Fashion as Art in Ajax Ontario
By Adanna, Miss Teenage South Eastern Ontario 2017
Fashion is truly an art form. The way we chose to present ourselves to the world is an expression of who we are. For some, it can take a lot of courage to wear what they want, and others feel more beautiful when they follow current trends. Regardless of what you wear, the clothes we put on every day are a representation of our personalities, our cultures, and our tastes. Here we will be exploring the styles of four Ajax teens and what Fashion means to them.
Maryam, 17
Jeans: H&M- $10
Top: H&M – $15
Sunglasses: Forever 21 – $7
Maryam has recently recognized the significance of the clothes we wear. “I never used to be that big on fashion”, she states in an interview, “but the past two years I’ve really been trying to find my style and what I like/how I like to wear certain clothes”. Like most teenagers, Maryam is discovering herself and growing into her own skin. She likes the diversity that you see in clothes and styles and tastes and she really believes that fashion is an importanf aspect of everyday life. “I think fashion should mean something to everyone, everyone participates in it one way or another, I know it’s cliché, but fashion is a way someone can express themselves.” – Maryam
Louis, 18
Shirt : H&M – $20
Pants: H&M – $50
Shoes: Zara – $50
Louis is an artist. He sees the world from a very unique perspective. He’s fearless and confident and all of this is made apparent in the way he likes to dress. Fashion is a way for him to express his creativity and his artistry to the world on a daily basis.
“I believe fashion is just another window for self expression, its another form of art.” – Louis
Holly, 16
Shirt: Thrifted
Pants: Thrifted
Shoes: Thrifted
Thrift shopping has become a huge trend since Macklemore’s 2012 hit single “Thrift Shop”. People can find really great clothes at very low prices. Because thrift shops don’t usually carry anything “trendy”, they almost force you to create your own style.
Holly absolutely embodies this idea. She unapologetically wears what makes her happy. She understands the connection between the clothes we wear and our lifestyles and she embraces that every time she gets dressed. “Fashion is something that everybody has, either if it’s a trend or a unique style, it’s something that everyone can own, so own it!” – Holly
Barrington, 19
We’ve discussed how fashion is essentially a form of self-expression, but what do you do if nothing you find in stores represents you accurately? At age 18, Barrington launched his own street skate brand called “Suspended”. The brand has been doing well having launched multiple collections and is now able to ship Canada wide.In designing the shirts and sweaters, Barrington has kept versatility in mind. “Fashion to me is doing whatever you want but being comfortable and still stylish at the same time. Turning basic clothing and putting clothes together and mixing different colours that complete outfits. Also adding little accessory can make an outfit pop and doing little things. Fashion is important because everyone’s fashion is different, everyone thinks about fashion differently but we still share the same things. That’s what I think fashion means to me” – Barrington
Being fashionable means something different to everybody. However, the bottom line is always the same: be true to yourself and do what makes YOU happy despite what anyone else thinks. Fashion and your own sense of style can be a powerful tool when it comes to owning your happiness and learning how to be comfortable with who you are. So use it wisely!
Brant Street shopping district stretches from the heart of Burlington all the way to the pier by the edge of Lake Ontario. It is home to coffee shops, restaurants, banks, Tim Hortons (Canadian, eh?), fashion designers, tattoo parlours, and even a mini movie theatre! All the business owners I have approached on Brant Street have a love for the Burlington community and have shown me endless support through my journey to Miss Teenage Canada. On Wednesday afternoon, my two gorgeous models and I visited two stores on this scenic street, Forever Summer and Mirella’s Ladies Boutique, to showcase Burlington fashion.
Hester is an expert when it comes to “slaying” on the beach! Her look consists of a woven bag — perfect to carry all your beach gear — a thin cover-up, a wide brimmed white hat, and a gorgeous striped bikini from Seafolly Australia.
Check out her look! She has a nice mini woven clutch, super chic round sunglasses, a black and white striped bikini and stylish black lace pants. Natasha was so excited to be wearing the outfit she picked. It made her feel confident and fierce. Fashion is powerful!
Natasha and Hester both found the perfect dresses they wished they had known about at prom! Hester modeled a gorgeous, slim bright red gown and Natasha posed in a black and white evening gown. They loved the dresses so much that they couldn’t resist taking a selfie for Snapchat!
I wore a nude body tight gown by J S Collections, the same brand as my white evening gown from Miss Teenage Ontario. The gown was exquisite, perfect for a gala or fancy dinner event.
Her whole business runs off her bright aura! She never fails to wow Canada with her julz. She is providing me with all the jewelry for my entire week in Toronto for Miss Teenage Canada! Her jewelry takes any outfit to the next level, and the best part is she makes custom designs! She is modeling one of her amazing looks. 
Hannah, age 19, is rocking a very cute but casual outfit. Her shirt was bought at Winners for 18$ and her jeans are from Garage for 40$. Fashion isn’t always about who spends the most money, as long as you look confident you can rock anything!
Mackenzie is rocking denim shorts from Garage for 20$ and a cute t-shirt from American Eagle for 31$. Matilda is sporting a comfy but cute look! She’s wearing a t-shirt from Brandy Melville purchased for only 18$ and denim shorts from American Eagle for 50$.
Chloe is 21 years old and loves to travel, in fact she moved to Canada 3 years ago from Wales. She described herself as creative and shared with me her passion for drawing. So… what is she wearing!? Being a full time Pandora employee, her uniform requires her to wear black on black on black. Chloe is wearing a high fashion black twisted V-neck T-shirt from Urban Planet made from polyester and nylon which she purchased for $15. For pants she chose trendy black leggings from Reitmans made out of viscose and nylon for $45. Black Adidas flats, and 2 gorgeous Pandora bracelets and 3 rings all made from sterling silver, cubic zirconia, and pearl accents.
Next up in the Cambridge Center on Hespeler Road I stumbled upon a true beauty, Brianna. Brianna is the youngest out of 9 biological siblings, and also has 4 foster siblings! She just switched school’s at the age of 17, and currently works 4 jobs! Brianna is an equestrian, she loves to ride horses at Irish Creek Stables, and loves art and fitness. She was wearing a blue dress from Winners made out of cotton for $14, a cover up black jacket made from nylon and polyester also from Winners for $25. To tie the outfit together she wore a thick black belt made out of leather and elastic from Ardenes for $10. And on her feet, heels from Aldo for $80. I noticed this gorgeous ring on her finger as well, and it came out of a candle! Charmed aroma candles and bath bombs are gifts she receives often, and they definitely pay off. (And might I add, her makeup skills are incredible.)
Lastly, on my way home I bumped into Kimberly. Kimberly is 43 years old and in the pharmaceutical industry, she loves fitness, gardening and water sports at her cottage. When Kimberly has down time, she listens to audiobooks. In fact she just finished listening to 44 hours of Stephen King’s ‘It’ novel. Kimberly is wearing a Frank Lyman designer beaded white dress made out of lycra, nylon, and cotton which she purchased for $165. On her feet gorgeous sparkly heels from Aldo for $99 and on her wrist a FitBit Charge 2 for $169. This was taken on McFarlane Drive, in Cambridge Ontario.
Outfit @ Jordan Stewart:
