June 8, 2026 by Katie Plue (‘27)
You are not as original as you may think. I am almost positive you got your style off Pinterest, at least parts of it. Your top is from the same place as everybody else and your jeans are from either American Eagle or Pacsun. If that sounds like you, please read on.
To be clear, I never said I was any better. I wear Garage tops and Brandy sweatpants, leggings and a college sweatshirt. Nonetheless, we’ve reached a point in society that feels a little dystopian. Looking around I, and many others, have noticed we all look the same.
People aren’t expressing their true selves. Self expression literally means externalizing your inner identity, whether that’s thoughts, feelings, or values. Remember being told to “be yourself” growing up? Yeah, nobody does that anymore.
The best method of expression is through art like paintings, music, and the commonly forgotten category, fashion. Fashion is art that lets people see who you are without even talking to you. You can insist that “this is really who you are” with your Pink Palm Puff sweatshirt and Lululemon hottie hots all you want, but I know there’s more to you than your outfit lets on.
Fashion used to be about creativity and versatility. How crazy and new can your style get? The style was personal to whoever was wearing it. Now, everyone follows the same criteria, copying and pasting outfits onto themselves. Fashion has become structural, point-blank, and black and white. In reality, it should be freeing and whimsical, colorful, and with endless combinations and options; however, it has evolved into something that is required. You must dress like everyone else, or you don’t fit in. Have you ever thought about shopping without having the rest of your closet in mind? Shopping with no certain inspiration in your head, just purely picking out whatever sparks interest? Have you ever considered picking out a top without thinking “would (insert name here) wear this?”
Think about it this way: what if all the renaissance artists painted the same picture? What if Raphael saw the Mona Lisa and said, “I should paint what Leonardo painted.” Next thing you know, there are 50 different versions of the Mona Lisa. That era’s art wouldn’t have had much of an impact, would it? Our generation’s fashion is lacking impact and elevation, contributing to the murder of fashion as an art.
Trends have helped urge us towards a prosaic world. Fashion can be extremely specific, saying you have to fit into a particular aesthetic like “stockholm” or “clean girl.” Colors are gone and capsule wardrobes are in. No more bright pinks or greens, just white tops, and blue jeans you can mix and match to make another outfit that looks the exact same. While capsule wardrobes can help someone build outfits who may not know how, they miss the creative aspect of dressing.
Saying social media is the cause of this fashion dilution would be naïve and an easy excuse. A lot of people blame social media for modern issues including insecurities and mental health, but social media doesn’t force us to do anything. Watching one video of a girl in a cute outfit doesn’t mean you need to suppress who you are. Self control plays a significant role in this, having the will to allow yourself to peel away from what you see online and listening to your inner self.
But why is this a problem? So what if we all look the same; we can wear whatever we want? Though you do have that freedom, not expressing yourself leads to concealment, bottling up your emotions. You shouldn’t hold back creativity, as it is what motivates humans to keep growing and moving forward.
Isn’t it weird that people are afraid to be themselves? While outward bullying isn’t as common anymore, judgy looks and cliques draw people away from letting others see who they really are, and what you wear is just the tip of that iceberg. If you are one of the few people today who marinate in your self expression, dress in what you think is stylish without consulting other watered-down individuals, congrats, keep doing you. And for everyone else, maybe we should step it up a bit, including myself. Make it your goal this summer to allow your inner self to come out. Before you go shopping, clear your mind. Stray away from online shopping, and be conscious of if something is actually cute, or if it’s just another fad.