In this article, my words stem from uncertainty about what I wear. 

And, for a certain period of time, that uncertainty was always near me until I discovered the value of becoming comfortable with what I wore. 

Whether that could have been large jerseys representing football players or baseball players I couldn’t tell you I knew, or jean shorts that hung low beneath my knees, I felt comfortable and secure in that decision, regardless of the commonness or popularity it brought. 

And that’s why wearing what you want is imperative whether it is trending or not. Whether it is expensive or not. Whether people like it or not. Wear it. Sport it. Flaunt it. 

I look on apps like TikTok where videos that call people out for sporting grandpa shoes like ASICS or New Balances, or even getting a new pair of Timberland boots this year, even when Timberlands have been known since the Kris Kross days. And, to me, I see nothing wrong with it. 

Not everyone is a genius innovator whose mind can generate a plethora of fashion ideas. Some people just like outfits that are trending, because it is more accessible and it looks fashionable. 

Some people have already gotten a hold of these items and would begin to style them to their liking, creating a self-made clothing image that is hard to replicate. 

Most people would take part in the fashion aspect, where they are taking part in seasonal clothing trends, influenced by a celebrity, fashion designer or influencer. A majority of people scoff at that decision because that person is wearing what is “fashionable” instead of styling it based on cultural aspects or color schemes. 

“People wear stuff to flex a price tag, instead of the actual look.” sophomore Mel Culverson stated. 

When it comes to fashion wear, it mainly stems from the mindset of making something appealing now instead of appealing to a timeless extent. Even when dealing with fashionable items, if you can style them, then they will be a timeless stamp in your everyday wear. 

Examples range from coordinating certain colors, and schemes, to wearing something out of the ordinary or even minimalistic, but it’s appealing to your identity. If I like forest green and brown colors, I can coordinate that with my outfit to an earthy tone. 

Adding jewelry is one aspect, as well as outfit-accentuating bold colors. When you are fashionable, you begin to put together more popular outfits that appeal to a popular and appealing look.

And this is not to crack down on fashionable people, I relate to that perspective. But styling conceptualizes more overall appearance and more personal outlook instead of a popular outlook. 

“Although it is cyclical, fashion is timely and trendy, and as we all know, trends do not last long. What was popular this time last year can quickly be relegated to the back of the wardrobe as we move on to the next thing dictated by the arbitrary guidelines of designers, Instagram pages and magazine editors. Of course, you can’t establish a timeless style without fashion, but style is more than that,” Lynn Mongameli wrote for the publication GUAP.

When we sport something trendy, we find ourselves in a dilemma: to either wear it for whatever period it is socially and fashionably acceptable or sport it to a style that is endless and approved by self.

With either option comes censure and criticism. If you are sporting something fashionable, you are deemed a trend follower and someone who has no originality. If you are stylish, more people tend to not understand and criticize the personal uniqueness of stylish individuals. 

And to be completely honest, that is perfectly fine. Fashionable people pave the way for personal style and stylish people pave the way for relatability and trendy clothing.

The beauty of picking whatever way to sport your clothing is the fact that it is your image, your imagination culminating into something unique, minimalistic, simple, trendy, whatever the result. 

And one thing to keep in mind is that it is about HOW you wear certain things, not about what you wear. 

Even if it is popular. Because if you can style it and make it to your liking, that is all that matters.