Trendy Pumas share their style secrets

Among a diverse community of students, there’s a huge range of expression when it comes to clothes. Some students value designer brand names, while others have a less expensive taste.

Many high schoolers are responsible for paying for their own clothing. Students might have trouble balancing their wardrobe wishes with a typical high school budget.

Junior Sasha Shenk pays for a lot of her own clothing. “I don’t like shopping first hand because it’s really expensive and I don’t have the money for it,” Shenk said.

A cheap alternative to shopping in department stores is thrifting. Although the selection can be hit or miss, it is often worth the search at second-hand stores.

“I shop at Goodwill and other thrift stores,” Shenk said. She likes that thrifting allows her to stand out from her peers. “You don’t see the stuff I buy on other people.”

Many consignment stores also sell designer brand items for much cheaper than the original retail price.

“My friends and I always go to places on Capitol Hill. They have a bunch of consignment designer shops which have a lot of cool things,” senior Francesca Heston said.

Some students stay on top of the trends, while others don’t put much thought into what they wear. At U Prep, it isn’t uncommon to walk down the hallway and pass a student wearing a tie followed by a peer in sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Junior Jason Vassallo is one of those students that prefers to sport more comfortable clothing. “As long as it feels good to wear and it’s comfortable, I’ll wear it,” Vassallo said.

On the other hand, students such as junior Stone Poletti put more thought into their everyday outfits. Poletti says that, starting from a young age, he has always been a stylish kid.

“Good taste is something that looks clean and prepared well. Not put together last minute and not too flashy,” Poletti said.

Poletti claims that his mom was the one from whom he acquired his “fashionista” sense. From her he began to to put an emphasis on his personal style as part of his everyday routine.

“I just want to do what makes me happy, and fashion’s a big part of my life,” Poletti said. “Ever since I was little, I have always been drawn towards good taste.”

While thrifting has grown more popular among high school age kids, growth that can be partially attributed to last year’s hit pop song “Thrift Shop” by Seattle’s own Macklemore, many U Prep students still choose to shop at what you might think of as more typical new clothing stores.

Stores where you might find U Prep students cover an immense price range from huge national chains like Target to designer boutiques such as Versace.

When asked where he tends to shop for his clothing, Junior Jason Vassallo was straight and to the point — “Target and Costco.” Vassallo, who describes his style as “relaxed,” doesn’t often look past large corporation retailers.

For other students, clothing-specific outlets are more suitable to their shopping needs. Freshman Jordan Winter says that she likes to shop at J. Crew and Nordstrom for many of her clothes.

On top of that, Winter likes to stand out with unique styles. “I like the stuff you wouldn’t think of every day,” Winter said. One example? Winter talks about her newest craze.

“I have these clear boots, so I have a lot of crazy socks and I can have my boots basically be different every time I wear them,” Winter said.

On top of shopping in stores, today’s vast selection of clothes from internet retailers allows many students to do the bulk of their shopping online. “I do a lot of online shopping, specifically I often go to Myhabit.com,” Poletti said. “It has a bunch of very nice clothing brands.”

Some students choose to shop online because it’s easier to find uncommon sizes. “I really like shoes,” Winter said. “But [I tend to shop] online for a lot of my shoes because I have really small feet.”

A stroll through the U Prep hallways will give you just a taste of the wide range of wardrobes that students proudly show off each day. This range reflects the different shopping habits and trends of each student.

By: Annie Cohen & Isaac Glasser