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!
Camillie is a university student and loves to express herself through her fashion. Camillie and her two sisters run a fashion instagram (@fashionandfetch ) where they show off their different styles to the world. They hope to inspire others to do the same. Her influence comes from all over the world and she is always looking for the perfect items to add to her closet! The orange shorts and white shoes that Camillie is wearing come from different shops along the beach in Chile This helps to make her style even more unique. The red bodysuit is from Urban Behavior and the black belt is thrifted. I chose to go with an off-white wall in one of the alleys along the street because I really wanted the bright colours of this summer outfit to pop! I love how Camillie has pulled the red together by adding the sunglasses and having the small red detailing on the shoes. Doing this really helps to make a complete look that’s ready for the beach or a local festival.
Lastly we have Camillie, again, showing us a different side of her fashion personality. This more dressy look is perfect for a summer date or afternoon tea in the garden. The flowers in the background add a fresh feel to the street and really help to the the dress stand out. Camillie loves to have statement pieces which is why this Red Madison Tote from Shop J&G for $56 is perfect for her. The dress she is wearing from Zara. She may love a statement piece but she knows when enough is enough, which is why she has paired this outfit with a set of nude platform heels. The heels and purse together give Camillie the perfect amount of statement.
I saw Gorete’s style and couldn’t help but run over and ask her about what she was wearing. Gorete is a counselor. She loves to stand out and look unique. Her style is very colourful and she likes to mix and match different outfits, shoes and jewelry. Gorete was wearing a stunning white lacy dress, pink shoes with a rainbow heel and a matching pink handbag. She also wore a very nice stone necklace and earrings.
I was so amazed when I saw Ira at how she made a pair of old ripped jeans look so classy! Ira is a technical designer. She describes her style as “boho meets off duty rockstar.” She also loves to stand out, but likes to keep things more comfortable. Ira wore a loose and very light weight orange and white shirt that tied up at the front. She paired it with black ripped jeans and faux alligator skin and leather black shoes with bright orange socks. She also held a faux alligator skin purse. She bought all of her clothes in Montreal.
I loved Kelly’s style so much I couldn’t help but ask her about it. Although Kelly’s outfit looks very classy and expensive, she actually created most of her outfit from hand-me-downs, so some of it is unknown. Kelly wore a beautiful sheer white dress that buttoned up and tied up at the front. She got this as a hand me down from her step mother. She is also wearing black sandals and carrying a black leather handbag. Kelly describes her style as preppy but feminine. Kelly’s look is perfect for any setting and any occasion.
My name is Genavieve. I am 17 years old and have been crowned Miss Teenage Manitoba 2017. I am going into Grade 12 at Glenlawn Collegiate in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I hope to go into forensic psychology and one day become an RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) officer. I want to make a difference in the world in everything I do, so I thought that this would be the best career for me. I am currently working at a spa in Winnipeg as a skin health sales associate and have also worked in different clothing stores because it is very important for me to ensure that people always feel their best and I want to empower people to feel confident in themselves and to embrace their individual unique qualities. I would describe my style as sometimes sporty and sometimes preppy.
Kat is 17 years old and enjoys writing posts on her blog 
I’m seen here photographing Emily, Nihan, and Arya for Street Chic Magazine. I’m wearing a one piece jumpsuit in a bright hot pink and black heel shoe. 
The first photo at The Forks was taken in the pathways of the large flower garden. It features Leanza wearing a floral sleeveless shirt from Zara, Pilcro Em Jeans from Anthropologie ($138), white lace floral Keds from SoftMoc ($44.99) and a Floral-border bandana from Anthropologie ($18). This is one outfit that she would wear doing errands or while studying at university.
For the second outfit, a versatile piece that could be worn while working or even to a wedding, Leanza is wearing a floral jumpsuit “Plenty by Tracy Reese Gwyneth” from Anthropologie ($168), Brelawien fuschia heels from Call it Spring ($22.49 on sale), and finished her look with a black wool floppy hat from H&M.
