The Complete Guide to a Cohesive College Accessory Aesthetic

How do you curate your college accessories so they actually look put-together like an aesthetic? Start with one aesthetic, then build out from there — backpack first, laptop case second, and the extras (think pouches, pencil cases, and a belt bag) last. When you choose each piece with a similar vibe, it all comes together like you planned it that way.

Whether you're headed back to campus yourself or shopping back-to-school accessories for someone who is, this guide will take you through exactly how to build your look.

Step 1: Choose Your Aesthetic First

Before you add anything to your cart, choose your aesthetic to avoid buying a bunch of items you might love, but don’t necessarily go together. Your aesthetic will help guide all your decisions and make it easier to shop. Here are a few ideas and the most popular college aesthetics right now:

• Clean girl / minimalist: neutral tones, simple silhouettes, solids or tonal prints.

• Coquette: soft colors, bows, and feminine details layered onto everyday pieces.

• Y2K revival: bold and bright colors, playful prints, and a nod to early-2000s nostalgia.

• Coastal / preppy: canvas, stripes, checks, polos and a relaxed, off-duty weekend vibe.

• Sporty: technical fabrics, athleisure and comfy sets, built for moving fast between classes.

This isn’t finals week. Don’t overthink it. Go with an aesthetic that matches the styles you reach for most days. Can’t pick just one? No worries, just repeat the same steps for each one.

Step 2: Start With the Backpack

Your backpack is the bag that anchors your whole look, so it’s wise to choose it first. All your other pieces — laptop case, pouches, pencil case — should complement it, not compete with it.

For back to school backpacks, choose a style that provides both fun and function. A lightweight water-resistant material like our Keep It Light® Nylon holds up to campus life (rain, spilled coffee, a dorm floor) while keeping up with your style.

If you’re leaning clean girl or coastal/preppy, you might want to go simple in design and print: monochrome, neutral tonal print or striped backpack. If you’re feeling Y2K aesthetics, check out bold prints and neon colors. Sporty girl? Look for fun pops of color in trims like zippers and streamline silhouettes that match your activewear. Browse our full lineup of backpacks for school to find the silhouette and color that fits your aesthetic.

If you're shopping for a student rather than for yourself, durability and comfort is just as important as aesthetic. A backpack is going to be carried across campus daily, tossed on dorm floors, and rained on — so look for one that can stand up to the grind. Key durability features to look for are: reinforced straps, a wipeable, water-resistant material, and durable material like ripstop nylon.

Not a Backpack Person? Try a Tote

If you don’t need a full size backpack—or just want a different look—a structured tote can function just as well as a backpack with a more polished aesthetic. Look for tote bags for school with zipper closures to keep your laptop and notebooks secure between classes. Coastal/preppy and clean girl aesthetics both style beautifully around a tote instead of a traditional book bag.

Step 3: Coordinate Your Laptop Case

Your laptop case is the next most important piece that gets used—and seen. Laptop cases for schools come in a range of materials and colors, so this is where a lot of the fun begins with your aesthetic.

A few tips:

• Your laptop case doesn’t have to match in the same print, but keep it in the same color family or complementary color range or aesthetic.

• Look for padded, water-resistant cases to protect your tech from daily life (spilled drinks, getting bumped).

• If your backpack is a busy bold print or statement color, choose a simpler laptop case color or print so the two don’t compete for attention.

You want your laptop case and backpack to look like a set—even if they’re not the exact same print.

Step 4: The Extras That Make the Look

This is where your aesthetic really comes together. The extra bags are small, but they are being pulled in and out of your main bag all day long — in class, set on a desk, clipped to a bag.

Fill It With Pouches

Once you have a great pouch system, you never go back. Pouches solve a real problem: college organization. Never dig into the bottom of your backpack again for a phone charger or pen. Our Splash-Proof® pouches come in four sizes — Mini, Small, Mid, and MAX — so you can create your own system that works for you.

Choose prints and colors that tie back to your aesthetic. A coquette look could be a feminine pink and floral pouch. A coastal / preppy look could be a checker print or stripe.

• Mini Pouch — cards, chargers, lip balm, hair ties.

• Small Pouch — makeup, tech accessories, small school supplies.

• Mid Pouch — any larger school gear and personal items.

• MAX Pouch — gym clothes, an extra layer

More Coordinating Extras

A Pencil Case is one of those small pieces that makes a big difference in your backpack. ALOHA Collection’s Keep It Light® Pencil Case is built to be sleek and compact, made to hold your pens, pencils, and everyday extras without taking up any more space than it needs to. Pick a print that plays off your tote or backpack aesthetic to complete your look.

Your notebook will be used on a daily basis and one of the few items that will be replaced each semester. ALOHA Collection’s notebooks come in the same prints as their bags and pouches, which makes it simple to build a set that actually looks intentional from lecture hall to dorm room.

The little things are where a cohesive aesthetic really shines. The Cutie is a compact pouch made for the little things — think lip balm, hair ties, spare change — that otherwise sink to the bottom of your bag. The Tiny Tripper, a mini take on ALOHA Collection’s Day Tripper tote, clips right onto your keys or bag strap and holds just enough (AirPods, a card, a lip gloss) while doubling as a charm that adds one more pop of coordinated print. Mix and match a couple of accessories across your bag, backpack, and pencil case, and the whole setup will appear like it was planned — because it was.

Belt Bags for Your College Campus

A Hip Pack for college campus life is one of the most functional add-ons you’ll love when you need to grab and go or keep your essentials close. It holds your phone, ID, and cash hands-free between classes, at football games, or racing across campus. If you're wondering how to style a belt bag for college, think of it like any other bag. Match it to your outfit and aesthetic because it will often be worn on its own without your main backpack or tote.

Step 5: Our Favorite Aesthetic Combos

Here's where it all comes together — backpack, laptop case, and pouches, styled as a set for five of the aesthetics above. Feel free to use these as inspo, not hard and fast rules. 

Ready to Build Your Look?

Whichever aesthetic you land on, the fastest way to pull it together is to shop it as a set. Check out our back-to-school accessories or browse our full Back-to-School collection for current Back To School Deals — and get every school accessory, from your backpack to your belt bag, working toward one look.