Even though summer vacation has long ended, summer temperatures have not. Columbia has been experiencing heat that reaches higher than 100 degrees, causing students to continue to indulge in summer fashions.

Tiger Spirit, a shop downtown, has been taking advantage of these outrageous temperatures by selling ladies’ comfy, loose tank tops in a variety of colors. Just taking a stroll around the quad, you can’t miss the bright green, yellow, pink and coral tank tops that almost every girl sports with a pair of Nike shorts.

Although this specific design has been the most popular here at MU, these comfy tanks have been a popular summer trend in general. Not only are these tops good for spending days outside in the summer heat, they work for anyone. Guys have replaced their baggy T-shirts and jeans with this more stylish grungy alternative.

So, what makes these tanks so appealing? Why do I see a sizeable number of people sporting this laid-back look everyday, regardless of whether I am on campus or not?

In the world of gossip, “word of mouth” is a medium that ensures news travels faster than you could imagine. It works the same way with fashion trends, except visually. When girls see something they like, they ensure it becomes part of their wardrobe as soon as possible.

For freshman Kirsty Klauke, proud owner of a neon pink tank, she picked up on this trend just as she would any other.

“I thought they were cute,” Klauke says. “I saw other girls wearing them and wanted to go buy one too.”

They’re also incredibly versatile. They can just as easily be worn with a cute pair of jeans and some Sperrys as they can be thrown on while in a rush to your 8 a.m. class.

Freshman Andrea Pabon was already a fan of this style and simply decided to continue on with this trend in college.

“I had one similar to that in high school, and I wore it all the time, so I thought it was time to upgrade,” Pabon says.

In college, even the biggest fashionista cannot pass up finding cuteness in convenience. These tops appeal to those who roll out of bed and trudge to class just as much as they do to those who wake up early and decide to look halfway decent.

Anyone can take the short walk to Tiger Spirit and hitch on to this bandwagon. At least while the summer temperatures are still in session, these tanks are sure to grow in popularity and become even more present on the MU campus.