By: Autumn Schieferstein
You know that feeling when you have a closet filled with clothes, but still lack fashion inspiration?
Sometimes I just grab the same outfits over and over again. With the start of a new school year though, I felt like I needed to step up my game and step out of my comfort zone.
This led me to venture into my friends’ wardrobe which ended up teaching me a lot about fashion and peoples’ perception of different styles by the end of the week.
Top: Brandy Melville Shorts: Tilly’s
I started this week by wearing my roommate Nicole’s outfit.
As roommates, we share clothes all the time anyways, but this outfit in particular isn’t something I would have picked out for myself, if I were perusing through her closet.
It actually ended up being one of my favorite outfits that I wore this week. I was very comfortable, especially on a hot day, and I felt good in it.
Nicole is an Arizona native and chose this outfit for me knowing that it would be good for a busy day running around downtown Phoenix. The simple black crop top paired with black bike shorts was the perfect mix of laid back while still being fashion forward!
Romper: Francesca’s
The next outfit was from my other roommate Briana. We both love incorporating florals, patterns and bright colors in our clothes we are both also big fans of rompers and dresses, so we end up borrowing each other’s clothes a lot.
This white and blue romper was light, flowy and I felt confident in it all day. I noticed that I received compliments more by other girls in this outfit, whereas I got complimented by both guys and girls in Nicole’s outfit.
My next outfit was from my amazing friend Brooklyn. Her sense of style is not too different from mine, but this ensemble was especially girly and fun. It took me outside of my comfort zone, but in a different way than before.
I always forget that I feel really great in outfits that are more effeminate until I try them again and wearing Brooklyn’s outfit was a great reminder of that.
Top: Trendy Tops Shorts: Forever 21 Headband: Charming Charlie’s
The white crop top has a pink heart and reads “Too Sassy For You,” which compliments the lace on these denim shorts and the rose gold headband so nicely. It took the simple denim shorts and a white t-shirt pairing to a whole other level. This outfit received similar reactions to Briana’s outfit: compliments mostly from girls.
At this point, I began to wonder if women were possibly more likely to notice outfits that lean towards the feminine side. Or maybe guys just did not feel as knowledgeable in feminine fashion, so they were less likely to comment on it? I was curious to know how the rest of my friends’ outfits would change others’ perception of me as well.
The next outfit was a complete 180 from Brooklyn’s style and it was really interesting to wear these outfits back-to-back.
Shirt: RIPNDIP Shorts: Chubbies Hat: Marshall’s
I am a big fan of bright color combinations and I knew Max had unique pieces in his closet, so I was very excited about this day’s outfit.
The orange shorts coupled with this blue tie-dye shirt and the orange hat was so fun and very atypical. My favorite part about this outfit was the little alien that peeks out of the front pocket. I had to tie the shirt up since it was pretty long on me, but I think that it added to the tomboy look that I was aiming for.
While wearing this outfit, I overheard a couple of people talking about it positively as I walked by, but no one said anything about it to me specifically. This kind of surprised me at first, but maybe people don’t know how to react to masculine styles on girls.
Jake’s outfit was also masculine in nature but was very different than Max’s outfit.
Jake has a great eye for creative styling. I wore a pair of my own shorts and Jake paired it with this blue and green button-up shirt, and I really enjoyed the structured-casual combo. He also added his staple accessories that he wears nearly every day. The watch, bracelet, and necklace helped to make this outfit look very well thought out.
Shirt: Forever 21 Watch: Swatch The glasses, bracelet, & necklace were all second-hand finds
He also gave me oversized glasses that gave off an ‘80s undertone. I loved this styling because it was the perfect example of how generational trends repeat themselves.
I got a lot of compliments on this outfit and people didn’t seem as taken aback by the masculine undertone of the outfit. This may have been because of the shorts I was wearing, or the styling of the button-up seemed less “typically” masculine, I can’t be entirely sure, but I definitely noticed a difference in peoples’ reactions.
Kayleigh’s outfit was also one that I knew I would like, but I never would have picked it out for myself.
Skirt: Plato’s Closet Shirt: Goodwill
The black and white striped top with the black denim skirt was a great way to show the variety of feminine styles there are. Compared to Brooklyn’s or Briana’s outfits its very different in regards to colors and patterns. It reminded me how darker colors can still have a flirty undertone.
I felt very confident in this outfit and received a lot of positive feedback on it. I also realized that I definitely need to get some denim skirts because they are just as versatile and comfortable as shorts.
My last outfit was from my friend Cayce, Briana’s twin sister, and was such a cute casual outfit to end the week with. The red tube top paired with some denim shorts and sandals was great for a day of running errands and doing homework.
Top: TJ Maxx Shorts: Hollister
I was just as comfortable as I would have been in a t-shirt and shorts, but the tube top gave it a little more of a dressed-up feel. I realized while wearing this outfit that I had never worn a tube top before, but I also think that I will be making an investment into a couple of my own.
Starting my sophomore year with this small experiment really helped to push me out of my comfort zone. It also gave me new ideas that I know I will be incorporating into my own wardrobe soon.
I felt that each outfit was a good representation of my friends’ personalities and stepping into their outfits gave me a new appreciation for each of their individual styles.
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