Men, Co-Op, and Clothes: How to Make It All Work | The Triangle

Men, Co-Op, and Clothes: How to Make It All Work

Photo by David M Tran
Photo by David M Tran

Coming into Spring Term, you’ve realized a few things; your GPA is on point, you’ve got an awesome co-op, you’re finally learning how not to be awkward, and everything is finally starting to fall into place. But something’s still off. Is your co-op fashion holding you back? Are you running out of steam and laundry? Men, you’re not alone. After interviewing a slew of Drexel’s finest co-opers, we’ve compiled the three biggest fashion struggles of today’s college interns, and have provided some easy, and cheap solutions.

The Outfit Repeater

Casimir Czworkowski, 22, is a junior on his third co-op, and feels like he wears the same outfit everyday. “I want to mix it up with a couple different pieces, but I still want to be comfortable, office-appropriate, and have money in my bank account,” says Czworkowski. The solution? For guys with this problem, it’s not about outing your whole entire wardrobe and starting new. By spending your money wisely on select staple pieces, you can easily transform your look without wearing all new clothes every day. You can keep the classic button-downs and khaki pants you already wear, and switch up shoes or maybe throw on a decorative cardigan to mix it up. Instead of buying and wearing all khaki pants all the time, go for a dark blue or hunter green chino with a subtle button-down. Gap’s Lightweight Khaki in blue or olive ($59.95) is perfect for mixing it up in the spring and summer months.

The Anti-In-Betweener

Brett Barry, 20, a sophomore on his first co-op, rocks formal business attire the first four days of the week. However, when he gets to casual Fridays, he’s lost. “I want to be able to dress down without looking like I just came from the gym or my bed. I want to be relaxed but stay classy,” remarks Barry. Brett isn’t the only college guy with this issue. To most men taking classes, “casual” refers to gym shorts and a t-shirt. In the working world, it’s a whole new ball game. By mixing and matching more formal pieces with relaxed pieces, guys can get an eclectic, classy, and casual style. Combining a pair of dark wash jeans and graphic tee with a tweed blazer and a pair of business casual loafers is the perfect way to dress up your typical weekend outfit, and make it work-wearable. For a more classic look, try matching the same dark jeans to a lighter wash denim shirt, with a plain brown belt and classic but versatile suede shoes. The Levi’s Light Crackle Denim Button-Down Shirt ($78.00), sold at Urban Outfitters is the perfect piece to complete the look.

The Run Out of Steamer

Louis Masi, 20, also a sophomore on his first co-op, has the time and energy to put together Monday and Tuesday’s outfits, but by the time he gets to Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday’s outfits, just doesn’t care anymore. “I just run out of steam by the end of the week, and my clothes are not the first thing on my list,” says Masi “I think I’ve actually worn the same pants to co-op 10+ times without washing them.” As unique as this issue seems, almost every guy interviewed admitted to the classic no-time-for-laundry issue. Is there a remedy? By coordinating outfits on Friday or Saturday for the whole entire week, and then washing or dry-cleaning Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday’s looks on the previous Friday or Saturday, you can ensure that you’ll have ready-made, clean outfits to wear for the rest of the week. You can even try hanging these outfits together (in order) in your closet for the fastest dress-time possible. Sometime during the second half of the week, use the same method for the clothes already worn. Rinse, and repeat!