What inspires student fashion?
Millennial and Generation-Z fashion around the world is inspired by cultural and social movements influenced by the emergence of pop culture.
threestreamsmedia spoke to students in Chicago and Potchefstroom to find out what inspires the clothing they wear.
Pop culture includes elements of music, new trends and styles that people choose to emulate in what they wear.
As part of a cultural exchange with students from Lewis University in Chicago in the United States, threestreamsmedia spoke to some students at Lewis to get their views on pop culture and fashion, and compared these with students from NWU in Potchefstroom.
People from the city keep their fashion simple and relaxed, casual, and classic. “One way to describe our fashion style is through colour. We normally do not go for vibrant colours, instead, we go for neutral colours like white, greys, tan and brown. This is the kind of pop culture Chicagoans set and follow,” said John Kladis, 23, who studies at Lewis University.
You cannot be a Chicagoan without owning a “vintage plaid flannel shirt, a button-up shirt that does not look like a flannel, a button-up short sleeve shirt that has some kind of animal prints on it (ether birds or flamingos), Khaki pants and skinny tight jeans and lastly sweaters fo. the winter,” Kladis said.
John Kladis (23) takes us through his cupboard on must-have clothing items in Chicago. (Video: Zandile Khumalo)
Chicago is known for its intense winter and summer weather and they had to learn to adapt their fashion to changeable weather.
Megan O’Brien (20), who studies early childhood education at Lewis University, said, “You can always tell that someone is from the city if they are wearing long winter coats because it gets really cold up here.” Another way to spot a Chicagoan is through their love for sneakers. O’Brien said that they are ready to get the latest sneaker and have a thing for sandals in the summer.
South Africans have also tried to challenge traditional boundaries and cultures in the way they dress, and have found fashion ideas in pop culture. Most of Potchefstroom’s fashion pop culture is associated with individuals’ interests in certain music, movies, and literature.
Ashely Moyo (21), majoring in BSc in information technology, said, “My style incorporates two things: the ‘90s vintage classic wear and rock stars and punk style. That is why you will see me in black a lot, with silver chains and skull earrings.” This has become one of the most unique style fashions. It still turns heads because it is a combination of two different cultures of fashion that are mashed together to create something different. “The goal is to set a trend rather than follow it,” Moyo said.
Watch the fashion collage above as Ashley Moyo defines his sense of style and how he found a way to make it unique for himself. (Video collage: Zandile Khumalo)
Potchefstroom breaks boundaries when it comes to fashion. Most students’ fashion is influenced by a lot of movement and the rock star culture.
Xoliswa Fotoi (22), NWU student studying towards a BA in Industrial Psychology with Labour Relation, said, “I am a rock star person so I would say rock is reflected in my sense of style, through it being rebellious and chaotic in all kinds of forms, whether it is through the colour of my hair, or dye my eyebrows or even accessories. I just choose to express myself in ways that are contrary to others.”
I just choose to express myself in ways that are contrary to others, said Fotoi.
This map is indicates both North West University Potchefstroom campus and Lewis University in Romeoville. (Map: By Zandile Khumalo)