When Fashion Meant More Than Just Clothing

Picture this: It’s the late 90s, early 00s and everyone’s wearing oversized clothing with brand names all over it. Remember from my previous posts, my family didn’t have a lot during this time. So naturally my parents would aim for good quality stuff at garage sales and thrift stores nearby. I’d rock these clothes out until they could no longer be worn. At that time, I had no clue what I was wearing.

Fashion has never been something I focus on too much so it’s funny to look at my childhood photos and realize I was somehow wearing some of the coolest brands at the time.

In middle school, I became much more selective with the brands and accessories I wore. You see, the unspoken rule at my school was that you had to stand out so that you can fit in. At the time, we didn’t have social media to share our latest buys or use hashtags to get more likes. No, we had the school cafeteria and our recess to do all of the influencing. On top of that, we needed to make sure not to get any stains in our ‘fits or creases in our kicks otherwise our parents would get pissed.

These years were also a pivotal time for exploring different fashion styles. One day, I’d show up in my DC t-shirt and Vans, listening to Fall Out Boy, and the next, I’d be wearing my preppy outfits from Aeropostale or Hollister, thinking I was Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. Every day at school was like being a real-life walking advertisement for all these different styles and brands. We were influencers without even knowing it.

Another big trend in fashion branding during that time was personalized jewelry and accessories, which, let’s be real, was chongalicious af. [If you’re my boss, please skip that video, LOL, JK!)

EVERYONE (and their moms, literally, my mom, too) were wearing earrings, rings, and necklaces with their names on them. And don’t get me started with the bedazzled belts with our full govy on them. The wealthier kids even had the LED belts, sheesh! I never had one of those, but I made sure to rock my silver name belt with pride.

The Uniformed Shift

While fashion offered a lot of room for self-expression, in high school, the pressure to keep up with these trends became overwhelming. The constant comparisons people made started leading to bullying and created feelings of inadequacy for many, especially for those from lower-income families. It became clear to me that something needed to change, so a group of us came together to petition for school uniforms. By my junior year, uniforms became a trend at our school, and they’ve remained in place ever since. It was such a relief. With uniforms, there was less focus on what everyone was wearing and more on what we were there to do: learn. It reduced the pressure of comparison and helped create a more inclusive environment where everyone could feel equal.

Influencers We Knew, Not Followed

Looking back, the true influencers during that time weren’t online.. they were the people we saw in person. Our classmates and friends had the power to shape trends because we observed them as they experimented with different styles. That genuine connection and relatability made their influence far more powerful than anything we see today. Influence wasn’t just seen, it was felt deeply because we knew these people and saw them daily.