First it was bell bottoms in the 70’s, spandex of the 80’s, grunge outfits of the 90’s, fast forward to 2021, the time period of bucket hats and mom jeans.

The desire to look good is on an uprise, and over 73% of Cheyenne students surveyed by The Mountain News are impacted by this fashion change, such as spending more thought on their outfit choices or excessive shopping in order to keep up with fashion trends..

Eighty-four percent of students value the way they dress. They won’t leave the house with a loose string in their pants. Clothing goes beyond covering up key body parts, it’s a form of expression, an extension of their bodies and feelings.

One Cheyenne student stated “As a non-binary genderfluid lesbian, a lot of of my style represents how I “feel” that day (gender-presentation wise), and is often queer-coded.” 

The shirts chosen everyday or the skirts people dress in aren’t just textiles. They raise self-confidence and self-awareness, boosting mood and energy. Clothes can give you comfort in nerve-racking situations or confidence when it’s lacking.

Cheyenne freshman Karsyn Huelen said“The saying ‘Look good, feel good’ has much truth to it, I feel put together and confident, and it adds brightness to my day when I find the right outfit.” 

Most people value good taste and visually balanced aesthetics. Based upon personal traits and tastes, aesthetics express an individual’s personality or preferences. Every style is perceived in one’s own way, but general aesthetics, like E-Girls with darker, grunge clothing, and Cottagecore designs with delicate embroidery and flowers, often inspire appearances.

Ninety-two percent of Cheyenne students specified association with multiple aesthetics, and tended to customize by shifting, integrating, and mixing up different styles. Clothing diversity shows how styles and designs are not fixed but ever-changing and expanding. One day someone may choose to wear all black with chains and boots, then the next wear a summer dress and sandals, depicting how there can be a shift in clothing anytime.

The rapidly changing nature of fashion and ever-evolving style trends are challenging to keep up with and always on the move. Some materialistic trends such as mom jeans, vintage clothing, hair claw clips, and Air Force 1’s took a large boom amongst female teenagers, and in male fashion, rings, flannels, and longer hair became popular in the past year. 

Expressive and energetic, the fashion world continues to be an art form for high school teenagers.