In a daring undercover operation, T5E correspondent Abhinav R infiltrated the depths of IITM to uncover the eclectic fashion personas that define student life. From the enigmatic RG Look to the ever-prepared Professional Squatter, fashion at IITM is less about clothes and more about survival. Take our BuzzFeed quiz to discover where you fit in this chaotic style spectrum and read on to know more about IITM’s vibrant fashion scene, reflecting the quirks and realities of campus life.
The RG look
Easily the hottest people in insti (literally).
Sweaters, jackets, and mufflers are essentials of this look, the warm clothes making up for a cold heart. A practical style that arose from the need to thrive in the extreme conditions of the library, it combines aspects of Dark Academia and Arctic Exploration. Spectacles double up as an accessory to complete the look and to aid with myopia induced by always sitting on the front bench. A unique advantage to this style is that you won’t ever have to worry about matching your bag to your outfit – who needs a bag when you can stash all your belongings in a random table in the library? “The RG” is predicted to rise in popularity in Summer 2025, when the ACs in departments will (hopefully) be functional – make sure to invest in it while you can!
Aspiring Chad Meme (Gym Bro)
Until someone observes my muscles, it’s as if they exist and don’t exist at the same time.
Strongdinger, famous physique-ist
Shorts. Tank tops. Running shoes. Sweat bands. Embodiments of the saying: “Less is more”, this style is also motivated by practical utility – the need to showcase a body rivaling ancient Greek statues. In a bold reversal of traditional fashion rules, the emphasis on looking good is placed on the body rather than the clothes.
Big stepper, small stepper, medium stepper – how about all of them at once? Gym bros evolved the ability to fit their feet into any sports shoe they can lay their hands (legs?) on. This fact is a source for much academic debate on whether they descend from Cinderella’s evil stepsisters.
The Freshie
I love engineering!
Unknown Freshie
New entrants with heads full of skyward inspirations and neatly cropped hair, blissfully unaware that both of these will fall to the ground over time. The constant parental attention combined with a lack of lethal (to fashion taste) levels of insti exposure yields a look that final years can never manage, even when heading to a placement interview. This demographic is also the real reason behind Five Star Saloon and Devdas ironing shop reporting abnormal profits every July.
Quiz Week Baba
Having sacrificed mere material desires (like fashion and hygiene) in the pursuit of Nirvana (S grades of course), they end up with overgrown beards that are grazed upon by deer. Devoutly studying scriptures (or PPTs) throughout the day and sacrificing multiple Sting bottles to the gods above, these geniuses are often mistaken for holy priests. On the eve of quizzes, swarms of devotees flood these geniuses’ Whatsapp chats in hopes of receiving divine blessings and cleansing any uncertainty about their future (getting their doubts cleared).
Club Collector (a.k.a. PoR Junkie)
Your clothes may be branded, but are they the NIRF 1 brand?
Having sat through many grueling interviews and crafted applications worthy of a Pulitzer prize, these people would like to show off the fruits of their labor on more than just their resume. Not a single item in their wardrobe lacks the IITM logo, often coupled with a cheesy quote and design. You might think their pants are safe, but nope – they’re from Prime Mart. For first years feeling inspired to do the same – don’t. They’re also the only people in insti with 10-year-old Saarang and Shaastra T-shirts, serving as a valuable group for wannabe art historians.
Perpetual Headphoner
It’s too loud without my headphones on!!!
Unknown Perpetual Headphoner on losing his headphones
Headphones – a convenient excuse to avoid socialization, while also doubling up as exercise for your neck muscles and wrecking your posture. Be careful around such people – you can never tell if they’re just a misanthropic music lover or if they’re a secret agent. If you see a specimen with their headphones off, do not panic and slowly back away without drawing attention to yourself. Headphoners consider their ears to be sacred, and react strongly if exposed to others, especially non-headphoners. We don’t know the extent of this reaction as nobody from the research department has come back alive yet.
Napperzzz
All the world is a bed, and all the desks and tables merely pillows.
William Snoozespeare
Unable to catch enough sleep in the night, these people decided to catch their dozes whenever they can – often in or between classes. Prominent leaders of this faction claim that institute administration is clearly in support – “After all, why would they introduce air conditioning in classrooms but not in hostels?”. They mostly wear pajamas (which surprisingly don’t end up looking very different from your average insti outfit) and can rarely be spotted with portable pillows as well. Other distinguishable features are the constant bed hair and glowing skin relative to other people (a consequence of actually getting 8 hours of sleep in this place).
The Professional Squatter
After leaving the luxurious rooms of Mandakini/Swarnamukhi* and witnessing the conditions of other hostels, many fresh sophomores reach a breaking point and decide to reject the concept of having to live in the hostel. Inspired by Dora the Explorer’s bag, they pack their backpacks with everything they need to live – toiletries, clothes, a pillow, snacks. This is their key distinguishing feature, along with the fact that they can be found sleeping in ESB/CFI**. They’re also the only ones to always have an umbrella when it rains, a battery pack for power cuts, and an inflatable raft for floods.
*-Moment of silence for those who had to stay in Sarayu
**-If you know of other such places, kindly let us know – for research purposes of course 🙂
The Interviewee
The smart looking combo of a formal shirt, tie, pants, and blazer is a very good way of experiencing what Maggi must feel when you cook it. Chennai’s eternal heat is compounded by pressure and stress to produce deluges of sweat, alleviating water supply issues in the neighborhood. Encountering one of these people is always a gamble – have they sprayed enough foul deodorant to overcome the foul stench of so much sweat, or have they not? Luckily, you’ll hardly see anybody in such an outfit outside of interview season or fandom night.
The Mystery
Now you see me, now you don’t.
Anonymous
Stays in their room, Netflixing and chilling for the whole day. Occasionally steps out for food or to complain to the hostel office when the LAN stops working (if it even worked in the first place). Harder to spot than albino deer, which makes their fashion tastes the hardest to analyze. If you catch a glimpse of one, please snap a photo and send it to us at [email protected].
The Fashionista
If you didn’t relate to any of the above types – congratulations! You must be one of the few people in insti with a fashion sense that has withstood the test of campus. Putting in the effort to dress well even for class, you’re the one that friends go to when they need tips on how to glam up their outfit for a date/outing. Even when sleeping, you maintain elegance and style. Chances are that if you steal someone else’s clothes, you would wear it better than them. Pat yourself on the back and keep slaying.
P.S: As an endangered species, keep an eye out for scientists looking to put you in a zoo and study you.
Edited By Shreya .S. Ramanujam
