Fashion is more than just clothing, it’s a form of self-expression, confidence, and personal identity. This past Wednesday, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with fellow student and aspiring PR professional, Sydney McCrone. We talked about style evolution, confidence, and what personal style means to her.
I opened our conversation with the basic question “What role does fashion play in your life?” just to get a baseline understanding of Sydney’s viewpoint towards clothing and personal style. Sydney stated that she is currently interested in fashion but this was not always the case. In fact, her friend who attends NYU and studies fashion communications was her style awakening. They bonded over reading vogue and learning about the newest fashion trends. This increased interest in fashion has given Sydney the confidence to explore her own style and discover what trends she likes the most.
Growing up in the suburbs of Portland, where trends leaned heavily toward Lululemon, Brandy Melville, and Free People activewear, both Sydney and I experienced the challenge of stepping outside the norm when it came to style. But after coming to the University of Oregon, both Sydney and I have found a lot of freedom in our personal style. Sydney said that “As I see more people approach fashion in a different way I feel more comfortable experimenting with my own outfits.”
After being in Eugene for two years, Sydney is not afraid to experiment with new styles. One of the ways Sydney has experimented with her style is by thrifting. This practice has not only expanded her wardrobe, but it has also deepened her appreciation for sustainable fashion. Sydney is not alone in the shift towards thrifting and sustainable fashion. Over the past ten years thrifting has grown in popularity in the United States. Capital One Shopping Research has found that “since 2018, the U.S. secondhand market has grown by 87.0%.” For Sydney, thrifting isn’t just about finding unique pieces; it’s also a way to support ethical fashion. She said that she feels like “sustainable fashion has been more of a conversation.” Her statement aligns perfectly with the current trends of the fashion industry. In fact “The average annual growth rate of the ethical fashion market is 8.3%. This could grow to 9.7% a year by 2030.” This cultural shift away from fast fashion has been embraced by Generation Z and can be seen through the popularity of secondhand fashion apps such as Depop.
I had such a wonderful time talking with Sydney about what fashion means to her. Sydney also writes blogs about the transition from having meals cooked for you at home to becoming a college student and having to learn how to cook for yourself. If you are looking for relatable and helpful content, I highly recommend that you go check out her blog posts next!
Mia Mickelsen 
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