A gay teenager interested in fashion? *In the voice of Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada* “Groundbreaking.” As much as I love to prove stereotypes wrong, I do love me some fashion and shopping sprees. Growing up in a small town, Horseheads, New York (the town is named for exactly what it sounds like unfortunately), fashion was very limited and not too creative. It was not until stepping onto my university’s campus where I really saw how fashion can differentiate people and be an ornate form of self-expression.
In addition to the small town limiting my exposure to fashion, I was raised in a single-income home which meant that fashion was not a priority at the time. Once I started working and earning my own disposable income, I began the long journey of building my wardrobe. Earning minimum wage presents a dilemma in the eyes of fashionisto/as: do I spend my hard-earned wages on a few expensive name brand items, or do I buy a lot of cheaper items to diversify my closet? I chose the latter, and since then I have become a very frugal fashionisto. For this particular outfit, I paired together a simple short-sleeve button-down from Old Navy with the sleeves rolled up a few times, distressed denim shorts from Hollister that were on sale and a pair of knock-off Yeezy’s (which I bought for style and not for brand association).
For wrist-wear, I put on a few simple bracelets and a minimalistic watch to match the low-profile feel of the ensemble. With the outfit mostly assembled, I wanted to add a few more things to really make the outfit stand out. I decided to add two statement accessories which included my ASOS sunglasses and my dollar store bandana worn around my neck. The unique circular lens shape gave a different vibe than the typical sunglasses usually seen and the red tint of the sunglasses complemented the muted red button-down. The navy bandana, on the other hand, provided a sharp color contrast to the red to give a pop to the overall look and to elevate it beyond the simple outfits typically seen around my college campus. I chose this look because of the way all the colors work together and because it is one of the outfits which encapsulates my summer style by being fun, colorful and effortless. Fashion for me is not about status or having all designer pieces, but rather looking good and being comfortable in what you are wearing.
