CHENNAI: Across Chennai’s college campuses, fashion appears in small but noticeable details - oversized hoodies in crowded canteens to kurtas paired with sneakers at the bus stops and train stations; students have not shied away from experimenting within their comfort and budget levels.
But campus style is stifled by dress codes, affordability and the fear of being judged. Across campuses, students described fashion as both personal and social choices.
“I’m inspired by whatever I see around me,” says Shrilakshmi B, a 20-year-old Mechanical Engineering student at a Ramapuram-based engineering college. Describing her style as cottagecore-inspired, she says she also experiments with styles that are bolder.
“I see a lot of people wearing chikankari kurtis or long kurtis with boxy jeans on campus,” she says, describing how students put a lot of thought into restrictions. She notes that the college’s dress code has become more lenient over the years, with students now wearing short kurtis even for classes. “If you’re more experimental with your style, you tend to prefer e-commerce sites,” she says, noting that they offer trendy clothes at affordable prices, compared to brand outlets in the malls.
Although she is sometimes called overdressed, she is mostly lauded for experimenting with new styles. Being one of only eight women in her class, Shrilakshmi feels empowered to explore her fashion style. She also feels men have less space to experiment with fashion without judgement.
Unlike such campuses, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) encourages experimentation. At NIFT, ‘overdressing’ is considered part of campus culture, shaped by creative projects, shoots and social media influence. “I’ve observed many people going back to Y2K, especially Indian Y2K,” says Harini, a 19-year-old B.Des student at NIFT. Indian Y2K blends traditional elements like chikankari and bindis with playful early-2000s silhouettes.
Students’ fashion has different motivations- the assignments they are working on, their mood and affordability. “I mostly stitch the garments I wear,” Harini shares. At NIFT, students often thrift or stitch their own clothes, with sustainability playing a major role in campus fashion. While students at other institutes face institutional restrictions, students at NIFT also face judgement for their fashion choices. She attributes the sartorial scepticism of her peers at other institutions to the largely traditional and conservative mindset of the region, having herself received comments like “Do all fashion students have to dress this way?”
Harini says students also face judgement from faculty despite being encouraged to experiment creatively, forcing an effort to strike a balance between expectations and regulation.
“I hope people move forward with respect to their mindset,” says Harini, expressing her hope that people everywhere will gain the courage to explore and express themselves through fashion. While students emphasised individuality and experimentation, institutional perspectives on campus fashion remain tied to discipline and representation. For college administrations, clothing is often connected to representation and conduct.
“After our institution became co-educational in 2003, a dress code was implemented which follows the tradition of the institution,” says R Elangovan, Head of the English Department at AM Jain College, Meenambakkam. “We don’t allow boys to wear earrings, but when it comes to cultural programmes, we’re a little more flexible,” he emphasises that the normal attire to classes must consist of neat, professional wear for both genders. "The dress you wear reveals your mindset,” he adds.
Chennai students are highly aware of fashion trends and are gradually developing a distinct style influenced by the city’s metropolitan culture. “Individual identity matters,” he says, referring to students imitating celebrity fashion trends.
Students point to a generation negotiating individuality within institutions that still value conformity, while balancing affordability and social perception. As Chennai’s student culture continues to evolve, fashion remains one of the most visible ways young people express who they are - and who they hope to become.