Comm Ave Runway: December Edition
Comm Ave Runway: December Edition
Our ongoing fashion series finds stylish students and asks them how they achieve their look
’Tis the season, Terriers. Though traversing BU’s wind tunnels can sometimes feel like an Arctic adventure, don’t expect students to sacrifice style for warmth. Underneath the University’s (unofficial) uniform of Canada Goose jackets and chunky scarves, Terriers are still putting together unique outfits.
BU Today interns braved the cold to spotlight some of these stellar looks in this edition of Comm Ave Runway. Read on to see how students make BU’s campus their catwalk.
Want to be featured or know someone who should be? Email us at today@bu.edu
Emma Larkin (CAS’25)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
This jacket I thrifted in my hometown, St. Paul [Minn.], and the shirt is from Jaded London. My roommate gave me the skirt. She was like, “This is more you than me.” The shoes were my mom’s for years. They’re all beat up, but they’re so cute. My boyfriend gave me the belt, and my necklace is a little charm from Q-Pot. It’s a Japanese jewelry store.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
My style changes every day, but generally, I’m pastel goth.
Your favorite places to shop?
Morgan Memorial Goodwill in South Boston. It’s so good, and everything is organized by color. Other than that, I shop a lot of secondhand Japanese Lolita sites and J-fashion [Japanese fashion].
What are your fashion influences?
I don’t really have any specific people, but definitely I look at Xiaohongshu, which is a Chinese social media platform. I also look at J-fashion in general.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
Just thrift. Also, look at social media and find specific subcultures you like and incorporate them into your style.
Zoe Topsidelis (CAS’25)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
This is my aunt’s old ski jacket, and the shirt and pants are thrifted. My shoes are Adidas and the scarf I stole from my mom. It’s Uniqlo X Marni. The sunglasses are from the same aunt I got this jacket from.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
Comfortable, but because it changes every day, also versatile. I would just say cool and casual.
Your favorite places to shop?
A really good one is eBay. I also like Goodwill. If it’s retail, Essence is really cool. I get a lot of inspiration from them, but they’re too expensive. There’s this place called & Other Stories that has nice stuff, too. When I’m in New York, I go to the Vintage Twin or Second Street.
What are your fashion influences?
I just follow people on Instagram, to be honest, and take inspiration from their style. I also take inspiration from my friends. Sometimes from my mom, too.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
Definitely frequent your local thrift stores, but also eBay—eBay is so slept on. Shop your friends’ closets, too, maybe do a clothing swap with them if they’re tired of their old pieces. I know that BU also does clothing swaps.
Joyce Ke (Questrom’25)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
I actually got this sweater from a brand that no longer exists. They offered a collab with a club that I’m in and I just got it off there. My jeans are from Zara, and I think I bought my shoes from Urban Outfitters a while ago. My necklace is from Mejuri, and my bag is Coach.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
Modern business casual.
Your favorite places to shop?
I really like Banana Republic. I think all their clothes are very “on-brand” with the way I want to dress. I really like Princess Polly; I think they have a lot of cute special occasion dresses or going out or vacation clothing. I also like H&M and Zara. I think you can find a lot of business clothes there as well as sweaters and things that are more casual and modern.
What are your fashion influences?
I don’t have a particular person I look up to, but I really like London fashion and European fashion. New York fashion, too, I would say. I don’t dress very streetwear or anything, but I like to find unique pieces. I sometimes go thrifting but do more vintage or high-fashion secondhand shopping.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
I did a lot of Pinterest-ing when finding my style and trying to find a type of look I enjoyed. I think fashion has a lot to do with your personality and finding your individuality. Like, yes, you can wear an outfit that looks good, but I think fashion is about expressing who you are.
Mateen Bizar (STH’25)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
This is a UCLA merch shirt. I’m from LA, and my boyfriend went to UCLA, so I got this. I got the jacket from Target and the pants are my friend’s. The earrings are thrifted from a vintage store and the necklace is from Banana Republic.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
70s and a lot of color.
Your favorite places to shop?
Buffalo Exchange. I also like Vivant Vintage and the Vintage Underground.
What are your fashion influences?
Myself… No, just kidding. I think I get inspiration from cartoon characters or anything out of the ordinary. In terms of fashion icons I look up to, Beyoncé for sure. She knows how to dress. Amy Winehouse, too.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
You don’t need any money, necessarily, to look good. Be patient when you go thrifting, don’t rush, and look thoroughly. I’ve been finding really good stuff and really good brands at thrift stores recently.
Stef Linden (CAS’26)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
The boots are from my mom, who got them back in the day. I think these pants are from a place called Modern Millie’s in Salem. The top is from the Garment District in Cambridge. The jacket I got from a friend who lives in Texas and thrifted it there.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
I’m not sure. I’m not one to describe my habits. Queer, I would say.
Your favorite places to shop?
I feel like I just pick stuff up as I move through the world. It’s not often that I sit down and say, “I’m going to go shopping.” I’ll be somewhere and I’ll see something cool, so I’ll buy that.
What are your fashion influences?
I’ll see someone wearing something, and I’ll make a note to buy something like that. Several of my clothing items are from my mom, so I guess her as well.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
If you see something you know you’ll wear a lot, even if it isn’t the cheapest piece of clothing, it might be worth getting. Ultimately, the cost per wear will be low.
Antonio Hicks (CAS’26)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
The top I got from Goodwill and the pants are from BU’s Professional Clothing Closet. The shoes are Jordans that I got from my dad. I got my necklace on Amazon and my socks are from Walmart.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
Form-fitting and bold. I like to think about it in terms of albums. Today I was thinking of My Chemical Romance, like The Black Parade, so that really informed my outfit. Other times it could be a Taylor Swift album or an ASAP Rocky album. It really depends, but music definitely has a strong connection.
Your favorite places to shop?
I like secondhand places like Depop, but I also go into Target and H&M.
What are your fashion influences?
Definitely emo, early-2000s culture. It’s very inspiring, this idea that clothing can reflect your emotions.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
Don’t worry about name brands—most people don’t really care about that stuff. Thrift. That’s a great option. I guess just if anything speaks to you, get it.
Zoë Anderson (COM’25)
Tell us about your outfit. Where did you get each piece?
My sweater is from Depop. Jeans from eBay. I don’t know what brand they are. Boots: eBay. The [under shirt] is from a New York thrift store.
How would you describe your fashion sense in a few words?
I would say vintage. Vintage and elevated. Like, right above casual.
Your favorite places to shop?
Nowhere [in Boston]. eBay, eBay, eBay, eBay. eBay is where I get literally everything. I don’t like Goodwill. At home, I only go to the Salvation Army because everything’s really cheap. And, Depop here and there.
What are your fashion influences?
I would probably say my mom because when I first started caring about what I wore, I was stealing a lot of her clothes. I would go in her closet and pick up all the clothes that she didn’t want to get rid of from the early 2000s. And I was like, “Okay, I’m wearing this now.” And then I kind of outgrew it and I shifted it into my own kind of thing. I really love thrifting and finding stuff that nobody else has. So, I would say my inspiration at first was her and now I’ve kind of formed my own thing.
Your advice for students who want to look great on a budget?
Use your resources. I feel like people don’t go online [to buy] things secondhand because they’re scared. I know a lot of people are scared of eBay, which makes sense, but you just kind of have to learn your way around it. Trial and error.
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