Fashion is an outlet for people to express themselves. We see this in protests, political campaigns and even everyday life. Fashion is used most to show social status, political beliefs, cultures and how we identify ourselves. 

One of the biggest fashion statements I’ve seen was at the 2023 Met Gala with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  She showed up in a white gown with “Tax the Rich” displayed on the back in huge red letters. This was a prime example of AOC showing off her beliefs and what she wants to fight and stand up for through the use of fashion. Showcasing the dress at the Met Gala, the most prestigious and famous fashion event, only spread the message further. 

She wasn’t the only celebrity to do this. In 2018, Lena Waithe dressed in a rainbow cape to display her support for the LGBTQ+ community. The following year, Waithe and Kerby Jean-Raymond showed up to the Met Gala in custom-made suits that showed support to the LGBTQ+ and drag queen community. 

Waithe’s suit was inspired by lyrics from hit songs like “I’m Coming Out,” “You Make Me Feel,” I Will Survive” and “We are Family.” The buttons showcased the faces of infamous drag queens such as Rupaul. Raymond’s suit included lyrics from rappers such as Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Kendrick Lamar and Tupac. The inspiration behind his suit was to bring attention to the rap industry and how the black community built rap, drag shows and camp themes brick by brick.

Another event that comes to mind is Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s wedding. It was a two-part wedding that showed a more traditional American ceremony for Jonas, and a Hindu ceremony for Chopra. For the American wedding she stunned in a beautiful white crystal mesh gown. 

A white gown has been adopted as a wedding tradition as it shows a sense of purity and innocence. It represents the bride starting a new chapter with a clean and pure slate, as well as a life of new beginnings and fresh starts with their partners. 

For the Hindu ceremony, Chopra wore a beautiful red lehenga. This symbolizes good luck to the newlywed couple. The brides avoid wearing white gowns as they are a symbol of mourning or loss in their culture, while red represents a life of joy. The cultural significance of lehengas in general is that the garments symbolize elegance and grace. Historically, lehengas were worn by royalty and eventually became a wedding ceremony tradition. This wedding in particular shows how colors alone have very contradicting meanings in different countries. 

Not only do we use fashion to express support for heavy issues, but we use clothes in everyday life to express ourselves with our style alone. At Kent, we see a whole mix of different genres of fashion. Some like dark clothes, chunky shoes and darker makeup while others like a more pastel, floral and bow kind of look with daintier jewelry and kitten heels. 

People wear their favorite artists, albums, athletes and shows on their shirts or jerseys. This showcases their interests and is something people can pick up on right away. Depending on what sport jersey you wear, we can tell what your favorite sports team to watch or play is. If you’re wearing a “Blonde” album cover on your shirt, we can infer you really like Frank Ocean and a more R&B genre of music. 

Fashion can be used in so many different ways to show off so many elements of what makes a person who they are. There are no limits to fashion and what you choose to express through clothing. Through similar beliefs, cultures, interests and lifestyles, fashion can strengthen bonds by helping individuals to find commonalities between eachother. If people have nothing in common, style is always a good place to start. 

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Hi! I’m Kayla Friedman, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.