To fit in or not fit in, that is the question.
Every single morning, either intentionally or unintentionally, we choose whether we want to fit in that day or not. We gravitate towards specific pieces of clothing, patterns, colors, shapes, textures, and more, because of what society has deemed as “in” for that moment in time. Or at least, that was my hypothesis at the start of this experiment. I spent the past week interviewing Aggies to find out why people wear what they wear, digging deeper into the extent that money, comfort, and pressure to stay on trend plays a role in this daily decision.
1. Money
It’s no secret that money influences what people wear. However, during each interview, I was pleasantly surprised to hear how money was not the main determinant of what students wear. This is largely due to thrifting culture. In a world where overconsumption is becoming the norm, thrift stores have been embraced when it comes to shopping for almost anything. Many of the students I interviewed were avid thrifters, boasting about how each article of clothing is unique and of course, cheap. What I was interested in was how these students used thrifting to stay on trend. While some might miss out on buying a popular designer purse due to its price (i.e. Marc Jacobs’ The Tote Bag), they can go thrifting to find perfectly baggy jeans, y2k tank tops, 90s grunge inspired graphic tees, and whatever other trends that are making a comeback. Thrift stores have always made shopping accessible, however, it wasn’t necessarily acceptable until a couple decades ago.
2. Comfort
Everybody loves to be comfortable and, unsurprisingly, no article of clothing is as comfortable as a pair of sweatpants. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I hate the movement that prioritizes comfort over style. I am not saying everyone should walk around dressed to the nines but I cannot justify wearing pajama pants out when jeans are not uncomfortable and would look a lot better. Of course, this topic came up a lot in my conversations this past week, as it’s a major consideration for most students when choosing what to wear that day. Many students felt very strongly about the importance of comfort. They needed a low effort outfit because they felt stressed, tired, and would not bear to sit for a two hour midterm in uncomfortable clothes. All of this is incredibly valid, and while I can’t relate (I feel more prepared for the day when I am dressed well), I do understand needing more comfort in tiring times. I was, however, pleasantly surprised that about half of the students I interviewed, had “lazy” outfits that were not sweatpants or leggings! One woman I spoke with, who sported denim on denim, said that was actually her “I’m stressed, I’m tired, and I need to be comfortable” outfit. I found this to be such a great idea; having a prepared outfit that is low effort but looks great and is totally comfortable. After each interview, it became clear that comfort is something almost everyone thinks about when determining what to wear, even for the students who appeared to have more thought behind their outfits had chosen the more comfortable pieces.
3. Social pressure
Before I began interviewing students, I anticipated pressure to stay on trend would be the biggest determining factor when it came to what students wore that day. Fortunately, it was not. I found that most students either didn’t feel any social pressure when it came to choosing what to wear, or they acknowledged how trends helped them find their style and now they wear whatever they like most. One woman spoke about how in high school she didn’t see everyday as an opportunity to explore her own sense of style, due to subconscious pressure. This is something I can definitely relate to. In high school, every day can feel repetitive and boring, making getting dressed just another boring part of the day, whereas now, I choose every outfit with intent and purpose, spending time thinking about what I want to wear. I appreciated her openness and honesty in how pressure, specifically in her teenage years, prevented her from realizing that every day is an opportunity to explore your own style. I do believe that most people feel a little pressure to wear certain things, avoid others, and conform in tiny ways. However, I also believe that college is a unique time in our lives where we get to explore and constantly change/reinvent ourselves. One of the best ways to do this is through our style.Â
Overall, I was really happy at the end of each interview, having gained surprising insight into how everyone expressed themselves. While I know that all of these categories (money, comfort, pressure) greatly determine what people wear, it also lifted my spirits to see how people present themselves in spite of them.
So, do external factors determine what you wear? My conclusion is yes, but not in the way you’d expect. While sometimes these barriers are exactly that — they prevent us from being able to truly be who we are, other times they force us to get creative and express ourselves in unexpected ways. Next time you feel down about not being able to afford the latest piece of absurdly priced clothing, see it as an opportunity to find something that is just yours.Â