This thesis discusses fashion throughout the 1970s and 1980s at Wesleyan University, with reflections on fashion at Wesleyan in 2023. The second round of coeducation began in 1968 at Wesleyan, and I argue that as women began to arrive on campus, casual and comfortable clothing became a part of common fashions at Wesleyan. Casual wear accompanied extensive social change throughout the 1970s and often expressed growing trends of freedom and equality. As women and men began to occupy the same spaces academically and socially, comfortability for the female student body was vital in creating an equal environment on campus. Throughout the 1980s, drug culture on campus became a vital component of students' lives, as student holidays titled Zonker Harris Day and Duke Day occurred in the spring and fall, which were dedicated days to celebrate music and drugs. I argue that student fashions were highly understated and can be described as anti-fashion, in that Wesleyan students often participated in styles that were considered careless or indifferent. 1980s fashion was often bold and glamorous which reflected a national conservatism during the decade, but students on campus largely rejected these fashions, opting for highly understated fashions. Drug culture on campus directly affected the highly understated looks of the 1980s, as subcultures created collective identities on Wesleyan's campus that were expressed through clothing.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Author-supplied Keywords","value":["Fashion","Casual","Understatement"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 33838