Reinventing Yourself Through Fashion While Studying Abroad

"Going to China allowed me to change up my look while still retaining some core elements of my wardrobe and style. As someone who normally likes to step outside of the box with my fashion, for example, adorning myself with jewelry (pendants and bracelets), I went even further with new options open to me in Shanghai. For example, at local markets I bought several rings and began wearing those. While traveling on weekends, I bought bead bracelets and necklaces from vendors in smaller cities or historic sites. I experimented with different colors and patterns on my clothing (particularly my shirts) that I didn't often see in China. Many people are focused on brand names, whereas I am focused on color and texture. In muted tones of black, white, and brown, I starkly contrasted with my bright yellow Shanghai Jiaotong University hoodie or patterned dress shirts and ripped jeans. Take your time abroad to reinvent yourself."

"Going to a foreign country gives you a really cool opportunity to be a complete stranger. It can sort of act like a blank slate where you feel free to experiment with your style outside of the culture you are used to. I embraced the Freiburg low-waste lifestyle where secondhand and up-cycling rank supreme and found some funky pieces of clothing (at a thrift shop or on the side of a street) that I cherish because they remind me of my time in Germany. I'd encourage people to let this be a really freeing experience for your confidence and self-expression."

"I was warned before going to Chile that the average dress code was a little different: usually, the most casual clothing people would wear in public were jeans and a tank top. Before I went abroad, I went shopping (a pastime I usually despise) and bought myself more jeans, a few fancy tops, some jumpers, and new shoes for the urban and soon-to-be summer environment I would be living in. I was so glad I went shopping as I quickly noticed and adapted to the well-groomed almost business casual society that I was studying in. On a normal day, I wore boot heels, a floral jumpsuit, and a cardigan, usually accompanied with bright lipstick and eyeshadow. I never wore makeup or bright patterns back home in the U.S., so these clothing patterns were uncharted territory. And while I was often scared about being overdressed or standing out in a crowd, I soon became accustomed to wearing what felt comfortable, fashionable, and relevant to the weather. I ignored occasional stares and my confidence boosted. I hope to start incorporating more of the fashion choices from Chile while at my home university."

"I had always been told that most Europeans tend to wear dark clothes, but I was really surprised by how much people truly stuck to wearing black and gray. On days I wore brighter colors, I felt like I stuck out a bit. Children and tourists were the only people I noticed wearing bright colors. I found myself adapting to this color pallet for the majority of my outfits and bringing color into my outfits through accessories."

"I expanded my sense of style to the Spanish trends at the time I was abroad in Spring 2018. I tried wearing new pants and different shirts that I would see women wearing on the street. Barcelona is also very fashion forward, and everyone loves their sense of style as a way to express themselves so they are more bold and risky, which I grew to love."