Letter from Boston College Fashion By MASAKO YAMADA	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
アメリカの大学生ファッション 雅子さんの元には ST の読者からお便りや質問がたくさん寄せられます。今回、雅子さんは、ある女性の読者から電子メールで尋ねられた「アメリカの大学生はどんな服を着ているの？」という疑問に答え、若者のファッション事情について語ってくれます。

I have received many letters and e-mail messages from my readers, and I have been quite amazed by their variety. I've gotten mail from students who dream of going to the States, housewives who are trying to master a new skill while raising kids and senior citizens who are determined to never stop learning.

Once in a while I get some very offbeat letters. This week, I received an e-mail message from a student who had read somewhere that most college women in the States don't wear bras. She wanted to know whether this is true, since most Japanese women wear bras all the time. Then she said that she wanted to know more about what students actually do wear.

This is an interesting question, but I'm afraid that the answer may be disappointing: I don't think I've met a single woman in college who doesn't wear a bra. I often see bra straps showing, even when women wear skimpy tank tops or light summer dresses. The bra-burning '60s doesn't seem to have left much of an imprint on women around here. This doesn't necessarily mean that the women's rights movement hasn't taken hold in general. I think it means that many women like, or need, the support that a bra offers.

In general, I would say that American students dress far more casually than Japanese students do. The intense period of experimenting with makeup and clothes hits American students rather early ― sometimes even elementary schoolchildren get perms and wear eye makeup. But it seems that things tend to settle down by the time they reach college. None of my female friends seems particularly inclined to express individuality through her clothes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with graduate students in their 30s wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

That said, there are also some groups that stand out from the masses because they have a more distinctive fashion sense. For instance, Boston University is famous for its well-dressed "Euro" crowd. This segment of the BU population is certainly not that large, but it is well-known around Boston, since the members really stick out. A Euro woman's favorite color is black. These days, her favorite outfit is very tight black bootleg-cut pants, high-heeled black boots or platform sandals and a tailored black top. She wears blackish lipstick as well. Interestingly, the average Euro woman isn't European. She may be from Asia, South America or the Middle East. She carries a black cell phone in a black Prada bag. She likes to go nightclubbing on Landsdowne Street near BU. She has, or has a boyfriend who has, a black BMW (or at least she wishes that she does).

Another distinctive style I can think of is "Wendy Wellesley." Although Wellesley is trying hard to get rid of its old reputation of being an exclusive institution for girls with good upbringing, it can't be denied that some vestiges of this tradition still remain. Although most modern Wellesley students feel comfortable wearing sweatshirts to class, a quick glance around any school reception reveals many wearing silky blouses, their hair done up in a French twist. On the event called "Flower Sunday," even the most casual women drag out their flowered dresses. When recruiting time rolls around Wendy Wellesley pulls out her tailored suit and pearls.

Although I personally try to keep my wardrobe spartan, I notice that I do take subtle hints from the people around me. These days, even when I wear jeans and a T-shirt, I usually wear a pair of heeled sandals. The T-shirts I wear tend to be more form-fitting than the loose athletic shirts I've amassed over the years. I've also bought some casual but fashionably tight miniskirts and pants. Likewise, when I was at Wellesley, I bought long, flowery skirts, formal party dresses and blazers.

One of my colleagues cares even less about clothes than I do. She's often worn sweat pants and long undershirts to class. However, she occasionally succumbs to peer pressure and wears nice clothes. I think I can say that although the jeans and T-shirt combo is the official uniform of the American college student, one can see exceptions all over. Sometimes, the exceptions come from a select minority that insists on wearing a different uniform. Other times, the exceptions come from jeans-wearers deciding on a slight variation. I don't know if this answer can fully satisfy the student who originally asked me the question, but it's the best I can do, for there is no one type of American student.

Shukan ST: Aug. 21, 1998

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