By Maddie Soldaat
Everyone has their style special to them. People today often follow trends, but every so often you find someone unique in their own special way.
Junior Elle Groves says, “What I have is everything.” She feels if you have a specific style It can restrict you to only one aesthetic.
Elle prefers venturing off and creating her own style, including everything that surrounds her and what she loves.
She started experimenting with clothes and style when she learned to sew.
She realized that with this skill she could make anything, creating a style completely unique for herself.
Although she does get involved in some of the popular trends now and then, it’s not the way that most people see them online.
She believes a lot of the micro trends lead to overconsumption, meaning most of the accessories or clothes that fit into a trending category are often wasted, which is damaging to the environment.
This is why she only buys trendy things she knows won’t go to waste. “I would rather have timeless pieces I will wear every year,” Elle says.
Elle’s mom has always been her biggest inspiration. She says that her mom has always wanted to live the way she wanted, not the way others wanted her to.
She says this has reflected on her and she uses the same motive every day.
Elle also has subscriptions to magazines like Vogue which allows her to see new fashion uprisings every month.
Social media is another big influence. When she finds something she likes she tries to adopt it in her own way.
Recently, she has been into the 2000s style. She’s been wearing denim skirts, low-rise jeans, leg warmers and more.
She also is interested in the ‘70s style. She says the clothes’ quality is very well made and items such as bell sleeves and flared jeans catch her attention.
“[The decade was] very colorful and expressive,” Elle says.
She always has to include accessories in her outfits. Without them, she says it wouldn’t feel like an outfit.
She wears 12 rings and 12 earrings every day and always wears a couple of necklaces.
She says when shopping for new clothes she tends to only shop second-hand due to ethical consumption. This is buying used goods that are ethically made, sourced and distributed.
Most of the stores she shops at are thrift stores. She says that most of the clothing she buys there is for her own projects.
“It’s cheap and I can customize them for how I want it to look,” Elle says.
She says when wearing her outfits she gets many compliments depending on what she wears that day.
“I love when people compliment me on my style,” Elle says. “I feel heard.”
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Freshman Gibson Henry has been dressing the streetwear style since seventh grade. He says most of his friends dressed the same but he had a different style in mind.
The streetwear style is a blend of sportswear, skate culture and music influence. Key features in the style consist of comfortable baggy clothing, graphic tees and sneakers.
“I just wear what I like,” Gibson says.
He says he wears items he feels the most comfortable and confident in.
Gibson says his main source of inspiration for his style is social media. TikTok and Instagram are where he finds the most content for streetwear.
He says his friends always encourage his style, which helps fuel his determination to continue growing his wardrobe.
When it comes to picking out an outfit he says he always has to include a jacket, which brings together his outfits.
“I just pick and choose from different places,” Gibson says.
When it comes to shopping the places range wide.
He says many people like his style and he hasn’t gotten any rude comments. All have been compliments.
One style he finds interesting is Japanese street fashion or J-Fashion. This style is a mixture of both local and foreign fashion brands.
It includes bold and neutral colors, layering and individual expression.
He loves his style and hopes to continue finding more things to include.
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Junior Nautica Sterling considers her style to be a mixture of cottage core and gothic style.
“It’s like my own little thing,” Nautica says.
This style is special to her because it combines the two styles she admires.
Cottage core is idealizing rural life. It is based on a pioneer aesthetic, simple life, with soft colors and floral accents.
When you mix both gothic and cottage core together you get a dark yet simple look.
She says she first discovered both of the styles in fifth grade. She loved the look and wanted to adapt the style for herself.
“I didn’t know where to start,” Nautica says.
But in sixth grade she began to grow her collection. Six years later she has counted 210 shirts.
She says she always wanted to stick out because she didn’t like how everyone was like a copy and paste.
People recognize her because of her style and she wants to keep it that way.
“My style is all over the place, along with my music,” Nautica says.
Music is another big factor in her style. She says her music taste inspires her style whether that is metal or musicians like Billie Eilish.
Nautica says Joan Jett, the lead singer in the band Black Hearts popular in the 1980s, influences her style greatly.
She says over time she has even found merchandise similar to clothing Joan Jett has worn.
She says she also loves the hippie style but could never wear it herself, as well as the whimsical angel style which is gothic style just opposite colors. It has a very flowy and earthy look to it.
She says many people love her style and she gets at least one compliment a day. She has also gotten some backlash but doesn’t let it bring her down.
“You’re trying to make me feel bad, but it actually makes me feel great about myself,” Nautica says. “So what if I look weird.”
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Freshman Lyla Stanley says her style is hippie but in a more colorful fashion. In the summer her style shines the brightest.
She says her style journey unfortunately started in sixth grade.
She had a bright alternative style and looking back regrets it. But she started with a bright style and has continued that pattern.
When it comes to current fashion trends she says it just isn’t for her.
“I wanna be me. This is just who I am,” Lyla says.
She says she prefers to stick out rather than go with the crowd because it gives you more purpose.
“I think it’s fun to be unique instead of just like everyone else,” Lyla says.
One thing Lyla can’t live without is her jewelry. She says her outfits would be incomplete.
She has rings and necklaces, but also handmade embroidery string bracelets that she makes herself.
Color on the other hand is who she is. She says people have even called her a walking highlighter because of how bright she shines.
She says she mainly shops at places like BillaBong, small business platforms, and Natural Life.
She says she loves supporting people trying to grow a big business and finding creative designs of clothing you wouldn’t find in most common stores.
Most of this inspiration comes from social media. Luca Bond is Lyla’s favorite creator on social media.
Luca has a beachy and hippie style, also. Lyla says seeing someone with the style is neat because you get to see how they interpret it in their own way.
She says people seem to love her style and she gets many compliments on it, but not everyone agrees.
“That’s kind of my goal,” Lyla says. She doesn’t care what others think as long as she is happy and comfortable.
Although she loves her style there are others she does admire. Styles such as Neutral Hippie, Earthy, and Twee style are some that she loves but wouldn’t wear herself.
Twee style is one people don’t hear often but might recognize. It consists of bright colors, tights, mini skirts, cardigans, loafers and much more. It has excessive accessories and lots of layering.
She says that everything she wears is who she is. She hopes others express themselves as well.
“Be yourself. Don’t dress, act, or be who you are based on what other people want you to be,” Lyla says.
