With over 6,000 students at the Park, it’s easy to feel like just another face on the path. P-CEP students Hayden Watson, Heather Shermak, and Cilcan Pierce each create their own mark on campus by choosing to dress apart from the crowd. With the autumn chill in the air, these students’ styles vary from pop-punk to chic, sophisticated clothing. 

Watson admits his style evolves with the times. “For me, I’m more in a phase right now of the 2000s, I guess. So when I think of fashion, I think the 2000s, baggy clothes, all that sort of thing,” said Watson, Canton senior.

For Watson, his go-to fall outfit is just as iconic as the 2000s hit “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne, often pairing baggy jeans with a baggy sweatshirt. 

“And always a beanie,” Watson added on the side. 

Watson draws inspiration from his two older brothers, but he even makes his own clothes at times. For Watson, fashion is “definitely a way I can express myself, because I’m not very good with words. I like to express myself in what I wear.” 

Heather Shermak, Salem senior, believes just as much in the power of clothes. “Fashion is inspiration,” Shermak said. “It is empowerment to many women of all shapes and sizes.” 

With experience in the modeling field, Shermak can be found perusing the clothing racks of White Fox or Altered State. 

Regardless of where a person chooses to shop, Shermak said fashion enables people of all genders to break out of their comfort zones and explore their creativity. 

“When you walk outside in an outfit, it’s basically how you express yourself,” Shermak said, her outfits having been compared to Ariana Grande by her friends. 

When it comes to fall fashion, Salem senior, Cilcan Pierce, enjoys dressing for the dipping temperatures.  “I’m excited for turtlenecks and jackets. You really can’t layer a turtleneck in the summer,” said Pierce. 

Pierce developed her signature style over quarantine. “I follow trends as well as mixing styles. Stuff I see in the media and the way my parents used to dress from the 80s,” said Pierce. 

If people want to find their style but don’t know where to begin, Pierce recommends starting small. “See what’s trending. Pick what you like and don’t like, and then branch into colors you like to wear.” Pierce suggests shopping at places like the Salvation Army for their affordability and diverse options.

All three P-CEP students agreed that following clothing trends doesn’t matter. “In the end, it’s your choice [how you dress]. No one is going to care that much at the end of the day,” said Watson.  

While society strives for conformity, Shermak stands by a different motto. “Do whatever makes you happy,” Shermak said. “Clothing is what you make it.” 

More than just faces in a crowd, Watson, Shermak, and Pierce advocate for originality in this autumn season. 

“Dressing the same as everyone else is fine, but a person who dresses out of the ordinary, I just think it’s really cool. There’s nothing cooler than being yourself,” Pierce said.