Fashion in New York City

“…style is all about being ‘weird.”

“Everything is very different and against the grain of the outfits that you see in Williamsburg, the East Village or in SoHo.”

– Charlie Gonzalez for Gothamist

I’m not so sure about that!

Today was the warmest day of the year so far in the city. Anticipating the huge crowds of people in the streets, I did my makeup and wore a cute outfit- a denim mini dress with a Nike bomber jacket and lavender Nike waffle shoes. I had an assortment of accessories, my Consuela bag, and my hair was done. I went to SoHo, which is a good place to get noticed. Tons of content creators and people shoving phones and mics in your face and people posing and talking for said people. The individual pieces of their outfits may be unique, but somehow they all fit into just a few categories. Hardly ‘very different’ or ‘against the grain.’ Self-expression and trying too hard have become categories in themselves, and once someone falls into them they become indistinguishable.

I didn’t see any outfit like mine (was it so unstylish that no one would be caught dead in something similar? Or do I give myself too much credit?) No interviewer or photographer wanted to know about it, although I did get a few acknowledgments from some pretty girls. Yes! Once it got hot, I went back to my dorm, ditched the jacket, and swapped my Nikes for red hightop Reeboks. I felt naked and bare, having shed my protective ornaments. I stepped back outside, and suddenly, everyone loves my outfit. Do people really dig the red Reeboks? Was my jacket before too tacky and clunky? Or had I not been alluring enough because of my too-calculated layering? Indeed, with my shoulders and legs now completely out, it was no longer the girls giving me subtle, approving smiles but rather the guys shouting and dishing obvious looks.

In New York City you will find cool fashion; it may seem more ‘different’ than other major cities but only because it’s proportional (more people = more of a chance of seeing leggings worn as a shirt). Put more effort into your outfit to attract media attention if you’re lucky, or at least acknowledgment from nice people. Alternatively, opt for fewer articles to attract the male gaze. Don’t feel bad that you haven’t thrifted worn-looking fur coats and chunky boots, or don’t own any low-waisted True Religion jeans. Everyone who goes against the grain only falls right in line with something else, so work with what you have.