DIY fashion: Inspiration everywhere, dressing to suit your interests

When it comes to fashion, inspiration is everywhere. As the famous fashion designer Coco
Chanel once said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in
the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Instead of viewing
fashion as an abstract concept that only the select few can understand, Chanel practiced
practicality in her designs. However, you do not have to be a fashion designer to apply unique
interests and daily life to your style.

College life is full of stereotypes about what students really enjoy. The amount of naps that
we take might not impact our style in a positive way, but the variety of passions that we have
sure can. Embracing our collegiate environment in order to create unique outfits is the perfect
place to start for spring inspiration.

First of all, we have a great variety of people with various styles on campus. While many may
look to celebrities or magazines for outfits to copy, inspiration is right here at Maryville College.
A good style challenge is to imitate the style of friends, but without copying them exactly. You
love your friends, so it’s likely that you also love something about their style.

For this shoot, for example, Laure-Anne Vivet, an international student from France, inspired
us with her casual and cool style. Even in practical layers, Vivet looked chic with button downs.
A burst of color to brightened up her mostly neutral outfit. These are example of elements that
make up a specific style, and you don’t have to wear the same pieces to create the same effect.

Aside from gathering ideas from peers, the things we study are another innovative source of
fashion inspiration. In and out of class, there is a virtually endless pool of outfit ideas for you to
jump into. Although taking cues from book characters or historical figures can sometimes come
across as costume-like, there are certain ways to avoid making this mistake.

For example, instead of dressing up like a character from a favorite novel, you can actually
show off your favorite book titles on a tee shirt or tote bag. The company “Out of Print Clothing”
specializes in printing book covers onto fashion apparel and accessories. Not only do you get to
let your good taste in books shine, but by purchasing items from “Out of Print” clothing, you are
also supporting the charity “Books For Africa.”

Another great way to utilize your education for fashion purposes is to take inspiration from
famous historical figures. Instead of directly copying a picture or painting of the individual, you
can pick up on a few key elements, instead. This takes an outfit from just something you wear to
as an homage to an inspirational person.

Amelia Earhart is one such source of inspiration. Instead of creating an outfit to look exactly
like a picture of Earhart, we instead decided to style a modernized ensemble based around a

few key elements. Earhart was known for menswear elements and practicality. For an update
on her look, try wearing boyfriend jeans with a high to mid-rise waistline, oxfords and a colorful
silk scarf.

When you’re at a loss for fashion inspiration, take a look around and remember Chanel’s
words of style wisdom. Style is not simply about wearing a pretty dress; it is a form of
expression of ourselves and our lives. Your friends, your favorite book, a historical figure or
anything else that you find interesting can easily become a source of style inspiration.

We are interested in you. We would love to hear what inspires your style, and you can tell us
by commenting on this article on highlandecho.com