Today’s Campus Cutie is Ebba! Ebba is my flatmate in halls and although Iβve only known her for a few weeks I have already got to know a lot about her. However, thereβs one thing which has caught my attention since the first day I met her: Ebba doesnβt wear trousers. You will always see her wearing either dresses or skirts- and theyβre colourful as well!
For Her Campus, I decided to have an interview with her and ask questions about this choice of style.
HC: Ebba, you stand out from the crowd because you only ever wear bright skirts or dresses. Why do you avoid wearing trousers?
E: I see it as a sense of continuity. When I turned 13, I wanted to express myself by wearing colourful and feminine clothes. I wanted to be a woman and it has become a habit since then. It is a sense of who I am, and it makes me feel comfortable. However, it also feels like dressing up and I am somehow hiding myself. I donβt perceive it as hiding myself in a negative way though – I consider myself as an introvert, and my style helps to keep a certain distance from people when I meet them for the first time. I want to express myself and it is a costume in addition, which is of course a contradiction! At the moment, Iβm wearing this bright red dress as Iβm going dancing tonight with my friends. Iβve chosen this dress because it stands for celebration- Iβm drawn to bright colours because they show that youβre happy.
HC: When did you decide to choose this kind of style?
E: When I was 13 or 14, I changed to a completely new way of thinking. Before, I just wore sweat pants, baggy stuff, but by that age I started to experiment with fashion. I tried to find my way into it. Some of my friends wore stockings etc, and I wanted to find my own thing. Youβre not a child anymore, but back then I also wasnβt a woman. So what I did in the past may have seemed to look older!
HC: Where do you get your inspiration?
E: Iβm inspired when I look at what other people are wearing. I think if you like someoneβs style, you subconsciously dress like them. Television series like Dowton Abbey inspire viewers for more vintage looks. Even the people who are in charge of fashion get inspired by the past, for instance the 60βs and 70βs look has become popular again in the last few years.Β I saw the movie βThe Age of Adalineβ– although I didnβt like the relationship between the two characters, (they didnβt have any problems in their relationship), I kept watching it because I liked the clothes which the main character Adaline (Blake Lively) wore in the movie. Sheβs a beautiful person and she looked stunning in those vintage clothes.
HC: Last question– what advice would you give to young women who want to follow your style?
E: Second-hand shops are fun because you will find so much stuff there and you donβt need a huge budget in order to buy clothes. Personally, I donβt like shopping and I think that fashion isnβt about principals, but wearing what you want. Do whatever is fun and feels comfortable- the rest doesnβt really matter.
Thanks for sharing your amazing tips Ebba – we think you look fabulous! HCXOΒ