Image courtesy of College Raptor. 

College move-in day will be one of the most exciting days of most students’ lives. It is the day they get to move into a new home right on campus with other students going through the same experience. Those students will be embarking on educational as well as fun pursuits in close proximity for the next few years. As a new student, you are likely looking forward to this day and would like to enjoy it as much as possible. Alongside those aims, you likely also want to make a great first impression. 

Your outfit will have a big effect on how people at your new school perceive you when seeing you for the first time, so a great outfit can bring about positive feelings and maybe even a few compliments. Wearing an outfit that you love will also have a positive affect on your feelings. When you wear clothes that make you feel good, it raises your confidence levels and that will surely come across to other people. 

And while you may want to look good on move-in day, you also need to wear something that makes you comfortable. You will be doing a lot of walking and lifting, going back and forth from your vehicle to your dorm room. You will need to wear clothes that allow you to move comfortably and keep cool during all your hard work, while also helping you look your best. This is a look that can be easily achieved. Read on for our suggestions on how to achieve a cool and comfortable look with any style!

Bottoms

Your legs need a lot of room to move around on this day. 

The bottoms you wear will affect your movement as well as your appearance. You will feel most comfortable if you choose clothing that you can move around in, so that you can feel great all throughout move-in day. You can certainly wear bottoms that are comfortable enough to move in and stylish enough for the first day of school. Here are the top options!

Leggings

Leggings are the ultimate in comfort wear. They are comfortable to exercise in, walk in, and relax in. This athleisure piece is perfect for moving in and resting in, and you can easily switch from one to the other without facing any discomfort. This works great for when you’re walking back and forth from the parking lot to your dorm room with more of your things. You’ll easily be able to walk, bend, and stretch your legs to accomplish whatever you need to without straining. 

Leggings won’t ride up or down, so any movement you make will be accommodated. The stretchiness of the fabric makes them feel like a second skin, and they can look good with just about any top. Another great thing about leggings is that they come in so many cute styles and colors. You can find high waisted or low waisted ones, plain black or brightly colored ones, and you can even find leggings with pockets. That adds an extra layer of convenience to this already comfortable option. 

Athletic Shorts

Athletic shorts are a great choice for anyone who wants to wear a comfortable pair of pants that they can move and rest in, but also have those pants be loose and breezy. Athletic shorts are often worn for exercise and leisure. It is easy to wear them while you spend the day moving around and lifting your belongings, and also look well put together in them. Athletic shorts can be dressed up slightly while still maintaining its casual overall look. 

Wearing something comfortable that still looks good with these shorts will help you look presentable while you remain as comfortable as possible. There are several great options. You can wear a t-shirt. You can find t-shirts that are really casual as well as t-shirts that are somewhat less casual. A t-shirt with a collar can often appear more dressed up than one without one. That’s an easy way to wear a comfortable top that fits the casual nature of the shorts while still elevating the style a bit. A shirt without a collar will also look great. Crew neck t-shirts make a great match with athletic shorts. You can find ones with cool decals on them, and cool matching or contrasting colors. 

Jeans

Jeans are a popular outfit choice for many reasons. They are comfortable, stylish, and a staple in almost everyone’s wardrobe. It is a staple piece that likely won’t be going out of style at any point soon. There are just so many options to choose from, you can always find a pair of jeans that suits you no matter what your style. You can find tight jeans, loose jeans, dark jeans, light jeans, and all the washes in between. You can find high waisted jeans, low waisted jeans, straight leg jeans, and skinny jeans. 

Jeans are comfortable and versatile. You likely already have jeans in your closet meant to suit any occasion. You have your jeans that you wear to look more put together, and the jeans you wear when you want to be a lot more casual. When you’re planning to spend the day moving into your new dorm, it is best to wear the pair of jeans that you’re most comfortable in. The jeans that have enough room in them or enough stretch for you to move around are best for this occasion. 

Jeans are also very easy to style. You can pair them with just about anything. Wearing jeans on move-in day means that you can wear just about any shoes and top. Everything looks good with jeans, so the possibilities are endless. You can easily dress jeans up or dress them down. The best choice of top for this day would be something that looks good and still keeps you comfortable. The same for shoes. Jeans look good with sneakers, boots, heels, or whatever you may want to pair with them at any given moment. When you’re wearing jeans, you don’t have to think too much about what to pair with them. They make your options easy. They are also durable and can handle any activity without wearing away, especially something like moving. 

Tops

A top can express your personality and keep you comfortable. 

T-shirts

A t-shirt is one of the most comfortable clothing choices for anyone. Often when people want to relax or pass their day feeling comfortable, they will put on a t-shirt. It’s an easy choice that you can slip on in just a second. T-shirts can also work with just about any bottoms. There are many benefits to wearing one, especially on a day like move-in day when you need to feel the utmost comfortable. 

T-shirts are very versatile. They are worn by people working out, people who are relaxing, and they can even be dressed up with other dressier clothing pieces. A t-shirt is also comfortable no matter what fabric it is made out of. You can find them in so many colors, designs, fabrics, and cuts. It is also easy to carve up a t-shirt to fit the type of style you want. You can cut off sleeves, collars, or turn your shirt into a cropped t-shirt. T-shirts are often so cheap and abundant, you can have a good time turning a t-shirt into exactly what you want without worrying about wasting money or ruining anything important. You likely have a closet full of t-shirts to choose from!

One huge benefit to t-shirts is that they can really show off fun parts of your personality. While you can always wear a plain t-shirt, there are also endless options for t-shirts that display a message. A t-shirt can include a phrase you find funny, an image of your favorite cartoon, or the name of an organization you support. There are so many cool t-shirts that can easily start a conversation with one of your new classmates and dorm mates. 

Sweater

A sweater is best worn in spring and fall weather. When it is cool enough outside to want to cover up, but not cold enough to wear a jacket, a sweater is a great choice. You can even wear one with the sleeves rolled up if you need to. There are many different types of sweaters that can suit different types of weather and activity levels. You just have to pick the right one to wear for all the moving you will have to do. 

A linen sweater is a good choice for a somewhat warmer day. While other fabrics can make you sweat if it's warm, linen doesn’t do that. You don’t want to have puddles of sweat under your arms when you’re meeting your new classmates, so a fabric that’s too suffocating won’t work. Linen is light and airy and will give your skin breathing room even when you’re in a sweater. Linen clothing retains the heat from your body and releases the excess. That makes it a great fabric for wear during warmer times. And if you do sweat, having a towel nearby will be helpful. 

A sweater that works for colder times is a hoodie. There are many benefits to wearing a hoodie. Hoodies can keep you relatively warm when it's cooler outside. A heavy hoodie can be great for when it's colder and a lighter hoodie works for less intensely cold weather. And if you wear a zip up hoodie, you can always open it up to be less warm if you need to. A pullover hoodie is best to wear when you don’t expect to overheat. 

Tank Top

Tank tops are a great choice to wear during warm weather. It can look good while helping to keep you cool by preventing you from overheating. With a tank top, you have the benefit of all the air touching your skin. If it is at all cold, you will probably need a sweater on top, but otherwise, you will be extra comfortable. 

Tank tops allow you to have a great range of motion, and you won’t have to worry about sweat stains potentially forming the way you have to with other clothes. Even if you do sweat a bit, it can disappear a lot faster than it would in other tops. And that’s something that really matters when you’ll be moving around a lot while working on setting up your dorm room. You won’t have any sleeves holding you back from moving your arms however you need to to get things done. And having plenty of snacks for break times will certainly help!

Shoes

You’ll need the right shoes to be on your feet all day. 

Sneakers

Sneakers are some of the most comfortable footwear you can wear. In sneakers, you can run, jump, walk, or do whatever you need to. There are sneakers of all kinds that are specialized for any physical activity, and just about any of them work well for walking around a lot. It is easy to express your personality and style with sneakers. You can find them in any color, pattern, and fabric. Either way, the sneakers you choose to wear, will be sure to keep your feet comfortable. 

Boots

The next most comfortable shoe to wear for move-in day would be boots. Boots can come in all different styles and sizes, and can also include a heel. Flat boots or boots with a short heel will work best for walking around all day. Boots are also great for ankle support. Even short boots cover your ankles a bit and will keep them comfortable as you’re moving around. Boots are also often water proof, which would be beneficial for a rainy move-in day. 

Move-in day is important for many reasons, and it makes sense to want to look and feel your best for it. Any combination of clothing that makes you feel and look good would make the perfect outfit to get work done in while making a great first impression on your peers!