Donning a sweater with eccentric print, Phinny Brady ’17’s fashion stands out in the hallways at West High. West Side Story investigates the story behind his 80s inspired fashion.

West Side Story: Describe your style.

Phinny Brady ’17: I wear a lot of things from the 80s. I would consider myself a hippie lumberjack.

WSS: How do you think your fashion is different from others?

PB: I like to combine old things with new things. For example, I’m wearing a vintage sweater and some new pants today.

WSS: Do you have any fashion no-nos?

PB: No, not really. I would wear anything with anything.

WSS: What is your go-to outfit?

PB: In the winter, it’s usually jeans and a sweater. In the summer, I wear short and a cool t-shirt. I have a lot of floral and tie-dye [t-shirts].

WSS: How has fashion influenced you?

PB: Appearance is the first connection that you tend to make with people, and what people wear expresses their personality. In that sense, fashion has influenced who I hang out with.

WSS: Where do you shop?

PB: I go downtown a lot, especially to stores like Ragstock, Artifacts and Crowded Closet.

WSS: Has West influenced your style in any way?

PB: Yes, it gives me a place to see what people are wearing and find new stuff to try out.

WSS: Do you have any advice for people finding their own style?

PB: Try new things. You can’t go wrong with vintage, especially because it’s cheap and there are a lot of options.

Photos by Nick Deerberg