For junior Max Reinhardt, Santa Claus comes to town every time the opportunity for retail therapy arises.
“I love clothes shopping,” Max said. “There’s something so fun about finding the coolest piece of an outfit in a store you wouldn’t expect; it’s like Christmas morning.”
Max’s love for fashion, a recent development that had been brewing long before it came to fruition, was accompanied by the realization that he could no longer stick to what was easy and familiar. While he had always appreciated the idea of having a refined aesthetic, it was not until recently that he made the executive decision to finally take charge of dictating his wardrobe and the way he expressed himself through his attire. By experimenting with his stylistic choices and stepping outside of his comfort zone, he has been able to curate confidence through his personal style.
“Honestly, I’ve always really been into fashion and dressing well,” Max said, “but I didn’t entirely gain the confidence to try something different with style before my early sophomore year. Before that, I just wore whatever my mom picked out for me because I wasn’t confident enough to choose outfits every day. I chose sweatpants and a sweatshirt that didn’t match, and that was about it. I think it was September of sophomore year when I got the desire to dress better. I had always wanted to look cool, but I hadn’t taken action until then.”
While fashion can often be perceived as a solo journey, this was not the case for Max. Without the help of his close friend, senior Rebecca Maddox, his inauguration into the world of clothing culture would have been virtually nonexistent. With Rebecca pushing him to explore new avenues of apparel, his interest was sparked in a form of self-expression that has proved to be much more than just a simple interest in clothing, but a reflection of his personality and a creative outlet.
“I’ve known her since I was a little kid, ” Max said, “and she’s basically a sister to me. Since I was in 8th grade, she had tried to get me to care about the clothes I wore. I never listened. I think she brought me into Urban Outfitters, where I got my first pair of jeans. I really do have her to thank for sparking my interest in fashion.”
At its core—Max has now come to realize—fashion is about branching out and finding a sense of conviction and self-esteem through dress. Unfortunately, trends have complicated this philosophy; with the styles in vogue constantly changing and fluctuating, one might find it easy to succumb to the most socially acceptable way of dressing for the sole reason of “fitting in.” Regardless of this norm, Max has found that fashion should be taken as an art form, with clothing reflecting who someone is and not who popular culture wants them to be.
“The biggest issue that comes with dressing is with trends and aesthetics,” Max said. “The most important part of fashion is expressing yourself. You should be able to see elements of yourself in the clothes you wear. People blindly follow trends and dress in a way that they might not like, just to dress in a way that is ‘in.'”
While fashion allows Max to express himself outwardly, he is just as interested in being able to understand people on a deeper, emotional level, a fascination that has spurred his love for the field of psychology. By learning about the processes of the human mind and the regulation of emotions, he hopes to be able to extend his inspired and insightful abilities to help others. Looking ahead, Max is eager to learn more about his occupation of interest going further into his educational career.
“I’m really excited to take AP Psych,” Max said. “I’ve always been interested in Psychology, [and] I’m even planning on becoming a therapist in the future. I’m excited to learn more about that field, and I’ve heard it’s a fairly hard class, so I’m excited to challenge myself. I’ll most likely go to GVSU because they have a great psych program and the most beautiful campus.”
Whether it is fashion, school, or life in general, Max hopes that everyone is able to find a way to embrace their individuality and grow into the person they strive to become. Whether he is giving a friend tidbits of fashion advice or offering emotional support, his goal remains the same: to help others feel empowered in who they are.
“Another part of [fashion] I enjoy is helping others,” Max said. “I like it when people come to me for fashion advice. It makes me feel like the time I’ve spent building a wardrobe is worth it. You need to let yourself wear an outfit, not let an outfit wear you.”
