For many students, fashion is just another word for clothes and styles. To Sophomore Janessa Larsuel and Junior Patric Young, it’s more than that.
“Fashion is more than choosing what to wear each day, it’s more like a statement of who you are and how you present yourself to others,” Young said. “It allows people to express their individuality because what you wear is a choice YOU make, and not how you follow others.”
His style is more on the casual side and he buys new clothes every two to three months from his favorite stores, such as Abercrombie and Fitch, Zara and Burberry. Young finds most of his outfit inspiration from movies, TV shows and magazines. When he sees others dressed nicely, he makes mental notes of the outfit. He also follows fashion Instagram accounts, and occasionally draws inspiration from mannequins inside Calvin Klein.
“For me, the most rewarding part about fashion is having other people admire your unique tastes,” Larsuel said. “People always disagree about everything, but I find that in fashion, there is always at least one person who relates or praises your choices, no matter how unique.”
Larsuel normally shops by the price tag, and asks her sister for fashion advice. She doesn’t shop often, but when she does, she heads straight to Forever 21.
“When I try a new style that I feel isn’t really me, I feel a bit uncomfortable at first,” Larsuel said. “I feel different if the people I am around do not have the same taste, but life is about risks and usually I end up liking the outfit so it all works out.”
With fedoras, floppy hats or loose float shirts, she is able to put together a spring themed outfit.
“I don’t really stick to a particular style, so I would describe my style as a little bit of everything because I don’t think people should feel confined to one thing,” Larsuel said. “People should be able to feel comfortable in anything they like. They should be able to try out new things, rather than stick to comfortable outfits like everyone else. Dressing differently gives people a chance to stand out and express themselves, and I totally support that.”