'Cookie cutter' fashion

When Meenal Mistry Fashion editor from Women's Wear Daily, came to visit IU in 2003, she told me she could see there was an aesthetic sense among the students on campus. She said she thought the students on campus had their own sense of style and they were not as cookie cutter as other fashion school's students. I thought to myself, "'cookie cutter,' that's a good phrase." Actually it is a phrase that could describe what I have been seeing on campus lately. It's funny how a year changes things.\n"Cookie Cutter" is a way to describe someone who does not have a personal sense of style, those people who look like they walked right out of an Old Navy commercial and blend in with everyone else on campus. Of course, I am not bashing these people, but I will bash the "cookie cutter" ideal. Looking down on others because they don't dress like you and because you don't understand fashion is a no-no. There is nothing wrong with having your own sense of style, it is okay. I remember when I saw Meenal she had on a scarf, jumper pants, and a shirt and jacket that did not match but she pulled it off. It was her own quirky style and it looked good. \nThis year I plan to embrace my own quirky style a little more. It is weird being on a campus where almost everyone wears a Northface jacket and carries a Kate Spade bag. The college uniform of choice has become yoga pants, a head band and New Balance sneakers. There is nothing wrong with that, because comfort is essential, but it shouldn't be the only accepted style of dress. One should not feel a necessity to look like a cut-out from a magazine either. I love blazers and tuxedo pants, but when too many people start wearing them, when is the line between drone and unique crossed? On a college campus of 36,000 people might feel they have to dress a certain way to be accepted, but I disagree. It's better not to care about what other people think. \nI have been a victim of caring about what others think as far as my way of dress. There was a time when I only felt comfortable at home, but that is no longer true. I have realized I have a penchant for green, so now I embrace both it and my love for black, because it makes my butt look smaller. When I woke up Tuesday, one of the first things I reached for was my New Balances, but I just couldn't do it. I remembered Stephanie Bay, my Trends and Concepts in Fashion professor, who said too many stores and people are suffering from the "sameness disease." \nThis disease is spreading to too many clothing stores, where everything looks the same and you can't tell the difference. That did it for me! I went for my black and white checkered Vans that I got backstage at the Luella Bartley show. For some reason they looked so good with my black pants and green shirt -- I just had to wear them. As I walked around campus I felt proud because I had embraced my personal style; there are more things in my closet that are as quirky as the Vans and I want to wear to wear them. \nI used to get upset when people would gibe at my style, but now I don't care. As I take a look around I realize they all look alike. They might have adopted the latest fashion, but they don't have any style. Style is personal, it is something only you alone can figure out for yourself. One of my favorite dashionistas, Dena Downham, once said, "Don't you hate that you can't wear certain kinds of clothes on this campus?" I remember saying yes, but now I say "skip it." I will wear my leopord-print fur coat and she will wear her big fur coat and we will be examples of the anti-"cookie cutter" fashion, because it is like being on a bad acid trip when you see an army of cookies walking to class.