Sporting a flared, salmon-colored skirt, Lara Robinson ’18 complements her outfit with a black, lace-detailed top, a leather jacket, and light blue sneakers. To finish off her classic look, Robinson accessorizes with a variety of ornate silver rings and bracelets, along with a pendant necklace.
“I don’t really follow anyone when I choose what I’m going to wear. I just go my own way; sometimes I take big steps and sometimes I pair some random things, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But that’s what fashion’s all about – mixing and matching and seeing what happens. It’s all about taking those leaps of faith,” said Robinson.
Robinson incorporates femininity and sophistication, which she describes as defining characteristics of the French style, into her wardrobe. As one of the few Andover students from France, Robinson tries to bring a piece of her culture to campus through her clothing.
“I feel that [Andover] is so big on internationality, and there aren’t that many French people, so I try to bring that side [of French culture] here. Not a lot of people have been to France or really know anything about it, so I want them to look at me and see France,” said Robinson.
Since she was young, many of Robinson’s family-bonding activities have involved fashion. Ranging from shopping to cleaning out her closet, these activities play an integral role in Robinson’s relationships with her mother and her sister.
“My mom always taught me that even if it’s to go take out the trash, you have to look put together. She always cared about what we wore, and it was also a bonding experience between a lot of French moms and sisters. When I was in middle school and it was just me, my mom, and my sister, we bonded over it,” said Robinson.
Robinson believes that selflove is essential to feeling and looking good in any outfit. For Robinson, the heart of fashion lies in self-confidence and not in unrealistic body images.
“It took me a long time to [be confident in myself ], but now I’m starting to realize that being a size two is not what makes you fashionable or not; it’s mostly the way you feel about yourself. I think that’s really what helped me throughout the years, and now I’m in a place where I am comfortable in my own body. I know what fits me and what doesn’t. You really need to know yourself and know your body… That’s what makes me like fashion,” said Robinson.
