Each of us is equipped with distinct genetic features that set us a part from anyone else in the world. With that said, no matter our
cultural background or demographic, every person is an individual. People express their individuality through fashion and personal style but this uniqueness is only authentic until it becomes a trend.
Eden Armstead is a junior from Prince Georges County, Maryland studying Public Relations and currently residing in New Jersey.
She values her individuality growing up in a place where she thinks everyone dresses the same way.
In Maryland, “they’re too trendy,” she said. “Either they walk around in all American Apparel or they raid a thrift store. It’s all American flag shirts and studded this, ripped that.”
During freshman year at St. John’s, Eden said that at first she was comfortable fitting into this image, but she grew tired of being categorized with other girls from her hometown who dressed similarly.
“People knew where I was from [by the way I dressed] freshman year,” she said. They would say, “Oh, she’s a PG girl” making assumptions about her personality and lifestyle.
Eden has big, dark curly hair infused with greenish blue tips. Over a pair of black leggings, Eden layered a ripped black t-shirt with thin purple stripes, a deep red button up and an olive green corduroy jacket. Eden said her sense of style has evolved since freshman year.
“Now people think that I’m from [New York] instead of D.C.,” she said. “I think it’s the hair style and loose clothing.”
She also wore black vans and an assortment of jewelry, including a thin gold anklet, colorful beaded African bangles, large Betsy Johnson diamond studs, a silver helix piercing, a golden name plate necklace in Amharic (Ethiopian language) and various rings from Tibet, Dubai and others she acquired from festivals and thrift stores in Maryland.
Eden describes her style as comfortable and expressive. “I wear whatever looks good or it can just be an accident like what I put on this morning,” she said with a laugh.
She talked about websites like Tumblr, which gives people unique styles to emulate, but after many people implement these styles, they become generic.
“Individuality is extremely important,” Eden said. “If you are being yourself and happen to dress like other people, that’s okay but if you’re just dressing like everyone else just to dress like everyone else, that’s not being an individual.” In the end, “individuality is a mind-state.”
