Every quarter since fall 2022, Wavelength hosts Style Spotlight in Red Square to document what students are wearing to campus. Living the active life of a college student at Western, fashion choices are often dictated by the environment, which tends to generate a certain “uniform” associated with the students—raincoats, hiking boots, and essentially any other outdoor gear worn on the regular, even if the weather doesn’t necessarily call for it. That being said, Western students have proven over the years that fashion doesn’t need to be sacrificed for function, and even that function may create space for experimenting with fashion. As we approached the first Style Spotlight of the ‘25/’26 school year, I found myself wondering how style at Western has changed in the last century. Was there still an emphasis on function within our fashion? How did the larger “trends” manifest on our campus? And so, I took a deep dive into the history of style at Western with the hope of spotlighting the differences—and similarities—between what students wore on campus and what they wear today.
Looking through these photos, you can see how fashion at Western has progressed over the years, but, still, it’s evident that the students’ outfits—ever at the mercy of the weather and environment—have never lacked a style of their own. So, while the trends, clothes, culture, values, and life of students has changed drastically in the last century, the students at Western today aren’t that different from our predecessors in style and individual expression as we navigate classes, jobs, clubs, friends, and every other part of daily college life at Western.
1920s:
Two students lounge outside of Old Main chatting with each other. Circa 1928. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A male and a female student stand next to each hand in pockets looking at the camera outside of Old Main. Circa 1928. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
Three female students stand embracing each other and smiling for the camera. Circa 1928. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
Two students pose for a photo; the man sits playing a trumpet and the woman holds her hands to her ears looking at the man. Circa 1928. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
1930s:
A student sits on a concrete wall smiling at a picture. Circa 1937. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A student smiles for a photo in front of an ivy-covered wall. Circa 1937. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A student walks down a staircase smiling for a photo. Circa 1937. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A student sits atop a brick wall smiling for a photo. Circa 1937. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
1940s:
Two students face each other standing in a doorway posing for a photo. Circa 1945. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
Three students pose for a photo. Circa 1945. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A student is photographed playing tennis. Circa 1947. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
1950s:
Three students chat outside of a building on campus. Circa 1951. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
Three students stand together smiling for a photo. Circa 1955. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A student sits atop a table posing for a photo. Circa 1955. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
1960s:
Two students stand together chatting outside Edens Hall. Circa 1960. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
A student sits on a bench taking notes. Circa 1961. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
Two students ride their bikes down the path in front of Old Main. Circa 1965. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
Three students stand on the snowy hill across from the Viking Union. Circa 1967. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
1970s:
Two students stand and chat together. Circa 1970. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
Two students walk out of Wilson library, one holds a stack of books, and the other has a bag. Circa 1970. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Klipsun Yearbook.
A student walks through the snow on campus holding her scarf up to her face to stay warm. Circa 1971. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
A student walks out of the Sehome Hill Arboretum holding a stack of papers. Circa 1976. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
1980s:
Two students walk up the stairs of Old Main, one holds a purse, and the other has a small stack of papers. Circa 1980. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
Two students stand chatting in front of the Viking Union as other students walk past them. Circa 1982. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
Three students sit on a table against a wall in Arntzen hall. Circa 1984. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
Two students eat a meal together in the Fairhaven dining hall. Circa 1988. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Campus History Collection.
1990s:
Eight students make a pyramid together all smiling for a photo outside what was formerly known as the Up&Up on N State Street. Circa 1990. Photo provided by Western alum.
A student sits on the floor of the library reading and smiling for a photo. Circa 1991. Access provided by Western Digital Archives, Western Front Historical Collection.
Two students sit in the KUGS studio wearing headsets. Circa 1996. Photo provided by Western alum.
2000s:
Seven students pose and smile for a photo in a Ridgeway dorm. Circa 2005. Photo originally posted by superman2o6 on Flickr.
Three students sit on a couch, feet up on a table, laughing and smiling for a photo. Circa 2006. Photo originally posted by Western Washington University on Flickr.
A student stands next to the Skyviewing sculpture in Red Square as students walk around him. Circa 2006. Photo originally posted by Western Washington University on Flickr.
Two students smile for a photo on the Boulevard Park boardwalk. Circa 2009. Photo originally posted by Western Washington University on Flickr.
2010s:
A student walks across the Comms lawn holding an issue of Klipsun Magazine. Circa 2013. Photo originally posted by tcalderonphotos on Flickr.
A student poses for a photo holding their bag in Red Square. Circa 2013. Photo originally published by Julia Moss for Western Wear on blogspot.com.
A student poses holding their shoes on the Log Ramp sculpture for a photo. Circa 2013. Photo originally published by Julia Moss for Western Wear on blogspot.com.
A student smiles posing for a photo in Red Square wearing a purple hat. Circa 2013. Photo originally published by Julia Moss for Western Wear on blogspot.com.
A student poses for a photo holding a stack of notebooks in Red Square. Circa 2013. Photo originally published by Julia Moss for Western Wear on blogspot.com.
A student poses smiling for a photo wearing a circle scarf in front of the Viking Union entrance. Circa 2013. Photo originally published by Julia Moss for Western Wear on blogspot.com.
A student poses for a photo with their backpack on in Red Square. Circa 2014. Photo originally published by Julia Moss for Western Wear on blogspot.com.
A student reads while sitting on a stone wall. Circa 2015. Photo originally posted by Western Washington University on Flickr.
2020s:
In 2022, Wavelength started our own project to document what it was that students were wearing on campus, and thus Style Spotlight was born!
Sources:
1961 Student in Front of College Hall
1976 Student in Sehome Hill Arboretum
1980 Old Main: Main Entrance Looking Toward Bird Sanctuary
2013 Student by Stairs to Nowhere
