Let me start off by saying that my name is Luke Gardner, and I am a freshman. People often compliment my sense of style, and I can't lie, they're not wrong. Anyways, I wanted to use this article to talk about my style. I believe that having your own style is what makes a person unique. It's really not as hard as it seems, the easiest way to gain a sense of style is to match your outfits. Matching basically consists of making sure your shoes and your shirt go together.  That being said, there is a fine line between an outfit being too matchy and just the right amount. Make sure to keep your outfits simple and not too complex. What I do to pick out an outfit is I start with the shoes. When I wake up, the shoes I wear depend on how I'm feeling. If I’m feeling beat, I probably will go with some dark colored vans. The type of shoes you wear can just say a lot about you. My companion John Vasallo personally recommends light up sketchers, but that’s just him. Remember, you do you, if that is what John is feeling that day then that is what John will go with. Anyways, with some dark vans I particularly like some non-Vineyard Vines khaki colored pants. I like pants that are tapered at the ankle because they make shoes look good. For the top portion of the outfit, you need a hoodie. Your hoodie is one of the most important parts of your fit. This is where you can really express yourself that day, as you could go with something with lots of color or something simple: maybe one color and a logo or a simple hoodie with a design on it. Don’t get carried away here because you have to make sure your hoodie matches your shoes. This is because it makes your fit look more satisfying and coordinated. Also it really doesn’t matter what shirt you wear under your hoodie since, in the winter, it’s so cold you probably won’t take the hoodie off. If it is cold enough to the point where you might need another jacket, I personally think a bomber jacket over a hoodie or something that zips up is the way to go, as long as it provides the warmth you need and looks solid.

On a chill type of day in the winter, I wear something comfy, like sweatpants and a hoodie. I also personally recommend Patagonia fleeces. Also around this time, a Christmas sweater is a great go to option. For example, take a look at fellow students Connor Fewin, Landon Bosco, and Judson Stewart. They've all gone with this option and it has worked well to their advantage. Now if you’re thinking to yourself right about now, “Well yeah I could definitely pull these off but I really do not know where to buy these clothing items” then you are in luck. To start off, Urban outfitters is a great store with lots of items that were listed in this article. Also, there is one at your local South Park mall. Another great store is Pacsun: they have lots of great options as far as hoodies, shoes, shirts, jackets etc… You catch my drift. Honestly, to find clothes that you like that others do not have comes from inspirations. Social media plays a big role in the inspirations that I get for my style. I personally focus on people such as Lil Yachty, Lil Uzi Vert, Quavo (from the Migos… obviously), Tyler the Creator, and other rappers. I also focus on NBA player Deangelo Russell (if you swing by his IG page he has some well put together outfits, I can’t lie). You might have different taste - and focus on maybe the Kardashians or the Jenners, but that’s just not my speed. I'm not implying that you do not need to come in rocking some Gucci or Louis V, it's all about what you make of the pieces that you have. That being said, if you do, but if you do people will feel your presence.

To conclude this, you should dress how you want to dress and you shouldn’t let others affect what you wear or the quality of what you wear. At Country Day, we have the freedom to wear almost anything we want  (key word: “almost") so you should use this chance to be yourself and find your style.