Okay so I was scrolling through my sister’s TikTok the other day and wow do kids these days dress complicated for school? Saw girls layering like six pieces at 7AM just to take quizzes. Got me thinking – what if we simplify? Started digging through 2024 trends to find stuff that looks put together without taking forever.
Step 1: Raided My Own Closet First
Figured before buying anything new, I should see what actually works with my existing clothes. Pulled out every solid-color t-shirt I own – blacks, whites, and that oatmeal color everyone wears now. Laid them out with three types of bottoms:
- Those stretchy straight-leg pants from Target
- Ripped jeans that aren’t too “mom-hates-these”
- One skirt with built-in shorts
Mixed and matched for two hours while drinking cold coffee. Key discovery? Throw any top with those stretchy pants and instant clean look. No thinking required at 6AM.
Step 2: Testing the Hoodie Vibe
Saw all these oversized hoodies on campus tours but worried about looking sloppy. Grabbed my brother’s old gym hoodie (two sizes too big obviously) and tried three approaches:
- Hoodie alone with zero effort – looked like I slept in it
- Half-zipped over a collared shirt – tried too hard?
- Hoodie wide open with cool band tee underneath – this clicked!
The unzipped method let me show off my graphic tee without freezing between classes. Bonus: zipped up fast when teachers gave the sweatshirt-stink-eye.
Step 3: Accessory Check
Watched a bunch of “get ready with me” videos where girls spent 30 minutes on jewelry alone. Nope. Tested minimal stuff instead:
- Thin silver chain – got caught in my backpack strap twice
- Funky socks peeking over sneakers – actually stayed put all day
- Baseball cap worn backward – felt edgy until I remembered I look like a lost skater
Socks won. Nobody sees necklaces under hoodies anyway.
Final Trial Week
Committed to wearing only these combos to drop off/pick up my sister at her high school all week:
- Monday: Black tee + stretchy pants + bright socks
- Wednesday: Oversized grey hoodie (open) over band tee + jeans
- Friday: Neutral sweatshirt + skirt/shorts hybrid thing
Got side-eyes from freshmen but seniors actually nodded at the hoodie fit. Most importantly? Everything took under three minutes to grab from my closet and felt legit comfortable sitting through mock lectures at her school. Moral of the story? More pockets > more accessories.
