This post will show you the college party clothes you need in your wardrobe to make hundreds of perfect party outfits.
Iâll be the first to admit it — when I packed for college, I had no clue what I would actually end up wearing to college parties.
I learned pretty soon into O-Week that my collection of cute tops and jean shorts didnât really work at my schoolâs endless theme parties, and I know now if I had just packed a few extra items I wouldâve been all set for anything college threw at me.
Now that I have more party/darty experience under my belt, I know exactly what pieces I need to stock up on for the next school year so I can always have the perfect thing to wear.
Table of Contents
1. Something Animal Print
When Youâll Wear It: Jungle Parties, Halloween Costumes, Class
How to Style It: âJungleâ was probably the theme I saw the most this year, and itâs one of the easiest themes to fit.
If you pair a loud animal print with literally anything, you have a quick and cute jungle outfit. I generally went with a cheetah crop top (like this one from Urban Outfitters) and plain black bottoms.
A full body print (like this dress or a skirt and top) makes Halloween costumes a breeze. Throw on a pair of ears or try your hand at some makeup leopard spots. You can be a different animal every night — cheetah, zebra, Dalmatian puppyâŚ
A head-to-toe animal print look or a crop top may be a bit much for class, but pairing printed bottoms (like this skirt) with tights and a plain black shirt can make the outfit totally lecture appropriate (while still being very cute!).
2. Bikini Tops
When Youâll Wear It: Almost Any Darty, Foam Parties
Products: Ruffle bikini, Triangle bikini, Scoop neck bikini
How to Style It: To the unaware, a âdartyâ is a day-time party usually held outside. Darties are especially common during the first semester when itâs warm, and the heat means bathing suits everywhere.
If you buy a bunch of cheap bikini tops (like this one) in different prints, youâll be set for every darty.
America darty? Throw on a striped bikini top with some cutoff shorts and youâre all set.
Repeat endlessly for the different darty themes — floral prints for beach week, your school colors for game dayâŚ.
You’ll also need bathing suits for foam parties, where someone rigs a machine to spew soap bubbles everywhere. Youâre going to get dirty at foam parties, so donât wear your favorite suit or shoes!
3. Cute Pajama Gear
When Youâll Wear It: Pillow Parties, Lounging with Your Friends
Products: Robe, Cherry shorts, Black shorts
How to Style It: Pillow parties (where everyone is in their pajamas) are an absolute blast, because you can look adorable and still be super comfy.
If you want to be simple, your favorite pajama shorts paired with a tank will work great. (Yes, pajamas can count as college party clothes in this case!)
If you want to really commit, keep the shorts and tank and throw a silky robe over it to remind everyone how good you look even when youâre getting your beauty sleep.
Even if you donât go out much, youâre going to spend a lot of time just hanging out in your dorm with your friends. Having cute pajamas can be helpful when youâre not comfortable wearing a full sweatsuit yet.
Even once your friends have seen you with your zit cream on, wearing nice pajamas can add the extra pep in your step you need before a big day.
4. Something Neon
Where Youâll Wear It: Blackout parties, âCrazyâ parties, 80s parties, Coachella parties…
Products: Pink bodysuit, Green dress, Orange skirt
How to Style It: If I could go back and time and pack one extra item for my freshman self, it would be something neon. You NEED neon. Youâll use it for almost every party.
Neon items are so usable, itâs impossible to style them incorrectly. At an ‘80s party, go full on and pile on every piece you have.
âCrazyâ parties are similar — combine every bright thing in your closet and add some sequins for good measure.
If you want to tone it down a little, avoid full body neon pieces and pair your neon top with plain black bottoms, or vice versa.
5. The Perfect Black Crop Top
Where Youâll Wear it: Literally Everywhere
Products: Cutout crop, Zippered Crop, Deep V Neck Crop
How to Style It: We can’t talk about college party clothes without this one — My most worn item is my perfect black crop top.
Perfect means something different to everyone — I wanted something with a nice texture and a deep V-neck. Maybe you want something with a longer hem and no sleeves.
Whatever works for you, find it and buy copies.
Youâll wear your perfect black crop everywhere. Have the perfect skirt but no top? Black crop. Want to tone down crazy bottoms? Black crop. Going from party to party and donât want to change? Black crop.
Different tops have different uses. If youâre more conservative, a long-sleeved black shirt can make you more comfortable with some outfits. If you wish your look was more exciting, a really daring black crop can make a whole outfit spicier.
6. A Comfortable Bralette
Where Youâll Wear it: Every Party, Study Sessions, Lounging
Products: Black Bralette, White Bralette, Red Bralette
How to Style It: You might not think a bra belongs on a list of college party clothes, but trust me — you need this one.
Even if youâre an underwire disciple, a good bralette will come in handy more than you think. From your wildest parties to the library, a bralette is a piece that always make you more comfortable.
Bralettes are useful almost every night, from your craziest moods to your more conservative vibes. If youâre wearing modest bottoms, wearing a neutral colored bralette as a top can be a fun way to show some skin.
On the flip side, if your shirt is a bit too sheer for your liking and you donât feel comfortable just wearing a bra underneath, a bralette is a good way to add some coverage.
And when youâre not partying, bralettes are good for when you just canât handle a bra but youâre surrounded by people (which is always the case in college).
Wear a bralette under your pajamas if youâre hanging out with friends before bedtime, or under your sweatshirt when youâre pulling an all-nighter in the library.
7. Neutral Sneakers
Where Youâll Wear It: Parties, Darties, and Everything in Between
Products: Black and White Spots, Black with White Laces, Black with Black Laces
How to Style It: I know great shoes make an outfit, and you want to rock the perfect pair of heels to your first college party. But at the end of the day, most people are wearing sneakers to absolutely everything.
When youâre in neon head-to-toe at a black light party, black sneakers donât clash with your outfit. When youâre at a darty outside, sneakers protect your toes. When youâre walking home from a club, sneakers make it possible to walk.
And when you just need something to shove on your feet to go about your business, black sneakers are always easy and always cute.
Iâve worn sneakers to every party Iâve ever been to in college. Every. Single. One.
8. A Slightly Fancy Sundress
Where Youâll Wear it: Random âNiceâ Parties, Casual Business/Sorority Events, Class
Products: White Floral romper, Red Print Dress, Yellow Romper
How to Style It: You need at least one nice-but-still-casual dress in your lineup of college party clothes; you wonât use it every day, but youâll be grateful you have it.
At least a few parties every season call for a nice sundress. If an event is Kentucky Derby themed, a âGarden Partyâ, or in any way âSouthernâ themed, you canât wear your usual jean shorts.
Pair a pretty, floral dress with white sneakers and a cute headband to look pulled together but still casual.
It can also just be nice to have something other than jeans to wear around campus. If youâre giving a presentation, a sundress under a blazer looks professional while still being feminine.
Even if you have no reason to wear it, wearing a dress to class can make you feel good when nothing else will.
9. All Your Old Homecoming Dresses
Where Youâll Wear It: Formals and Frat âWeddingsâ.
Products: Tulle Skater Dress, Sequin Dress, Velvet Dress
How to Style It: Just like the sundress, you wonât wear your old dance dresses every day, but you will desperately need one a few times a year.
If you (or anyone you know) is involved in Greek life, you might go to a formal or date function. Dress codes for formals vary, but generally an old homecoming/semi-formal dress will work great. Anything with sequins, tulle, or an interesting shape will fit right in.
With a dress this nice, you can wear heels and break out your favorite jewelry.
If youâre lucky, a fraternity at your school will throw a wedding themed party, wherein everyone shows up in formal clothes and a frat brother âmarriesâ a sorority girl.
Those sorts of parties are as formal as you want, so have fun and wear a dress you never get a chance to wear (but skip the heels, since itâs still a frat party).
10. Solid Black, White, and Red Pieces
Where Youâll Wear it: Absolutely Everywhere
Products: Red Top, White Top, Black Slip Dress
How to Style It: The number one theme I struggled with in college was âcolorâ parties — usually, white or black. I know these are basic colors, but somehow I never had anything solidly that color, or my options werenât college party-appropriate.Â
âWhite Outâ and âBlack Outâ parties will pop up very often, so be sure to find something cute and simple that will go with everything and that youâll want to wear a lot. Ideally, own a party dress in each color.
Also, if you ever just need a neutral top to balance out crazy bottoms, having standby shirts you know you like makes everything easy.
While there arenât many âRed Outâ parties, youâll need a red shirt more often than you think. You might go to a Valentineâs Day function, or youâll need a top for your devil costume, or a party might be themed Fire and Ice and youâll want to be fire.
Either way, it will come in handy.
What are your go-to college party clothes?
Which of these pieces do you actually wear the most? Have you never worn some of these pieces? Do you have a piece you wear every night that I didnât mention?
Let me know in the comments!