Boston College students flooded the Mod Lot for T-Pain and lined the sides of Commonwealth Ave. decked out in creative outfits to celebrate Marathon Monday. Let’s take a look at the trends for this year’s Mile 21 festivities.
As with every previous year, a macro trend that was impossible to miss was neon. Students wore hot pink, electric blue, and bright orange in a variety of different ways. Many wore neon leggings or athletic skirts paired with bright accessories making for a perfect blend of comfort and style. Others embraced neon with ’80s-inspired jackets and hairstyles. The neon color scheme paired perfectly with the warm spring day and the adrenaline coursing through Chestnut Hill as students cheered on runners.
Another fashion pattern was sports jerseys. My favorite variation of this look was any jersey for a Boston team, as it kept with the Marathon’s spirit of celebrating athleticism in Boston.
Hats were paired with outfits that incorporated both of the previously mentioned trends. A classic baseball cap was an extremely popular accessory for Marathon Monday this year. Many were decorated with graffiti-style text making up phrases to celebrate the day, including “Marmon” and “Mile 21.”
Others simply had creative puns or jokes on them. Apart from being a fun accessory, hats were extremely practical this year. I definitely found myself wishing I had chosen to wear one while trying to block the sun from my eyes during T-Pain’s set.
Speaking of T-Pain, I definitely saw my fair share of T-Pain-themed outfits. From song lyrics to creative plays on his name, the Marmon rapper was definitely present in students’ outfits. My personal favorite was a T-shirt that spelled out “T-Pain” as the solution of the Wordle.
Another trend I wasn’t surprised to see make an appearance was Western-style clothing. Cowboy hats, boots, and denim were extremely popular fashion choices. People definitely got creative with this.
I saw many custom cowboy hats decorated with feathers, different colors, and even a picture of T-Pain. Another outfit I loved was full denim including a vest, jean shorts, and even denim cowboy boots. The Western-style manifested in prints as well. I saw cow print pants, skirts, and tops on numerous occasions.
Another trend featured American flags as the centerpiece of many outfits. Many wore American flag print matching sets. I also saw a number of flags being worn as capes. My personal favorite variation of this outfit was the full-body unitard with an American flag print.
I noticed a novel common theme running through the group costumes this year: food. From the moment I stepped outside I was met with food-themed costumes. In fact, the first group I saw was a group of over 10 dressed up as bananas.
There were also multiple groups dressed as condiments in matching branded t-shirts or pullover costumes. Part of the reason I think this was such a popular costume is because of how easy it is to achieve in a big group. I mean, the more bananas you see walking around, the funnier the costume.
Two outfits especially stood out this year. The first was the group that painted themselves gold from head to toe. Both the dedication to the outfit and the nod to BC’s colors made it the perfect costume for Marathon Monday. Their look was impossible to miss and easily my favorite of the entire day.
A close second has to go to the girl who dressed as JoJo Siwa. So many people joked about doing it, but I appreciate that someone actually followed through. I was surprised that there weren’t more costumes like this referencing other pop culture elements. I would definitely love to see more of that next year.
Overall, the student body’s colorful and creative outfits added to the vibrant celebration of the Boston Marathon. From flashes of neon to Siwa, there was no lack of spirit anywhere on campus. Seeing what everyone put together already has me thinking of different elements to incorporate into my outfit for next year.
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