Junior Breanna Wilson expresses her personality through her wardrobe. Photo by Darcy Leber.
ABBY KIDWELL | STAFF REPORTER | arkidwell@butler.edu
College fashion is constantly shifting in order to accommodate function, follow trends in form and reflect the changing nature of the world that students live in. Here on Butler’s campus, students are finding new ways to merge their leisure time with their professional life. Read on to discover the next of our Dawgs with Style through a Q&A style interview.
Junior history major Breanna Wilson marches to the beat of her own drum in all facets of life, including fashion. Every component of her outfits, from her signature jewelry stacks to her sneakers, reflects her attention to detail. Wilson’s style blends chic and grunge; she would fit perfectly on the set of a 90s coming-of-age film. By experimenting with silhouettes, patterns and accessories, Wilson balances trying new things and sticking with what is classic.
The Butler Collegian chatted with Wilson about her fashion journey, inspirations and how to drown out the voices of others when developing a personal style.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: How would you describe your personal style?
BREANNA WILSON: I would say very alternative but trendy at the same time. I like to [characterize] it with a lot of baggy clothing, or sometimes, tight-fitting clothing, and fun sweaters and vests. And I love patterns, so I love to mix and match my patterns a lot.
TBC: When did you start caring about your personal style and having opinions about the clothes you wear?
BW: Growing up, I definitely was a weird kid. I wore a lot of black and band merch. But I think I began experimenting in high school. I remember there was a cool group of upperclassmen when I was a sophomore. That was probably the first time I was like, ‘Wow. That’s someone who’s not afraid to wear whatever they want and feel cool and look cool doing it.’ That’s kind of when I began thrifting and experimenting more with my patterns and layering. That was history for me.
TBC: Who are your greatest style influences?
BW: I would say Chloë Sevigny. She was “That Girl” in the 90s. Very underrated “That Girl.” I’d put her above Kate Moss for me. Beabadoobee, I think she’s got an amazing style. She’s 90s grunge, but also some modern, trendy pieces. And living with 100-plus girls, I get a lot of style inspiration from them. I think that’s something I really value: living somewhere where my style is appreciated and also sharing a collective [enjoyment] on that.
TBC: Are there any forms of media, like movies or TV shows, that have influenced your style evolution?
BW: Specifically with movies, I would go with “Lady Bird.” Something about it emulates the 90s in a way where it’s so fun. Even though [the characters are] wearing uniforms, you could still feel very personalized with them. That just made me realize, even if I am wearing a basic outfit, it’s still about my personality and how I choose to express myself, whether that’s through my tattoos or jewelry. I feel like that movie encapsulates that, bringing it all together.
TBC: If you were a cartoon character, what would your everyday outfit be?
BW: There’s this TV show from the 90s called “Daria” that used to air on MTV, and if I was a cartoon character, I feel like I’d wear exactly her fit. She wears really weird colored cardigans with a plain white shirt and some sort of skirt and knee-high socks. And I feel like that’s something very telltale of her character … but it’s also just super grunge and emphasizes her personality a lot. I think that’s really cool.
TBC: Does how you dress reflect your personal identity?
BW: I feel like it does, especially with how eclectic some of my pieces are. I feel like sometimes, when you look at me outside of a [fashion] setting, people would assume … I had no style, unfortunately. But I feel like my style really shows off my personality … it shows I’m not afraid to branch out, and I’m also a very personable person because I’m just very loud in my fashion.
TBC: Do you have any favorite stores to shop at?
BW: I love Hightail Vintage in Fountain Square. It’s a very underrated spot. It’s actually crazy because it was from my hometown up north, in Valpo, Indiana, and they moved here when I first got to Butler. They have some very affordable pieces that are super trendy. Goodwill, they have some good pieces, occasionally hit-or-miss. You’re going to get your “I love my mom”, “I love my cat” shirts. [At Hightail Vintage], it’s Goodwill prices, but more trendy stuff that you’re seeing on everyday people.
TBC: Do you have any controversial style opinions?
BW: I think the fashion community is super toxic and pretentious. A lot of the time, they hate on people who don’t thrift or buy crazily-sourced stuff. That’s something I don’t really rock with. People hate on big stores like Hollister and American Eagle. You tell somebody, “I got this from Zara” and they’re like, “Oh, Zara.” Let people wear what they want. I think that those stores are pretty cool, in hindsight. Outside that aspect of fashion, I’m a big hater of skinny jeans. I just owned 4,000 pairs of the same black Old Navy RockStar skinny jeans in my youth, and I can’t ever go back to that. They’re just not fun anymore to me.
TBC: Do you think that social media has made finding your personal style easier or more difficult?
BW: It made it easier for me. Specifically, TikTok and Pinterest have been a great way for me to get inspiration and to show people what they might like. I feel like if I didn’t have social media, I wouldn’t be able to express myself the way I do or feel comfortable expressing myself the way I do in my fashion. I just didn’t feel, prior to that, that I was seeing people who looked like me in fashion or were wearing the things I thought were cool.
TBC: What is some advice you have for people who are struggling to find their own style or the confidence to wear what they want?
BW: You shouldn’t let people tell you what to wear or how to look a certain way. It’s very hard nowadays, especially because you have people who are wearing simple pieces, and they’ll hate on people who have more eclectic styles, or you have people with more eclectic styles who will hate on people with more basic style. The statement I live by is look good, feel good. As long as you’re wearing what you like and what makes you feel good, that’s all that should matter.
