After a long cold winter spent huddling in customary hoodies and sweats, the sight of the sun after months of gray skies means that it's not only the snow that will be thawing, but spring wardrobes from their long winter's hibernation.
For those with an eye on new trends, what was good for last season will have to make way for this season's hottest looks.
Sarah, a co-manager at Express in the Walden Galleria, said the styles of past decades have made their way back to top-trend status.
"We're seeing a lot of tweed pieces like little jackets and skirts, " she said. "Tweed was big in like the '70s and now it's back and people are buying it up - we can't keep it in stock."
According to fashion observers, styles that have been associated with the '80s are being revived in the form of retro-cuts and daring colors.
"The off-the-shoulder is back," noted Audi Flemmings, a sophomore nursing major. "I remember I used to laugh at my mom and now I'm wearing it."
According to fashion experts, if there is one major rule of dress for those who wish to be fashion trendy this spring and summer, it is to be bold.
"It's all bright colors, like oranges, or basic like black and white matte, pink's hot right now, pink's the new black," said Sarah. "The biggest trends are the brightest colors."
This season's feminine fashion calls for bright colors that demand attention and short skirts that have an even greater propensity to turn heads.
Michelle Deeman, a sales clerk in Kaufmann's Juniors Department, said while denim is always in, patterns with splashes of color and daring hemlines bring basic denim boldly into spring 2004.
"All miniskirts with crazy patterns on them, bright colors and a lot of denim. Miniskirts are really big this year," she said.
While the fashion forward ladies flock to the waxing booths to get miniskirt-worthy legs, some gentlemen say they have no complaints about what is expected to be a revealing summer.
John Lagoudes, a freshman undecided major, has his own theory on the effects of summer fashions.
"This is when relationships pop up," said Lagoudes. "Guys see more skin on girls and relationships happen because guys are interested in physical appearance first and then personality comes after."
Some students said they are less taken by the wave of ultra-feminine, sexed-up ladies apparel.
"I keep seeing a lot of frills," said junior social sciences major Susan Wolff. "There's less and less coverage this year - it's so discouraging for me."
While students like Wolff prefer to forego trends and stick with what's comfortable, others said the new style is a reason to revive the wardrobe.
"I have to get a new wardrobe, I'm working on that," said Andrea Eastmond, a freshman physical therapy major. "I need some color, I have a lot of blacks and reds and tans."
Women's shoe trends seem to have joined in the revival.
"Pumps are basically the style," said Kim Dellapenta, a sales associate at Nine West in the Walden Galleria. "We have all sorts of colors, light pink, light blue, tan, dark pink, dark blue, orange and black. People are buying everything, but the basic pointy pumps are selling a lot."
Dellapenta said she also notices an influx of rhinestone-decorated footwear, also in keeping with the '80s motif.
Even '80s accessories have been brought back to life to complement the clothes and shoes that are popping up on runways and in stores. Bright, colorful hoop earrings and long, flashy chandelier earrings are already being seen hanging from the earlobes of the fashion-forward. The earthy beads of seasons past give way to bold bangles in plastics, jellies and fun colors.
Bold, bright, daring and retro-glam are keywords for this fashion season, and most students are ready to bid farewell to the remnants of a gray winter.
"I started with the hot pink. I'm trying to get orange or green shoes, my Jamaican side is coming out, all I needed was an excuse," said Flemmings with a chuckle.
