Fashionable Students on Campus
By Angel Sohu
Fashion is such an important part of so many people's lives. On the surface, the way that people express themselves through clothes can seem shallow and a bit insignificant. But what many people don’t understand is that fashion is much bigger than having the latest labels and keeping up with the trends. Fashion is a creative outlet to express yourself. It’s a way to show the world you’re here and you’re you. As a girl who loves fashion, style, and sees fashion as an art form, I was interested in talking to some students in the Ithaca, New York area about fashion. So I did just that! I talked to four different individuals: Marquan Jones, Yahaira Tarr, Jaysha Patel, and Chanel Courant. I asked them each 3 questions:
1. What does fashion mean to you?
2. Who/what is your fashion inspiration?
3. What advice would you give to a young person who wants to express themselves through fashion but may be a little worried or scared to?
Here’s what they said:
CHANEL:
To me, fashion is a way of expressing my feelings and personality outwardly and making my physical self into art. I love being able to put on an amazing outfit and transform myself into whatever character I want to be in that moment, whether that’s a posh French schoolgirl or a goth 90’s witch! Fashion means so much to me because it has changed my self-perception for the better. Gaining the confidence to present myself however I want to through my style has been invaluable to my personal growth.
I take inspiration from such a wide range of fashion icons, from Rihanna to Fran Drescher circa “The Nanny,” I’m always taking notes from others! It can be as simple as walking around on campus and seeing a girl in a stunning pair of bell bottoms or vintage runway pictures on Instagram, I am constantly getting inspired! I also take a lot of inspo from movies, TV and music. I recently rewatched “The Shining,” so lately I’ve been OBSESSED with Shelley Duvall’s outfits. For me, fashion is more about inhabiting a certain mood or mindset, and then figuring out what pieces help to curate that feeling for myself and hopefully everyone who sees me strutting to my 9am class!
The truth is that dressing how you want can be scary but that’s okay! I definitely got made fun of in high school for showing up in a cheetah print fur coat and blue eyeshadow and for a while it was really hard. I would feel so confident in front of the mirror and then suddenly want to disappear walking through the halls at school. But I soon realized that at the end of the day what actually matters is what I think of myself and my clothes, not other people. Nothing feels better than having the confidence to walk around in a totally- next-level-doing-the-MOST look on a gloomy boring Tuesday. And that feeling doesn’t just come right away, it’s a lot of faking it until you make it! It breaks my heart when people say that they could never pull off something I have worn because there’s no such thing as that! We create certain internal restraints for ourselves and what we “can wear” when the truth is you can wear whatever you damn well please! I get really upset when I see articles telling girls what they can’t wear based on their body types and what is “flattering” because that’s a completely subjective term. I am a firm believer that if something is cute, it will look cute on ANYONE! Don’t listen to people telling you what’s “on trend” and what’s “what to wear” for this season, wear whatever will make you feel like you are the star of your own early 2000’s pop music video or whatever else your ultimate definition of glamour manifests is. Also, COMPLIMENT OTHERS! If you see someone serving a revolutionary look, TELL THEM. Giving other people confidence in their fashion can in turn help you with yours, and if we all complimented every outfit we appreciated without hesitation, maybe we could all get closer to being our best fashion selves.
YAHAIRA:
Fashion is the combination of a lot of my favorite skills. Photography, modeling, styling, and creative direction. That entire family has created some of the most noteworthy visual arts that transcend time. Fashion means authentic self expression. I love the editorial aspects of the industry.
I find a lot of fashion inspiration in insects. It’s weird but the vibrant color combinations found in a lot of bugs-- and sometimes reptiles--intrigues me. It inspires my mind because I’m really into playing with color block, pattern, and volume.
Whenever I’m scared that an outfit is too much I flip the script and assume that everyone else is doing too little. Don’t worry about how others will perceive the look, if you walk with confidence you’ll give off confidence. The main thing you need to do is to make sure you’re 100% comfortable before you leave the house so that there are no insecurities given off by you. Being yourself is the only thing that sets you apart and you must feel good to look good.
MARQUAN:
Fashion, to me, is liberation. I think that it has given me the liberty to express myself. Sometimes, I don't have the words to describe how I feel but I can express the way I feel or--kind of like my state of mind--through my clothes. Also, it symbolizes freedom, in a sense, where I can pretty much compile an outfit with articles of clothing from across generations.
I really find inspiration from other people. My sense of fashion has changed as I have broaden my scope of human interaction. I come from a place where everyone looks like me, it's a low-income community so there's definitely a set sense of style and fashion in my community. Kind of understanding what fashion means to other people and then putting my own personal twist on it is what I do. Some specific people I take inspiration from include Pharrell, Jaden Smith, and Omari Hardwick. I really like the way Omari dresses. I also look at Instagram a lot and see what a lot of people are into and use that as inspiration. Another major key is that I'm definitely inspired by different generations of fashion. Simply put, I get inspiration from being on a college campus and interacting with people from all around the world. I feel like I take a lot of inspiration from people from prior generations.
My advice would be to be patient, there's nothing wrong with window shopping. I know a lot of people look down on that, but it's totally okay to get inspiration from that, and from YouTube or Instagram. I think as a younger person, if you don't have an income-- like growing up specifically in my predicament, a low-income situation-- it's hard to have an autonomy in what you wear. I would definitely recommend thrifting and trying clothes from your family. Definitely invest in clothes that are premium. Clothes that are made well will last longer, and it'll be worth it, it's kind of like an investment. Also, just be a conscious consumer. It's easy to just shop at H&M because it's affordable, but they contribute to a lot to things like mistreating their workers and such. You have to understand how to mix and match the items that you already have; you don't always have to buy new clothes. Sometimes you have everything you need, you just need to be able to color block and switch things up. You can't build a house with a rocky foundation--same thing with your wardrobe. Having like 3 pairs of jeans, some sweaters, and a couple of hoodies that are really good. It's all about just finding your sense of identity. Don't be afraid to explore. I just recently went to a thrift store, and I was in the women's section and there was this really oversized Kimono I tried out and I really liked it. The only reason I didn't get it was because it was a lot of money, but I definitely could of rocked it if I had the means to! Be comfortable in your own skin and project confidence.
JAYSHA:
Fashion is a way I express myself. I’ve always been interested in stepping out of the norm and trying things that not everyone is wearing or buying. The way I dress represents the mood I’m in each day! Fashion allows you to be a different person sometimes because it makes you feel different depending on what you’re wearing.
I actually don’t have a fashion inspiration. My style is kind of all over the place, and I like it that way. One day I’ll get up and decide to wear an athleisure look, the next day I’ll want to dress more girly, and another day, I’ll incorporate parts of my own indian culture into an outfit and modernize it.
My biggest advice is not to care! Everyone is always going to have an opinion about you. Wear what makes you confident because at the end of the day, what makes you unique will make you stand out. You don’t always have to follow trends, start them!