Finding a style that you like and feel comfortable in is more than just choosing clothes—it’s about finding a way to express who you are and blending personal taste with creativity to find the right outfit that can help you feel empowered, giving you the freedom to embrace your individuality and wear it proudly. Whether through cute vintage Rory Gilmore-esque tops or bold graphic T-shirts, discovering your personal style is key to feeling comfortable in your own skin and showing off the confidence that comes with it. As you’re about to see, we interviewed some people here at SAFE who we think have super cool styles, and they had some insightful things to say.
Caroline Harris
First up, we spoke with Caroline Harris, an 8th grader who, in her free time, likes to bake and also, as she kindly put it, “do nothing.” Her style is a super cute blend of preppy while still keeping in touch with her country side, and here is what she had to say to some of our questions.
Q: “Who or what are your biggest style inspirations?”
A: “There is this girl named Leah Fish, but mostly, like, me, myself, and I—and Leah Fish.”
Q: “What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet?”
A: “Probably my normal leggings, my camo zip-up, and my cute church dresses.”
Q: “How has your style progressed over time?”
A: “Well, I was a kid, and then I started wearing crop tops, then I was big on ’80s clothes, then I wanted to be a cowgirl, and now I’m—whatever you call what I wear.”
Q: “What advice would you give to someone finding their style?”
A: “Don’t buy a ton of stuff that is just one style because you may end up hating it and having to get rid of all of it, like I did with my ’80s clothes.”
As you can see from the picture we provided, she is wearing a cute camo zip-up and her iconic black flared leggings, showing off her style that Caroline herself described as “a lil’ bit preppy, a lil’ bit country, and very athleisure.”
Anna Krueger
Next up, we have Anna Krueger, who, when she isn’t lost in a book, is helping out with the yearbook. In fact, she is also the founder and editor-in-chief of The Gazette! Her style is giving “cute Pinterest girlie” who isn’t afraid to show off her personality in her outfits. As she put it, her style is “very ’90s and early 2000s inspired.” Anna gave us some great insights to share in response to our questions. Here is what she shared:
Q: “Who or what are your biggest style inspirations?”
A: “Definitely Lorelai Gilmore.”
Q: “What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet?”
A: “Really any type of flare jeans, and I really love chunky sweaters.”
Q: “How has your style progressed over time?”
A: “I’d say I really went from more grunge to modern. I had the fishnets and combat boots—it was bad. But yeah, more modern now.”
Q: “What advice would you give to someone finding their style?”
A: “Don’t focus on trends and microtrends; just pick stuff you like. That was a thing for me—I tried way too hard to fit into the ‘aesthetics,’ and I would end up not liking them.”
Q: “Has finding your personal style helped with your confidence, and if it did, how so?”
A: “Oh yes, definitely! I became a lot more confident in myself once I found a style I was comfortable in, mostly because I felt more true to myself—not pretending to fit in with the crowd and such.”
From the picture provided, Anna is wearing an adorable lacy top paired with some flare jeans, and it is giving!
Annie Daugherty
After that enlightening interview, we talked to Annie Daugherty, a 9th grader who enjoys listening to Zach Bryan and Elvis Presley in her free time and is a big fan of movies. Her style is a mix of, as she put it, “comfy, western, modern, and cutesy.” Annie had some cool things about her style that she shared with us:
Q: “Who or what are your biggest style inspirations?”
A: “Ooh, that’s a hard one. I’d say my mom is a great one because she has great fashion sense, and Lainey Wilson.”
Q: “What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet?”
A: “Sweatshirts and boots.”
Q: “How has your style progressed over time?”
A: “I used to wear all black until sorta recently, where I started wearing a lot of pink. The best way I can describe it is straight black to basically the rainbow.”
Q: “What advice would you give to someone finding their style?”
A: “Find your own unique style, and don’t try to copy people. Take inspiration, but don’t make someone else’s style your whole personality.”
Q: “Has finding your personal style helped with your confidence, and if it did, how so?”
A: “I would say yes because I feel free to be myself and express myself.”
Annie is wearing an absolutely adorable green and pink sweatshirt in the picture above with cute flowers on the sleeves and a denim skirt, and it really shows off her personality.
Caitlin Stewart
Last, but certainly not least, we interviewed Caitlin Stewart, a senior who enjoys dance. Her studio, Freed’s School of Performing Arts, is working on a routine called “Navigate,” which Caitlin said might be her favorite. Caitlin’s style is giving comic book character vibes in the best way possible. Here is what she said to some of our questions:
Q: “Who or what are your biggest style inspirations?”
A: “Comic books—very Peter Parker-esque.”
Q: “What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet?”
A: “I’d have to say my patch pants, my dad’s military jersey, and all my Spider-Man shirts.”
Q: “How has your style progressed over time?”
A: “I got a lot more comfortable with being just a lil’ bit funky.”
Q: “What advice would you give to someone finding their style?”
A: “Try it all.”
Q: “Has finding your personal style helped with your confidence, and if it did, how so?”
A: “Oh yes, absolutely.”
In the picture, Caitlin is wearing a simple but cute graphic shirt and denim shorts.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from our amazing interviewees, everyone has their own style that is uniquely theirs. As trends come and go, as long as you stay true to yourself and what you like, then you have great style. Also, don’t forget that taste is subjective—while you might think a piece looks bad, it might just be what someone else was looking for. Just know that what you wear doesn’t define you as a person, but it can help with self-confidence to find clothes you love and feel pretty (or handsome) in. Always remember that your style is about you and what you like, not what anyone else thinks. It doesn’t matter if you are a simple jeans-and-T-shirt person or if you enjoy going all out with your outfits—as long as you feel confident and comfortable, that’s all that matters.
