WSS: What do you think is your aesthetic?

Arden Kalnins ’23: It’s kind of like a darker version of cottagecore, I would say. My sister often says that I look like a tree and I say thank you.

WSS: What do you think your style says about you?

Kalnins: That I’m gay and have opinions about plants.

WSS: What are your opinions about plants?

Kalnins: I think ferns are the coolest plants. They don’t have seeds like most plants do. They have spores, like mushrooms, and for a while, people didn’t know how they grew. And I think that’s funny.

WSS: What colors do you typically gravitate towards?

Kalnins: Green and brown and earth tones.

WSS: What’s your favorite shade of green and brown?

Kalnins: I like dark green like nazarene or pine tree green, and I like a lot of shades of brown-like a rotting Cedar Log.

WSS: How has your style changed over time and when did you style develop?

Kalnins: During quarantine. I wasn’t like going anywhere so I was wearing boring clothes, but I was sad because it’s fun to wear clothes that make you happy. And so I did.

WSS: Any fashion advice?

Kalnins: Wear things that make you happy. Just like if you think something’s cool or you like a color, it doesn’t matter if it’s in style or whatever. It’s more funny, if you just wear whatever you feel like. It doesn’t matter. We’re all just on this planet in some meat suits. Decorate it however you feel like. It doesn’t matter at all.

WSS: What’s your process for picking out an outfit? 

Kalnins: My clothes are like on the floor or the chair in the room, and I see what’s clean and kind of matches and then I wear it. Sometimes I have an idea of a specific outfit, but sometimes I just don’t have time. It’s really convenient to have a very specific aesthetic or colors that you wear because most of my clothes go together, so I don’t have to think about it too hard when I’m in a rush. 

WSS: How do you define “what matches”?

Kalnins: The colors don’t clash, and like, [for example, today] I’m wearing a necklace and a green jacket — so that matches. The other day I was wearing brown corduroy pants and a brown corduroy jacket, but with a green shirt — so that’s like contrast.

WSS: Do you have any last thing you want to say?

Kalnins: Yes. Someone once said that you should wear clothes that you love every day because if you die it’s gonna be your ghost outfit, and I think about that a lot. You should too.