My University Experience, as Told by My Wardrobe

When I moved to university in Wales, I knew how limited Aberystwyth’s clothes shops would be. My family and I jokingly agreed this would mean less shopping, but, in reality, it just meant lots of online orders using whatever student discount was available.

Unlike many students, I wasn’t big on going out and getting drunk at first – I rarely drank alcohol before starting university, and only went out a few times during freshers’ week (it didn’t help that I’d left my I.D. at home…oops). I was shy and it took me a little while to come out of my shell. I forced myself to socialize more, even going as far as attending a Riding Club social with a friend, despite the fact I don’t own or ride a horse.

As I became more confident and outgoing, Halloween – the first big theme night of the year – approached.

The (vaguely) Halloween dress 

Although I enjoy Halloween and am a creative person, being shy means I feel uncomfortable in fancy dress and prefer to appreciate other people’s costumes instead of applying zombie makeup and wearing a nurse’s outfit.

I’m not ashamed to say this means I’m one of those girls who feels much more comfortable painting whiskers and winged eyeliner on my face and donning a pair of cat ears. The dress I bought for this first Halloween didn’t actually end up getting worn until a Harry Potter-themed social later in the year. It was a black, velvet, metallic-printed strapless dress and one of the first things I bought specifically for going out at university. Annoyingly, it had the habit of poking me in the chest with some of the lining, and slipped down a little bit while I was dancing, although thankfully not too far… *ahem*.

Going out-out 

Looking back on the many photos from my university experience, there’s a definite change in my outfits for nights out from first year to second year. To start with, the good old jeans and a nice top combo was enough for me, but by second-year I was socializing more and buying new going out clothes for that purpose. I didn’t need a new dress every time I went out, but it was certainly nice to treat myself to one every now and then, especially if it was required for a theme night at the Student Union. For example, one night there was a Little Black Dress social and I didn’t actually have one – the perfect excuse to shop.

Of course, being a student, I only had a limited amount of money to treat myself with, so I bought my night out dresses from affordable brands, or took advantage of sales. Here are a few of my favorites:

The white lace bodycon dress

Originally £25 from River Island, this dress was £12.50 in the sale and I got plenty of wear out of it. Its neutral color meant I could wear pretty much any combination of bag and heels with it. I was actually wearing it on the night out in third year when I met my boyfriend, so it now has a sentimental aspect to it. But before we get too soppy…

The May Ball dress

While some people aren’t comfortable wearing prom dresses, May Ball gave me the perfect excuse to search for a fancier, more expensive dress. I ended up selecting a gorgeous light blue dress with a sweetheart neckline and silver sequins on the shoulders, leading down to my waist. I loved having my hair curled and felt really pretty in this dress. I still have it and am unsure as to if I should sell it. It’s unlikely that I’ll wear it again (I never go to balls) but I’d be sad to see it go if I sold it.

The Date Night dress

This is a pretty, ruffled, purple-pink number which served me well for many occasions and remains a staple for date nights and Valentine’s Days.

Graduation dress

After three years of lectures, seminars, exams, last-minute revision, assignment deadlines and just a few nights out, it was time to graduate. But what to wear for this auspicious occasion? Not wanting to be too casual, I decided on a relatively formal purple dress with a black belt at the waist, and black flat shoes. I wish I’d picked a slightly nicer pair of shoes (most girls go with high heels, but I wasn’t going to risk falling flat on my face on stage at the crucial moment).

The dress itself was a good choice, and thanks to my dad I have millions of pictures to look back on from graduation day. It’s also thanks to my dad that I could go to the after-party, as, having moved out of my student flat, he very kindly drove me back from a night out in Aberystwyth to our caravan in mid Wales at 2am. Thanks Dad.