What I Wore to My College Reunion

They don’t call Dayton, Ohio, the Gem City for nothin’. 💎 I had a great time in June at my alma mater the University of Dayton (UD), but also revisiting the city! You might have seen on the news the destruction that multiple tornadoes caused to the area a few weeks ago. When I heard about it I was devastated for the city, which has been through so much already. In fact, when I went to school there it was named a “dying city.” While it has undergone so many changes, it’s hard to ignore Dayton’s rich history and the many GEMS it holds today … when’s the last time you’ve seen a drive-in? I feel grateful I got to spend four years at an amazing university in a charming city, and to have the opportunity to revisit every five years for the tradition of class reunions. (BTW – links to what to wear to a college reunion are at the end of this post.)

UD doesn’t do the typical homecoming, I think reunions replace that. I’ve actually been going to UD’s reunions since I was a kid. My parents, uncles and even grandpa and great-uncle attended the university, so it’s always been near and dear to me. As a kid, I was introduced to the (at the time) hole in the wall deli Milano’s and its mouth-watering subs, to dorm life (that’s an option for reunion weekend housing) and the student neighborhood The Ghetto. I have fun memories of reunions nights babysitting my cousins and learning dances to High School Musical in the dorms while my parents and relatives hit up house parties and relived their college days together.

In 2014, it was my turn to experience a reunion myself. I remember stressing over what to wear to a college reunion. There are parties Friday and Saturday nights, and during the day you’re likely strolling around campus or at a bar. UD is a medium sized college and small enough that I knew I was going to run into my ex, ex-crushes and all of the girls whose styles I lusted over during college. Forever 21 dresses didn’t quite feel appropriate anymore. My friends and I opted for sundresses to stay comfortable in hot and humid Dayton.

This year, having already attended Reunion once and having a Rent the Runway Unlimited subscription, I was confident in finding options I loved. The funny thing is that I accidentally developed a color scheme for the weekend – blue and white with accents of red (actually, similar to our school colors). My favorite piece of the weekend was a Tanya Taylor jumpsuit because it was comfortable yet flattering. So glad this is in style for my 10 year reunion!

In the end, wearing something that I felt was flattering and comfortable enough to last past my normal 11 p.m. bedtime was perfect. I’m even glad I picked up a new pair of block-heel sandals from Banana Republic Factory a few days before the reunion because not only did they coordinate with each day’s outfit, they were comfortable enough to get on the dance floor at Timothy’s Bar & Grill, my favorite old dive bar. Despite the bar adding a trendy second floor lounge, the downstairs was still as crowded, humid and slippery from spilled drinks as ever. Even when so much has changed on campus and in life, going back for a reunion with friends felt like nothing had changed at all.