After months of quarantine and hybrid learning, coming back to school has allowed many students to express their new style and individualism after experimenting in the comfort of their own homes. Joshua Pinter ‘22 has made fashion a creative outlet for himself, and has upgraded his personal style.

“I think over quarantine is when I started taking fashion more seriously,” Pinter said. “I always have had a love for thrifting and finding unique pieces that couldn’t be found anywhere else, but now I actually take from many different styles and decades.” 

While in 2019 Pinter’s fashion sense included a sweater and oversized mom jeans, he now has much better fashion sense and can put together better outfits, he said. Despite the fashion industry having been dominated by females for decades, male fashion has become more prevalent and many have followed suit.

“Discovering a whole new world of dressing up and guys in makeup on social media made me feel comfortable with expressing myself,” Pinter said.  

Pinter finds his inspiration in many places, from posts on Pinterest to the clothes featured on Bratz dolls. There are simple ways to advance fashion style without getting a whole new wardrobe as well. Pinter’s friend, Connor Wolosewicz ‘22, also believes that quarantine gave time for Pinter, and others, to find their style and learn how to express themselves.

“Having so much time away from all the judgment of normal high school was enormously valuable in finding his identity,” Wolosewicz said.

Fashion is a way for an individual to be their authentic self, and it is constantly evolving. This allows people and students to dress in a way to feel both happy and confident, Pinter said. If you look around the hallways at LT, students this year compared to previous years have been defying standards and taking risks with fashion.

“I feel like Josh has upgraded his fashion style by wearing more outgoing and unconventional clothing,” Wolosewicz said. “No one else at LT has style like he does, and it’s really admirable that he just wears whatever he feels comfortable and confident in.”  

Staying true to a personal style while having fun can make something as simple as getting ready in the morning into something much more meaningful. Putting on a good outfit can take stress away and can provide needed confidence, Wolosewicz said.  

“Fashion to me means being able to feel free to wear whatever I want, depending on how I feel at a specific moment in my life,” Pinter said.