College Wardrobe Essentials For 2020!

This post is all about college wardrobe essentials (the clothes you’ll wear again and again in college!)

When you’ve never been to college before, it can be super difficult to figure out exactly what clothes you will need and actually wear a lot.

Of course, everyone has their own unique sense of style but here are my recommendations on the clothing items every college girl should pack. I got the most use out of these clothes and I’m sure you will too!

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College Wardrobe Essentials For 2020!

Bras & Underwear:

Bras and underwear are obviously the most important clothing items to pack for college! Don’t forget to bring some sports bras too.

Shirts:

Depending on where you’re going to school, bring some long-sleeve or short-sleeve shirts.

You can also pack some tank tops, undershirts, t-shirts, athletic tops, pajama shirts, and a couple going out shirt depending on your style.

You can also bring a couple of going out tops. Of course, You don’t have to go out in college (I know I didn’t, haha.) However, it’s still nice to have a couple of go-to shirts in case.

The shirts below are so cute! I bought the red shirt, and it’s adorable! I got a size medium, and it fits really well.

Sweaters, Cardigans & Sweatshirts:

If you’re going to school somewhere chilly make sure to pack some sweaters and/or cardigans!

Sweatshirts are always nice to have no matter where you’re going to school so I would definitely recommend packing a couple!

Bottoms (especially leggings!!):

This depends on where you’re going to school (climate) and your style but you can pack some shorts, skirts, jeans, lettings, sweatpants, pajama pants, etc.

I will say, I wore leggings A LOT in college and a ton of other college students do too! Leggings are definitely a college staple!

My favorite leggings are aerie chill high-wasted leggings by American Eagle! I wear a size medium, and they are perfect.

My friend’s favorite leggings are Lulu Lemon! They always say that even though they are expensive they are really good quality and last for a long time!

You will probably wear leggings a lot in college so it’s not a bad idea to invest in a super nice pair like these!

I also wore black jeans a lot! I love black jeans (my favorite are from American Eagle) because they are super versatile! You can wear them to class with a sweatshirt for a super casual look or with a fancier shirt out to dinner with friends.

Jackets:

Make sure to bring a rain jacket to college! Even if you don’t think it’s going to rain, it’s best to have one.

(A quality rain jacket like this one was literally a lifesaver for me in college!!)

You should also bring a winter jacket if you’re going somewhere cold! My Eddie Bower winter jacket kept me super warm on reallllly chilly days!

Dresses:

It’s a good idea to bring one dress in case your school throws a dance or there is a special occasion.

Costume Items:

Clothes for costume ideas are only relevant if you intend to be in greek life or to go out/to parties. Sometimes parties will have themes to them and it can help to bring some items if you already own them.

Some ideas include scrunchies, headbands, jerseys, windbreakers, holiday-themed outfits, etc.

Swim Suits:

This completely depends on where you’re going to school. If you will get use out of swim suits at your college bring a couple.

Jewelry:

You don’t need to pack a lot of jewelry. The jewelry that I wore the most in college was my pearl earrings, bangles, and choker/simple necklaces.

I have a star chocker like the one below that I wear all of the time! I love jewelry that’s dainty and that I can wear with anything.

Socks:

10-15 pairs of regular socks, a couple pairs of boot socks, and 3-5 pairs of fuzzy socks should be a good amount.

The absolute BEST fuzzy socks are Earth Therapeutics Aloe socks. They are so soft and cozy!

Shoes:

I got the most use out of my sneakers, waterproof boots, slippers, and shower shoes (I used Old Navy flip flops) during my freshman year of college.

These black converse high tops are the shoes that I got the most use out of!! I used L.L. Bean boots as my rain boots but these Sperry boots are cheaper and will do the trick.

The shoes you really need in college depend on where you’re going to school (climate) and your unique style.

Related Post: Complete List of Shoes To Pack For College The list below are all of the shoe categories you could possibly need for college.

I hope that this post helps to give you a better understanding of the college wardrobe essentials. Don’t forget to fill out the form above so that I can send you a free college packing list. I promise it will make shopping and packing sooooo much easier!