While the colder times come around once again, summer clothes are being packed away and sweater weather is returning. With the chilly winds and availability for jackets, people are able to express themselves with some extra layers of fashion.
Fashion statements are made all over the high school among staff and students. As the colder weather rolls in, fashion becomes more stylish with having the flexibility to wear more layers to school. Digging deeper into a more personal look at the fashion around our high school, we can see specific journeys throughout fashion and how people have discovered their style.
Being influenced through fashion by a sport, Derek Brooks, the high school’s campus supervisor and basketball coach, was influenced by fashion coming from basketball. When Brooks goes about dressing for his day, he uses the “look good, play good” motto.
“Fashion became important with my time here at Northview when I was playing basketball. My culture is very heavy on ‘you look nice, you play good,’” Brooks said. “It followed me everywhere – not just in basketball but in the outer world too.”
Not only was Brook’s fashion influenced by basketball, but his ethnicity and where he came from shaped his fashion as well.
Brooks is happiest in the summer with his lighter clothing. Photo courtesy of Derek Brooks.
“Especially as an African American male, [when] you come from the inner city, you’re used to people sagging and all that. That just didn’t fit me so I always had a belt on and a nice shirt,” Brooks said.
Brooks admires his own fashion, as well as the students and staff around him. He believes that people can showcase their personalities through their clothes. Brooks prides himself on being able to spot a student with some swag on.
“I haven’t put my fall clothes out yet, but I’ve seen them around the school. Even if I’ve never had a conversation with that person, seeing their ‘fit tells me so much,” Brooks said. “I always am like, ‘oh I bet that person is sophisticated because of the way they express themselves with their clothes.’”
Coming from a student point of view, junior Faustino Garcia was introduced to fashion at a young age and took the majority of his inspiration from his father.
“Growing up as a young boy, seeing [how] my father dressed inspired me with most of my outfits,” Garcia said.
Garcia spent his high school years showing off his personality to his classmates around him through style. Photo courtesy of Faustino Garcia.
As the colder times come around this fall, Garcia enjoys dressing casual to school, rocking a relaxed outfit whenever he can.
“Sweatsuits have been my favorite this fall and anything comfortable. I play it safe when I wear a hoodie and sweats to school,” Garcia said.
Janelle Miles, a 5-year English teacher at the high school has experimented with fashion for as long as she can remember. Miles grew up in an artistic household, surrounded by artists her whole life.
“I have an art teacher grandfather and a music teacher grandmother, and for me, the arts are everywhere. An early memory would be third grade. I love Cyndi Lauper, and my grandmother on the other side was a hairdresser,” Miles said. “I had really long hair and bangs, but she cut and permed it, and made it even curlier than my natural curls. It was Halloween and I dressed up like Cyndi Lauper with curly bangs and all the punk stuff on.”
Even outside of the school, Miles has found ways to express her creative style even outside the school. Photo courtesy of Janelle Miles.
Not only does Miles remember her own personal growth in fashion, but she admires the art in fashion surrounding her at the high school. Students are taking risks in style, branching out and trying new things.
“Fashion is a way of artistically projecting who you are. It can be anything and it can be so fun,” Miles said. “I also think it’s okay if your fashion is your same sweatshirt you love everyday too. Fashion is what makes you comfortable, so I think that being comfortable is an inclusive factor.”
Miles reminisces on the younger memories she has with fashion and influences throughout her life, now being friends with some other fashionable people.
“One of my friends hosts these clothing swaps, and we all bring our top five clothing pieces that we’re willing to give up; She puts them all on a rack, then we play this game. It is so fun,” Miles said.
There are numerous artistic ways to shine your personality. From the music you listen to, the drinks you buy, to the shoes you put on your feet. Whether you enjoy your daily sweat-set outfit, or you choose to dress it up, use fashion as a creative way to convey your personality.
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