Matthew

Name: Matthew H.

Year: Freshman

Major: Biology

Hometown: Ventura, California

Matthew’s off-white denim jacket is from AllSaints, and his pants are from Old Navy.

What sparked your interest in biology? I want to make a change in the world. I’m a scientific thinker, and I’m good at biology. There are a lot of environmental issues, so biology ties into my interest with ecology, too. Pretty early on in my life, my mom would tell me not to litter, so once I learned about pollution and everything, I kind of saw it as a form of littering.

What do you think about people who don’t believe in climate change? They’re either politicians or they haven’t done their research. If I have a certain conviction, it means that I have done a lot of research on the topic and have looked at arguments from opposing sides. They probably haven’t seen enough information.

Matthew’s draped shirt from Kenneth Cole is a popular street style fashion choice.

Yeezy for president or nah? I’d have to look into his stances on certain policies.

What have you learned from being in college? I know now that if I’m struggling with something, it’s better to reach out and get help instead of assuming that I’ll just get better at it. That’s how I learned a lot of calculus. Also, (I learned) that it’s fun to be around people that you don’t really know. I like to learn things about new people. I’m way more open to other experiences because the mentality that you have to have as a freshman is kind of saying, “Hey, what’s up” to every person that you see.

How do you hope to come across to people who are meeting you for the first time? Really smart and hot. Actually, my roommate told me that he had never gone from being so neutral about someone to really liking them, so that was cool, I guess? I’m not really sure if that’s a compliment or not. I don’t want to be “neutral.”

Where do you see yourself at the end of your time at the University? Married with three kids in a house that I payed for. Also, multiple sets of really good friends and a more clear idea of what I want to do career-wise.

His shoes are classic white Vans (Damn).

Do you consider yourself style-conscious? Yes, definitely. I think that you can tell everything about a person by how they dress. I hope to come across as a very high-effort person. If I see someone wearing basketball shorts and crew socks, I might make the generalization that they’re not very focused. I know I’m not the only person that feels that way.

How do you define your style? It’s kind of streetwear and high fashion at the same time. I want to look put together and current.

Which trends have you been into lately? I’ve been really into the layering look  with a lot of draping clothing to make a good silhouette. (I’m into) loose, thin fabric that has a lot of movement and length, too. It’s what I see a lot of big fashion houses pushing.

Is there a certain piece that you’ve had your eye on? One of my favorite designers, Jerry Lorenzo, has a bomber jacket that’s iconic. There’s a bunch of really interesting ways to use it, and I’ve seen it on a bunch of my favorite artists. The only problem is that it’s more than 1000 dollars.

His simple, but stylish backpack is from Everlane (similar here).

How do you feel about the stereotype that fashion is primarily for women? It really, really annoys me. It’s just not true. To hear that just because I’m a male, I don’t know as much about fashion is really infuriating.

Do you ever feel like you’re being judged as a fashionable guy? I think most guys appreciate that I dress cohesively, but to avoid feeling self-conscious, everything I own fits me the way that I want it to. Sometimes if I get a negative comment about what I’m wearing, I feel like I have to explain why I’m wearing it. For example, my friends used to tell me that I looked “homeless” whenever I wore my fishtail parka, but when I came to college, I got a bunch of compliments on it. That made me branch into different avenues of style.

What do you do to boost your confidence? Well, if I wear something I don’t feel comfortable in, I never have to wear it again. I shop so that my clothes fit exactly how I want them to. Comfort is key. Also, I know that putting effort into how you dress just amplifies and encourages effort into other aspects of your life, so dressing better makes you better.

Words and photos by Rachel Lauren, @rach3llaur3n

Leo

Name: Leo N.

Major: Advertising

Year: Senior

Do you think studying advertising influences what you wear? Yeah. I think so. I think in a lot of art-based majors like advertising, there is a certain style that guys follow. A lot of people in advertising want to make sure that when they go out, they look good. Even on my lazy days, I make sure my sweats are joggers. I have a certain standard that I hold myself to.

Is that standard for yourself or for others? I used to think it was for others, but now it’s for myself. When I feel good about myself, I can walk around feeling confident. It’s a lot easier to take on a day when you feel confident in how you look.

Leo matches a classic white tee with a light wash denim shirt from Banana Republic.

What are your plans for after you graduate? I’m not sure yet. I’m applying for jobs pretty much everywhere, particularly internationally.

What appeals to you about working internationally? I feel like we’re in a bubble here. I think that moving from the U.O. from high school has shown me that I’ve gone from one bubble to a little bit bigger one. I’m trying to see what else there is out there because I didn’t get a chance to study abroad. A lot of the core values that people in the U.S. hold are not core values in other places. I feel I need to grow as an individual more, and traveling will help me do that.

Is there a dream place you would like to work? I want to go back to Vietnam, because that’s where I’m from, and really soak in the culture because I’ve only been there once. As regards to work, I’m looking into Sydney or Melbourne.

How would you describe your personal style? I’m not trend-based, but I can’t totally say that because I do follow some trends. I find the trends that I think are going to stick around for a while and that are appealing to me. 

He mixes patterns with a pair of Vans with red and blue stripped socks.

What trends have you been digging recently? I’m kind of in-between hipster and street fashion. I really like street fashion, but with too much, you kind of look like an asshole. I’m also not totally a hipster.

Do you think in menswear there has been a shift from hipster to streetwear? Oh definitely. I think a lot of people are moving towards that because it’s a nice in-between niche. Especially at the U.O., people can relate to that because there are a lot of California kids who bring up the Bay Area style, and there’s also a lot of more hipster looking people.

Are you from either of those ares? I’m from Portland, and the hipster scene is huge. So I guess that’s were I get a lot of influence. In Portland, everyone is super hipster– lots of flannels, button-ups and beanies. It is also really clean. I think that’s probably the biggest thing to take away– the really chic, clean style.

Leo brought his tan Dickies from Urban Outfitters.

What do you mean by clean style? In the past, you would wear baggy pants because they would sag. But now, you always cuff your pants and your shirt. If I do button my shirt, I button it up all the way.

It seems you take a lot of risks. How do you get the confidence to do things like dye your hair? I think a lot of it is the culture of the U.O. The more we try to be an individual, the more support we get from our surroundings. Like my friends have all been really supportive. Not all of them like it, but it’s an attitude of “you be you.” I’m actually going to dye it to purple next. It’s cool being able to do what you want to do and know people aren’t going to judge you for it.

So has your style changed since you came to college? Oh definitely. Your style grows as you grow as an individual. In high school, I was more trend driven and all about street fashion, but as I’ve matured, my style has matured as well.

Why do you care about fashion? I’m trying to give you not a cliché answer. But fashion to me is like an extension of myself. My hair, for example, I wanted to give off a little bit of my personality before people saw me. I feel like your wardrobe tells people your story before they meet you.

What does your hair say about your personality? I keep it clean. I want people to think I’m a nice orderly dude, but I also have a wild side.

Like a mullet. Exactly. Business in the front, and party in the back.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY HANNAH STEINKOPF-FRANK, @HSTEINKOPFFRANK