If you drive past any Catholic school, you’ll spot the usual suspects: plaid skirts, shiny loafers, and crisp button-ups marching in unison like soldiers. As a former Catholic school kid myself, I can’t look at a pair of Mary Janes without a war flashback. I was convinced that once I hit college, I’d leave those plaid nightmares behind for good. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. As soon as fall arrived, I was hit with a serious case of fashion déjà vu: navy sweater vests, blazers, white polos, and knee-high socks. The very pieces that once tormented me in high school are now everywhere and worn willingly. The only difference? Today, the people strutting across campus look chic, while I remember looking like a crime against fashion. Somehow, all my years of dress-code defiance were just self-sabotage to my inner fashionista.

“The ladies of *Sailor Moon* will continue to be our faves, but we wouldn't even make it into our homeroom in their leg-baring looks! Their pleated minis and thigh-high boots are things that we have in our wardrobes now, but they absolutely would not fly at school.” via Teen Vogue

Readers, you have to wonder, have the nuns and priests been the real fashion moguls all along? Someone better let Anna Wintour know! But seriously, let’s discuss how this fall’s must-haves are built on the same Catholic school staples I swore to never rewear.

Alexander McQueen FW 1995
Image via NY Post

Once confined to strict dress codes, Peter Pan collar tops, plaid patterns, Mary Janes, and tennis skirts have made a triumphant return in the past decade. And honestly? I’m here for it. When adorned, these iconic items prove their timeless appeal. Oversized blazers? A perfect layering piece that adds sophistication and sleekness. Pleated skirts? An Instagram-ready piece that Blair Waldorf would approve of. Knee-high socks? The ultimate statement accessory that catches everyone's eye. What used to feel like a punishment now feels like power dressing.

These pieces, in the past, may have felt stiff and shapeless; however, they have been reimagined as versatile, flattering, and effortlessly dapper essentials. The uniform that once tormented me as a kid has transformed into the ideal fall wardrobe.

So, to all the former Catholic school kids out there: next time you pass someone rocking the look you once despised, don’t panic. Instead, take a moment to appreciate your fashion training. All those years of wool, plaid, and rigid dress codes weren’t just torture; they were lessons in dressing like a fashion mogul.

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