Have you ever walked through the halls and noticed students dressing up in costumes or wearing unique clothing that most students wouldn’t think about wearing, and wondered why?

The way you dress is form of self expression and art; it’s the way people can show their own personality. Senior Sage Sloniker explains that she dresses the way she dresses because it’s more fun to dress oddly and it helps with self esteem issues in some cases.

When you see these types of students in the halls, most people automatically turn to judgment. Sloniker states that there’s always going to be judgment and that she has gotten to the point where she cares “very little” if someone is going to be rude about the way she decides to express herself. She’s noticed that some people have begun to be more accepting and even find it entertaining.

Your mood plays a major role in the way you dress. Sloniker says what she wears tends to show both her love for fiction and art, as well as how she’s feeling a certain day. “If I’m happier, I’m more likely to dress eccentrically, but if I’m tired or sad I may tend towards more comfortable clothing such as hoodies and pajamas.”

Most people would say that in order to dress oddly you’d have to have confidence, but Sloniker would disagree as she stated, “It is less myself having confidence to dress odd, and more dressing odd gives me more confidence.” She explained that it’s like donning a costume or a mask to play a character, “I could take on the strength of a knight, the mystery of a wizard, the regality of a noble, and dressing fancy feels nice sometimes.”

Sloniker describes her style as ranging through steampunk, medieval, and other fandom attire. “One day I may be wearing a corset, the next day a trench coat and bowtie. It really depends on the day and what looks okay together or what I feel like wearing,” she said.

Sloniker says that the best part about the way she dresses is it lets her express herself and it makes her feel better about herself when she wears things that makes her feel good. “My clothing is my armor and my makeup is often my war paint to battle what may come that day.”

That’s a great thought to hold on to as you dress for your day. Don’t worry about what other people think; dress for the day you want to have.”