Candace Parrott, Staff Writer
Anna has shared several French classes with me and I was always attracted to her great style – creepy staring moments are allowed when you love fashion, ok?
She has an edgy spunk about her, which intrigued me. It was an honor for her to answer some of my style questions. Thank you, lovely Anna!
If you want to answer some of my interview questions or tell me about your style for the Argus, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me. I’m already interested. Guys and gals welcome! cparrott@iwu.edu
C: What inspires your style? Who inspires your style?
A: I find inspiration pretty much everywhere. From celebrities, my friends, my sisters, people around campus, characters on TV shows and movies and my roommate. I also go on lookbook.nu a lot which features some of the most creatively fashionable people I’ve ever seen. Sometimes, when I’m bored I just rummage through my closet and come up with my own ideas, too.
C: Describe your style in five words.
A: Bohemian, patterns, earthy but corporate, inventive.
C: Do you ever make your own clothes? If so, what did you make?
A: I have never sewn anything I wear from a pattern, but my mother makes a few of my clothes. Most of the time, I will add my own touch to things to improve them. Usually I will cut t-shirts into crop tops or wife-beaters. I have distressed many a pair of jeans and made cut-off jean shorts. Sometimes, I will sew patches of colorful fabric onto things. I will cut up leggings, make shirts into dresses or dresses into shirts, sew or tie scarves into infinity scarves, etc… I like testing the possibilities of an item of clothing.
C: Have you ever done any modeling? Photography?
A: I’m a Photography major, and I started out when I was 12 years old by taking portraits of myself and my friends in outfits I or we had put together. Since then, it’s evolved to more than just dress up and I think my creativity with photography continually influences my sense of style.
C: Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert, and how do you think that relates to your style?
A: I would definitely say I’m more of an introvert. I have always been on the shyer side with new people, so I think I developed a wilder fashion sense to compensate for it. I like that I get noticed for what I wear in a crowd of people as it does the introduction and talking for me. Plus, I think it intrigues people to want to come talk to me. In turn it makes me feel more confident in myself and excited to show people my personality, which is hopefully just as fun as my clothes.
C: Where do you shop for the most part?
A: I spent a year as an exchange student in France, and H&M is really big there, so H&M is probably my favorite right now. But I only get to go there when I’m traveling or in a big city. In Bloomington and back home in California, I usually shop at thrift and consignment stores. I don’t believe in paying a fortune for clothes and I love the treasure hunt aspect of the shopping experience. Nothing beats the feeling of a great find hidden among the racks. It adds a unique quality to my wardrobe, making it unlike anyone else’s. I also like secondhand clothes more than anything because it’s better for the environment, they’re usually worn-in and more comfortable and it’s similar to the feeling of getting hand-me-downs.
C: How does your mood or attitude change when you feel “on point”?
A: I don’t think I have ever had a bad day while wearing one of my favorite outfits. Even if I’m crazy stressed or I do something embarrassing, feeling good about the way I look keeps me feeling happy, positive and confident. Also, when you put more effort than usual into your outfit, people notice and that feels good too.
C: What’s your advice to your fellow fashion-lovers?
A: I think something I have always believed is there are truly no rules with fashion. It’s however you choose to express yourself and there is no right way. Fashion has been evolving and trends have been changing since the dawn of time, based on the shifting ideas and identities of the era. Even the most absurd outfits are only just ahead of their time. I mean public nudity is against the law, but if you believe in walking around topless as a form of self-expression, more power to you, because one day it may become the norm!
C: What do you want people to know about your style?
A: I’m the youngest in my family so for most of my life, my wardrobe has primarily consisted of hand-me-downs. This has resulted in a hodge-podge fashion sense. My style has always shifted around the different styles of my sisters and their friends to the point that I don’t think I ever really developed my own style. Even today it’s always changing. Sometimes I’m feeling sportier, other days I feel like wearing dresses and red lipstick and other times I’m rockin’ the Docs and an oversized flannel. I think on a grander scale this reflects my personality, too. I can be unpredictable; therefore my wardrobe is always a surprise.
C:Why is style important to you?
A: As I mentioned before, style is a form of self-expression. As I continue to discover who I am, it is always reflected in my style. Conversely, expressing myself through what I wear has helped me discover who I am. My style will always be an outlet for expressing my identity and will continue to reflect my life through its many stages.