Feature Story Interview #35

 

Welcome back, guys!

        Here are the responses from my interviewee, Elijah Costoso. He is someone who I know who is well-informed about fashion and is truly passionate about it. We had a scheduled day for the interview; however, he had an emergency which led us to cancel the interview in person. So, we did the interview via phone call. 

1. What inspired you to start loving fashion? 

- "I started to love fashion after I found myself and who I was. That included finding how I liked to dress and my style. Although it has changed a lot, I’m happy with how I dress. Surprisingly, a lot of people know me for my sense of style. It can be overwhelming at times, but I think it’s one of my best qualities."

2. What is your aesthetic when it comes to fashion? 

- "I like to think my style is something we call American High Fashion—at least at the base of it—because it can branch off into varying styles. I like to experiment and always add to my wardrobe, so my style is definitely ever-changing."

3. What’s your advice for someone trying to discover their personal style?

- "I would say try to find articles of clothing that you like wearing. Then, research styles or aesthetics that use a lot of those clothes. Also, just using apps such as Pinterest can really help build a vision board for how you want to dress."

4.  What is your favorite fashion era?

- "My favorite fashion era would definitely have to be the early to late 2000s. It's integrated a lot into my style today, so that would have to be my all-time favorite."

5. How do you personally decide which trends to follow and which to skip?

- "There are certain trends that I really just render useless and don't participate in. Honestly, there are rare trends that catch my eye, so I don't really follow a lot of them in my day-to-day."

6. Who do you think have had the biggest impact on today's fashion trends?

- "I would say a lot of music artists and mainly models such as Alex Consani, Billie Eilish, Tyler the Creator, and Doechii. These people create a base for a lot of outfits that myself and the people around me wear."

7. What’s the most overrated trend you’ve seen lately, and why?

- "Honestly, I think that certain big brands are overrated, like Gucci or Balenciaga. They're unnecessarily overpriced and don't look good overall. There are way better-looking and quality things that cost 10x less. It's really a peer thing and how everyone makes it seem like a 'must-have'."

8. Who was your biggest supporter when you started your fashion journey?

- "If I'm being truthful, I would say I have multiple people—mainly the people I surround myself with at school. They were the most verbally supportive of me and my fashion journey. Although it started out rocky, with their help, it raised my confidence and kept me going to where I am today."

9. What’s a guilty pleasure when it comes to fashion that you’re not afraid to admit?

- "I'd say my guilty pleasure is buying articles of clothing in the same color range. Most, if not almost all, of my clothes are colored in earth tones—brown, cream, green—those kinds of colors. I physically cannot let them go. I always gravitate towards them when shopping for clothes."

10. Did your family shape your fashion sense as a child, or did you develop your own way?

- "My family just let me find myself as I went along, helping fuel my fashion whims. Most of my influences were either my friends or certain figures, whether in modeling or in the fashion world in general."

11. How do you deal with self-doubt when it comes to your fashion choices?

- "I, as everyone does, have had self-doubts and worries stemming from comments from other people. But I grew to realize that this is how I want to dress, not them. The only opinions that matter are the ones I give weight to, and therefore only my own opinion matters."

12. What’s one thing people always misunderstand about you or your approach to fashion?

- "I've had a lot of prior comments from people saying that they thought I was mean or rude based on my demeanor and my style. A good amount of people assumed I was full of myself and conceited, which couldn't be further from the truth if I say so myself."

13. What’s one mistake you made early on that taught you a valuable lesson?

- "I would say that one mistake I've made is caring a bit too much about what people think and have to say. I've learned to be myself and dress how I want to, no matter how I am perceived. It's given me more confidence and less stress."

14.  How much does your mood influence what you wear?

-"My mood affects my style a lot, and it's very noticeable. Especially when I'm feeling upset or just at a loss for energy. My style becomes bum-like and almost pitiful. It's noticeable, unfortunately, and a definite sign something is wrong with me." 

15. Do you see yourself as a trendsetter, or do you prefer to interpret existing trends in your own way?

- "I usually wear the same style and occasionally throw in a different accessory or two—nothing crazy. However, I do like to wear statement outfits at school, and it usually catches my friends' attention or that of other people. When this happens, I influence them into getting similar pieces, and it starts a trend. One time, I had a "Star Boy" aesthetic phase and wore lots of stars. Not many people wore stars beforehand until they saw how many stars I wore. I don’t mean just a plain star shirt—no, I wore star headphones, shirts, glasses, pants, etc. It was a bold era that I'll never forget."

16. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your style?

- "I have gotten many compliments on my fashion. However, I think my all-time favorite is being called a "Style Icon." A lot of people, especially at school, have noticed how much effort I put into my clothes and recognize how good they look. It always makes me happy when someone is in awe of my outfits, asks where each piece is from, and says they want to dress like me." 

That is it for the interview! 

Cover: Canva