Black stiletto heels tapping the floor, sophomore Chanel Li arrives at school adorned with a row of bowties in her braided updo, a pink striped bag instead of a backpack and a pastel pink-and-white dress with ruffled sleeves. She is not dressed for a special occasion, but instead inspired by her love for Y2K and coquette fashion.
Having a deep appreciation for different clothing, Li wears fancy outfits daily, standing out from the casual T-shirts and hoodies of her peers. She began trying out different styles in eighth grade with the few clothes she had, which expanded into a plethora of black leather heels, pearl bowtie necklaces and mini bejeweled crowns.
On a regular weekday, Li wakes up at 7 a.m. to get ready for school. She doesn’t spend a lot of time choosing her outfit. Instead, using experience from playing Dress to Impress in middle school, she selects items on the spot that match each other. She often sets rules for herself, like not wearing the same color consecutively.
Li’s attire is heavily inspired by subcultures and American TV shows and movies. As a tribute to the 2004 blockbuster hit “Mean Girls,” she dresses from in pink every Wednesday. “Gossip Girl” character Blair Waldorf’s headbands, capes and bow ties inspire her preference for the early-2000s-inspired feminine Y2K fashion. Li’s love for Japanese substyles manifests in pastel-colored sweet lolita and hime gyaru, a princess-like and hyper-feminine look. Both styles include accessories, ribbons, ruffled sleeved dresses and high heels.
Her astrological moon sign, Pisces, influenced her tendency toward romantic hyperfeminine styles.
“I have to look good because I love to look good,” Li said. “I just like coming off as really feminine.”
Li’s love for fashion is deeply reflective of her assertive personality. One of her initial reasons for dressing up was the desire to protest wardrobe items that were targeted towards conventionally attractive girls with certain curves and body types. Now, Li’s main motivation has developed into a more free-spirited expression of her femininity, though she maintains her strong-willed nature.
“Once Chanel knows what she wants, she finds a method to accomplish it,” her sister Shirley Li said. “Her fashion is a commitment to being her most unapologetic self.”
Embracing her own appearance and expressing herself through fashion also comes with accepting societal biases toward conventional attractiveness.
“Pretty privilege is everywhere,” Li said. “People perceive and treat you differently based on your appearance, so I feel the need to draw upon that.”
Although Li never fails to shine with her uniquely curated attire, her favorite part about fashion doesn’t focus on the validation of others, but of only herself. One day, Li wishes to try couture, the practice of creating exclusive, custom and high-end fashion for others and herself.
“The best part is looking good,” Li said. “Looking in the mirror and seeing how good my outfit looks with my hair and makeup is so rewarding.”
