Strange Friends

Have you ever watched a show that you instantly knew you would love it? That's how I feel about my friends in Chicago.

They're strange, eclectic and don't care about showing who they truly are.

It's strange because we all came from around the nation: Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin... Any state you name, I probably know someone from there.

What's strange about them is how different they are from the other teenage kids in college. They don't wear boyfriend jeans and a grandma sweater to seem alt; they wear what they want when they want. Dirty blonde is the lightest shade, and no one owns a pair of overalls.

This phenomenon of teenage liberal arts kids wearing sweaters and baggy jeans is sweeping across the nation like a bad news story. It's a trend, so people feel different and edgy. I understand why, though; it's so they look like they didn't even try to look cute, but we all know these kids tried their best, yet they are still identical the girl next to them on campus. That's what makes my friends strange in the Liberal Arts world. They get fitted clothes and it's obvious they put effort into their everyday outfits.

This photoshoot by Libby Roth was inspired by the show Stranger Things, and how Mrs. Byers didn't put the effort in what she wore because she had other things on her mind (Her son was in the Upside Down after all).It's to show that we all get into that phase, but we all depend on the aesthetic of fashion and light, for example, the model Amanda Loeffelholz wears a fitted striped top under the bomber jacket, and the Christmas lights give a glow that no other light could.

Why do Liberal Arts kids go through this phase of "not caring" about how they dress? It's quite strange because I've met a few of them that say that this style is a lot to take care of and that each day they pick out what they wear like it's a work of art. But is it art, or is it merely a Z Gallery print of the same outfit each girl wears? It's tacky as f**k, unoriginal, and boring. People try to act different and fresh by presenting themselves as edgy and up and coming when in reality they can only feed off of other people's desperation to look different, which consequently makes them look like they're walking for Salvation Army F/W 2017. Fashion and the way you live your life coincide, and you can tell if someone has an original mind from the way they dress. So why do they put so much effort in their makeup, their dyed hair, and the little booties, yet attempt to deceive everybody in thinking they aren't trying with their baggy jackets and jeans? Why not try something different? Why not paint their own picture instead of tracing from a projector?