By Noah Shifter, Staff Writer
PHOTO COURTESY/ A. Nhan, D.
Phan & R. Young
As spring arrives, trees clothe themselves in lush green leaves and flowers don a vibrant jacket of petals. Students simultaneously adorn themselves in new spring trends and they express their personalities through fashion.
Streetwear: Dylan Phan
Junior Dylan Phan sports minimalist streetwear as he prepares for the spring season. Phan’s neutral khaki shorts complement a black Quicksilver t-shirt. His long Nike socks paired with high-top Chuck Taylors complete the look. He favors streetwear since its base of neutral colors increases the variability of his outfits. Phan shops frequently at Uniqlo, where he finds a wide variety of options that allow him to try new styles. Childhood cartoon characters like Ben 10 inspired Phan to explore streetwear, and now he finds new ideas on TikTok.
“I was always interested in fashion when I watched cartoons as a child,” Phan said. “It gives me a chance to make a good first impression and look put together to anyone I meet, just like how Ben 10 looked to me.”
Phan predicts the widespread adoption of shorts, which he thinks are essential for spring fashion. He also makes use of low-top shoes to cope with rising temperatures and facilitate a more active lifestyle.
Cottagecore: Rebecca Young
A floral dress inspired by cottagecore wraps sophomore Rebecca Young. The aesthetic is a romanticized agricultural style known for flowery patterns. Cottagecore fashion is flowing and modest with ruffles and lots of light layers. It also stresses sustainability in production, which Young expects to become a major trend this spring because of increased environmental awareness.
For Young, fashion is an art form that allows her to experiment with different styles and show her personality. Depending on how she feels, the day’s outfit reflects her individuality and mood. Young prefers to base her look off neutral and light blue colors.
“What I like about fashion is that it’s a way for shy people to express themselves,” Young said. “I can tell people what I like without even speaking.”
Y2K “Year 2000”: Abella Nhan
Sophomore Abella Nhan’s favorite style is the Y2K, also known as the Year 2000 aesthetic, which originated around 1995-2000. Nhan loves to use pink in her outfits to contrast with darker jeans and shoes. She also likes to add a baseball cap to accentuate the look.
She predicts mini-skirts and tank tops to become prevalent as people show more skin in tighter clothing. She also expects Y2K’s vibrant colors to emerge as a new trend. Nhan enjoys combining tighter tops with flared jeans and her favorite shoes, Doc Martens. She expects more people to adopt the style this spring.
“The reason I’m so passionate about it is because fashion is a statement and I think it really makes people, myself included, happy and confident,” Nhan said. “Basically, fashion makes me happy. Wearing nice clothes makes me feel confident. Clothes can definitely transform an attitude and personality.”
Phan, Young and Nhan may represent very different aesthetics, but they can all agree on fashion’s importance to individuality. As new trends sprout up this spring, these students’ styles come into full bloom.