Fashion at Seattle Prep is something that a lot of students participate in and spend time in the mornings to make sure their outfits pop. One student, Victoria Elizabeth Olivera always comes to school in distinctive outfits.

           Olivera has a vintage inspired wardrobe that she has collected from a variety of places. “A lot of it I have accumulated from an antique store, a thrift shop, or just a plain store. I don’t have one specific place where I get my clothing. I just see what I like and get it.” Olivera also makes many of her clothing items herself.

            “I do design some of my clothes. This year I made my homecoming dress. I will oftentimes take from something more complicated, like a pattern and then I will edit the pattern to make it fit me better or to add in a feature that wasn’t part of the original.” Olivera explains how she creates her unique items, “Sometimes I will make things from scratch. It really depends on the difficulty of the item and whether or not I’ve made it before.”

             Style is all about the person wearing the clothes, not necessarily the people seeing the outfit. “I like to stand out because it’s fun. I never went to the aspect of trying to stand out, I went to the aspect of appealing to what I like to wear” added Olivera.

Olivera shows how having an individual style is all about the comfort of the person. “If you want to wear something, I say go for it. It doesn’t matter. People really don’t point out to you, at least to your face, and if they do, just ignore them.”

            Dressing up can be fun, lighthearted, and even something people spend hours each day on. Olivera said “I just like aesthetic. I never liked calling myself a fashionista because I didn’t like the stigma behind it.” Olivera shows that wearing a unique outfit is a creative way to express oneself.

           Victoria Olivera is a great example of using clothing to show one’s personality. Fashion does not need to be something that costs a lot of money, and it can be a way to connect people at school. Lastly, Olivera shows how having a style can come in many forms, even following trends, or wearing unique clothing. “My thought has always been that people can dress however they feel, and I went to the aspect of appealing to what I like to wear.”