There's nothing wrong with wearing black leggings and a hoodie to class. This is the most common outfit worn amongst college girls as they trek through campus. It's quick and easy to put on, and pretty much any girl can put this outfit together. Sometimes I'll put these clothes on when I oversleep and have to rush to class.

But if you know me, you know that I like to dress nicely for class (and just for hanging around campus in general). I'm not trying to throw shade to the much-loved legging-and-hoodie outfit or anyone who wears it. I'm simply expressing that I have a very distinct taste in fashion and believe that I should wear whatever I want to class, regardless of anyone's opinion.

For four years before starting college, I went to a Catholic high school that required me to wear a navy blue jumper (which us girls nicknamed "the potato sack") with a white polo underneath, along with knee-high socks and Sperry's. I longed for our occasional charity dress-down days, where I would wear my favorite clothes from my closet. I almost always wore heels because—please forgive me for admitting this!—I love heels.

Teylor Veliotis

When I was about to go off to college, one of the things I looked forward to the most was finally getting to choose what I wear to class. Why shouldn't I be able to wear the clothes I have hanging in my closet? Fashion is a form of self-expression and creativity; just as you would let an artist paint a portrait, let me wear the clothes I wish to wear.

Sometimes I get looks from girls walking past me in the halls as if they're thinking, "Why in the hell is she dressed so nice for class?" It's interesting how the girls who wear leggings and a hoodie to class don't seem to receive any judgment or criticism. Can't we embrace the concept of originality and the idea that everyone should be entitled to wear whatever they feel confident in?

I actually enjoy shopping and picking out outfits. I look forward to dressing myself each morning before my busy day starts. Unlike things that arise from school and work that are out of my hands (such as a professor assigning a paper that will be due the next class or having to work a double shift), I can control what I wear. Fashion is a hobby of mine and I genuinely have a passion for it.

Teylor Veliotis

So the next time you see a girl wearing something nice for class, don't assume she has some ulterior motive of getting attention or showing off; she might just be simply wearing the clothes in her closet. And always remember that saying nothing at all is better than saying something negative.

Oh, and also: if you ever see a girl showing her legs during the winter, don't ask her if she's cold. First of all, she doesn't have class outside, so her skin is only exposed to the air for the few minutes it takes to walk from building to building. Second of all, she wouldn't be wearing something she didn't feel comfortable in; she's fully aware that it's the winter and wouldn't dress in a way that would bother her. So if you ever see a girl showing some skin in the winter, avoid the topic of the weather because it's the last thing she wants to hear.

Teylor Veliotis