Fashion students struggling to keep warm while staying cute

Colder winter weather in the GTA means layers, layers, and more layers. For some Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students, this is about more than keeping warm. 

“As Fashion students, we’re judged constantly on the quality of our streetwear. And not just by our peers,” says third-year fashion student Vanessa Hansen. 

“I’ll be walking down Gould [street], and hear the click of a camera, then find a picture of my outfit in the slides to be dissected by the class and marked.”

Professors will deduct marks from final grades if a student is seen in unfashionable clothing more than three times per semester. 

The cold, and a lack of cute winter clothes are making the chances of being caught in a less-than-fashionable ‘fit’ increasingly risky.

Hansen says she feels like she needs to be constantly vigilant. This sentiment is shared by many of her peers, including fourth-year Michael Khan. 

“I’m scared to wear my coat in public. It’s the only thing I have that’s warm enough. But, quite frankly, it’s ugly.” 

For many, the solution is simple. An increasing number of Fashion students are avoiding hats, warm scarves, and jackets altogether. 

Khan says the frostbite is worth it to avoid being seen in his bulky, hideous winter coat. 

“I just…I can’t. It’s more than pride, it’s about my future. Who knows what our profs do with those pictures they take? I can’t risk that being seen by a future employer.”