The Fashion Forecast  

The first installment of this recurring forecast features more than what anyone could have expected for the debut of The NewsHouse Fashion section — a lookbook of what your classmates, peers, neighbors, co-workers, or students are wearing.

Some on campus have embraced the trends of New York Fashion Week, making them their own and showcasing their style, while others have found contrasting ways to make their mark on the SU catwalk.

Various innovative patterns, silhouettes, and layers have been spotted this month, standing out from recycled trends and embracing self-expression and style exploration.

Although it may be below freezing in Syracuse, the recent outfits have been melting the ice. Students have been wearing silver left and right this winter.

Many of us, myself included, have fallen victim to this shiny emblem of the 2000s and retrofuturism renaissance, and yet, it is not the only trend I predict will start to grow on campus. Silver has shown promise for years now, and its revamped pairing beyond just accessories (most notably backpacks, shoes, and jewelry) has been a memorable highlight of The Einhorn Family Walk and ss25 NYFW.

Silver has made its way onto campus through the new closet staple, the Mexico 66 ‘Chrome Silver,’ a model from the ASICS Onitsuka Tiger. Metallics provide a pop of futuristic contrast and silver maximalism alongside “buttoned to the top” trench coats and pea coats are sure to appear a bit more in March, even if some of us will be bringing out our brighter colors once spring hits.

Photo by Rezi Ubogu

A student strolls outside Schine Student Center, wearing a stylish tweed trench coat paired with tiger-print flare pants, and a nude scarf wrapped around their head as a balaclava.

Although silver has been slowly creeping into the spotlight, fur has dominated in February. On my way to class, I’m sure to see at least one person wearing fur boots and a black puffer jacket paired with an oversized shoulder bag.

In this weather, boots are the best way to stay warm, but there’s more than what meets the eye. The combination of both silver and the chunky boot has risen in the Moon Boots, a chunky boot that combines notes of the Y2K craze with the winter functionality of a unique statement piece.

Although they are up against the infamous fur boot, I can see more students wearing these even when the snow starts melting. Long story short, they appear to be an investment on campus sure to elevate any look while keeping you warm.

Photo by Rezi Ubogu

A student standing in front of Dunkin’ Donuts at Schine Student Center, wearing an all-black outfit of black fur boots, sleek leggings, and a cozy black puffer jacket, exuding effortless winter style.

If you feel like continuing down the chain of January and February trends, camouflage sweatshirts and elevated leather are your best friends; however, with the primary focus of these forecasts being what will be trending soon, it leaves little room to stay in the past. That is unless you’d like to think about the ‘70s bohemian and 2012 Tumblr/MyScene craze that are expected to appear more once the weather warms up.

Photo by Rezi Ubogu

A student walking along the Einhorn Family Walk, dressed in a multicolored abstract camouflage print jacket, wide-leg mom jeans, Uggs with colorful socks peeking through, and a vibrant multicolored plaid scarf.

With that said straight silhouettes have shown promise alongside functional fashion, sheer fabrics, and layered pleats. Layering is all the rage given the weather, but this type of layering is more detail-oriented and simultaneously liberated — funky patterns, snakeskin and animal print, lace, fur, especially fur trim and fur coats, plus three-dimensional statement pop-outs, such florals, animals and even fruit.

Many of these have appeared in past trends, and per usual, we can anticipate a resurgence. Many students have been wearing animal print in their day-to-day outfits, and pretty soon we can expect to see a rise in layering of skirts and bottoms.

Photo by Rezi Ubogu

A student in front of the Hall of Languages wears a brown waist-length fur jacket with silver jewelry, paired with a brown compression top, wide-leg boyfriend jeans, and classic Adidas Sambas, creating a chic and effortless look.

With February’s outfits in mind, there is a lot to look forward to for March. As the weather starts to warm up, I hope to see more innovative fashion perspectives, especially with students making the new trends their own.

With Spring 2025 just around the corner and spring break only a couple of weeks away, students are sure to bring some notable looks back to campus.

Long story short, it is a good idea to start pulling out your funky patterns, snakeskin and animal print, lace, fur, especially fur trim and fur coats (weather permitted), and three-dimensional statement pop-outs, you are going to need them in the coming months.

That’s it for February! There’s a lot to look forward to in March, especially considering the trends we’ve seen this month. As the weather warms up, even more innovative fashion perspectives are likely to emerge, with students continuing to make the new trends their own. With Spring 2025 just around the corner and Spring Break only a couple of weeks away, students are sure to bring some unique looks back to campus.

Long story short, it’s a good idea to start pulling out your funky patterns, snakeskin and animal print, lace, fur (especially fur trim and fur coats, weather permitting), and three-dimensional statement pop-outs—you’re going to need them in the coming months. From what we’ve seen so far, it’s clear that Syracuse students are making trends their own.