Sit on the Quad for five minutes and you’ll see plenty of Pinterest-worthy outfits. Students at Occidental can often be seen dressing to impress, with many looking to express themselves through fashion. We collaborated with a handful of stylish students to put together our first featured fashion editorial showcasing what it means to get creative with clothing. Be sure to also check out our video including full-length interviews and behind-the-scenes content of our photo shoot.
Talia Kurtz
Talia Kurtz is a senior from Denver, Colorado. She describes her style as both colorful and playful, and said her photoshoot look was one of her go-to’s.
“I feel very myself in this outfit. I feel free,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz said her favorite part of getting ready is doing her makeup, something she’s been exploring since she was in middle school.
“I’ve been doing makeup since I was like 12 or 13 when I would go and steal my mom’s makeup. I even wrote like my entrance essays to all my schools about makeup,” Kurtz said. “I feel like it’s just a very important thing to me. And I know that can come across as ‘Oh, you need makeup to feel good,’ but I don’t. I love to play with it. It really feels like an expression of me and an art form.”
Day Blake
Day Blake is a senior from Lynnfield, Massachusetts who said their effervescent style helps them express their gender identity and fluidity.
“I feel as though my style has always been changing and always adapts to just what I need it to serve me for the day,” Blake said. “I just love the freedom and control that I have over it as it is so personal and held close to me.”
Blake said they love challenging the norm and surprising themselves with bold fashion choices, something that has been made exponentially easier by taking advantage of thrift store finds.
“Go thrifting,” Blake said. “I want to be looking through the most eclectic wide group of fabrics and textures. Like, I just bought this shirt that was ripped in the back because it looked cool. It’s great to know that you’re recycling and reusing textiles.”
Prithvi Dinesh Chandra
Prithvi Dinesh Chandra is a senior from Singapore who loves simple and functional fashion.
“I want something I can look good in and feel good in, which is why I look like a modern historian right now,” Dinesh Chandra said. “Then also I like to not sweat through what I’m wearing while I’m cycling to and from campus.”
According to Dinesh Chandra, accessorizing is his chance to play around and add some finer details to his otherwise muted outfits.
“I definitely like accessorizing whether it be watches, rings or earrings,” Dinesh Chandra said. “I have a very small collection of nice watches that I like to cycle through, so I pick that out and I’m like ‘Okay, what works and what doesn’t?’”
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a sophomore from New York City, New York who views their fashion as an expression of their art, personality and gender identity. Growing up, Lee said they were a huge Barbie fan and they were often inspired by various Barbie aesthetics.
“I would collect a lot of 70’s and 50’s era Barbie dolls and that really informed my sense of fashion,” Lee said. “I really admired all the different types of color palettes and the styles. It’s just so classy and I just ate it up.”
Lee said that fashion helped them find themself, especially after feeling like they had to conform to a certain look while growing up.
“I think in middle school I felt really pushed, also as a POC, and really pressured to dress a certain way… I still didn’t feel seen or recognized in a lot of ways,” Lee said. “So [fashion] has become such a core part of my personality that it’s like I’m neglecting myself if I don’t [dress up]. I very much do it for myself.”
Shae Campbell
Shae Campbell is a sophomore from New York City, New York who is all about the wow factor and color coordination. Although their photoshoot outfit was less colorful than usual, Campbell said they still felt very confident.
“I feel sexy as hell in my outfit, that was the whole plan!” Campbell said.
According to Cambell, fashion for them is about feeling whole and put together, as well as expressing self-confidence. Their best fashion advice was to explore different styles and always dress for yourself.
“[Getting dressed] is literally like becoming a person,” Campbell said. “When I’m fully dressed, I know that I am ready to take on the day no matter what and that’s the energy I’m putting out. I’m standing tall, my fit is on, I have on my rings and my necklaces and I’m ready to go. It’s a whole confidence thing, it just boosts my mood.”
Chris Whalen
Chris Whalen is a first year from Portland, Oregon. He said growing up in a very outdoorsy family informed his sense of fashion, and led to him leaning towards more comfortable and versatile brands like Carhartt. In his photoshoot outfit, Whalen said he particularly loved his vest.
“I love the vest because it just adds an extra flair,” Whalen said.
According to Whalen, picking a daily aesthetic and color scheme is a major part of choosing an outfit — but he said his favorite part is picking shoes.
“I just mostly wear stuff that makes me feel good about myself,” Whalen said. “I used to only have one pair of shoes and I’d wear them until they were dead. So becoming someone who has multiple pairs of shoes that can really go with my outfit is really fun.”
Nicco Bartone
Nicco Bartone is a junior from Georgetown, Maine whose morning routine is usually quick and chaotic.
“There’s a lot of influence from Maine [and] a lot of just blending of styles. Kind of a mess is the simplest summation,” Bartone said.
According to Bartone, they see their style choices as being a bit of a gamble in terms of what will be accepted by peers and what will make them feel the most on the edge of their comfort zone. They said that sometimes feeling like you’re going in the wrong direction can mean you’re actually going in the right one.
“My goal is to cause confusion,” Bartone said. “Whether it be making a gentleman question what he likes or making a child confused about what they’re looking at, those are lovely moments.”
Contact Katie Moore at kmoore2@oxy.edu.
We collaborated with a handful of stylish students to put together our first feature fashion video showcasing what it means to get creative with clothing. Click this link to view, or search “Moxie at Oxy: Spring fashion on campus” and our YouTube channel, The Occidental, to find the video.
Correction on May 25, 2023, 8:47 a.m. to include the link to the video essay.
