As someone who has been at Parker for almost 11 years, I have never paid any attention to the fashion choices that people have made until now. This article isn’t meant to bash anyone’s choice style, but rather to say that Parker, individuality can be hurt by the school’s culture, where expensive, “basic” clothing is often the norm. 

Clothing is a way for someone to express themselves or even make a statement. For many people, the shoes they walk in or the coat they wear to keep warm can be an important part of who they are. This didn’t strike me until when I was coming up with what to write about the new Instagram account, @fwpfits. The account is run by Kiran Mathew, who posts a collection of photos a few times a week of high schoolers and their daily outfit. I thought this account was full of representation for those who use fashion as an outlet to show who they are. 

So, how can fashion be an artistic statement? And how can one best represent themselves by the clothes they wear? Well, it’s really simple. Sometimes, where people buy their clothes from can determine what type of style of clothing they like. For example, if you buy your clothes from a thrift store, you may be perceived as liking a more vintage look to what you wear or even a classy style. However, if you shop at, for example, stores with athleisure wear, you may find that you prioritize comfort over appearance. 

When compared to high schools with more than 2,000 students, Parker could be considered the “little sibling” of high schools in Chicago. Since Parker is such a small school, the second one person wears or does something, it can instantly become a trend. School settings that are smaller have a power to connect people together because of common interests that we share. While trends can unify us, so can celebrating individual style as the account helped me do.