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Students resist fast fashion and strive to create their own personal style By Rosalie Hill

Cutline: Freshman Zoe Cachero shows off her outfit in the cafeteria. She loves to set herself apart from the crowd with her eccentric outfits.

“Fashion is…expression,” said freshman Muti Kadaluka. “It’s what makes you comfortable in your own skin.”

Many students at Loy Norrix take fashion seriously. Walking through the school, you would see tons of diverse and inventive outfits. From pleated mini skirts and pastel crop-tops to baggy jeans secured with clunky belts. The school seems to be a place where students can freely express their style.

Teenagers have a huge effect on fashion. Many major fashion and cultural movements began with or were popularized by teenagers. People should look to young people to find out what the future holds for fashion.

“I care a lot about my clothes,” said freshman Felix Wendt. “That's like the main thing I spend my money on.”

But, with new fashion trends on the rise almost weekly due to social media platforms like TikTok and fast-fashion brands like Shein, students are constantly rushing to buy the hot new item. Teenagers may lose their ability to develop a personal style.

“If you are following trends just to follow them it can be shallow, but if you really like them then it's not. It just depends,” Kadaluka said, “With changing trends all the time, it does make it difficult to find something that is comfortable for you.”

“I love vintage and 90s grunge style. Tyler the Creator, Childish Gambino, and Steve Lacy really inspire my style” said Kadaluka

Fast fashion is a multi-million dollar industry whose main goal is to make as many clothes in as many styles for as cheap as possible. Fast fashion often results in poor quality clothing made from cheap and possibly toxic materials that don’t decompose. Employees also experience poor working conditions with new styles being pumped out anywhere from weekly to daily.

“Fast fashion can be beneficial for people who are trying to get into fashion and don’t know where to start,” Kadaluka said. “But overall, producing low quality products just to get them out there should not be top priority.”

Students also said that there are better ways to get nice clothing without harming the earth or breaking the bank. To find unique and personal pieces for cheap, Elsholz says he goes to thrift stores like Upscale Thrift and Second Impressions.

“I like pants, they make me feel like I can run a trillion miles” said freshamn Levi Elsholz

“I only really buy from a couple of brands that I'm familiar with which keeps me from buying fast fashion,” said Wendt.

Other students argued that fashion can make people conform, which makes them feel ingenuine.

“I don't follow trends,” said Elsholz. “I’m a trendsetter.”

Some people don’t see fashion in terms of trends at all and just choose to wear what makes them happy, despite what people have to say about it.

Freshman Thomas Shockey, for example, says his go-to outfit is a nerdy math t-shirt and jeans.

“I see clothing as a way of giving people information about myself without actually talking to them,” Shockey said.

Clothing doesn’t have to be a status symbol, it can be an honest reflection of who you are.

“Wear things that are important to you or represent something that you like,” said Shockey. “You should be honest about it and not deceptive with it.”

Fashion can be an art form, one that is hard to understand, but beautiful if you really pay attention.

“Fashion is a deep pond waiting to be discovered,” said Elsholz.