Style Point of View: Feminine and Fresh

Week 1

Style Point of View

Feminine and fresh

Zoe Martin

My style is always changing. As a design major with an emphasis on clothing and textiles, I’m constantly experimenting with what I can wear and how I can use my clothing, accessories, and makeup to convey my dynamic energy. However, I do see consistency within style elements and things I love to wear. Thus, I’d describe my style as feminine and fresh. My style icon is Heart Evangelista.

I think a lot of cultural influence plays into the way I dress. My family is from the Philippines where the climate is hot and humid and light colored gauzy fabrics are popular; similarly, I wear a lot of natural fabrics such as white cotton and linen. This is where the fresh and clean aspect of my style comes from. I also grew up doing Philippine folk dance, which exposed me to many indigenous fabrics and Filipiniana dress. This familiarity inspires me to wear vibrant, fun prints and big sleeves. I always find inspiration in what empowered women all over the world wear.  Many design elements I enjoy wearing are traditionally considered girly like the color pink, dresses, skirts, headbands, and bows. I also prefer that my clothes have a more tailored fit, also contributing to the timeless, fresh aesthetic I have. My clothing choices have always been very feminine; thus, this week’s reading made me reflect upon whether this is a personal choice or it has been something culturally ingrained in me since women are expected to maintain and uphold tradition and the design elements I enjoy wearing are considered conventionally feminine. However, with blurred boundaries between gender-specific clothing, what is considered traditionally feminine Asian-American style today?