Schools closed down throughout the country from March through May, leaving students stuck in quarantine with nothing better to do than scroll through social media such as Tik Tok or Instagram for hours on end. With the inspiration of Tik Tok and the isolation from peers, many started to experiment with their self expression and style.

Quarantine is often viewed as a negative time where people felt lonely and missed “normal” life. However, for students it can be seen as a much needed break from the social expectations that come along with school. 

Having months to yourself in the comfort of your own room made the exploration of style a lot easier. 

“Quarantine definitely changed my style, I think that I dress a lot more free[ly] and without restrictions.” senior Willy Keck said. 

The combination of quarantine mixed with the rising popularity of social media, such as Tik Tok also influenced students. Tik Tok is a well known app, where people can post short videos relating to various different topics, one of which is fashion. Users post videos of new styles they’re trying out or simply of what they wore for the week. 

 “I became more open to new styles by seeing people on social media try new things. Tik Tok is mainly where I get my inspiration from,” junior, Melissa Liguori said. 

The “ins” and “outs” of fashion are ever changing. Modern style has recently changed to favoring more loose fitting, baggy clothing. Fast fashion, shopping at stores that quickly produce cheaply made clothes in order to stay relevant, is also something that’s beginning to fade with the increased popularity of thrifting. 

“I mostly thrift; I don’t think I’ve bought something from a mainstream store in about a year and a half.” senior, Julia Scheiber says. 

When Tik Tokers with a larger following post videos of their thrift finds or their favorite thrift stores, it influences people to try it out. The general style of the clothing people find at thrift stores is much different than what clothing stores sell in the mall, so the new wave of secondhand clothes also encourages new style. In the early months of quarantine almost all stores and malls were closed. Since thrift stores opened before the mainstream stores, people felt more compelled to get out of the house and find new second hand pieces. 

The main effect on people’s style changed during the quarantine is students’ new levels of confidence. Compared to last year, students wanted to keep the status quo. Now, more students say they’ve gained the confidence to dress how they want since they had time to grow and learn more about themselves. 

“Last year I was a lot more reserved because I was worried about what people would think of me. Since less people see you, it’s easier to explore styles.” Liguori said. Quarantine was and still may be seen as a dreary, lonely time, but if students look at it from another perspective, they may find it allowed them to grow more comfortable in their own skin and gave them a short pause from the pressures of school and society.