There are many ways to express yourself. Fashion just happens to be one of them, though, is it easy to pick an outfit every day? For something that you use everyday, picking different pieces of clothing could be difficult for some, but could feel natural to others.

Outfits have multiple aspects, such as color matching, choosing accessories or even just deciding the type of shirt to wear. All of these things are different for everybody. 

With dress codes, the ability to express yourself at school may be limited. On campus, the dress code states that the policies made were to help maximize education and in return, clothing should not block students from being able to learn. When in violation of dress code, this can result from a note from the office to change or detention. Because of this, students may be limited to the ways in which they can represent themselves the way they would like. 

“[When] it’s outside of school, I am a little bit more scandalous and I like to wear crazier stuff,” Brooke McKean said. 

The topic of thrifting has gained popularity in what now could be described as a typical activity for hanging out. Buying clothes from brand stores could be quite expensive and environmentally unfriendly, so many teens have diverted their attention to thrifting. Goodwill, the Cave and Plato’s Closet are all viable and popular thrift stores to shop at in the area. The difference between brand stores and thrift stores is that brand stores sell clothes made for that store specifically. Thrift stores allow communities to donate old clothing to be sold to other people.Thrifting is an inexpensive way to find clothes and is perfect for those who enjoy shopping without the hundred-dollar price tag. 

When dressing up for the day, there are multiple factors that play into how people choose their outfits, such as the temperature for the day or what classes a person has. 

“When I’m looking at an outfit, I’m looking at the weather first of all, what’s warm and what’s cold, and then usually I’m choosing a top to correspond to my shoes,” Racquel Lagasca said. “Depending on the day, I’ll choose a day that’s easier to unlace for my P.E. class. So let’s say I’m picking white shoes, I’d look for a white top and then I’d look for pants that compliment my top.”

Some prioritize comfort over fashion, or functionality over comfort rather than caring about the weather. 

“How functional it is [is what I look for],” Building Industry Technology Academy (BITA) teacher Mr. Brett Hunter said. “So when I show up to work in the building environment, I will usually choose work boots, work pants and a shirt that can get dirty and is very durable. If I’m coaching my kids’ teams, I’m gonna wear something there…I’m going to choose something that is functional for the activity that I’m going to be selected to do.” 

Teachers share trends back in their high school days, and how they had participated in it themselves. 

“When I was a teen, everyone was wearing those flair yoga pants,” language arts teacher Kathleen Phillips said. “In high school, the ‘cool outfit’ was yoga pants, UGG boots and a leather jacket. There were a lot of PINK and animal prints, like cheetah and zebra prints. It’s kind of hilarious.”

According to the Current Boutique website, “most core trends repeat every 20 to 30 years” which is a concept known as the 20-year Rule. 

“I feel like the ultra skinny jeans were also really popular, and I feel like those are slowly coming back, which is terrifying. But it’s also fun to see trends come back and repeat themselves,” Phillips said.  

The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) Club, is a derivative of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) college located in Los Angeles. The FIDM Club, also known as fashion club, specializes in the importances of fashion history and the up-to-trend designs. Through clubs like FIDM, people can find different ways to not only feel confident in their clothing but also how to be conscious in their choices when it comes to shopping.

“I love dressing up for school,” FIDM Club President McKean said. “I like it because it’s fun and it’s cool to see people’s reactions, and I like to come across put together because I’m not put together in real life, but I like to pretend I am.”

by CHRISTOPHER PHAM & TRINITY KIM