Centering her outfit around a dominant pair of boots, Tina Phan ’26 combines unique yet simple clothing items to reflect her classy aesthetic. She adds a denim mini skirt and a simplistic white blouse for balance, then a scarf to incorporate a pop of color. Phan sees her clothing as an extension of herself, serving as a first impression to all the communities she is a part of.
Much of Phan’s fashion inspiration has been derived from her surroundings, specifically the environment in which she grew up. Phan discussed how her parents’ stylistic opinions at a young age influenced her present-day fashion choices. Having matured in age and style, Phan now closely resonates with her parents’ preference towards simple and classy pieces — a transition from the taste of her younger self.
“I have my parents to thank for a lot of my inspiration because when I was little, I definitely liked pink and glitter and very maximalist fashion, which I still appreciate, and I do really like that artsy maximalism, but nowadays, I find myself drawn to pieces that my parents would have wanted me to wear more when I was younger… Outfits where the majority of the outfit is simple, but there’s one piece that’s a statement, whether that’s your shoes, or a scarf, or jewelry, which I have both of my parents to thank for,” said Phan.
Phan’s formula for building her daily outfits follows these guidelines from her parents, tending to center around a statement piece and supplementing with basics. Using these basic pieces to shade match and curate coherent looks, Phan ensures a balanced versatility between unique and classy. Phan described her attention to detail after choosing a centerpiece clothing item, ensuring no part of her looks out of place.
“I usually start with one thing that I know for sure that I want to wear, [whether] that’s a pair of jeans, or a skirt, or a pair of shoes, or a top… Then, I build the rest of my outfit on top of it and make sure that the wash of the jeans will match the top, or whatever jewelry I’m wearing will match the color palette. And then I usually match my hair to that as well, so if I think wavy or straight hair matches better, or if I think my hair should be up or down, then I sort of match to that as well. It starts off with knowing for sure there’s one thing I want to wear,” said Phan.
Looking ahead to her future, although Phan does not anticipate joining the fashion industry, she nonetheless acknowledged the profound influences of fashion on her life. Phan talked about the importance of fashion as a form of self-expression and as a window for the world to read you, no matter the work field. She expressed the significant place that appearance holds in society and the impact that fashion can have on one’s mindset.
“Not only is [fashion] a passion of mine, because I’m attracted to… aesthetics, also I think that it’s a really useful tool. So I don’t think that I ever will be going to Vogue and becoming an editor there or anything, but I do think that knowing how to dress for the right occasion is a really useful tool… in [dictating] how other people perceive you. While everybody exclaims, ‘Oh, just be yourself, who cares, nobody cares just be yourself,’ I disagree. You should just be yourself and embrace whoever you are, but people do care. And whether or not you care that they care is up to you. Whatever audience you are attempting to appeal to… how you dress is 50 percent of how you show up, and that’s why it’s really important in my future and in everyone’s future,” said Phan.
Riya Patel ’26, one of Phan’s close friends, described the roots of Phan’s style as classy and preppy in her Freshman year, which progressed to incorporate more streetwear elements in the present day. Patel also described her favorite outfit of Phan’s, focusing on her shoes which are a unique piece that encapsulates her aesthetic and identity. Patel discussed the evolution of Phan’s style over the time she has known her.
“At the beginning of Freshman year, her style was a lot more academia, classy, and preppy, and then throughout the years, [it] was more influenced by her friends and the people around her and it became more streetwear… One of my favorite outfits Tina wears is her Edikted top that she was gifted by one of her really close friends paired with a white skirt and her Adidas gazelles that are very, very unique to her. We spent a lot of time convincing her out [of buying] them but she bought it, and she styles it and rocks it like no one else could ever,” said Patel.
To Phan, fashion can serve as both a public statement and a personal aesthetic. With a clear-cut formula for creating everyday outfits, Phan has been able to routinely express herself through her meticulous styling habits. Phan discussed her final outlook that fashion can also be a place to surround oneself with a community that shares tastes and preferences.
“Be yourself, and whatever your style may mean to you, embrace it because there is always going to be, even if it isn’t received well by some people, there are others in the world that do appreciate your style, or who you are, or how you present yourself. So more important than dressing for an audience is finding an audience that responds positively to how you dress,” said Phan.
