Zoey Needham (COL ’19) and Tobias RD (MSB ’21) belong to Georgetown’s Expat Society.
Zoey:
Q: How would you describe your style?/ if you had to describe your style in a sentence what would it be?
A: In a word: adaptable. I wear heels and frills one minute, and then sweatpants and sneakers the next. My style consistently transforms as my mood changes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Q: What influences your style?/ Is there any style icon who you try to emulate?
A: My main influence is my class schedule– my 9 am’s dictate hoodies almost every time.
On other occasions, my wardrobe very much reflects my attempt at being stylish and chic. Most of the time, my goal is to look timeless, sometimes that means edgy, sometimes that means elegant. But I’m pretty clumsy so the facade doesn’t last very long.
Q: How do you show your style within your club?
A: Sometimes, our events are my motivation to get through a hard week. In part, because the members make my day, but also because our themes encourage me to push my own fashion boundaries. How do you dress for Surrealism? What is Intergalactic Avant-Garde? I had to define these dress codes on my own for each outfit and I’m motivated by my fellow board members’ excitement, our creative themes, and the effort all our members put in to actually dress “on theme”.
Q: What is your favorite item of clothing in your closet?
A: My mother, in a word, is iconic. She went to school for Interior Design/Architecture and Urban Planning, so fashion is her middle name. Naturally, my most prized [wardrobe] possession once belonged to her and has gratefully been passed down. It’s this silk, floor length, maroon (my favorite color) gown with gold floral accents. It sounds like a lot, but it’s probably the classiest dress I’ve seen yet.
Q: How does your style showcase your personality?
A: I always try to wear something that makes me uncomfortable, and I’m not talking about overexposed skin or tight clothing. Instead, I try to push my boundaries in my clothing similar to how I push myself out of my comfort zone in social settings and during new experiences. As I answer these questions, I am wearing a gaudy pair of shoes that I never would have worn 6 months ago AND I just came from an event where female pleasure and empowerment were very publicly the topic of interest. So even though my mother has impeccable style and a bright personality, I played things safe growing up. But now, I have learned how much fun life is when I do the things I wouldn’t normally do. Everyday, I try my best to live and dress like Jacqueline, my mother.
Tobias:
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I would describe it as classical, but minimalistic. I prefer not to push the boundaries in either style or color – greys and navy, sometimes a little black are my usual go to. When it comes to fashion or function, i tend to lean more on the function side, my clothes need to be comfortable and good quality above all – I guess that’s where my German upbringing comes into play.
Q: What influences your style/ is there a style icon who you try to emulate?
A: I wouldn’t say that I have a particular style icon or influencer, but when i was younger, my older sisters were always the ones telling me what to wear. Growing up in London I took a lot of influence from what i saw people wearing around me – but I guess that’s the same for anybody who wants to fit into a city’s culture.
Q: How do you show your style within your club?
A: A lot of our events have very specific themed dress codes.. something which forces me to step outside of my comfort zone and wear something you’d never see me wear otherwise.
Q: What is your favorite item of clothing in your wardrobe?
A: A simple grey turtleneck sweater. it’s easy yet elegant, works with any jacket – especially shearlings.
Q: How does your style showcase your personality?
A: I hate big brands, I would feel like a walking billboard wearing them. Other than that, I prefer to keep my style understated and show my personality in other ways. I have been keeping my style reasonably consistent for some time now, so I guess it has a become a part of me.
Thirty Seventh 