By: Sophia Marcinek ’20

In a sea of red and white polos, a drowning monotony of dreary repetition, some people stand out. Even in the midst of conversations of possible impending dress code changes, still a few students carry their uniqueness on their sleeves, or sweaters, or gently-loved Converse.

Some students use this dress code and their unique love for fashion to stand out amongst the crowd. Carly Behrendt, Emma Barry, Chris Faber, and Isaiah Henry stand out in the crowd.

Taking inspiration from fashion icons and social media influencers, and also from well renowned designers such as Helena Young Meyer and Chuck Taylor, they are able to find a way to incorporate their love for clothes and make it accessible for school.

Isaiah Henry feels that, “Everybody is so unique and I think that someone’s fashion directly correlates to that. You can show someone who you are and what you want them to think about you just by the color of your shirt or if your belt and shoes match.”

Whether Isaiah is in the pac, at the coffee shop, or if he is out thrifting, he is almost always dressed to impress. He uses fashion to give people an insight about who he is. Putting the time in every morning is routine for him, and comes as a daily reminder to be himself.

            Carly Behrendt has what seems to be an endless supply of thrifted sweaters. All colors and styles and something to go with everything. For her fashion, is a huge part of her everyday life. She is an artist and not only with paper and a pen. Each morning Carly uses that artistic ability to find an outfit that is not only stylish but also within the school dress code.

Carly expresses her uniqueness through her fashion and understands the importance of this uniqueness in today’s world, “each and every person has beautiful, unique, qualities that they add to our society and without those unique qualities we would lose the beauty in society.”  

             Emma Barry kicks it old school when getting dressed in the morning for school. Inspired by music artists like Silver, and brands like UNIF, Emma uses the dress code to not only express herself but to “explore her personal sense of individuality. Emma realizes that each person is so different and this individuality is expressed through unique fashion. Through the years Emma has been able to learn to not let others judge her.

When asked about it Emma said, “it’s important not to just follow the trends, people shouldn’t be worried about what other people think because in reality, people are going to judge you how they want to and that’s out of your control. Giving them to the power to limit your self expression is pointless.”

Interacting with Emma it is easy to tell that by her 90s indie aesthetic style that this expression through fashion is a huge part of who she is.

               Chris Faber may not be know on campus as the most fashionable person on campus but when getting to know him you see what a profound effect that fashion has had on his life and that his culture has had on his fashion. Growing up in a hispanic household he drew inspiration from many aspects of mexican american fashion. Using accessories and different shoe choices Chris connects with where he grew up every morning while getting dressed.

“It’s so important to embrace where you came from and to be proud of you culture you are you and embrace it and use what you where to express that,”

While Chris may not spend all that much time in the morning choosing what he is going to wears, he does know that what he walks out of the house in is strictly Chris and is a part of who he is.

Each of these students uses fashion to express themselves and these students in a sea of polos, stand out amongst the crowd.