by Alison Pasbrig

Alison Pasbrig talks to students across the Hamline campus to find out what drives the funky and fun aesthetics behind their style. 👑

Aurora Wymar
they/them

How does your style reflect your personality?

I am becoming more and more like my “auntie.” She bakes delicate french pastries and serves them on beautiful china plates with tiny silverware, but wears overalls and steel-toed boots. Through her example, I have learned that I can present androgynously and authentically while still having intense appreciation for pretty and feminine items.

What types of things influence your style?

I typically strive for androgyny and love to use layers and textures to add interest to my outfits. For example, I love to layer skirts, slips, or dresses with large sweaters or t-shirts. I enjoy having both masculine and feminine aspects in an outfit, adding details like silver jewelry or my trusty cowboy boots! 

How would you describe your style in three words?

prairie, hippie, farmer

Why is fashion important to you?

It has taken me a long time to understand what kind of clothing/presentation makes me feel best, but now I feel empowered to present myself in a way which feels authentic, comfortable, and fun!

Gabe Fleishacker
he/him

Why are you passionate about style?

I’m not knowledgeable whatsoever when it comes to fashion and its history, but I don’t think that matters when you’re doing it for yourself. I enjoy being able to be intuitive, and style allows for that.

How would you describe your style in three words?

groovy, goth, gay… at least that’s what I hope it is.

Why is fashion important to you?

I think fashion’s importance lies in self expression. It’s a way to take control, exercising your ability to make decisions even if they aren’t, in actuality, that important. Barring when you can’t choose what you want to wear, what you’re literally wearing isn’t important; your decision to wear what you like and what makes you happy is.

What is your favorite item of clothing that you own?

The clothing item that is bringing me the most joy right now is my fuzzy striped Lumière sweater I got from Buffalo Exchange. It’s exactly like some of the sweaters I kept seeing on Pinterest and dreaming about. It was love at first sight.

Maxwell Lakso
he/him

What types of things influence your style?

My personal style is patchworked from a wide variety of influences. I like to incorporate nods to fashion subcultures I enjoy or admire, some current favorites being decora, indie/grunge, pastel alternative, and punk. Sometimes I like to look like a cartoon character. Sometimes I like to look like I just walked through a rack at a thrift shop and came out the other side somehow looking put together. Sometimes I like playing off archetypes like “the girl/boy next door,” “campy jock,” “it girl,” or “fantasy maiden.”

I also enjoy when my style overlaps with trends in queer culture. It makes me feel more seen. As a trans man who isn’t usually read as male, it can be very affirming to wear something that suggests viewers may want to rethink their initial assumptions.

How would you describe your style in three words?

playful, alternative, collage

Why is fashion important to you? 

I dress to feel gender euphoria, I dress to participate in a community, I dress to be a conversation starter, I dress to comfort my sensory issues and chronic disabilities, I dress to show off my artistic eye. I want the promise of a new outfit to get me out of bed in the morning, and I want the desire to show it off to get me out of the house. I want to dress like the person I would like to be.

What is your favorite item of clothing that you own?

I’d say my black and white checkerboard Fila’s are a staple of my outfits, for both comfort and style reasons. They’re a great, comfy everyday shoe, especially with the added support of my medical shoe inserts slipped in. They always get compliments even though they’re worn-in, they have the perfect chunky silhouette to make me feel like a cartoon character, they give me an extra inch or so of height that always makes me feel powerful, and the monochrome pattern makes them the perfect twist on a classic casual shoe.

Amanda Kanninen
she/they

How does your style reflect your personality?

My style, to me, feels multifaceted because I am multifaceted. I think it stays in the same realm but slightly changes with how I feel or what is inspiring me at the moment. I like exploring different facets of myself through my clothes.

What types of things influence your style?

Music and movies mostly. There are so many musicians I pull from but also from DIY music spaces like punk. But there are also movies like Party Monster and The Craft that I love visually that have had a big impact on me.

How would you describe your style in three words?

femme, punk, quirky

Why is fashion important to you?

Fashion has helped me explore myself and get out of my comfort zone. As I learn more about it I fall more in love with it because clothes tell many beautiful stories if you want them to. I understand to some people it is just clothes, but for me, I have always loved dressing up. I love fashion because I love to see how others dress up in an everyday sense but also on a runway.

Max Ridenour
they/he

How does your style reflect your personality?

I think my style tends to be very eclectic and maximalist, and I definitely would say that I follow that philosophy within a lot of other aspects of my life. I like things to be loud, bright, bizarre, visually intriguing, and bordering on too much, and some aspects of both my visual art and my personality also fit those categories.

Why are you passionate about style?

To me, it’s an extension of my creativity and a way to use my body as a sort of visual medium. I want to look like a character that I’d enjoy drawing, and I find that I’m more comfortable with my visual appearance when I employ a degree of stylistic intentionality.

How would you describe your style in three words?

graphic, maximalist, loud

Why is fashion important to you?

Self expression connects to how I prefer to experience the world. I like to absorb everything around me that inspires me and then attempt to match my clothing to the occasion or feeling that I want to pay homage to. It helps me ascribe meaning and sentimental significance to my favorite articles of clothing, and experiences can feel more vivid to me knowing that I’ve intentionally selected clothes that complement them.

Katie Ziegler
she/her

What types of things influence your style?

My style is heavily influenced by my mood and also my TikTok FYP [For You Page].

Why are you passionate about style?

My style is a way to stand out from other people and express my individuality.

How would you describe your style in three words?

Depending on the day: queer dark academia or queer granola girl

Why is fashion important to you?

Picking out an outfit in the morning is one of the few things I can control in my everyday chaotic lifestyle. It also allows me to control how strangers perceive me.

What is your favorite item of clothing that you own?

My vintage overalls that were gifted to me by my roommate’s grandmother.