Janelle Piotrowski

How do you make your clothes your own? I thrift most of my clothing, so I like to find original pieces and pair them with a different piece that people might not normally think about.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? High-waisted pants from an old man or woman’s closet.

Artist (right)

How do you make your clothes your own? You own it and you try to be the best version of yourself. That’s how you make it your own.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? My necklace. It’s real sparkly and gets a lot of attention.

Destiny (left)

How do you make your clothes your own? I express myself through my clothes. I like to be different and dramatic.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? My grandmother’s ring.

Laura Croom 

How do you make your clothes your own? Finding the right fit.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? Cowboy boots.

Ociele Hawkins

How do you make your clothes your own?

Whatever makes my gender happy. I’m nonbinary. Lately, it’s been a lot of oversized clothes. It helps me feel more comfortable. I love bright colors. Today, my colors are a little bit more muted, but I love brash, bright colors. That makes me feel joy and excitement.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? Right now, this jacket that I have on. I got this at a thrift store. I really like this jacket, I think it’s fire.

Cassandra Rowe

How do you make your clothes your own? I like to be bold. I like to go with what my first gut instinct tells me with my clothes. Even if it doesn’t necessarily make sense to pair something together, if I think it or if I feel it. Like, I want to wear this ratty-ass t-shirt with that leather skirt—I’m gonna try it. I’m gonna make it work because any rules there are about fashion are just made up anyway, so I can make up my own.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? My favorite secondhand item is the Nirvana shirt that belonged to my brother who died when I was younger. He loved Nirvana. He loved Kurt Cobain. I have his shirt and I cut it up to fit my own style.

Sydney Hampton 

How do you make your clothes your own?

I kind of pull from a bunch of different styles. I wouldn’t say I have one specific style. One day I might be girly, one day I might be edgy. One day I might just be sporty or casual.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? Over the summer, I got this sweet short-sleeve button-up that’s got white-green-blue stripes on it, and I’d wear it on its own, tied up.

Omisade Burney-Scott

How do you make your clothes your own? I make my style my own by picking out what makes me happy. What feels compelling and I think is a reflection of my personality.

What’s your favorite secondhand or homemade item? I had this leather full-length Maroon Etienne Aigner jacket that I got in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for like seven bucks. And I wore that jacket until the lining came out of it. It was like a 1978 Pam Grier classic leather trent situation.

Contact staff photographer Jade Wilson at [email protected]. 

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