“I like to keep it funky without being too over-the-top,” said Alana Humes ’15. Wearing a simple white shirt layered with an oversized suede jacket, jeans, white ankle socks and burgundy Dr. Martens boots, it is clear that Humes is an expert on looking casual, yet cool and unique.
“Sometimes, I feel like my style is a bit all over the place,” said Humes. “I wear a blend of different styles because I get my clothing from lots of different stores — I even wear clothing from different countries! I also tend to wear vintage clothing that was my mom’s. Put together, my outfits represent a mix of different cultures and time periods.”
Humes sometimes faces adversity for her clothing choices, however, especially from her family members.
“I’m the only person in my family who’s interested in fashion and who dresses differently, so [my family] makes fun of me a lot — especially my sister Sarah [Humes ’16]!” said Humes. “I’ve gotten past the snarky comments, though. I just wear what I like and express myself.”
“I make fun of her sometimes, just for fun,” said Sarah Humes. “I do think she has very good style, though. It’s very cool and different, and I admire that she has the confidence to go against the current.”
Humes enjoys mixing up her outfits by adding a few accessories. With six ear piercings, for instance, Humes is able to add a fresh take on her outfit choices without being too extravagant.
“I wear a lot of earrings and other types of jewelry, but I don’t usually accessorize too much otherwise. I don’t want to overdo my look,” said Humes.
“I love when [Alana] wears her weird socks because socks are something we are both passionate about, and I really enjoy the fun patterns and colors of her daily sock choices,” said Naomi Markman ’15. “Her style is a very good representation of her personality because, from afar, she appears laid-back and chill, which she is, but the closer you are to her, the more quirks you find.”
Humes’s favorite item of clothing is a brown jacket, which, to her, reflects many generations of love and use. It is suede and oversized, giving it a look that is both classic and casual, and has a light lining on the inside to preserve warmth.
“[This jacket] was my mom’s when she was younger, so it’s very old. It keeps me just warm enough, so it’s perfect to wear in the fall,” said Humes. “I love this jacket because it’s old, it keeps me warm and it has some character and some history.”
Coming from a school with a uniform, Humes values her ability to communicate her personality and emotions through her outfit choices.
“Fashion is a very important form of self-expression,” said Humes. “If I wake up feeling happy, I will wear a bright, bold outfit, but if I wake up in a bad mood, my outfits tend to be a bit more dark. Style is a great way to project your feelings, and in that sense, it’s very important. It’s great to be at a school like Andover where there is no dress code, so you can really wear what you want and what you feel like wearing. I never want to take that for granted.”
