HBCU culture is incredible. Even if you’ve never stepped foot on one of the 107 HBCU campuses, you still might have heard about one thing: the fashion!
There are campus-wide days where all students dress impeccably, and on some campuses the fashion sets the trend for Black culture nationwide. Why is attire such an important part of the experience?
#1: History.
The enslaved were often classified on the plantation by the way they dressed. While white people meant this as a way to control Black bodies, HBCU students have flipped this tradition by taking complete control over their own fashion.
#2: Survival.
As the Black middle class began to form in this country, appearing “respectable” – being well-dressed, “polite,” and assimilated into white culture – often dictated whether our people could get jobs or live without the threat of white violence. Dressing “respectably” was a survival strategy, and to some degree it still is.
#3: Social Status.
Historically, college was out of reach for many families. So when Black students went away to college, families and communities took pride in purchasing nice clothing for students. It was a gesture of aspirational social status and a show of support.
Whether “respectable” outfits or culture-pushing, fashion-forward looks, HBCU students have always been fly – by combining style and tradition!