Accessorizing with purpose
Joel Pavelski
Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: Arts
From bags to belts, piercings to pumps, and rings to ringtones, Americans like accessories.
Although unnecessary by definition, they add style, individuality and convenience to people's lives and outfits.
Freshman Megan Dunn said they also provide insight into someone's personality and preferences.
"You can judge a lot about a person by how they dress," she said.
"Not whether they're a good person or a bad, but their values, and how they see themselves. If you're always in sporty clothes, or can't go one day without makeup on, then that's where you find your identity."
What we wear
On campus, accessories and the reasons to wear them are as varied as the people putting them on.
Freshman Kate Nicksic, for example, hunts through thrift stores for things she's "proud of finding."
Going for a "hobo-chic" look, she said, means "you have to be original with accessories."
For her, accessories are a hobby.
"I find great scarves and big bags," she said. "It's not expensive to step it up. Just be unique."
Others, like junior Shannon Webb, said they go for more practical trappings, citing a silver diamond necklace as her favorite piece.
"I can wear it jogging or to dress up," she said. "It works with anything."
Webb said accessories are important because they make an outfit look complete.
"When I see something I like, I go out and get something that looks similar," she said.
Campus trends in accessories are easy to spot. For guys, it's a flashy pair of aviator-style sunglasses, or a uniquely styled hat. Junior Gregory Sparks cited his collection of more than 20 hats as his favorite.
"If your hair looks bad, you can just throw one on," he said.
For girls, Webb said, classic looks dominate.
"Girls here choose based on what's flattering," she said. "Where at other schools, it's more important to be in style. We don't choose things just because they're trendy. We prefer to dress as adults."
Belts and bags are big, agreed Webb and Nicksic.
"Bags just look better than a backpack," Webb explained.
"It's about looking interesting," Dunn said. "You want to stand out, be unique. You do that by adding something funky so you don't look like everyone else."
Why we wear
Spicing up a wardrobe isn't the only reason students grab brightly colored accouterments.
For Nicksic, it's not her Dolce Vita pumps or Pashmina scarves that garner attention. Instead, she prizes the charm bracelet that frequently jingles around her wrist.
Loaded with uncommon charms collected from around the world by her grandmother, it's a great conversation starter, Nicksic said.
Receiving accessories as gifts certainly places more value on them, added Sophomore Patrick Masterson.
He cited his favorite item as his "fraternity shoes," a pair given to him by his big brother.
Having memories associated with adornments helps one appreciate them, he said.
Some items have very personal connections. Dunn showed off her pick, a promise ring that was once her mother's.
"I wear it a lot. The connection to my family is very important to me," she said. "And it scares the boys away!"
Others load up on the gear for very different reasons, such as Sparks' ear piercing.
"It was me rebelling," he said, "because my religion doesn't allow me to get my ear pierced."
But for others, it's still is a matter of appearance.
"You want to seem as though you took time to put yourself together," Webb said.
Accessories can also provide deeper insight.
"What I wear shows that I'm simple and down to earth," Masterson said.
Others were more specific.
"My other favorite [accessories] are ones no one else has, because I like to be unique, but my purity ring shows my conservative values, and my strong family ties," Dunn said.
Although unnecessary by definition, they add style, individuality and convenience to people's lives and outfits.
Freshman Megan Dunn said they also provide insight into someone's personality and preferences.
"You can judge a lot about a person by how they dress," she said.
"Not whether they're a good person or a bad, but their values, and how they see themselves. If you're always in sporty clothes, or can't go one day without makeup on, then that's where you find your identity."
What we wear
On campus, accessories and the reasons to wear them are as varied as the people putting them on.
Freshman Kate Nicksic, for example, hunts through thrift stores for things she's "proud of finding."
Going for a "hobo-chic" look, she said, means "you have to be original with accessories."
For her, accessories are a hobby.
"I find great scarves and big bags," she said. "It's not expensive to step it up. Just be unique."
Others, like junior Shannon Webb, said they go for more practical trappings, citing a silver diamond necklace as her favorite piece.
"I can wear it jogging or to dress up," she said. "It works with anything."
Webb said accessories are important because they make an outfit look complete.
"When I see something I like, I go out and get something that looks similar," she said.
Campus trends in accessories are easy to spot. For guys, it's a flashy pair of aviator-style sunglasses, or a uniquely styled hat. Junior Gregory Sparks cited his collection of more than 20 hats as his favorite.
"If your hair looks bad, you can just throw one on," he said.
For girls, Webb said, classic looks dominate.
"Girls here choose based on what's flattering," she said. "Where at other schools, it's more important to be in style. We don't choose things just because they're trendy. We prefer to dress as adults."
Belts and bags are big, agreed Webb and Nicksic.
"Bags just look better than a backpack," Webb explained.
"It's about looking interesting," Dunn said. "You want to stand out, be unique. You do that by adding something funky so you don't look like everyone else."
Why we wear
Spicing up a wardrobe isn't the only reason students grab brightly colored accouterments.
For Nicksic, it's not her Dolce Vita pumps or Pashmina scarves that garner attention. Instead, she prizes the charm bracelet that frequently jingles around her wrist.
Loaded with uncommon charms collected from around the world by her grandmother, it's a great conversation starter, Nicksic said.
Receiving accessories as gifts certainly places more value on them, added Sophomore Patrick Masterson.
He cited his favorite item as his "fraternity shoes," a pair given to him by his big brother.
Having memories associated with adornments helps one appreciate them, he said.
Some items have very personal connections. Dunn showed off her pick, a promise ring that was once her mother's.
"I wear it a lot. The connection to my family is very important to me," she said. "And it scares the boys away!"
Others load up on the gear for very different reasons, such as Sparks' ear piercing.
"It was me rebelling," he said, "because my religion doesn't allow me to get my ear pierced."
But for others, it's still is a matter of appearance.
"You want to seem as though you took time to put yourself together," Webb said.
Accessories can also provide deeper insight.
"What I wear shows that I'm simple and down to earth," Masterson said.
Others were more specific.
"My other favorite [accessories] are ones no one else has, because I like to be unique, but my purity ring shows my conservative values, and my strong family ties," Dunn said.
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