Clothes can be an important part of self-expression. This rings true for junior Dylan Crites. He describes his style as a mix of different aesthetics that are most prominently punk and alternative. He began working on his style around sophomore year.

His interest in improving his style was in part influenced by musicians he follows. Some of his favorites include City Morgue, ZillaKami and Tyler, the Creator.

“I try to get inspiration from them. I try to make it my own instead of copying them,” Crites said. “I just take what they have and make it into something else.”

One aspect of his style that particularly stands out from the norm is the patches he puts on his clothes. They are mostly for aesthetic purposes and he usually buys them from Amazon. He tends to gravitate towards cool design or band logos. The price range is usually around $15.

“They also have patch pants so that’s where I really got the inspiration to make my own,” Crites said.

He gets quite a few positive comments on his Instagram posts about the clothes he is wearing.

“I think it’s a way to stand out a little bit, and just kind of express what he’s into,” friend Nick Schanks said.

Crites plans to continue wearing the clothes he feels most confident in and wants to let his style evolve freely. He views style as an integral part of self expression and urges others to not pass by wearing the clothes they enjoy.

“Let’s just say somebody hates your style because it’s not what everyone else is doing or it’s different,” Crites said. “You wanna be different. Don’t let other people steer you away from what you want to do, do what makes you happy.”