In the age of social media, it is hard to not be aware of the trends and what’s hot. However, it is also very difficult to not become a carbon copy of those around us. Now more than ever, fashion and personal style is a prominent outlet for self-expression. As teenagers, we inevitably seek a way to express ourselves and our interests. A good outfit can easily give you a boost of confidence just as a slightly more lazy outfit can make you feel lethargic and not too cute. Look good feel good, as they say. This is not to say that everyone is expected to be a complete fashion nut and shop at the best, name brand stores simply to express themselves. Even then, by no means does someone have to splurge on every outfit and have a different pair of Gucci slides for every day of the week. One’s personal style is exactly that. Personal. 

In an effort to see just how much fashion plays a role within the lives of my peers and gain a better understanding of their personal styles, I created a series of questions that would give some insight to this and asked around. 

Zachary S

Tell me where your outfit is from: 

Shirt: Navy Patagonia T-Shirt from Urban Outfitters

Pants: Khaki Skinny Chinos from ASOS

Kicks: Navy Stan Smiths

Socks: Adidas Originals Low Cut Socks

Favorite place to shop? 

Pacsun

Describe your personal style:

Ahaha. Without being too pretentious here I guess you could say I straddle the line between preppier styles and more trendy streetwear fashion. I try to incorporate both into a lot of my outfits. 

Does your style reflect your personality?

When it comes to expressing myself outside of the music I make and listen to, fashion really is one of my favorite ways of expression. Though I don’t think too deeply about why I wear what I wear, I do like to feel comfortable and confident and a good outfit helps achieve that. 

Who is your fashion/style inspiration?

Tyler, the Creator for sure. I think a lot of people are inspired by him whether they know it or not, especially in the fashion world he’s so underrated and overlooked. Honestly just scrolling through instagram is such a source of inspiration for ideas on styles and fits. 

How would you say a good outfit affects your mood?

A good outfit to me is a game changer of how I feel and present myself. Investing and gaining more knowledge about fashion has helped me take a lot of steps in my confidence and I look great in the process. 

Alicia Lopez

Tell me where your outfit is from:

Shirt: Kohls clearance section, ¾ zip up is thrifted.

Jeans: Aeropostale (they were on sale)

Shoes: Knock-off Birkenstocks from Walgreens; $5 

Accessories: scrunchy from Amazon; 50 for $10 value pack.

Favorite place to shop? 

Target. But if I’m feeling real fancy I’ll go to H&M, like if I’ve got money. I also really like Marshalls because it’s cheap and you can get a lot of stuff there. To be honest though, I don’t know I don’t really shop.

Describe your personal style:

I don’t know. What would you describe it as? Maybe like... comfy. 

Does your style reflect your personality?

Yes. I’m not that boujee. I wear what I want and don’t take too much time with it all I guess. 

Who is your fashion/style inspiration?

The more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t really have one. I mean, I don’t have one specific person I look to for fashion inspiration I simply pull bits and pieces from a number of different people. 

How would you say a good outfit affects your mood?

It makes my mood so much better but it’s not just my outfit, like, my makeup plays a big role in that too. For example, I have a whole getting ready routine. If I don’t wear my Taylor Swift perfume I feel terrible. It’s more so the entire routine that really gives me a confidence boost not solely my outfit. 

Jasmine M.

Tell me where your outfit is from:

Shirt: Selena graphic tee from Forever 21. Jean jacket from the thrift store; like $3

Jeans: from Old Navy

Shoes: White Vans from Journeys

Accessories: Yellow scrunchie from Claire’s

Favorite place to shop?

Honestly, the thrift store. It’s so affordable and you find some good stuff. I also buy a lot of clothes from Old Navy… it’s really expensive though. I don’t understand that. 

Describe your personal style:

My personal style?? Free. Hahaha. I’m not the type of person that dresses up a lot. Like I don’t really care what people think of me. I don’t understand why people will be worried about what I wear. I wear what I like. 

Does your style reflect your personality?

Yeah it does. My style is very free and I’m a very free person and free spirited. Like sometimes I don’t think before I say things and it’s the same with my outfits. 

Who is your fashion/style inspiration?

My grandma. Hahahaha, I’m so serious too. She would dress me all the time when I was younger and now I just look up to her, I guess. 

How does a good outfit make you feel?

Confident in who I am for sure. 

After interviewing my peers and getting a better understanding of how fashion plays a role in their lives, I noticed a pattern. Everyone collectively agreed that a well put together outfit gave them a confidence boost. Obviously, this is a no brainer. However, this statement provides a great amount of insight as to how teens rely on outlets like fashion for self-expression. Along with this conclusion comes a question, though. Why do some teens not utilize fashion and personal style as a method to improve self image? As aforementioned, it is by no means necessary to drop a whole paycheck to simply bust a fresh outfit. There are numerous accessible clothing chains from where you can achieve a great outfit on a budget. Options such as thrifting, discount stores such as Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx, etc, or even sale and clearance racks of your favorite stores. 

Your teenage years are arguably some of the most important years in molding you into who you will be in adulthood. It is important to take the time to invest in yourself and your self-confidence. Whether that be through fashion or not is entirely up to you. It is, however, a great place to start.