By, Lauren Raziano, Social Media Editor

Caroline King is the queen of fashion sense. A junior double major in history and international studies with a minor in women and gender studies, she takes her fashion inspiration from 90’s celebrities and local Instagram influencers. Her style has definitely changed from her Lily Pulitzer school days in Scranton, PA to a platform shoe, jewelry wearing college student in New York City.

The Quadrangle: How would you describe your fashion sense?

Caroline King: I try and find inspiration for a lot of what I wear from the 90’s like, off duty models or 90’s actresses and also alternative music culture, a lot of it comes from music I would say.

TQ: Who recently have you been looking to for fashion inspiration?

CK: I feel like everybody right now is obsessed with, not even so much Emma Chamberlain’s like clothes as much as her vibe right like what she’s doing right now. I think she’s so cool and so relatable. Also I love Emma Chamberlain, I love Bella Hadid, I really love Drew Barrymore style from the 90s and Winona Ryder. Also Ruby @Rubylyn_ on Instagram. She’s just like an influencer that lives in the city. She recently got a following on Instagram but I take a lot of inspiration from her clothes, I think she’s so cool.

TQ: Do you think your style has changed since attending Manhattan College?

CK: A lot. In high school, I definitely didn’t really know what I wanted to wear and in middle school I had my preppy stage, like Lilly Pulitzer, but I feel like everybody kind of went through that around 2015. When I came to school in New York and during quarantine, I feel like I’ve finally found out what I wanted to wear. I get a lot of inspiration for what I want to wear from my friends to seeing people in the city street style. I changed a lot of music I listened to and that definitely changed how I dress a lot. It was definitely a long road to finding how I want to dress now, but now that I feel like I am there. I was telling my sisters this when we were going on vacation over the summer — every trip I packed for, it was so easy because all the pants I have now match all my shirts, so it’s an interchangeable wardrobe and I feel like everything fits who I want to be.

TQ: What is a staple clothing item in your wardrobe?

CK: A black miniskirt. I wear it four times a week. I think everybody needs a pair of Levi’s that fit perfectly, that’s my favorite thing in the entire world. A good baby tee that fits you really well. I like graphic tees, they just go with everything, go with jeans or they could go with a miniskirt and platforms. Any sort of platform, Converse and Doc Martens. I feel like if you’re wearing platform shoes, your outfits automatically are 10 times better.

TQ: What is your go-to accessory?

CK: My jewelry, for sure. I always wear a bunch of different necklaces and my rings. I wear a lot of rings, and my lock-and-key earrings. I’m not a big purse person or really into belts. I would say my rings, and my necklaces mostly. I always like to layer them.

TQ: What are your favorite places to get items? Where do you like to shop?

CK: So most of my things come from thrift stores. I actually kind of hate thrifting in New York, because it’s so expensive. I’ll go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill in Scranton and Levi’s are $4 and then I come here and go to Brooklyn and they’re $150 … But, I love shopping at my Salvation Army at home, I found my black mini-skirt, my Levi’s, everything there. But I also like depop sometimes if I’m looking for a designer, higher end item. It’s bad but I love Brandy Melville T-shirts. They just fit so well, and I know they’re terrible but once in a while I just have to give in and buy a t-shirt or a skirt from there because they just fit so well.

TQ: What is your advice to people who want to explore with their style?

CK: It could be nerve-wracking to wear what you want, or wear something that you think not a lot of people will think is really cute or that some people might think is ugly, but if you like it, why not wear it? I’ve definitely worn some questionable outfits, but if I like it, I’m happy going out, and it’s me then I’m gonna wear it. When I get dressed I feel like my clothes say more about the person I am. They speak before I do so when I walk into a room, my clothes introduce the person I am before, like I say my name. I feel like it can really communicate who you are. So that’s why I feel finding how you want to dress, taking pride in it is so important because it’s the first thing people see when you walk into a room … Don’t buy into trends, because you’ll regret it, at least in my personal experience. I would say go for more timeless pieces like plain pieces to start out. Then start to buy accent pieces so I’d start with plain basics jeans, plain mini skirts, more simple t-shirts, and simple silhouettes black dresses. And then you could start branching out and finding pieces that fit what you feel as though it fits your personal style.

TQ: Anything you would like to add about your style influences?

CK: My friends inspire me a lot. My friend Trey now works at a couple thrift stores in Brooklyn and he’s having pop-up shops and he is always fitted up, always looking so fresh. Same with my friend Chris, and my friend Jackson, it inspires me so much. when I’m going to hang out with them, I’m like, ‘Oh, I gotta put on a good outfit’ because I know they’re gonna be looking really good so they always are inspiring me to keep elevating my style and keep trying new things.