It’s a Friday night and junior psychology major Francesca Pascual is applying an even line of electric blue eye shadow to her upper lid, gearing up for a night out in College Park.
“Make-up is the big one (thing) I do to get ready,” Pascual said.
This ritual helps Pascual get excited for the night ahead, but for her, it’s also an opportunity to express her personal style.
“If you go to a bar or a party, there are a lot of people doing the same thing,” she said. “It helps me feel like I am expressing my individuality in a large social setting.”
Francesca Pascual
First impressions may not be everything, but the way we present ourselves can be a reflection of who we are. College can be a time when people go through a period of self-discovery and become comfortable in their own skin. This can come across in your actions, attitude, and even the way you dress.
“Style in general is how you express yourself through your clothing [and] your accessories,” said freshman business major Holly Smith.
She prefers to keep it simple. As Smith sat by the mall in a sundress and Jack Rogers sandals, she said she prefers neutral basics and clean cut pieces from places like J.Crew, Madewell, and if she feels like stepping outside her comfort zone, Anthropologie.
“I think I am pretty set in my style,” Smith said. “I have been for a while, but it is interesting to see all the different styles you see around campus. There is a lot more of a trendier urban vibe (around here) than I like to wear myself.”
For senior geographic information science major Arielle Wharton, it is all about her mood, which gives her some extremes.
“One day I like joggers and just kicks, but sometimes I like to be very feminine, so I will wear a lot of A-line skirts and button ups or when it’s night I kind of go for more sexy vibes,” Wharton said.
Arielle Wharton
She noticed her style changing toward the end of high school. She claims that, after going through the inevitable ugly phase, she started paying more attention and actually caring about what she decided to wear. Now, Wharton recognizes that being comfortable is the most important thing.
“If you are not comfortable in the style you are aiming for it makes no sense to even bother trying to go after that,” Wharton said.
Nykolaus Pinnock, a senior communications major, shares similar feelings to Wharton. Although it wasn’t until high school that he realized his style could go beyond cargo shorts and graphic tees, he feels that finding something that works for you is all that matters.
“Finding what fits you and the more confident you feel the more people will recognize you for that,” he said.
Nykolaus Pinnock
As a graduate student studying women’s studies, Courtney Cook’s style is still evolving. She describes her personal style as a cross between Kerry Washington and Rihanna.
“It has gotten less reserved but I’ve always been pretty reserved in my style,” Cook said. “I’ve just now created a casual style I can be comfortable with. That just happened in the last few years … when I went back to grad school.”
Courtney Cook
Even after growing up with a mother who worked in fashion, Cook still thinks style is more than just the clothes.
“I would define style as the way you present yourself, the way you move the way you carry yourself,” she said. “It’s not exactly about what you wear, it’s about the way you carry yourself.”