"No mercy, no prisoners -- no quarter!" That phrase, a rallying call to your dastardly crew undoubtedly shooting fear through the veins of your enemies, is shouted in the final moments of battle to let your opponent know that you're not interested in taking prisoners. Instead, you're going to stake your rightful claim as victor. Though you might not find pillaging, looting and swashbuckling pirates on the campus of East Carolina University (unless it's the weekend), you will find a sense of relentless pride from the moment you enter Pirate Nation.
ECU is located in the city of Greenville, North Carolina, and if there is any speculation on how to find it, just look for the purple and gold. Home to southern charm, sweet tea and B's Barbecue, this college town has quite a lot to offer. However, if you're looking for a getaway, our state's capital, the beach and some breathtaking mountain ranges are all within a day's drive. Even though road trips are fairly popular, it's just as easy to spend a lazy, sunny day kicking back on the Tar River.
While those days could be spent wearing one of West End dining hall's finest pajama combinations, ECU always knows how to dress to impress. Whether they're rocking their pirate pride in all shades of purple and gold or through the latest fashion trends, the relentless attitude of showing "no quarter" is ever present when it comes to on campus style.
The great thing about our campus fashion is how much it varies depending on the student! You can find our Fashionistos wearing anything from graphic T-shirts to bow ties, and our Fashionistas in preppy styles down to '90s grunge. Our wide selection of academic interests inspire different trends across campus, but this Fashionista's look is the perfect example of one thing we're pretty well-known for -- our sweet Carolina girls.
As much as The Beach Boys and Katy Perry might think that California girls have it going on, at ECU, we live by the words of General Johnson and the Chairman of the Board, "Carolina girls, best in the world!" The typical Carolina girl's fashion revolves around southern simplicity. Eyelet detailing and cocktail length dresses are quite common on campus, and partnered with an ankle bootie to complete the look.
While normally a pair of cowgirl boots would be a campus-wide go-to for such an outfit, this Fashionista's use of fringe ankle booties puts a charming twist on this classic ensemble. Immediately this look jumps from southern belle to boho-chic babe. Her floppy hat, layered bangles and round frame sunnies, were the perfect accessories to transform the style into her own. The use of a simple white dress as the outfit's base was the perfect choice for a Fashionista looking to experiment with personal flare!
As I mentioned earlier, academic interest plays a major role when it comes to campus fashion. For this Fashionista, her passion for art, design and textiles work comes into play. A history in fabric construction was the final touch this outfit needed, as this Fashionista crafted the faux fur snood you see around her neck by hand. Creativity and a killer sense of style partner up to show off this Fashionista's true talent when it comes to art and textile design, as well as, show what being a fashion-forward pirate is all about -- originality.
The "no quarter" flag has been raised, and the bar for fashion has been set high on this campus. A well-dressed student body with endless dedication for the school they attend is an intimidating match for any opponent, but these pirates aren't always looking for battle. They're looking to map their course, and set sail towards the ultimate treasure -- a degree. For now, the words of the great Captain Jack Sparrow say it best, "Life's pretty good, and why wouldn't it be? I'm a pirate, after all."
Meghan Trimble is a senior pirate at East Carolina University working towards a major in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Art and Design. This summer will be her third semester interning with CollegeFashionista as a Style Guru, and second as a member of their Editorial Team. Interning in the CollegeFashionista Chicago offices for the summer, she plans to explore every inch of the city until forced to return home in the fall where graduation and her cat Norman anxiously await her arrival.