Most teens dress very casually, whether at school or in public and sometimes special occasions, but that’s not my style. I have tons of fun dressing up for the week with a blazer and tie.
It’s always a joy hearing people talk about my outfit when I’m walking to classes or just out and about. Usually it’s compliments but there’s always a few times where someone jokes about how I look like a lawyer or an office guy, and it’s just really funny to me because I can always say something back like, “I’m running a little late for my meeting!”
At the same time though when people comment on how I look, it lets me know that how I present myself is working – keeping a professional, well thought out wardrobe along with making a statement.
In elementary school I usually went with a t-shirt or a polo shirt, I didn’t really care about how I looked at the time. but as my personality grew going into middle school, so did my fashion choices and options.
We had a uniform, but I still put in a little creativity, with accessories like scarfs, ties and especially coats. I really enjoyed it because it just felt like a nice change of pace and something new.
As I entered my first year in high school, a lot of my inspiration in fashion came from vintage advertisements I’d seen online, or movies and TV shows that have introduced me to characters wearing all these nice suits and patterned ties.
One movie that stuck out to me when I was younger definitely had to be The Truman Show. The 1950s aesthetic of it all and each & every character design just looked great, friendly, composed, and most importantly, fashionable.
I didn’t try to be as bold going into my freshman year because it was a whole new place, but in my junior year I wanted to get back into wearing suits and otherwise very dressy clothing both at school and just when I’m out and about .
I also like keeping myself looking professional for practicality and utility. Psychologically, wearing formal clothes can improve your productivity and effectiveness, as the Columbia University’s study titled The Cognitive Consequences of Formal Clothing says, “Wearing formal clothing was associated with describing actions in more meaningful ways, as well as more frequently perceiving meaningful relationships between objects and categories.”
Now personally, I have struggled with a lot of these things, and some of it is due to my struggle with ADHD, but since I’ve started wearing what I do more regularly, I have seen improvements in both my academics and overall life.
It also works well for presenting yourself to other people and teachers, as an article from Linkedin mentions, “Dressing appropriately not only affects how others perceive you but also how you perceive yourself.” The article goes on to say that first impressions are important and the initial impression you make is often influenced by your clothes.
Now, I’ve noticed that when I give my opinions or go into arguments they’re a lot more meaningful, and I’m taken more seriously, not just by teachers but even my friends, and trust me they are usually never serious.
It was also a few weeks ago that I was given extra credit for wearing my suit during my English presentation on healthcare, and then there was the time I helped my club sell during a club booth day. A lot more sales and activity happened around us compared to the past.
My style is something I take a lot of pride in, and it takes a lot of self confidence to put myself out there with the fashion statement I make. Not every kid is wearing a suit these days, and it’s usually seen as being very out there, and by taking the initiative to stand out and wearing something that isn’t the norm, I’m keeping things professional because I like how I feel and how people treat me.
