The first round of refund checks went out on Aug. 25. Many students depend on their refund checks to purchase books and pay for off-campus housing, but many others did some serious shopping with their extra coins. Ever notice how fresh everyone gets those next couple of weeks following refund check disbursement? We all love to shop and with the season change coming up; many of us need to get some new duds. However, the abundance of fashion fails is also at an all-time high around the time that refund checks are disbursed. Coincidence? I think not.

Cross leggings and hockey jerseys are out in full effect. Forever XXI, Wet Seal, Rainbow, Charlotte Russe, and 579 have gotten quite a bit of Aggie business in the last couple of weeks. Crop tops are in abundance and floral prints are being used and abused. Can we also talk about leggings that are so tight that they become sheer? Or the fact that folks wear leggings as pant to class? To class though? Shouldn’t we be trying to cover up in an academic setting?

Next, we have everybody’s favorite: the peplum top! The peplum style was really hot this past spring but can we let it go now? With all of these refund coins floating around, people are snatching them up like hot cakes and wearing them in all the wrong ways. Peplums flare away from the waistline to give the illusion of an hourglass figure. But, if you are wearing it with a loose fitting bottom it counteracts that. Wearing a peplum to class, peplum to work, peplum to the club, peplum to job interviews and everywhere else is becoming overwhelming. Let’s be honest, many girls own at least one peplum top or dress, but the question is, how often do they wear it? Wear your peplum every now and then because if you wear it all of the time and everywhere, it will become old. 

Let’s talk about crop tops. Crop tops are a trending fashion and have been for a while. Here is the thing with crop tops: They are cropped, meaning, your midsection is shown. First, your midsection probably should not be on display in class. Remember, campus is a place for academia, not the club. You never know when your next opportunity is awaiting you. Do not get passed by because of your attire. 

Another very important tip to being fashion savvy, make sure your weave is well-groomed. The quality of the hair does indeed matter. Unkempt weave is just not a good look. Ladies, before purchasing hair, do your research. Look up reviews on the hair. Find out if anyone you know has ever purchased the hair before and make your decision based on your findings. Here is a secret, do not buy expensive hair and plan to pay for a cheap sew in. Balance it out. Let’s talk about colored hair. Turquoise hair is cute but if your aim is to be “different” there is about 40 other folks in your class with the same color. How did that work at the career fair? 

Lastly, mouth grills, better known as fronts, are trending right now. 

We understand that fellas want to stay abreast of trends. But most times it is not what you wear, but where you wear it. Grills are cool but again, we are on a campus. We are here to learn. We interact with professors, fellow academics and maybe even future employers. Save the fronts for after class and stick to something simple while in class. 

-Email Mija Gary at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @heelson_check

• Mija Gary Scene Contributor