By: Maggie Stasko

The college campus of Dublin City University has its own unique style.

Irish teenagers and 20-somethings are sporting some of the same brands that Americans shop for. The top brands that can be found abroad are Adidas, Hollister, New Balance and Topshop.

Millennials perusing through the shops on Dublin’s main retail quarter, Grafton Street, shop for their wardrobe at places such as the Vans store, TK Maxx, Primark’s Penneys, Levi’s and Life Style Sports. But these stores aren’t unlike the shops we have in the U.S.

The Vans store sells the famous skateboarding shoes as well as apparel. It’s a popular brand in Ireland, but the store can be found occupying malls all over the U.S., too. TK Maxx is the Irish version of TJ Maxx, here in America and falls under the same brand – TJX.

Primark’s Penneys is a department store mixing the young adult fashion and price point of Forever 21 or H&M, with home goods and children’s clothing and accessories that American shoppers might find in Macy’s.

Levi’s sells jeans, but its brand can be found in the U.S. as well, and Life Style Sports focuses on active lifestyle clothing brands like Nike and Adidas.

Fashionably ripped skinny jeans could be considered the pant of choice in Ireland. But in America, it seems that at least the females frequently choose black stretch leggings instead of jeans.

The layered look of styling clothes with cardigans, jackets and so on is very popular in Ireland. This could be for both preparing for all the forms of weather the country receives or for the fashionable layered look itself.

“What should I know about fashion? Fashion in Ireland is dead!,” two girls laughed at the thought of being fashionistas at DCU.

It seems that the students of DCU do not consider themselves to know a thing about what is trendy or in style.

“I hope you’re not going to put me on a ‘bad fashion’ list.”

“I hope you’re not going to put me on a ‘bad fashion’ list,” Ruby Kirwan, a law student at DCU, said when asked if she could be photographed for her fashionable get-up.

Kirwan’s friend and classmate, Aoife Coffey, jokingly assured her that she looked great.

Kirwan could be mistaken for an American young person in her outfit. She was wearing a band T-shirt underneath a red flannel, with a black weatherproof jacket. Kirwan chooses a pair of light wash skinny jeans without holes. Her shoes were white classic Adidas with black stripes. She wore little to no makeup, achieving a natural look.

Coffey and Kirwin study law and spend a great deal of time studying.

“I wear whatever I think suits the day I’m going to have,” Coffey said. 

Coffey dons a muted pink lightweight cable knit sweater. Going for the ever-popular layered look, Coffey  topped the light pink sweater, with a caramel colored jacket with a cinched drawstring waist. Her ripped jeans were ankle length and spotted with various holes. On her feet were metallic gold sneakers. Her makeup, again, was minimal; she had blush and filled in eyebrows.

For a male’s perspective, I had a brief chat with Finbar Murphy, a quiet student rushing to take a final exam. Murphy opted for the darker shades – a deep navy wool jacket, worn zippered and snapped. Murphy chose black skinny jeans with holes in both knees – of the handmade variety. The outfit was completed by black Converse sneakers and a gray backpack.

I caught Danielle McHugh coming right out of a class. McHugh, a student at DCU, is sporting a white and black Adidas T-shirt. The brand’s infamous three stripe design can be spotted all throughout Dublin. McHugh wore the shirt tucked into a black denim skirt. She carries a large black leather tote bag, in lieu of a backpack. Under the skirt, McHugh wore opaque black tights and black Adidas sneakers. She finished off the look with a rose gold watch, a black belt and a large black leather tote bag in lieu of a backpack. McHugh wore some eye makeup and a dark nude lip.

DCU students are well-dressed and put together for their classes. Unlike at many American universities, one might be hard-pressed to find students in baggy sweatpants and hoodies.