Fashion, as most people know, is unique in its own way to everyone. Regardless of your age group, nothing should stop you from loving your own style. Lately, adolescents have been dressing in ways to express their distinctive moods and styles. Imagine walking through the mall and noticing someone dressed in a niche style that captivates you and mesmerizes you, thinking, “Man, I wish I had a style like that!”
Juliette Lunger, the Academy for the Performing Arts (APA) Costume Design Chair says, “Fashion can be a form of self-expression because what we choose to wear can describe how we feel by choosing the colors, silhouettes, lines, and textures we put on ourselves.”
Over the last few decades, fashion trends in teens have changed year by year. Whether at school or at the mall, streetwear is a popular style for teens in their daily lives. For those unfamiliar with streetwear, this is a style of casual clothing that consists of hoodies, sweatpants, tees, and sneakers. Not only that, but you might even see them in denim bottoms, oversized sweatshirts, or tank tops depending on the time of year.
Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) Freshman Miku Rogaski says, “Fashion can speak for itself, sometimes an outfit will signify a certain team or place that people really like.”
Sienna Schoales, a Junior at HBHS says, “Outifts can showcase how we feel on the inside and communicate our interests to the outside world. But they can also give us the confidence we need throughout the day.”
With that being said, here are some strategies to how you can enhance yourself through your choices of clothing:
Think of Colors
Colors can go above and beyond with their meanings in fashion. The article written by Aware-ae says, “Color is integral to the identity we desire to convey through our choice of clothing.” Say that you decide to wear yellow on a day when you wake up in a positive mood. Wearing this cheerful color can guarantee that you will get through the day without anything getting in your way. Choosing different colors to wear can help enhance how others feel mentally and put liveliness to life.
Understandably, some people may get anxious when going out in public with certain fashion choices, mainly fearing judgment. However, the best way to overcome that fear is to express yourself with styles you feel comfortable wearing, but also try new styles that are outside of your comfort zone. This can help one to avoid getting into the same fashion patterns over and over again and feel comfortable trying new things.
Add Accessories
Accessories are a great way to touch up your style as well. From jewelry and bracelets to hair clips and sunglasses, accessories can all enhance your style. Even if it is just wearing a pair of earrings or one bracelet on your wrist, accessories will add to your look.
“Fashion is such an interesting medium because I do believe that people can embody what they wear,” Schoales says.
Adolescents can symbolize how they want to be treated and what environment they feel most comfortable in with the styles they choose, so have fun with your own!
