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Teresa Knecht

Aisha Kazembe '18 posing at the JavaHouse, Downtown Iowa City.

One word, endless meanings: fashion. To any person in the world it could mean high end brands, New York City Fashion Week and all things glam, but junior Aisha Kazembe shows WSS that looking trendy doesn’t have to break the bank. Kazembe believes that fashion is the way clothes represent a person.

Some may believe that their personal styles change and evolve throughout the years. Looking back on the way she dressed freshman year, Kazembe thinks she’s stepped up her game.

“My style freshman year was not cute and now this year it’s a little better. When I try and look nice, my outfits are a step up from my freshman year,” Kazembe said.

Although she prefers to dress for the warmer seasons, Kazembe still manages to put together classy and comfortable outfits. During this time of year when it’s winter one day and summer the next, her go-to look would be her black jeans, any shirt, a jean jacket and her Doc Martin boots.

However, Kazembe’s favorite clothing item of all time “is probably my green flannel,” she said. If she is ever unsure of what to wear, “[she] can throw it on over anything.”

When shopping, she looks for clothing pieces that she could incorporate into several different outfits.

“I look for things that are versatile, anything that would match with things that I already have in my closet, or things that I can mix and match,” Kazembe said.

Forever 21 and White Rabbit, a local store located in downtown Iowa City, are two of her favorite stores.

Kazembe said, “I order stuff online from Forever 21 because they have a bigger selection.” One thought is that the greater the price, the higher the quality, but Kazembe shows that that is not necessarily true. On the price spectrum, Forever 21 is usually considered a lower-priced store, but like Kazembe, many are able to find trendy and quality pieces.

Kazembe recently purchased a maroon-colored button-up shirt with embroidery details that she has found to be her favorite shirt at the moment. The shirt happens to be from Goodwill, also one of her favored stores. As a matter of fact, Kazembe enjoys going thrift shopping. She believes that it’s exciting when she finds exactly what she’s looking for at a reasonable price.

“I really like the cheap prices, the unique clothes and sometimes the worn-in look,” said Kazembe.

So where does she get her inspiration from? As for celebrities, she admires the casual yet cute styles of Camille Rowe and Phoebe Tonkin. She said, “they look cool without trying hard.” In her everyday life, Kazembe doesn’t try and dress like any of her friends or family, besides the occasional borrowing of her mother’s flannels. She believes that dressing in what feels comfortable is the way to go.

“You don’t have to try and find your own style, you can just wear whatever you want to.  Even if it’s sweatpants and a sweatshirt,” Kazembe said.

Following her own advice, Kazembe dressed in her own personal style which she describes as “casual, comfortable and cool,” she said.

For those who are struggling to be more confident in their style, all Kazembe has to say is, “don’t try and find the style, let the style find you.”