Style Spotlight: Conrad Young

Conrad Young is a freshman in the SMFA/Tufts dual-degree program who sat down to talk with me about basic pieces, genderless fashion and Kanye West’s new line.

PS: How would you describe your personal style?

CY: I like to start with the basics: black jeans, white button downs, white t-shirts, mostly values of black and white as a base layer, and then I usually do one or two statement pieces, so either shoes, a coat, a jacket or a shirt that is a crazier color. I really believe in having a basic color palette in your wardrobe of blacks, whites and greys that will always work no matter what and then adding on to that.

PS: How has college changed your style?

CY: I think it has a lot actually. A lot of it is about where I shop now because I told myself I wouldn’t buy anything that wasn’t secondhand this entire year. So I’ve only been shopping at Buffalo Exchange and Goodwill. It’s been a really fun challenge to only shop at thrift stores. I don’t have as much money because I’m no longer living with my parents and I’m self sufficient now.

PS: What is your fashion inspiration?

CY: I’m really inspired by what people are wearing around campus, so if I see someone wearing an amazing outfit, I just stare at them for a long time and focus on specific pieces. Then if I find them in one of the secondhand stores I get it. I also follow fashion a lot. It’s New York Fashion Week right now and I have the app that notifies you every time the next designer is showing. I would say that inspires how I think about fashion, but it doesn’t really change how I dress day-to-day because I obviously can’t go buy a new wardrobe just because of a new spring/summer 2016 collection. But the fashion does help with ideas and how to layer. I really like Kanye West’s new show. Even though he’s a really problematic person and I’m done with him, his season three collection was great.

PS: Do you have any fashion blogs or Instagram accounts you follow?

CY: I only follow women’s wear accounts. I’m not really interested in men’s wear as a concept. Harinef is a trans model for IMG world she’s literally amazing; she’s my icon. I follow Charlie May is a designer and a blogger. Love Aesthetics is a minimalist lifestyle blogger from the Netherlands and she has the most fashionable family. Her online site posts DIY tutorials both for fashion and home stuff.

PS: So are you inspired by women’s fashion?

CY: That’s essentially where all my inspiration comes from. I rarely look into men’s fashion. Actually, I’m interested in genderless fashion and that’s what I want to see more of and that’s where I think fashion is going. It’s becoming more neutral. It’s really limiting to only look into men’s wear or women’s wear just because society ascribed you a gender. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have skirts or dresses anymore, I’m just saying skirts and dresses should be just as much for men, women or anyone in between, and it shouldn’t matter about your gender.