“Before he speak his suit bespoke.”
In what could be confused for Shakespearean prose, Kanye West rhymes about the projections that can be gathered from the ultimate passive action—wearing clothes—in Estelle’s 2008 single, “American Boy.”
Since I’ve yet to reach Kanye’s level of rapping, I, Maura Kay, am here on CollegeFashionista to discuss the statements Fashionistas and Fashionistos of the University of Pittsburgh make daily.
My fixation with fashion has grown with age, as has my boldness with styles. Last year, a real concern overtook me when it came time to pack up my closet for college. For some reason, I had pegged Pitt as an exclusively “jeans and hoodie” campus. Never have I been more pleased to be completely wrong.
The keen eyes of Oaklanders have actually provided me with some great opportunities, starting with working as a store coordinator for the student run thrift store on campus. The University of Thriftsburgh’s mission is to promote sustainability in a market of fast fashion. When I’m not sorting through stock for the store, you can find me reading literature in the grass or en route to another Pittsburgh neighborhood.
When it comes to fashion I am especially interested in the ethics and labor practices of garment and textile companies. Therefore, my go-to sources for my personal fashions are thrift shops and American Apparel. This orientation week outfit is a good introduction to me. The vintage overalls were thrifted and may or may not be a kid’s size. They reflect me well though because very rarely does my outfit lack denim of some kind. Layered under the overalls is one of my wardrobe staples, a classic black knit American Apparel tennis top. Around my neck I’m sporting a vintage ascot also picked up while thrifting. It’s a great multifunction piece that is a quick addition to tops with scoop necks. Then, to complement the bulky but plain nature of the overalls, I went for oversized but clean accessories. If I have one thing to say about a scrunchie, it’s that I’ve never regretted adding one to any outfit.
Contrasting the juvenility of the scrunchie is my globe faced watch. I find my watch uses time to age my outfits and is especially crucial for business casual. Here, the watch brings the outfit back to the reality of college wear instead of being just something you’d see on the playground. Equally important to the point about age are the shoes. Jellies have a history of being marketed to kids, but their recent revival has become popular through nostalgia. The difference between the jellies and scrunchie has to do with the new age approach that has given the jellies a heel and some kick, literally.
The statement this outfit bespoke was not a reminder that I consider myself a kid as much as it was a comment that college is not just a breeding ground for yuppie culture, but a place where there is no norm.
