Name: Soraya Go
Year: Junior
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Major: Public Relations, minor in Product Design
HC: How would you describe your personal style?
SG: My personal style is very versatile. My personal style is basically all or nothing. Like, I will commit to being comfortable, and I will wear comfortable clothes and no makeup. It’s not like a half-ass it kind of thing. And there are days where I’m like, “I’m going to look cute today!” and I’ll do my makeup and my hair, and I’ll look nice. When I do try and dress up, I definitely like more classic style.
HC: What are some staple clothing items or accessories you can’t live without?
SG: Dresses. I’m a big dress person. I love dresses, especially with pockets. I’m very picky about pockets – jeans bother me because I hate how shallow the pockets are. I’m also big on rings and toe rings.
HC: Is there anyone who influences your style?
SG: My mom is a big influence, she has very bohemian style, so I get a little bit of color from her. Also my grandma, she’s definitely where I get my hair. My grandma always has natural hair, with classic curls and she always wears red lipstick. I love Emma Watson’s style, and I also love Audrey Hepburn. But I also like Allie from The Notebook.
HC: What are your favorite stores and why?
SG: I really like American Apparel. I don’t shop there that often, I just kind of window shop. I like Aritzia, it’s really cute. They have one in Portland, it’s at the mall. I’m also really big on Goodwill and thrift shopping. I love thrift shopping! I always like to play this game where I like to try and imagine who owned the article of clothing before me.
HC: What’s the best thrift shop find that you’ve had?
SG: Definitely my favorite is this sweater. It had shoulder pads in it when I first got it, so I got rid of the shoulder pads, so old and retro. But it’s super comfy, and I like that it’s not quite a turtleneck, but it has a higher collar, which is something that’s come back in style. And I got this sweater during the beginning of high school, so I feel like keeping it was a good move on my part. It’s my go-to sweater.
HC: Is there any trend you wish would make a comeback?
SG: I loved turtlenecks when I was little, and I loved ponchos. Ponchos are kind of making a comeback, but I wish that they were easier to find.
HC: What’s your go-to outfit?
SG: Well, being in Oregon, my go-to is always sweats, and a sweater, and socks. I love being comfy. If I’m trying to look nicer, or it’s a nice day outside, which it rarely is, I’ll wear a dress.
HC: What is your favorite decade for fashion?
SG: The 1920s and 1940s. I like dresses that are longer. I’m not really big on mini skirts or short dresses; I like dresses that fall between the ankle and the knee. I also love just like that time period, the neckline, the sleeves and everything.
HC: How do you think your style reflects who you are?
SG: Style-wise, college is the time that a lot of people figure themselves out, and style is definitely a way that people express and reflect their inner selves. I hope that my style would reflect that I can be put together and sophisticated, but also laid back. I don’t want people to be intimidated, I want to be approachable. I want to be friendly, I want my style to be fun, and so it kind of reflects that, you know, both sides of me.
HC: Do you have any last pieces of style advice?
SG: Don’t feel like you have to decide on one style – you’re a growing person, even when you’re an adult, you don’t stop growing. Even if you stop growing height-wise, internally, you don’t stop growing, hopefully. Because you’re learning, people come and go in your life, and you take pieces of each person and you use them to better yourself. A lot of the time that will reflect on your image, which is why I think a lot of people come to college and take it as an opportunity to reinvent themselves, because they decide, “Oh, these are the things I like about myself.” Always be open to things that you don’t think you would ever try, just because if you’re a growing person, usually that will reflect on your style. I think the golden rule for style is definitely to dress to what makes you feel beautiful, not to what you think other people will find beautiful.