As senior year begins for the Class of ’24, let’s look back at trends that have distinctly classified our four years at the birdcage. With the continual rise of TikTok and the use of social media, many trends have surfaced in the past 3-4 years, but here are some that have been very prominent throughout the Raptor community, specifically our class.
This article will mostly focus on clothing items but will have a few honorable mentions.
*All items are linked in the bullet points
Freshman Year (2020-2021)
For many, freshman year started off behind screens or plexiglass, making pajamas and blankets common attire, but for those who were in-person, masks were obviously a staple in one’s outfit. Being a daily piece due to the pandemic, many invested in printed masks, whether it was to decrease waste with disposable masks, or to simply just enhance an outfit.
With the opening of Charleston’s first Brandy Melville in downtown during our freshman year, one of the first of many distinct Brandy items often seen worn was the John Galt striped sweaters. The most common one was probably the navy and cream combo, but many different variations of the sweater could be seen throughout the halls as they were released.
Honestly, I could not think of many trends for freshman year since most people weren’t even in person, so to end off, for those who were in-person, Nike Air Force 1 Lows were usually the shoe of choice. They first launched in 1982, but made a comeback in 2021, listing as the top-selling sneaker in the athletic industry.
Sophomore Year (2021-2022)
As more people came in-person for our sophomore year, more items could be seen around the halls. However, since people were still getting used to being able to go out, it can be noted that most items seen trending this year leaned more towards comfort.
Continuing with the love of Brandy Melville, one of the biggest items of the year was their sweatpants, whether it be the straight-legged or scrunched ones, many raptors could be seen wearing a pair.
Along with a downtown visit to Brandy Melville, you might as well have stopped by Urban Outfitters a few stores down, as their oversized sweaters became a huge trend this year. UO offered many different styles and colors with various band names printed on these sweaters, including bands such as Nirvana and Sublime.
Another prominent brand our sophomore year was Free People, especially their active line (FP Movement), as their “The Way Home Shorts” made appearances throughout the year.
Further, the Zara High Waisted Straight Leg jeans were regularly seen in colors such as green, pink, plain white, or just simple denim.
Ending off the list with footwear again, the classic Birkenstock Arizona was commonly seen at the beach or simply as casual shoe attire usually worn with a pair of socks.
Junior Year (2022-2023)
Junior Year had the most trending items as the pandemic had died down and people were able to go out more. More items from Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville made the list this year, in addition to Lululemon and many others.
First off are two items from the UO Out From Under collection, which could be seen worn by many to concerts or for going out.
Next, Brandy makes another big hit this year with their Radio Silence tees, which come printed on many of their shirts in all types of styles.
In the colder months of the school year, in came the Lululemon Scuba, which could be seen in various colors and length options. In addition, they could often be seen paired with Lululemon’s flared leggings.
Lastly, there were many different shoes that trended this year, such as the New Balance 574, Veja Campo, and Birkenstock Boston (Clogs).
Although this is not a clothing item, a trend this year was Knowt, an alternative for Quizlet, as this was the year Quizlet decided to stop being free and start making people pay to use the platform.
Another big mention for the end of this year and continuing through the summer is the Taylor Swift Eras Tour. The announcement of the tour was a huge phenomenon and took over the world as many rushed to get tickets, teachers included. Specifically, Raptors in the Class of ’24 attended the Atlanta concert the night before Prom and came back just in time for the dance, with a few others also attending concerts in other cities.
- Image Credit: Christopher Polk
Glimpse into Senior Year (2023)
Even though the year has only just begun, many ’24 Raptors have been seen back with the iconic Stanley Cup. It comes in many different colors and keeps water cold for up to 9 hours and iced up to 40 hours, or at least that’s just what their website says.
The next trend I’ve noticed is the Adidas Sambas. They trended heavily during the summer and now have made their appearance at AMHS for the start of our senior year. Currently, I believe they are sold out or cannot be found in any Adidas stores around Charleston. So, if you’re interested, your only option is the website, but even then, they are still sold out in most sizes.
As the year progresses, I am sure many other things will trend throughout the year, which could possibly be reviewed in a later article. These are just the trends that have been prominent throughout the years, specifically in the Class of 2024. They show how the style of our class has evolved and what uniquely defines us.
