Yesterday, under the lush greenery of Old Campus, one of the freshman class’s best dressed stopped to talk to HerCampus Yale. Katharine Wang, hailing from Ann Arbor Michigan, opened up about her fashion and its evolution.
“I first got into fashion at the end of senior year,” she revealed. A trip to Japan with her mother this past summer then further prompted her to revamp her style. During this vacation, she not only stocked up on her wardrobe, but also got inspiration from Japanese street style. “The culture in Japan is that you have to dress your best,” Katharine explained. “Going grocery shopping, you have to dress well. Even on runs, the Japanese look impeccable.” She liked the idea of looking her best everyday, even though that was not her norm in high school. “I wore sweatpants and sweatshirts almost every day,” she admitted. “I didn’t care how I looked at all.”
Now back in the United States, Katharine still bases her look off of what she sees on the streets. “My style is not adopted from fashion icons,” Katharine revealed, “but more so from seeing people in passing. I like how they dress and then adopt that.” In addition, she is a firm believer in dressing for herself. “I don’t follow trends,” she said. “I wear what I want. As long as you recognize fashion rules, you can break them.” She sees fashion as an outward representation of her inner self. Whether she wants to be classy, edgy, or just comfortable one day, she uses her style as an immediate way to communicate that mood.
Now, in addition to her Japanese apparel, where does Katharine accumulate her wardrobe? “I love thrifting for outerwear and oversized jeans,” she explained. She finds a lot of her clothes on the racks of local Salvation armies and antique vintage stores in Ann Arbor. In addition, she frequents American Apparel, H&M, and Urban Outfitters.
Her favorite season for fashion? Fall. “For the longest time, I hated summer,” Katherine admitted, “because everything depends on individual pieces.” She prefers fall because she can layer not only clothing but accessories as well: scarves, flannels, and jean jackets. “Layers can completely change your outfit,” she added.
Katharine then participated in a little game.
Heels or flats?
Heels.
Pants or skirts?
Pants.
Winter or summer?
“Can I cop out and say fall?”
Cross-body or hobo?
Hobo.
Jumpsuit or romper?
Jumpsuit.
Thanks for chatting with HerCampus Yale, Katharine! Keep up that style!