It’s pretty exciting to get invited to your first college party. But being at a new school and having moved to a new town for college, possibly even a new state, you might be wondering what you should wear to a party now.
Is it okay to wear the same kind of outfits you wore to high school parties in your home town? Regardless of where your college is, just being in college is a different scene than being in high school, so what you wore then may or may not be acceptable now.
We’ll get into all of the dos and don’ts in more detail below.
How to Dress for a College Party Guys
The most important thing when dressing for a college party for guys is wearing clean, comfortable, and flattering clothes. A t-shirt, jeans, and collared shirt is a classic look, but also look at store displays and what others wear around your campus. Or choose your own look to stand out.
Male College Student Fashion
The first place to start when deciding what to wear to a college party is to take a look around at what males are wearing at your school in general. Do they tend to be more casual? Is a beach look popular, or a more preppy or formal look? What brands seem to be popular?
You should take note of shoes, accessories (belts, sunglasses, etc.), and hats, as well.
It’s usually safe to say the most stylish looks that males at your college wear around campus are fairly similar to what would be good to wear to a party.
Whatever the local and current trends are, it’s important to always remember that cleanliness and a flattering fit (almost) never go out of style. Make sure you’re clean and that your clothes fit you nicely and you will look your best whichever style you go with.
House Party Outfits for Men
House parties are all about being comfortable and just having fun with friends. This is definitely an occasion where you can dress in shorts or jeans and a favorite t-shirt.
You don’t necessarily want to wear your most comfortable outfit, such as your favorite sweatpants or basketball shorts, but a nice-looking and comfortable outfit will definitely do.
A collared shirt over a t-shirt could work well at a house party, but is not necessary. If you do wear a collared shirt with your t-shirt, it’s best to go with a fairly casual look for this type of party, so definitely do not wear your best dress shirt.
On the other hand, a t-shirt with a favorite graphic such as from a favorite band or concert would be a good choice for a house party.
Comfortable and clean shoes would be suitable as well. If it’s warm enough, flip-flops would be okay. Otherwise, a nice, clean pair of sneakers would be the best choice for shoes.
Frat Party Outfits for Guys
Oftentimes, frat parties have a particular theme. You definitely want to find out if this is the case and dress according to the theme.
If there isn’t a specific them for the party itself, make sure you know what kind of fraternity is throwing the party and what their culture is. Does this fraternity pride themselves on being very preppy, very into sports, very academic, etc.?
Try to observe how people in this fraternity generally dress to get an idea of what would be best to wear to their party, or better yet, ask a couple of their members what they plan to wear.
If you are not sure of the dress code, it’s best to wear something very nice that doesn’t look too formal. A great way to do this is to wear a newer pair of dark jeans that have a slim, straight cut, along with a fitted t-shirt with a partially open dress shirt over it.
Finish this outfit off with a pair of clean dress shoes and a nice belt, and you’ll be able to fit in great whether it’s a fairly formal party or a casual affair.
Guys Clubbing Outfits
If you’re going clubbing, this is the time to pull out the outfit that grabs a little more attention. A more tightly fitted shirt and trendier clothes are definitely okay in this situation.
If you feel more comfortable, it’s still okay to wear a collared shirt over your t-shirt. You would probably want to leave it open so that you’re more comfortable, as well as more casual-looking.
The collared shirt could be something a little more eye-catching also, such as a brighter color or even shinier or patterned fabric. It’s fun to stand out a bit.
A pair of dark, slim-cut, straight-legged jeans with a nice belt and dress shoes would go well with this outfit also.
If you would rather show off your dance moves than your outfit, a very clean and nicely fitted athletic outfit such as nice and new track pants and a fitted sports t-shirt with extra clean sneakers are sometimes an acceptable fashion choice for men, depending on the club.
What Not to Wear to a College Party for Guys
There are a few things you definitely don’t want to do when getting dressed for a party for college.
First of all, you do not want to base your clothing choices off of stereotypes or even off the latest movie or TV show about the area you live in (which are probably also stereotypes, or at the very least, greatly exaggerated).
This is not necessarily how real people actually dress in these areas, and trying to look like what is actually a stereotype can definitely induce cringes from the locals.
Instead, remember to pay attention to what people are actually and (actually not) wearing around your campus.
Party Attire for College
Party attire for guys in college has a lot of common themes. Of course, the goal is to look good without looking like you are trying too hard. At the same time, it is a nice bonus to be a bit comfortable, too.
In addition to looking around your campus to see how other males generally dress in your area, you can also check out the displays at the local malls or clothing stores. The people who set up those displays usually have a good pulse on what is popular in the area at that time, so it will be a good indication of what is in style.
You don’t necessarily need to buy the exact outfits on display, but you can try to copy that look.
A pretty classic look for party attire for guys in college is straight legged dark jeans, a nice belt, a t-shirt that is not too big, and an open collared shirt on top.
The collared shirt on top can be different depending on the local styles or the weather at the time of the party. So this can be a warmer or cooler shirt, or more dressy or preppy versus more casual depending on the overall look you are going for.
Be Yourself
Of course, you do not necessarily need to try to look like everyone else. If you are confident in your own style or look, go for it!
People appreciate when someone is unique and owns it. Whether you love rocking bright colors, vintage outfits, a rocker or emo look, or a dressy suit, go for it, be proud, and have fun!
What to Wear to a College Party for Guys
Classic styles for men in college include a t-shirt with jeans and a collared shirt either partially buttoned or left open. This look is casual, comfortable, and masculine looking and flattering on most men. You also can take cues from store displays, others on campus, or make your own style.
