Artists use principles and elements of visual arts not only for their work, but also for their style. Clothes are a way for people to communicate how they want to be perceived by others, and artists may have an advantage when it comes to personal style.
BYU sophomore Ainsley Romero is studying design. Romero said she is an avid thrift shopper and is always looking for unique pieces to add to her wardrobe.
“I thrift shop a lot,” Romero said. “I get my staple pieces, like pants and jackets, at stores like Zara, but all the fun pieces I like to wear I find them thrifting.”
Romero considers her fashion to be an extension of her work.
“I am really into patterns; it is something
that will translate over from my work to my wardrobe,” Romero said. “I like simplicity with color palettes, and I like to use big blocks of color with simple shapes and patterns.”
BYU senior Brenna Empey is studying media arts with an emphasis in cinematography. Empey said she likes to wear pieces that are both comfortable and fashionable.
“Once you’re on set, you want to be comfortable. Dresses are so comfy, and it is one piece of fabric, and you look amazing,” Empey said. “It is about comfort and ease, but it still looks good.”
Empey wants to feature fashion and clothing through cinematography. She said she wishes her work could feature fashion better than current filmmakers’ work.
“As a cinematographer, I am interested in featuring clothing, almost shaping how I move the camera to show that fashion and clothing can be a part of the story rather than a background element,” Empey said.
BYU senior Sariah May is studying production design. She said clothing has always been a big part of her life and has played a major role in defining who she is as an artist.
“Wardrobe is a big part of a person’s identity,” May said. “I have been recently loving shapeless dresses; I really like the babydoll shape because they are flattering to my body.”
May uses her style to represent herself and to portray characters on how they want to be perceived.
“In film you want to define the character as a person and what they are wearing; fashion has a lot to do with defining a character,” May said. “Film is such a visual language and you have to dress them to look a certain way.”
