Individuality is an interesting topic. We as human beings have developed so many ways to distinguish who we are and truly shine to others in the world. First we have our faces, what our DNA decided we should look like and our fantastic features that we “face” the world with. Then there is what we can add to our faces. Things such as; piercings, makeup, tattoos, the options are limitless when it comes to finding the face most true to yourself. There is more than just what we look like to show our uniqueness. Of course, there are personalities, hobbies, and who we are under the mask. They are all important for expression, but it is not just what we look like or how we act. We as humans have developed another level of expression on the outside for all the world to see: fashion. Like the fanciful feathers of a peacock, or the sleek sheen of the sea otter, fashion and clothes give people a way to show what separates them from others, what makes them an individual. All over the world, fashion is what helps people express a message they want to share, and here at Issaquah High School, students show their identities through style.

What we wear leaves an impact on others and it also shows a side to our personality without talking. An example can be 1980s business woman and shoulder pads. Showing that they were not here to mess around, and that they were powerful. With the addition of the pantsuit, a piece of clothing that exudes professionalism and style, these women were showing how fashion can show to others your personality. Another example is as simple as a graphic-tee, a wearable sign that people can associate with your personality. Sophomore Faith Hein talks about individuality and fashion. Hein says, “I do not really like wearing things that I know that everyone else is wearing. Like, I do not like walking down the hall and seeing five other girls wearing the same shirt because it is like, ‘I chose this, this is my style.’ I like to feel really individual and unique with my fashion because I think it represents me.” Fashion has always been an important way that many people around the world to express their personal individuality and the person that bares them. Sophomore Cameron Zielinski speaks of how fashion can be used to understand people better, Zielinski says, “You can tell the sort of mood someone is in or what they are like in a matter of seconds by observing their style choices and outfits.”  Junior Sam Griffith is host of “Style Tips with Sam Griffith” on iVision, where he helps give the students of Issaquah High School some tips and advice on fashion. When talking about fashion and individuality, Griffith says, “Fashion is a great way to express yourself because it offers you a canvas to display how you feel or what you want others to think of you.” Whether you are expressing your support or involvement of a movement or culture or you are expressing a part of what you believe makes you an individual and unique, it cannot be denied that fashion is here to help your identity shine through.

Everything changes with time. People, the landscape, culture, and especially fashion. Trends come and go like the changing of seasons, but what are some current trending items that students at Issaquah high have taken a liking to? When it came to items with accessories, sophomore Belle Asplund says, “Clout goggles. I think they’re pretty funny in like an ironic way.” Zielinski says, “Chokers, leggings, jean jackets, and pierced ears.” Some other trending items that came up were “variations on necks, like turtlenecks” from Freshman Tara Meyyappan, and “ripped jeans” from senior Cole Thomas. This is only the top of the trending pile, because the amazing thing about fashion is that trends inevitably repeat themselves. Sophomore Donovan Pilot says, “Yeah like right now [trends are repeating themselves]. We are having a 90s resurgence right now.” Asplund agrees with Pilot’s statement, saying, “Yes definitely [trends repeat themselves]. Something can be really big 50 years ago and then it comes back and people are like, “Why is this even popular?” But even if trends tend to repeat themselves, in the end the new generation still manages to meet with the old, and embrace the culture of the past.

Fashion is an art. It is a way of expression, and it is a way to feel like a unique individual. No matter what happens in the world, I personally believe that fashion will still find a way to shine through. The appeal for the human aesthetic occurs naturally in most people. For some it shines through like; self-grooming like hair or makeup. For some it is through body modifications. But for a majority of people, it is what they wear that they use to shine their style to the rest of the world. So go out there and flaunt that fit. Keep supporting and embracing what helps you feel more like you, and showing the rest of the world who you are.