For sophomore Annalise Shaughnessy, fashion is a central part of her everyday life. She spends her mornings choosing outfits that work with her aesthetics, and she said she is very proud of the style she’s curated.

“I think (my style) is a mix of downtown girl and coquette, but it changes often. I try to be ultra-feminine, but also not be too much,” Shaughnessy said.

Shaughnessy also said a big part of her style is drawing on fashion influences from celebrities.

“I love Bella and Gigi Hadid (for fashion inspirations),” she said. “I also love Marilyn Monroe a lot, because I really love older fashion and how she wore (all of her pieces). I also love the early, early 2000s.”

Senior Emma Ignacio also said she enjoys drawing influence from different aesthetics.

“I would definitely describe (my style as) fairy-like, ethereal, and kind of fanciful,” Ignacio said. “That’s just how I like to present myself.”

However, Ignacio said people make assumptions about her personality based on the way she dresses.

“I think people probably get the idea that I’m less mature than I actually am (when they see the way I dress),” she said. “I feel like my personality is really different from how I dress. I have a laid-back, spontaneous, chaotic energy that my style (contradicts).

“I feel like I get a lot of people who come up to me and start a conversation because of the way I look, and they’ll have a tone like they’re talking to someone (younger),” Ignacio continued. “I feel like people can get scared off because of the difference (between my style and personality).”

Shaughnessy said she agreed with Ignacio’s sentiment, and added that people also made speculations about her intelligence because of her feminine style.

“A lot of people think I’m very (airheaded),” Shaughnessy said. “I look like this and people think, ‘She doesn’t have a lot going on in her life.’ I think that’s fine, because it allows you to prove everybody wrong, and when people talk to me, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re actually interesting.’”

Shaughnessy and Ignacio’s opinions are far from singular. According to a study conducted at the University of Central Florida, those who wear traditionally feminine attire are “perceived to be lower in ratings of dominance and expertise.”

Social studies teacher Jessica Oliver said, in addition to implicit biases about intelligence and personality, assumptions about gender and sexuality are oftentimes made about people who wear more girlish clothes.

“If a woman dresses more feminine, (people) will make assumptions that she’s probably straight, or if somebody dresses feminine, they’ll assume she uses she/her pronouns,” Oliver said.

Oliver also said the converse could be true as well.

“If there’s someone who defines themself as a woman but doesn’t dress as feminine, people will make assumptions about her sexuality,” she said.

However, Shaughnessy said, instead of using fashion as a way to form biases about others, people should use fashion as a conversational topic.

“I probably bring (fashion) up in every conversation, and that’s honestly how I make friends. I’ll be like, ‘Hey! I really love this piece, where did you get it?’”

She also said fashion could be a useful way of forming connections and relationships.

“If I’m scared to talk to someone because I think either they have a resting mean face or I’m nervous to talk to them, (I’ll talk to them about fashion). Usually, they’re really nice about it, so I’d recommend using fashion as an icebreaker.”

All in all, Oliver said people should stay away from forming fashion-based biases.

“Instead (of forming assumptions about sexuality and gender), the assumption should be that, you know, that person looks good and they dress nicely,” Oliver said. “We can’t know a lot of things about their identity based on how they dress.”

In the same vein, Ignacio said she has learned to dress to her own taste, and to ignore the opinions of others.

“I’ve learned to not really care about (other people’s opinions),” Ignacio said. “I’ve just started to dress for me, and it’s tiring and just a waste of my life to care. I want to dress this way because I like the way it looks, and if other people enjoy it, good for them.”

Shaughnessy said she agrees with Oliver and Ignacio, and added that people who make assumptions based on appearances should be corrected.

“(I’d tell those people to) just strike up a conversation with me. I can talk about almost anything. Also, try not to judge a book by its cover, because it can be really damaging for some people. Just strike up a conversation with me. I’m not only looks.”