ASHION
18 | the standard / feature / dec 2020
Trendy students share their style journeys
Katelyn Seyl S
enior Katelyn Seyl defines her style as “different and quirky.” She said her style journey has immensely changed throughout quarantine. “I thought I found my style, like, in sophomore year, but it was so bad,” Seyl said. “I think I found my style during quarantine and then the summer.” Quarantine encouraged Seyl to find new things to do to keep her entertained, and one outlet was styling. “I started playing with makeup and styling different outfits, and it just kind of gave me an outlet of expression and creativity to use and that’s kind of what got me into actually having a good style,” Seyl said. “And I just like being able to express myself through my clothing.” Over the past few months, Seyl said she had a multitude of influences. From everything she’s seen from Tik Tok to Pinterest, she said her favorite trend is the pearl necklace inspired by Harry Styles. She said Styles is an inspiration because he always tries different things, which, in turn, encourages her. Seyl said one thing she respects and admires is that Styles breaks stereotypical clothing gender norms. “I really like just playing with the idea of clothing having no gender, so wearing sweater vests and button up shirts and pants that would preferably be for men,” Seyl said. “You can wear whatever you want.”
Although Seyl is surrounded by content related to jewelry and clothing, she said she doesn’t follow trends because they’re popular, but because they inspire her. She said she sometimes subconsciously follows them, but they’re not something she prioritizes. “I feel like if a trend fits who I am, then I’ll follow it. But if it doesn’t relate to who I am or what I represent, then I won’t,” Seyl said. When it ultimately comes down to what she’s wearing, Seyl said it depends on how she’s feeling that day. “I tend to just find stuff that I like, and whatever mood I’m in that day, I’ll wear something that reflects that,” Seyl said. “And it just depends on how I feel, but I try to use my style to express myself and who I am.” Seyl said she still has many things she wants to add to her closet. “I’ve seen a lot of flare pants; I really like that recently,” Seyl said. “I also like long pattern skirts. Those are two trends that I like a lot. I think it’s really fun.” From her experience with her new found style and expertise in fashion, Seyl said coordinating is what defines being stylish. “It’s kind of just learning what pieces can go together and what pieces might not look as good,” Seyl said. “Just playing around with different ideas and shapes of clothing.”
