Outfits and energy come in all ages and sizes. Every generation reflects beauty, whether it comes from years of knowledge or momentary passions. I found multiple people of all ages rocking outfits that reflect a great spirit. Today, we are going to look at people of all different generations.
Ari
Ari is a current student at Santa Cruz High. His band T-shirt with cut-off sleeves is from our local Santa Cruz Record store. The grey camo shorts are from the goodwill bins in Monterey, and ankle high black boots are from a military store. His ring is from super silver, and Ari made his own bracelet made of bottle caps. The jean chain and black belt are both from Goodwill, and the silver necklaces are from other thrift stores. Black is Ari’s favorite color to wear. He advises not to be afraid to try new things, because there is always going to be someone who doesn’t like your outfit; all that should really matter is whether you do. If you think you like something, it never hurts to try something on. His favorite places to shop are Goodwill and the Streetlight Record store. He says he is goth so his clothing is mostly a collection of band T-shirts, with his favorite personal piece being a long black trench coat he calls Uncle Fester, which he prefers to pair with a black turtleneck, a classic goth look. Ari says he wants his style to reflect that he is just a silly guy.
Djin
Djin is wearing a black tank top with lace trim and a detailed black stretch maxi skirt. The top is thrifted, and the skirt is from a thrift store called Flipside Thrift Center. The silver moon and stars chain belt was gifted by a friend. Most of her jewelry is gifted by a friend or purchased from Etsy. But her silver barbed wire bracelet is from a beautiful local artist named Jen Raynes (@ jenraynesart). Djin is an OG goth here, so she prefers wearing black, reds, burgundies, and purples. Djin usually starts with black as a base color and then continues to feature other colors along the way. Djin advises not to let capitalism dictate your style. Women’s beauty and clothing standards change every few years, partly to convince you to buy a whole new wardrobe. Don’t fall for it. Dress in what makes you happy and comfortable; the confidence you have in your own style will show. Djin’s favorite places to shop at are Thrift shops in Grass Valley, where they have great prices and great throwback pieces from the 90s-early 200s. Etsy is her go-to for jewelry, but Moon Kissed in Santa Cruz has great pieces as well. She also loves shopping for odd pieces that, as a bellydancer, she finds at festivals. Djins’s least favorite fashion trend is fast fashion, which pushes folks to waste money on cheap pieces that fall apart, and if not sold, get thrown in the trash. The manufacturing is terrible for our environment and people. She is a trans woman who has only been transitioning for a year. She wants her style to express a degree of femininity, though with a bit of edge. Djin feels that representing as a strong and confident transwoman is especially important in the current political and cultural climate. Djin says embracing their gender identity has impacted the way they currently dress. Along with discovering the whimsgoth aesthetic and am in love with it, always looking for witchy wear. Her favorite piece is a stretchy maxi skirt with a deep red velvet top and leather boots.
Amir
Amir was born and raised in Santa Cruz but is currently going to school at the University of Oregon. Amir is wearing a black and grey real tree camo T-shirt he thrifted in Oregon. His black denim shorts with white spiderweb stitching his brother made for him as a gift. Lastly, tied together with all white Air Forces, which he bought from the Nike store. He tends to wear daker or more neutral shades, but he can appreciate others who choose more vibrant clothing. His favorite place to shop is at thrift stores in Santa Cruz or Oregon because people are constantly getting rid of good clothing. Amir wants his style to show that he is someone who enjoys the mundane side of fashion, like he stated earlier, nothing flashy, but just enough to have some sort of personal uniqueness to it. His least favorite fashion trend is labubus. The outfits that make him the happiest are soccer kits, and he is inspired by the colors because he is a soccer player himself.
Heidi
Heidi is from Sacramento but currently lives in Aptos. She is wearing a vibrant, beautiful long-sleeve shirt by Desigual from her older sister, with a white, tiered, flowy muslin skirt handmade by a local artist named Forte Designs. Lastly, she had a light leather-colored heel, which was also hand-me-down from her older sister. Her favorite color to wear is green because it is full of life. Her advice is that your best accessory is your smile. She enjoys mixing styles and expressing joy. She also enjoys good statement pieces and repurposing clothing in a fun way to create a unique outfit. The outfits she wears that make her the happiest are clothes made by her daughter, along with bright colors. Heidi is great at color coordinating and finds happiness when reflecting her inner shine as well. Heidi doesn’t shop too much because she enjoys recycling, but when she does get new clothes, they are either hand-me-downs from family members or thrifted.
