Don’t you just love the holidays? I mean, a chance to see Atlanta’s City lights, The infamous Spelman Glee performance, and going home, if you choose, to a warm bed and a home-cooked meal? Nothing beats it. Except, there are a few downsides to such a beautiful time in the heart of Atlanta… The weather is declining, forcing students of the AUC to tailor their outfits to sustain themselves against the harsh winter wind. Atlanta, typically called “Hot-Lanta ” is, on average, extremely hot; it’s in the nickname. So, what are students who attend the schools of the met-gala, also known as the “Atlanta University Center,” to do as the temperature drops more and more as we emerge into the holiday season and the new year? More specifically, what fashion trends will arise due to the decline in weather?
The AUC Agency is a student-led organization founded at Spelman College in 2016 that focuses on fashion and dance projects. Several designers collaborated with the AUC Agency for their annual Homecoming Fashion Show, where yours truly walked. I can say that being a part of the show has opened my eyes to a lot of trends that may transpire in the AUC as we enter the winter season. Many winter fashion trends are portrayed differently based on AUC students’ personal aesthetics, from Leg Warmers and Earmuffs to Beanies and Fuzzy Hats.
I noticed during the preparation for the homecoming fashion show that a lot of models wore stylish socks and leg warmers over their heels and shoes for the sake of comfort, but it quickly became recurring for us in the agency because of how well it complimented our personal style choices. I noticed a variety of aesthetics during my time at Spelman College, especially in the agency while we practiced at the Morehouse tennis courts as it got colder, whether alternative, earthy, Y2K, etc.
One of the standout models and designers for the AUC Agency was NDA Archival’s very own founder, Truman Johnson. I sat down with Truman, an Atlanta-based Morehouse College Student, Model, and Designer for the AUC Agency Homecoming Show. I had the pleasure of shooting for his clothing brand, NDA Archival, with a few other AUC Students in October. Truman’s interest in fashion started from a very young age; his mom used to have a stylist who’d come over and pick and pair pieces for her. He describes those moments as his “entry into fashion.” His brand NDA was started a little over three months ago, and at the beginning of the semester, he described his design aesthetic as a combination of Nerdy, High-Fashion, and Weird.
“Fashion was my liberation from constant uniforms at both school and my soccer practices during the weekends. I wore a uniform every day, that’s why I say nerdy, that’s how I grew up. High fashion, because I love it. Weird, because fashion is meant to be weird,” Truman states.
We all have personal style preferences and predictions about what trends will become prominent during the winter, but when asking Truman he feels that sequence, fur, trench coats, and leather will be it, NDA plans to incorporate sustainability into their winter fashion designs through selling second-hand clothing whether it be from thrift and antique stores or personal collections, they’ll introduce that through a winter fashion model lookbook, detailing how to dress in the winter, so be on the lookout for what AUC Students have in store for us this winter season!
In the end, winter fashion is all about staying warm and stylish. This winter, I predict that leg warmers, earmuffs, and leather will be the go-to fashion trends. What are your thoughts on winter fashion trends?
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