The weather in Chicago during the Fall tends to be inconsistent, ranging from cold and snow to temperatures in the 80s — inconsistencies fashion must adapt to.
This Fall, junior Ella Schlachter foresees a spike in stripes and slouchy sweaters. “I’ve seen [these sweaters] a lot and I feel like it’s very nice, especially with the colder weather coming in,” said Schlachter.
Lane math teacher Lori McDonald predicts a continuation of the “rodeo-cowboy-cowgirl movement.”
Many people use social media for outfit inspiration. “I use pinterest as inspiration that I can then take to make my own,” said senior David Morowitz.
However, Morowitz does have concerns with Pinterest: “I think that it can lead to a little bit of unhealthy comparison being bombarded with images of people that are cool — really cool and matching a style so effortlessly. It makes you feel like you have to have more money sometimes, or at least it makes me feel like I need to have more money and more freedom to buy more clothes and more accessories to fit a very certain, niche style when that isn’t the case.”
Though Schlachter too uses Pinterest for inspiration, she tries to be “realistic” and said she only pins clothes that she already has something similar to.
McDonald, on the other hand, draws inspiration for her outfits based on what calls to her. “I love color, I love patterns and really nice, soft, luxurious feeling materials,” she says.
Often, the forecasted weather isn’t always what people base their outfits off of. “I usually like to dress for it being a little warmer than it is because I feel like in the Lane Tech building, I often get very warm and I don’t want to wear a sweater, even if the weather calls for it,” Morowitz said.
Both Morowitz and Schlachter said that their entire outfit was thrifted. “I like that [thrifting is] so unique and you can find a lot of cool things that just represent you more than something that’s non-thriftstore… It adds a unique element to your outfit and like no one else really has that,” Schlachter said.
Schlachter was wearing a tighter-fitting blue-and-white striped half-button-up, or a henley, with black bootcut jeans, Converse, and gold jewelry, an outfit very reminiscent of her predictions for fashions trends coming up this fall and chilly temperatures. “With this top — I altered it so it fit tighter,” Schalchter said.
Morowitz was wearing a white graphic T-shirt, a grey sweater, jeans, and cowboy boots. “My friend who believes himself to be a cowboy boot expert says that these are made out of ostrich,” Morowitz said.
McDonald was wearing a black and green floral turtlenecked dress with black lace leggings. “[The dress] was either Anthropologie or Free People,” she said.
In a time where microtrends are so rampant and common, McDonald has a refreshing take on the trend cycle. “When I was a teenager, I was very much into trends. I find that as I get older, or as I got older, it was more about what just makes me feel good in what I have on and sometimes trends don’t necessarily fit my look, or my personality, or even body type,” she said. Alternatively, she believes trends can be very positive for younger generations: “I love to see you guys with your personalities and your twists on trends so I think it’s really good for your generation to follow trends,” she said.
Schlachter agreed that people should wear what they want to wear. “Don’t care what other people think, just wear what you want,” said Schlacter. “It’s like who cares in the real thing? You know? Just wear what you want.”
