For centuries, clothing has been a way to indicate social factors like wealth and status, but is now used as a tool to communicate one’s personality and originality. Many people express themselves creatively through art or music, but some prefer to use clothing as their personal creative outlet. Paisley Ha, a sophomore at DSHS, is one of these people – someone whose style simply doesn’t fit into a single box.
“I would say [my style] a mixture of a lot of different styles, because some days I’ll dress super feminine, or just wear more feminine clothes, and then other days more masculine like jorts or baggier jeans,” Ha said. “So I feel like I’ve taken inspiration from a lot of different styles and genres of clothing, and put them together.”
Ha prides herself on her personal style and ability to express herself through her clothes. You’ll never see her come to school in a bland or repetitive outfit. Whether she’s pairing loafers with a button-down top or a Spider-man shirt and jorts, Ha always finds new ways to fuse pieces together to create unique looks.
“For me, this year, has been where I found my personal style that I feel the most comfortable in,” Ha said. “But it’s definitely developed since I was in first grade basically. I’ve always cared about what I wear, but this year is probably where I feel the most confident in what I’m wearing and where I know this is my style. I don’t feel like I’m copying someone else’s [style], or like I’m wearing this just because my best friend or my sister is wearing it. I feel like I’ve kind of made a mixture, and this is the year where all the development from [past] years has come through.”
On the topic of current clothing trends that have become repetitive, Ha singled out athleisure as a style that she frequently sees around the school, and believes to lack variety.
“Obviously people can wear whatever they want– but for me [athleisure only] makes sense if you’re doing a sport [and wearing] your athletic clothes to school if you’re an athlete,” Ha said. “ I feel like if I was wearing Lululemon or any athletic clothing, I could turn next to me [and see] someone wearing the same thing in a different color.”
In 2021, Ha moved from Los Angeles, California to Dripping Springs, and aspects of her hometown are carried in her everyday outfits.
“My older sister and [best friend] Bowie, [are] both in LA still, which is where I used to live,” Ha said. “So they have more of that street style, [which is] not as basic or trending, and [is] different than [what] is here,” Ha says.
Ha’s outfits don’t consist of everyday items that you can find at the local strip mall. She finds innovative ways to combine pieces new and old to create looks that feel rare while also finding creative ways to repurpose old items.
“[Now that] I feel like my style has become me and I’ve found [a] style I’m confident in, thrift stores, like Dripping Springs Senior Thrift and Goodwill,” Ha said. “But besides thrift stores, I feel like [I shop] mostly at H&M. I’ll go to H&M and go to the sale section. I would say [the] majority of my closet is thrifted. I feel like overall it’s better, you find things cheaper and it’s better for the environment.”
Ha’s style has had to undergo a lot of development to get to where it is today. Through the combination of influences from the people she admires and her own personal flair, she is able to create a visual aesthetic that is truly individual to her. Clothing is how she expresses her creativity, and the results are something uniquely her. That said while her outfits are always distinctive and new, they’re never complete without her bright smile and personal panache.