Alexandra Alvarez ’14, an art history and Science in Society double major, injects design into everything she does, and her thoughtfully put-together ensembles reflect this. The native Texan sat down with The Argus to discuss the styles she has observed on campus over the past four years, from major dos (unique and androgynous silhouettes) to her strongly opinionated don’ts (leggings as pants and sweats worn in class). If you are interested in the beautifully heterogeneous blend of styles at Wes, be sure to keep an eye out for fashionable individuals like Alvarez.

 

 

 

The Argus: Do you consider yourself interested in fashion?

 

Alexandra Alvarez: Yes, definitely. I think I’m all-around interested in aesthetics, so fashion is just kind of a side effect of that. But yeah, I’ve always been, since I was little. I used to draw in my books in class, like, pictures of different outfits. I’m just interested in making pretty things. I just like things looking together.

 

A: Describe your personal style in five words…

 

AA: I would say a chic, urban, flowerchild cowgirl.

 

 

 

A: Can you elaborate on that a little?

 

AA: I think because I’m from Texas, that definitely affects part of my style. And I grew up in the 90s, so I’m really into hoops and that whole R&B-esque, Nike kicks, and then I also like to look nice and presentable. Like today’s Friday, and I usually dress up for Friday class, because it’s kind of hard to get there anyways. So I feel like if I look nice, then I’m in class mindset.

 

 

 

A: What do you like most about fashion at Wesleyan?

 

AA: I think it’s really interesting at Wesleyan how the campus kind of will shape fashion in general just depending on the weather, what people are wearing. Because you know in the wintertime, everyone’s super bundled up, and they can’t wear…they wear certain types of shoes or whatever. And then as soon as sun comes out, people are just like, always baring legs, stuff like that. And I kind of like how people do their own thing, and it’s not necessarily a spectacle or a thing in general. People just dress the way they dress.

 

 

 

A: What do you dislike about style at Wes?

 

AA: Yeah, I think it’s unacceptable to wear sweatpants to class. I don’t think it’s okay to wear sweatpants to class because I’m also like, “Yo, your teacher showed up to class, they’re here on time, they’re dressed well, it’s not like you should be looking like you just rolled out of bed.”

 

 

 

A: How has your style changed, if at all, since you came to Wesleyan?

 

AA: I think I had to realize that certain things were not necessarily acceptable to wear as I’ve gotten older. ‘Cause I think when I first came to Wesleyan I was really a lot more free-spirited, loose, ripped tights a lot, and I don’t really wear ripped tights anymore because it’s not really the most appropriate thing to wear in public all the time.

 

 

 

A: Where are your favorite places to shop?

 

AA: If I’m online shopping, I really like La Garçonne when they have super-sales, because when they have sales, they have like super super super sales. And then I also go…it’s not quite vintage shopping, it’s a little different in San Antonio where I’m from, but they just have a lot of secondhand stores that you get great vintage stuff [at].

 

 

 

A: Do you find it hard to shop while at Wesleyan?

 

AA: Yes. It’s hard but easy. I think it depends on what kind of experience you want. You’re not going to get the mall experience of going shopping, or walking down streets and things like that, but they have some great little knick-knack different places, like that place on Wash, that place is cool.

 

 

 

A: Where do you draw style inspiration from on campus?

 

AA: I think people here wear garments in a not regular way, like people here are constantly experimenting with different textures and patterns, and the way clothes fall on their bodies is interesting. I think definitely on campus it’s cool when a lot of girls have a gender ambiguous type of style of clothing, which I think is really cool.

 

 

 

A: Where do you draw style inspiration from off campus?

 

AA: I look at a lot of men’s fashion magazines…like fashion blogs. I love huhmagazine.com, and they do a lot of different articles and stuff but they usually have different European brands and men’s fashion brands that will come out, but I really appreciate men’s fashion more so than women’s fashion, which is interesting, because I think that the garment has a better structure. I think having an older brother that is very fashion-oriented kind of helped shape mine. He also went to Wesleyan!

 

 

 

A: Do you have an article of summer clothing that you can’t wait to wear?

 

AA: Yes! Last year, for Spring Fling, I ordered this green jumper-onesie thing from Nastygal, and my boobs were too small but my boobs got bigger and it now fits me so I’ve been dying to wear it for Spring Fling.

 

 

 

A: For prospective students, what is the most important item of clothing to bring to college?

 

AA: Everyone needs a basic white tank that falls very nicely on them. I feel like for Wesleyan, you need a white tank.