A World of Fashion in a Single Street

By Manuela Garcia

Photo by Pinterest

Commonwealth Avenue is like an international runway show, with students from over 100 countries showcasing their unique styles. It's fascinating to walk around the streets of BU and witness the different fashion trends that travel to Boston across sea and land. With over 7000 students from diverse backgrounds, BU is the perfect place to explore multiculturalism through fashion.

As a student walking through Commonwealth Avenue on your way to an economics class, you might wonder how to take advantage of being at such a diverse school. There are many ways to understand someone else's culture, customs, food, and festivities. However, my favorite way is through fashion. When you see someone wearing clothes representing their culture, you not only get a glimpse of their background, but also see how they adapt to a new environment.

For example, as a Spanish woman, I never leave my room in leggings or sweatpants unless it's for working out. It's just not something we do in Spain. Likewise, when my friends visit me in Spain, they know not to wear leggings or sweats to adapt. We can also see how some Muslim women wear the hijab uniquely, with some matching the color of their headscarf to their outfits and others exploring more with different styles. I have come to appreciate that the hijab is not only a religious piece, but can also add to an outfit's fashion appeal.

Furthermore, many Asian students wear clothes that display brand names. This was not common in my home country, and at first, the idea of wearing branded clothing was strange to me. However, as I adapted to the new environment, I now appreciate its fashion appeal and could see myself incorporating it in my style.

These are just a few examples of how students bring their culture into BU and express it through their clothes. I encourage you to be more attentive and see if you notice new patterns of people with clothing tendencies when walking to class. Do you associate any clothing items with a particular country or culture?