4 Sweaters

Buy at Free People

Oversized, cozy sweaters are my favorite thing to wear during the winter, and no one can convince me otherwise. And cropped cardigans give all those 2000s vibes we love so much.

Make sure the vast majority of your sweaters are not dry clean only options; I scored a nice sweater from J.Crew’s clearance section for $20, only to discover I almost never wore it in college because I was afraid of getting it dirty!

(Check out our guide to the best sweaters for college to see the types of sweaters you need to pack.)

3-4 pairs of Casual Shorts

Buy at Revolve

I have a pair of flowy shorts, some cute bike shorts, and jean shorts in three colors: vintage wash, white, and black.

The Agolde shorts above are a splurge, but they have honestly changed my life! They fit better than any other pair I’ve tried and I wear mine multiple times a week.

2-3 Casual Skirts/Dresses

Buy at Lulus

Buy at Lulus

If you can’t picture yourself being able to sit comfortably in your cute dress or skirt of choice, maybe reconsider packing it. Stretchy is key for me! (For more, see our guide to the types of skirts and dresses you need for college!)

2-3 pairs of quality jeans

Buy at Abercrombie

Buy at Abercrombie

No college wardrobe essentials list would be complete without jeans! Pay attention to the inseam length, quality, and price when buying a pair of jeans. I like to get one distressed pair and one clean pair, but it’s up to your style.

Personally, my favorite jeans of all time are the ones above from Abercrombie. I live for their straight leg jeans (so incredibly flattering and no gaps at the waist). And if you like trendy details, their dad jeans have the criss-cross waistband we’ve all seen all over TikTok.

And pro-tip, Abercrombie does run sales fairly often so sign up for their emails to get the latest deals straight to your inbox!