Howell likes to experiment with color often aims for vibrancy.
Howell often mends, sews, or buys recycled clothing.
Dawning a light denim jean jacket paired with a maxi dress compiled of multiple warm-toned colors and fabrics, Teaching Fellow Emily Howell loves to experiment with color and wear statement pieces. She pairs her dress and jacket with orange and gray floral socks and black shoes.
It wasn’t until college, when Emily Howell began to exercise more freedom regarding the way she dressed, allowing her to develop a unique style. Howell described her fashion progression.
“When I was your age, I just wore jeans and a t-shirt every single day. It’s really difficult when you’re in high school. I actually give you guys a lot of credit because a lot of you guys show your personality through how you’re dressed… I was very, very frightened to do that, it wasn’t really until I went to college when I felt like I had a little bit less pressure, a little more freedom, that I started to really think about how I dress,” said Howell.
Now, Howell dresses to intentionally express her personality. She is inspired by television character Buffy the Vampire Slayer and admires Buffy’s stylish confidence. According to Sophia Tabibian ’26, Howell’s clothing varies constantly, drawn together to match her mood.
“I think that she is so unique, and she doesn’t think twice about what she wears, she just goes for it and expresses herself and I love how the vibes are always evolving and changing. Like one day it will be a maxi skirt and another it will be straight jeans and a flannel,” said Tabibian.
When picking an outfit for the day, Howell often bases her choices off of the weather. Whether it’s a bright jacket or a more neutral sweater, she tries to dress in compatible manners with the weather.
“I really like wearing fun, colorful, flashy things on more dreary days, so I can kind of have a little more brightness in my day. Whereas like today is a beautiful day, so I’m dressed pretty boring because I didn’t need anything colorful, the color is coming from nature,” said Howell.
In addition to the forecast, Howell also makes sure to consider what activities she will partake in that day. Comfort and practicality is an important factor in Howell’s style, as being a teacher demands a variety of tasks throughout the school day.
“I dress very differently based on what I’m teaching, because if I’m doing labs, obviously I’m wearing either a long skirt or pants. Also, if I’m giving a test I’m going to be sitting a lot more, so I’ll wear something with an elastic waistband, so I’m more comfortable, versus if I’m doing a lot of running around, I’m more likely to be in something a little bit more form-fitting. Similarly, I do interviews, so I dress differently on days that I do interviews,” said Howell.
Howell also prioritizes long-lasting articles of clothing, promoting less waste in doing so. Her favorite piece is a hand-made patchy yellow and green dress with gigantic pockets, which according to her, is for carrying “two books” at all times. When she isn’t making or mending her own clothing, Howell buys from brands that focus on durability and quality to make sure that she gets the most out of each piece.
“I make a lot of my clothes, and the rest I usually steal from my mom. Carhartt is where I get most of my jeans and pants, and I love them because I destroy clothes by accident… This sweater I’m currently wearing has patches and holes that I’ve had to mend. It’s nice to have things that I can’t destroy, and that would be Carhartt for me. I also wear a lot of Duluth Trading Post, they have these really awesome firehose pants that are made of recycled fire hoses, I really like them,” said Howell.
In the future, Howell hopes to continue making her own clothing. Besides sewing, she hopes to improve her knitting skills, as well as start some larger projects.
“I want to start making more things, I already make a decent chunk of what I wear. I can knit, but I’m not very good at knitting. I can’t really make more complicated things. I can make shawls and stuff like that, but I can’t make sweaters, so I’m thinking my next major skill that I want to pick up is knitting dresses,” said Howell.
