Music, culture influence student style

Those falling in the category of hipster are known for their sense of fashion and the way they can portray themselves as individuals, even if they may not all agree to the stereotype.

Junior Samuel Tunningley spends a lot of time carefully picking out his outfits to symbolize that he takes the initiative to make sure he looks put together.

“In high school, I’d just wear ripped jeans and rock band T-shirts, but now I rarely wear jeans and I wear khakis and button down shirts a lot,” the Fenton native said.

Tunningley said he does a lot of shopping at Urban Outfitters and his fashion is continuously changing as he has grown into the hipster style.

“Based on cultural influence and music, is kind of where I get my inspiration,” he said. “I like a lot of indie rock but I just try to give the impression that I care about how I look.”

Grand Rapids junior Alexandrea Sommer said she wants to show she doesn’t care how other people feel about her clothes.

“I want to show who I am as an individual and not worry about what other people think,” she said.

Sommer has worked retail the majority of her college life and said she was inspired by how they laid out the layers of their store mannequins.

“I’m kind of a hipster, I guess, but I also like the style from the show ‘Once Upon a Time’ a lot,” she said.

Freshman Shannon Wilton said her unique sense of style comes from mainly shopping at Hot Topic and resale stores.

“I feel like the music I listen to really comes out in my clothing, too,” the Fife Lake native said.

Wilton said she listens to alternative and rock. She would not necessarily say she has a hipster fashion sense, though.

“I just feel like my style is different,” Wilton said.

Both Tunningley and Wilton agree that their favorite article of clothing is skinny jeans and they have become their signature pieces.

“I think they fit better and look better than any other kind. I’ve never really been one to wear bell bottoms,” Wilton said.