GO: It’s weird when someone says to me, “That’s such a Greta outfit!” I think to myself, duh that’s why I am wearing it? But I also think, wait what is a Greta outfit? What is an Eleni outfit?
ET: I agree, it’s almost disorienting. As someone who values personal style choices, it is weird to hear someone else define my look.
GO: I’m genuinely curious about what the equation for achieving my so called look is.
ET: I think we both pride ourselves on novelty in our wardrobes but I would say one of my daily morning struggles is picking out which pair of my eight pairs of black leather shoes to wear.
GO: I’m all about innovating with the different pieces in my closet, but there are some things that are repeat offenders – perhaps it is these exact pieces that help to create our infamous “looks”.
ET: But is it a fashion “crime”? We know what is flattering and what makes us feel good. I like to call my repeated jogger, sweater, funky sneakers look my “power outfit” for those days when my fitbit calls me an “overachiever” before 11 AM.
GO: In contrast, my “power outfit” is much less about breaking a sweat (I actively avoid exercise), and more about having the power to get through my Monday. My black jeans, black turtle-neck, sheer polkadot lingerie robe (I’m really into this out of context garments thing right now), and well-loved black boots usually do the trick.
ET: Tuesdays are the new Monday for me (#seniorspring), and call me a nerd/weirdo/masochist, but I actually really enjoy going to class. I usually rotate through a collection of flouncy skirts that showcase my elated mood as I practically skip to class.
GO: I think what started as dressing up for Wines last semester has become a regular for our Wednesdays. It just felt wrong to not wear a dress while learning about the beautiful vineyards in France, not to mention for the cute boy who sat on the end of my row.
ET: On Wednesdays we wear rosé!
GO: Oh my god, Eleni, are we like the Plastics? Do we have dress codes for each day of the week?
Maybe we all have subconscious rules about dressing up for the week or the weekend (lest we forget the Sunset Grill outfit). The best thing about these rules is that they aren’t universal, but personal. Very often, people doubt their style, and we won’t deny it – maybe some of us are more stylish than others. When you look in the mirror, you have to be happy with how you look and no one knows how to make that happen better than you. Don’t get us wrong, we’re always down to dish out style advice and share our rules; we’re just saying we won’t be offended if you don’t take it.
We share a major, we share a house, we share clothes. So why not share a column? Eleni Toubanos and Greta Ohaus are both Fiber Science & Apparel Design majors in the College of Human Ecology. Their column is intended to be a conversation between their two unique perspectives as a designer and fiber scientist. They can be found lounging around campus, on their porch sharing a bottle of wine or at [email protected] and [email protected]. Talk is Chic appears on alternate Tuesdays this semester.