacob Pellechia, College fourth-year:

Athleisure is coming back. There’s going to be a cyclic moment where Obies who are pretentious are going to be like, “I need something that’s not pretentious.” They’re going to go full circle. And that’s going to be athleisure. 

Charlotte Sustersic, College second-year:

There are going to be more florals. Pastels and more lacy, sheer stuff could be really good. There’s definitely been a lot of dull, neutral colors going around, so there might be some groups of people trying to step away from that.

Julia Davis, College fourth-year:

You know how people got into matcha? I think hōjicha is next. People want to find the next niche thing and become even more niche.