The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City is an interesting place. Walking down 27th and 7th, you will not see the typical college student attire of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Students at the school treat going to class as they would an event. It is a chance to be creative, to dress up, and to embrace the school’s slogan, “Unconventional Minds.” A quick walk on campus and you’ll see everything from stilettos at 8 in the morning, to even full Knight armor (shoutout @s.annia on Tiktok).
As a student at the school myself, I often find that I feel uninspired with my outfits. It can be exhausting having to dress up every single day, when I’m just trying to find the energy to get out of bed for my 9am classes. I like to call it “Fashion Fatigue.” So I asked students at FIT where they get their inspiration from. How do they find the motivation to wake up every morning and put on an outfit straight from a Pinterest board? I spoke to students to see where they get their fashion inspiration from.
“I take most of my inspiration from music and pop culture,” said Keilena Burch, a senior at FIT studying Fashion Business Management. “I like to look at musical artists and watch movies and shows that have good fashion,” she shared. “Some of my fashion icons are Alexa Demie, Olivia Rodrigo, and Carrie Bradshaw. I’ll try to recreate similar looks to what they wear with things I already own to refresh how I’m styling something.”
Many students shared that social media and influencers are also a primary source of creativity for their outfits. “Emma Chamberlain is a big source of inspiration for me,” shared Aneesha Mahapatra, a senior studying Advertising and Marketing Communications (AMC). “I also look up to people like Camille Row, Taylor Russell, and Bella Hadid. I’m constantly reading about trends and looking on socials to see what I can reuse or upcycle in my own closet to keep it from getting stale.”
Keila Vo, also a senior studying Advertising and Marketing Communications, shared that she takes in what she sees around her on the New York City streets to influence her outfits. “Seeing fashionable people around New York City is one of my main inspirations,” Vo said. “The city is full of so many interesting people that it’s easy to get inspired every time I leave the house.”
Mahapatra also agreed that in addition to social media, she garners outfit ideas from the people around her. “New York City is a constant fashion show,” she said. “There’s been so many times I’ll see someone with a cool jacket or a pair of shoes and then try to find something similar at a thrift store.”
Even with so much to look at, it can still be hard to execute the looks that you have envisioned in your head. Or what happens when you’re simply just so bored of everything in your closet? When you insist that you have “nothing to wear” while stepping over piles of rejected outfits that take up your entire bedroom?
“Being comfortable in your own style is key to staying inspired,” said Moriel Mizrahi, an AMC senior. “Especially with the trend cycle nowadays, things get stale so easily. Never follow trends on the nose. It’s likely that you won’t stick out,” she shared. “I stick to my personal style and incorporate touches of trends from season to season.”
It’s easy to reach for the same things over and over again and reject the rest of our closet. It’s easy to go out and purchase something new when we see it trending. But ultimately, true style comes from working with what you have. So look at the people on the street. Stalk the social media of the people who love. And don’t be afraid to stray from the norm to keep your outfits creative.
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