It is every young fashionista’s dream to be recognized in high school senior superlatives for her (or his!) enviable choice of wardrobe. To be voted “Best Dressed” or “Most Likely to be on the Cover of Vogue” would be quite an achievement. But what do these titles mean in high school, really? Is the best-dressed girl the one who owns the most clothing stamped with the Hollister bird or stitched with the Abercrombie moose? Is it the girl with the newest Coach bag, identified by the trademark fabric? To many high schoolers, dressing well means conformity. The unofficial uniform of my suburban high school includes any variation of jeans, baby-doll tees and Ugg boots (another recent trend has been the tights as pants trend.) So I guess you could say that fashion means more to me than it does to most people in my year.

I have developed a sense of style that I would say is unique. I dress in classic shapes with a modern twist. The twist might be an unusual color or a girly spin on a classic silhouette. Some of my favorite pieces include high-waisted skirts, blouses with bow-ties, and blazers with vintage tees. I do the majority of my shopping at our town’s local thrift store, and one would not believe the treasures that I have uncovered! The other day, I snagged a vintage Oscar de la Renta dress from out of the sale pile. That and a belt to go with it cost me less than ten dollars! I own quite a bit of vintage clothing but often alter it to make it less frumpy and more modern.

I like girly accents such as bows, ribbons, and intricate stitching and have designed an array of headbands based on these details. Often, my plainer outfits are decorated with a string of large pearls or a jagged necklace. My hair is almost never without some sort of accessory, be it a scarf, a barrette, or one of the many headbands I have created out of gauze, ribbon, and cloth flowers.  

Shoes, my mother says, make or break the outfit. I am a shoe fanatic and shoes are my one weakness (price-wise) when it comes to shopping! (Kind of like candy when it comes to dessert) The majority of my shoes are flats because my pumps are impracticle for school. Flats with buckles, with buttons, with flowers, with stripes, and of all different colors adorn my closet wall! For the summer, the sandals come out. My favorite pair from last season was a silver pair of Kenneth Cole strappy flats (They went with everything!) Shoes don't neccessarily have to match the other colors of the outfit, but they do have to complement the other colors. Shoes should add character, without detracting from the finer details of the clothing. 

In all, personal style is crucial to self expression. As Ugly Betty’s Christina says, “Fashion is good for the soul.” Fashion should make you feel content and confident; poise and self-assurance are always in style.