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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Aggie Style Watch: Lily Soto, unique and unintentional

An exploration of Soto’s approach to self-expression through style

Lilly Soto, an undeclared second-year student, shared her personal style with The California Aggie Arts Desk. The Aggie met Soto in her backyard, where she wore a translucent green button-down with baggy khakis and orange Converse. 

The California Aggie: How would you characterize your style? 

Soto: Grandma with ’90s Nickelodeon cartoon, but also like a 12-year-old, but also like a sexualized 12-year-old which is like… ew. It’s not intentional; it’s not what I’m trying to be. It’s just what happens. 

TCA: Do you try to communicate anything in particular with your style? Is it deliberate or more random?  

Soto: It’s not like a particular message, more just what’s going on in my mind with colors or what type of fit, like baggy or tight. It’s not deliberate; I wake up in the morning and maybe think of one thing to wear and the rest falls into place.

TCA: Do you have a style icon? Where do you get inspiration from?

Soto: I would say that it’s a big mixture of all the TV and music and artists [I follow] that influence what I like, but I’m not thinking about them when I pick out items. The music [inspires me] but also the artist cause a lot of the artists I listen to dress the f-cking dopest, like Dev Hynes.

TCA: Where do you shop and why? 

Soto: I almost exclusively thrift, I might buy a random plain t-shirt from Target or something, or I will get stuff at Urban if it’s in the sale section and cheap. It’s a way to find the most unique items and it’s just less generic, and [to] reuse your shit! And old stuff is just better I feel, and because it’s old it adheres to my grandma vibe. 

TCA: What’s your favorite accessory?

Soto: Mmm! I don’t know what my favorite is because I have to always have my rings on and my earrings in; I never take those or my necklace off. I would also consider nail polish an accessory I like wearing, and also my tattoo adds an element.

TCA: If you had to pick three closet essentials, what would they be?

Soto: At this exact moment, I would say my off-tone blue sleeveless sweater, my fleece brown jacket with a mountain scene running along the bottom and my corduroys. But also, I love my khaki men’s pants I got the other day. 

TCA: What article of clothing/accessory do wish you had?

Soto: I really want the ASAP Nast collab with Converse [shoes]. He’s coming out with flame [shoes] that are an off-tone red, and I’ve been waiting for them to come out for months.

TCA: What advice would you give to someone looking to build their closet and develop a sense of style?

Soto: Whenever you think something might be kind of weird, always try it on because then you might find items that you really love that you weren’t anticipating.

TCA: What’s a trend you love? 

Soto: I love layering, like a tight long sleeve with a baggy short sleeve, and obviously high-waisted things.

TCA: What do you think the importance of fashion is/ what is the value in self-expression through style?

Soto: Well, if you dress how you feel, it’s way easier to go through your day and the world more comfortably, and you’re telling people about yourself at the same time. So you’re just presenting the best version of yourself that you possibly could. 

Written By: Allie Bailey — arts@theaggie.org

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