While the cool autumn breeze beckons a switch in wardrobe essentials, fashionable students across Hunter and the CUNY-verse may find themselves scrambling to find the right apparel for the transitional season.
The voguish Hunter-head might spend hours procrastinating from their homework, browsing the web, cruising the local thrift stores and shopping outlets in desperation for the sickest threads to no avail. Finding staple items amidst times of oversaturation, micro trends and poorly made fast fashion garments is a difficult task for even the most stylistically equipped, budget savvy student. Whether it’s not knowing where to shop or how to breathe new life into older pieces, having satisfaction in one’s wardrobe can be vital for an undergraduate’s confidence on campus. The key to personal style isn’t always based on the designer label or trendy silhouette, but the essence and intentionality brought to the ensemble in question.
McCarthy showing off her bling. Photography by Maxwell Cane.
Take Margaux McCarthy, a 20-year-old third-year human biology major who’s first trip to the Big Apple in 2018 sparked her interest in fashion. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, McCarthy finds joy in seeing the diverse array of styles while walking down the streets of New York City.
“People have so much unique personality to them, I love just being here and seeing that,” she said.
Sporting her signature spiked platinum hair duo, chunky jewelry and a forest green jersey, McCarthy finds the most pleasure in her collection of thrifted rings, white button downs and eclectic oversized jorts. Describing her style as in the moment, she believes the core of her outfits are inspired by what she feels on a regular basis.
“It’s hard to describe my style in words,” McCarthy says. “It’s so just about what I feel in the moment and what looks good visually, or just cozy and bad-ass.”
In terms of shopping local, McCarthy is known to frequent Buffalo Exchange, the Good Will bins in Queens and Thrift NYC on the Upper East Side. Aside from purchasing new pieces, McCarthy claims that outfit inspiration can be found in repetition and unorthodox ways of styling standard items like scarfs or skirts to create unique silhouettes.
“Take a deeper look in your closet, try putting lots of different things with each other and experiment, use what you have!” she said.
Despite her universal look on style, asserting that people should wear what they want but when it comes to flip-flops — McCarthy puts her foot down. “Flip flops in the city is an immediate no, just no!”
Portrait of Chris Rodriguez hanging out by the 6 train. Photography by Maxwell Cane.
Moving from The Dominican Republic to New York at a young age, Chris Rodriguez, 20 finds that his love affair with style began with his immersion into the world of New York fashion. Studying psychology in his third year at Hunter, Rodriguez described his style as timeless, trendy, and casual.
“If you want to find something that you really like you must go on the vintage route,” said Rodriguez.
Sporting a tight-fitted cream colored tee and white cardigan, wide-legged cheetah print pants and raisin red-colored oxfords and a purse to match, Rodriguez glides across campus with a confident prowess.
Favoring brands like Levi’s, Zara, and sites like eBay to source vintage clothes, he’s inspired by business attire and “Office Siren” core — an aesthetic inspired by the minimalistic trends of the late 1990s and early 2000s to enhance his carefully curated look.
“When it comes to my budget for a student, I go to thrift stores or shop online,” Rodriguez said. Treating yourself to a good piece that you really like can make your mental health better.”
Within the genre of professional wear, Rodriguez thinks ties are a cohesive staple that looks good with nearly any outfit. “I wish people wore more ties, ties elevate your look and you can wear them with everything,” he emphasized.
However, when it comes to straight-leg skinny jeans, he’s forced to look the other way. “Skinny jeans in 2024? Let’s give it a rest.”
Rodriguez (left) and McCarthy (right) displaying their outfit details. Photography by Nathan Zierlein.
Danika Murphy casually posing in front of Hunter’s main entrance. Photography by Maxwell Cane.
“Around the time I started college is when fashion piqued my interest and my love for it grew more as time went on,” said Danika Murphy, 21 studying Media Studies & Journalism. A Queens native, Murphy’s stylistic journey began as a teenager browsing Pinterest and the online sphere for inspiration on her budding aesthetic.
In her third year, Murphy credits going to school in Manhattan as a consistent source of inspiration.
“I really get inspiration from being in Manhattan, everybody has their own style and it’s really inspiring and cool to see a whole bunch of fashions play out in front of you,” she said.
Donning a cobalt blue cardigan, distressed light wash jeans and mustard yellow vans, Murphy’s approach to personal style is through an assortment of Nirvana t-shirts and staple denim pants. Regardless of Murphy’s mode craze, adoring luxury brands like Schiaparelli, Loewe, and Tom Brown, her student budget restricts her from partaking in the height of fashion fever.
“I don’t find myself shopping unless it’s like once or twice a year on major holidays,” she expresses, “I need to make my money stretch.”
When it comes to cultivating a signature look, Murphy isn’t afraid to re-wear pieces in her wardrobe, priding herself in creating an identity out of the items in her closet. “I’m a serial outfit repeater, I will mix everything and some days I will wear the exact same outfit because I do not care!”
