Janie Tompkins ’22 couples a slightly oversized camel coat with a black patterned mock neck. Her checkered pants, coordinating in color with her coat and top, fall just below her ankles. She sports a classic pair of pointed brown leather shoes.
Tompkins said, “I try to be as original as possible, so I try to put together everything without inspiration, which is nearly impossible, because you see other people wearing things every day. Obviously, you’re going to draw on that, but I try for my outfits to be as ‘me’ as possible.”
According to Tompkins, she began developing a distinct style in eighth grade. Since coming to Andover, Tompkins said she has noticed a bolder evolution in her fashion.
“I went to a school where everyone wore the same thing, every day, so it was difficult to step out of that. When I came to Andover, people wore a lot more interesting clothes so I tried to dress more interestingly as well. It’s definitely an age thing; when you get older, you get more confident. I’ve definitely become more adventurous,” said Tompkins.
Mary Muromcew ’22, a friend of Tompkins’, has also noticed a shift in her clothing.
“Her style has definitely changed since last year. I think she has grown to be more bold in the patterns and colors that she wears. She also has a few really eye-catching pieces that she didn’t have last year,” wrote Muromcew in an email to The Phillipian.
Tompkins claims to have a diverse stylistic range, specifically pointing out three styles of outfits as examples of this versatility. She finds that these styles come from her desire to embody herself as much as possible.
“I try to be a chameleon. I try to have very diverse types of style, but I definitely tend towards three different vibes. Sometimes I’m more of a ‘stoner boy’ look, sometimes it’s much more of an upscale or formal [look], … Sometimes it’s [a reference to] the running joke I have, [which] is the fifth grader-slash-old man,’ because the silhouettes are kind of the same,” said Tompkins.
According to Tompkins, she creates distinct looks through pairing and matching clothes.
“I just look at what colours, shapes, or patterns go well together…I have a ton of this color, this camel color, which is really nice because if you have a lot of shirts and pants that all have that colour in it, then you can mix and match them all and layer them,” Tompkins said.
Even more important than well-matched clothes, Tompkins claims that the wearer’s decisions is what brings style to an outfit. Tompkins credits her autonomy as the major distinguishing factor in her outfits.
“I think that clothing is definitely just a piece of cloth. How it looks and the message it gives is more [than] the person and the things you pair it with. I think of how they are going to go together, how I’m going to wear them, and what energy they’re going to give off when I’m wearing them,” said Tompkins.
