The clothes you choose to wear and in what fashion you decide to wear them are a not only a reflection of how you see yourself, but of how you want others to perceive you. It’s a way of showing your personality and interests. Whether it’s sweatpants with converse or a summer dress, it’s a reflection of yourself.

It’s incorrect to say that looks do not matter, because they do. Your appearance is important in first impressions anywhere and in job interviews later on in life. They probably shouldn’t matter as much as they do on a daily basis, but they are an important factor in our society nonetheless. Clothing and attire are the main part of your appearance.

The clothes you wear can change how feel about yourself on a particular day, and even build self-confidence. Being well dressed and well put together can make you feel proud and confident even on days when you don’t feel so confident. Clothes are a great way to boost morale and make you feel good.
I cannot stress enough that being fashionable and stylish does not mean you have to buy designer brands from expensive retail stores. In fact, all fashion has remnants of fashion from time periods before it. So old clothes can always be recycled into new trends, and I think that’s one of the wonderful aspects of fashion.

I could find something on the rack at a department store for retail price and then find a similar item at a second hand shop for a fraction of the price. It’s all about being frugal and altering the clothes to fit you.

Fashion and style are not the same thing. You could buy all the latest things at the department stores, wear it all together, and still be a hot mess. Just because you bought all the clothes at a certain high-end store doesn’t mean they’re going to look good altogether. Style is about how you take the fashionable items you’ve bought and put them into an effortless and spiffy looking outfit.

The do’s and don’ts of fashion and style are subjective. I think that for school specifically, whatever you wear should be fun and functional. You come to school to learn, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look cute while doing so. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with “bumming it” and coming to school in a big hoodie and comfy sweatpants. I think it’s great to be cozy throughout the school day. However, if you do want to look cute and stylish on school days, it’s important to not overdo it as well.

For example, wearing high heels to school as your daily everyday shoes is probably overdoing it. If you feel confident wearing heels for a six hour school day, more power to you. Walk the halls with confidence and poise. However, if your feet are aching and your ankles wobble with each step, it’s obviously not functional, so don’t wear it to school or bring another pair of shoes.

Another pet peeve that I’ve seen around school is the use of leggings as a replacement for pants. Leggings are always a cute way to wear bottoms under a knit boyfriend sweater or a cute dress. However, they are not a replacement for regular jeans. If not worn with a longer shirt or under a dress or skirt, they can be a bit inappropriate.

Secondly, hats are also a fussy subject. I see several boys around school wear their “snapbacks” in such a way that it’s barely placed on their head. It’s always puzzled me. The point of a “snapback” is that you can adjust it to fit your size, not so it looks as if it’s so small it merely floats on top of it.
There are so many different styles and fashions around Tracy High School, which is absolutely fantastic. When it comes to your clothes, just remember to “keep it classy”, Tracy High.