By Elizabeth McIff
Despite having a tight budget, students still manage to fill their closets with a wardrobe reflecting a style all their own.
Fashion magazines and television shows such as “In Style” or “Friends,” set the stage for what is “in.”
Here at BYU, though, many students are not influenced by these fads of our American culture.
“I am not fashion conscious,” said John Mizukawa, 22, a junior from Fort Washington, Md. majoring in zoology. “Most of my clothing comes from older brothers or the clearance racks.”
Although the source of Mizukawa”s wardrobe may not be the ideal for most, his friend Dave Kim, 22, a junior from Irvine, Calif., still thinks he has style.
“I think fashion reflects your character and personality,” Kim said. “It”s who your are.”
Either way, Mizukawa doesn”t mind his clothes.
“When it comes to money, clothing is the last thing I want to spend it on. I would rather buy climbing equipment any day.”
Finding the funds to keep wardrobes hip is one of the biggest challenges for students.
“Clothes are expensive,” said Heidi Wolters, 21, a senior from Salt Lake majoring in psychology. “I like to be in style and so I spend more money on fewer items.”
However, there is a solution for this dilemma that most students overlook.
The BYU Bookstore clothing departments carry many of the same styles and brands as department stores, but the benefits include convenience and reasonable prices.
“We go to the same markets as other retail stores,” said Jan Rand, Buyer Supervisor for the Woman”s Department of the bookstore. “We try to find the styles students want at the price they are willing to pay.”
The bookstore also works hard to supply trendy, yet modest clothing, said Rand. “We do all we can to help students observe the honor code.”
By purchasing clothes at the bookstore, students are also helping BYU.
“We are a self supporting and non-profit business here on campus,” Rand said. “The extra money we make builds buildings on campus.”
But BYU student Dragos Tieru-Hatu, 23, a junior from Romania majoring in international studies finds the clothing at the bookstore lacking.
“I am very into fashion,” Tieru-Hatu said. “If an item doesn”t have a label, I won”t buy it. The bookstore is so convenient, I just wish it carried Armani.”
The convenience and style of the bookstore is a benefit for students without the time or funds to shop, but still want quality clothing.
Aaron Hassell, 24, a senior from Golden Co. majoring in political science shops by the motto, “if the price is right.”
Hassell finds Target to carry many of the items he likes at the price he is willing to pay.
“I consider myself trendy,” Hassell said. “However, I will never wear anything from Abercrombie.”
Where Hassell will not wear Abercrombie, Kim enjoys the brand so much he works there.
“It is the diversity in fashion that makes it so fun to get style ideas from other students,” Wolters said. “I think overall, BYU is a pretty stylin” college, for Utah that is.”
