They say school that isn’t a fashion show– pft, says who?! School isn’t just about academics; it’s a place where students can discover themselves, and the greatest outlet for that for many students is fashion. Across campus, one can observe a vast array of different styles embodied by the creative minds of countless students. Although swept with various other styles, including casual, streetwear, and vintage, many students report that the most prominent trend in school is preppy. This fashion genre, often confused with the old money style, contains neat pieces of clothing like cable-knit sweaters and patterns like stripes and plaid; it exudes a young yet classic, graceful and elegant energy.
Let’s see what the greatest fashion icons of our school have to say about our hallway runways. Through a recent poll, each grade nominated one to two students who encapsulate the best sense of style, and they are as follows: Julienne Geisler and Eden Park for the ninth graders, Sav DeCourcy Hughes representing the sophomores, Jade Mahadumrongkul standing for the juniors, and Nora Wilcox leading the senior class.
Geisler, who describes her own style as “scattered, fun, and colorful,” opposes the preppy dominance by claiming that the school expresses a “comfy casual” vibe. However, “everyone has a little something different about their outfits that can reflect who they are,” she says.
Geisler beautifully emphasizes how clothing reflects individuality: “Clothes are one of the only things you can make yours, and it is such a good way to express yourself as well as feel good in who you are… It is an art form; it is a way people express their story and show it to others.” Geisler's perspective on clothing as a way to channel individuality echoes the idea that fashion is a powerful form of self-expression; clothing is indeed a canvas on which we paint who we are and tell our own stories. Each choice of fabric, style, and color conveys a message about our personalities, interests, and even culture.
Ninth-grader Eden Park continues Geisler’s mentioning of the comfy style in his description of himself, but with a twist: “I have multiple styles– I like to dress how I’m feeling that day. Usually, I go with comfy outfits, but when I feel like dressing up, I do.” He then brings up a significant trend in our realm of fashion by saying, “Definitely cargos: cargo pants and generally wide-leg pants paired with skinny tops are the current trend at school.”
Park believes anything can be called fashion and that what you wear every day reflects who you are. He adds powerful commentary on why fashion is important in our everyday lives here: “I feel like fashion is one of the most important forms of art that we have because clothes are a daily basis thing. We wear things every day– anything that you put on, even if it’s a sloppy t-shirt, is a style: it’s fashion.”
Sav DeCourcy-Hughes, a sophomore, has a more mainstream approach to her own style. She advocates, "I think I tend to follow the trend. I like to wear sweaters and hoodies.” She then points out a relatively specific trend that she admires, which is jeans and Golden Goose shoes. DeCourcy-Hughes also adds that "there’s a lot of mix, and everyone has their own style."
Junior Jade Mahadumrongkul points out that each grade has contrasting styles: "I see the freshmen wearing really baggy clothes while a lot of juniors go for the preppy aesthetic." She also highlights that personal fashion could be determined by one's culture: "It also really depends on where you’re from– I see a lot of international kids dressing with more of a street style while people from America dress more preppy.” Mahadumrongkul enjoys dressing in "low-waisted pants and vintage clothes," and she likes to "thrift a lot of [her] clothes or buy from smaller brands.” Furthermore, she recommends Pinterest as a terrific place for plentiful inspiration on outfits.
Mahadumrongkul also reminds us how grateful we should be for being able to attend a school like Stevenson: "I really like how we don’t have uniforms here, so people can dress however they’d like– it’s truly an opportunity to express yourself.” Mahadumrongkul's narration underscores the importance of a flexible dress code in schools. Allowing students to dress as they'd like not only promotes a sense of freedom, but also fosters a diverse and inclusive environment where each individual is appreciated for showcasing their unique style.
Furthermore, in a world where conformity is often encouraged, schools like Stevenson that welcome diversity in fashion choices contribute to a more embracing and accepting community, where young students such as ourselves can learn to value and respect one another's originality. Already, one can observe so much vibrant variety whever they step on campus, ranging from chic monochromatic looks, to playful jeans splattered with paint; fashion allows for exceptionally meaningful roots to grow into the rich soil of self-exploration.
Our final fashion icon, senior Nora Wilcox, gives a deep dive into everything about Stevenson fashion. When describing the general style, she claims, "I’m biased because I think my fashion trends are very different from a lot of others at school, but there are varying fashion trends for each person. I feel like everyone has their own thing when it comes to fashion, but I think Brandy Melville is a big company that a lot of people like to buy from, including myself. Uggs are also very popular. Overall, it’s really different depending on who you’re talking to.” She describes her own fashion as fun and colorful, with a strong love for the color brown. Wilcox is a vintage thrifting enthusiast, and her bright spirit definitely shines through her fantastic outfits.
Wilcox echoes that fashion is “a good way to express yourself." She also reveals that clothes are like a mirror held up to your personality, and that fashion is a smooth segway in meaningful relationships: "I definitely think my personality shows through the clothes I wear. Your personality and the things you’re attracted to are reflected in the way you dress yourself. Also, fashion is so fun. I love shopping and chatting while buying clothes. I love thrifting and it’s all a very fun thing. You can also bond over clothes with people and make friends.”
Every day, students and teachers alike look forward to seeing such intricate and personalized outfits scattered all throughout campus. Baggy pants, flowy skirts, flared jeans; graphic shirts, fuzzy knits, crewnecks; chunky necklaces, dainty rings, colorful bracelets- anything can be curated into an outfit that's perfect for you. The most important thing to remember about fashion is to find your own style and radiate your own, unique energy.