How to Look Stuylish This Season

Stuyvesant students are stylish year round. Just because the temperature has dropped doesn’t mean that we’ve given up on fashion. It forces us to become more creative to find the perfect way to look sharp while also staying warm. I interviewed several experts for their tips on doing exactly that.

Julia Panas

On an particularly frigid January day, freshman Julia Panas stood out in the crowd by wearing a vintage off-the-shoulder lace blouse with puffy sleeves, complemented by a black romper over it with a slit near the waist. The look was completed with black tights and chunky ankle boots with laces. Her hair was in double buns while a strand of bangs was left out, and her outfit was accessorized with large hoop earrings and yellow craft flowers that adorned her hair. Her makeup was quirky and glamorous; she put silver glitter on her eyelashes and rocked her Kat Von D matte green lipstick, which hardened the mostly feminine look with a rebellious attitude.

Panas isn’t wearing much when everyone else is bundled up in thick jackets and coats. She explained that this is because she is not particularly bothered by the cold. When I asked her if looking good was more important than staying warm, she replied that she values good looks over warmth, and added, “But looking good by your own standards—not because someone tells you that they like what they see.”

When I asked Panas to describe her style, she told me she wouldn’t try to define it, since she didn’t believe in labels. She drew inspiration from many eclectic sources, “Everything from movie characters to punk rock to the Victorian era to gum ball machines.”

Most of Panas’s closet is vintage, from boutiques in Bushwick, Poland or lower Manhattan. In these stores, she picks out her clothes methodically. “I usually just look for the eye catching fabrics, or interesting textures, and then work from there. Statements are always a go-to,” she said. This is reflected in her usual outfits, which are centered around statement pieces such as checker print pants, large wooden earrings, chunky heels, or floral print skirts. Panas often mix-and-matches different materials. For example, her silky lace shirt created a stark contrast with her clean-cut romper, which made the entire look more interesting.

When the temperature drops to 20 degrees and it is too cold to go without a jacket, Panas is particularly fond of bulky outerwear. While in the past, mainstream conceptions of beauty have often preferred a slim silhouette, Panas told me, “Bulkier clothes are becoming trendier than ever—bulky sweaters, big puffy jackets … Personally, I like the look, especially when the jacket is a bright color; it turns into a statement piece.”

Yuvan Das

Freshman Yuvan Das was wearing an effortlessly stylish outfit: loose-fitting distressed blue jeans, a soft, plain gray t-shirt, and a navy flannel over it. His shoes wee blue converse sneakers. This look perfectly reflects Das’s personality—minimalist, relaxed, and utilitarian.

Das describes his style as “casual, comfortable, fun, and informal.” He doesn’t over-accessorize and prefers to keep his outfits simple, because he likes timeless designs that are appropriate for any occasion. He doesn’t usually go for flattering fits and prefers simple designs. He values warmth and comfort above all else and doesn’t try to impress others.

Das especially loves button-down flannel shirts and wears them year-round. The classic plaid print is extremely versatile and has a lot of potential. “It is a timeless piece and brightens up a plain outfit,” he explained. He styles them in many different ways, leaving them unbuttoned over plain T-shirts, oversized, tied around his waist, or worn under jackets. It is easy to layer with and keeps him warm both indoors and outside.

During the winter season, Das stays warm by layering up thick sweaters and sometimes jackets. Most of the time, he simply wears a plain black down jacket over his clothes when he has to go outside. His winter color palette is mainly dark colors such as navy blue, paired with occasional bursts of bright hues. He also cuts a lean figure by not wearing overly baggy pants or cropped hems that show his ankles.

Sarah Chen

Senior Sarah Chen looks extremely well put together with an outfit that is clean, simple, and minimalist.

Chen was wearing a knee-length Uniqlo beige trench coat over a baggy gray hoodie that was bought in Quebec. According to her, this prevents her from freezing during her trip home from school. Her blue boyfriend jeans were ripped at the knees and rolled up. This was paired with worn Adidas Superstars. Her hair, styled in a pixie cut, is dyed brown on the top while the sides are left black. She accessorized by wearing large black-rimmed glasses and tiny earrings shaped like white roses.

Chen doesn’t have a specific influence when it comes to fashion inspiration: “I guess you could say I took in a little of everybody’s style and made my own,” she remarked. She strays away from gendered and feminine styles and drifts toward gender neutral clothing, “[Androgynous fashion] is really interesting because it can work on anybody, on any day, any occasion.”

Chen’s winter outfits usually consist of a t-shirt and some sort of jacket, sweater, or cardigan. “My style is just super casual. I don’t really stick to a certain way of dressing myself, I just sort of go with the flow and whatever I feel like wearing when I wake up.”

On school days, Chen’s priority is comfort and warmth. We’ve all encountered the dilemma of “should I leave my coat unbuttoned to look better?” Chen has a firm standpoint on this issue: “I wear a thick winter coat and button it up even if it looks a little less fashionable, because it’s really not worth it if you catch a cold to look cool! Also, I wear a scarf to protect my neck from the cold as well, and I always have gloves in my jacket pocket in case things get too cold.”

Chen believes that layering can be very stylish as well. She wears baggy clothes a lot because they are both comfortable and suits her well. “I bet people might even look at me sometimes and wish, instead of their crop tops and jeans with holes all over, they could be as warm and cozy,” Chen remarked. Chen thinks that everyone should get rid of notions of societal conformity and do whatever makes you happy when it comes to fashion.

Deni Dineva

Though she was born in 2003, freshman Deni Dineva gravitates towards iconic pieces from decades past, showing off her distinctive winter style in an oversized red vintage windbreaker, cropped blue jeans, and a pair of classic Old Skool Vans. Her whole look gives off a retro vibe, accentuated by her red clout goggles, which she wears half ironically after their meme-ification. She accentuates her modern pieces with trends from the past, such as her high waisted mom jeans, which made their comeback recently.

Her fashion style is shaped by the website Pinterest and her style icons Zendaya, Jay Versace, and “anyone in That 70s Show.” She described her style as vintage, skater, and a little bit preppy. Her Vans and Thrasher hoodies reflect her identity as a skater. Dineva says that she has been skating for such a long time that it has shaped her. “I just love the laid back look of it and how chill you seem,” she said. Some of her favorite items of clothing are oversized jackets and other tomboy pieces juxtaposed with feminine touches such as tube tops and hoop earrings.

Another highlight of her style is her love of primary colors and nostalgic ‘80s hair accessories. On cold days, she wears eye-catching outerwear such as camo corduroy jackets and lightweight hardshell parkas. She mostly shops at thrift stores, with L Train Vintage being one of her favorites. Some other stores she loves are Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, because their styles are affordable.

To Dineva, dressing fashionably in the winter means layering up. “[Staying warm and looking good] are equally as important because you can have the best of both worlds,” she said. She tries to find a balance between the two. She usually wears a down jacket over her regular clothes when she goes outside, and occasionally wears gloves and earmuffs. Dineva thinks that colder weather doesn’t allow her to express herself as much because warmer weather allows for cuter pieces that she likes to put together.

According to her, the key to looking sharp during the cold months is doing makeup and wearing accessories since your choice of clothing is limited. “I love [makeup] because I feel the most myself when I’m wearing it,” she adds jokingly. “I feel like I can take on the world when I’m glowing and my wing is sharp enough to kill a man.”