BY CAMILA RYDER

In print | Published November 5, 2009

*Name: *Alex Anderson
*Year: *2013
*From: *Seattle, WA
*Current Residence: *Mertz

What he’s wearing:
“This cardigan is from American Apparel,” Anderson said. His pants, tie and shirt are all from H&M. “My watch is Michael Kors. My shoes are from Creative Recreation and my glasses are Marc Jacobs.” He said that his skateboard is not an accessory and that he puts it to good use.

The color combination is especially striking in Anderson’s outfit. “I like color and I like contrast,” he said. The light blue oxford shirt and tie contrast greatly with the charcoal cardigan, while the gold of the sneakers and watch works well with the black of the pants. The blue, black and gold palette makes for a cool mixture of colors. The sneakers, which are one of his favorite pairs, create a distinct look, forming an outfit that brings together the American Apparel male model style with a dash of hip-hop.

How he describes his style:
Though Anderson laughed and mentioned that his first thought was to say “baller,” he described his style as a “really interesting mix of a lot of things because I switch it up a lot,” combining urban and fresh and clean. “I don’t like to look overdone, but I like to have a certain amount of complexity,” Anderson said.

Fashion influences:
“My three style icons are Kanye West, Pharrell and Lupe Fiasco,” Anderson said. All three of these artists have styles similar to Anderson’s, especially Kanye and Pharrell. Their mix of sophistication, color and hip-hop make them influential in men’s style.

Anderson browses designer’s websites and tries to “match their clothings with things I could afford.” He especially admires Salvatore Ferragamo. “I love his shoes and his suits are beautiful. I love Ferragamo.”
*
Where he likes to shop:*
“I shop at a lot of places: Urban Outfitters, H&M, sneaker boutiques and Nordstrom,” Anderson said, though he pointed out that there are not specific places he always shops. “If I find something that I like and I see a store that looks interesting then I go in,” he said. “I don’t wear anything that I don’t really like and I don’t buy anything if it doesn’t inspire me or if I know I can’t use it.”

Advice for stepping up one’s style:
Anderson, when asked how his style compares to how most guys dress at Swarthmore, said he felt “superior.” He advises that guys, but really both genders, should “start wearing clothes that fit you … and wearing clothes that match your body type.” All the bros out there should “avoid wearing your athletic gear everywhere.”

Guys, do you see Tom Brady or Kobe Bryant wearing their jerseys out on the town?

Some of Anderson’s most important advice is to “know what you like, because when you find something that you really like, it looks good.” Even if your style may range from grunge to crazy colors, Anderson said you should “find something that you really like and do it well.”

Anderson and other students have started a group on Facebook called the Swarthmore Dime Piece Collective, which aims to “promote beauty and looking well and really good on campus,” he said.

Many claim that Swarthmore lacks an abundance of attractive people, but the group and its members are trying to “serve as an example to erase that very unfortunate stereotype” by finding people who they think are “interesting, have a certain confidence, stylish and an attractive mentality about them.”

Do you think you’ve got great style? Want everyone to know about it? Then submit a photo of you in your best outfit to cryder1@swarthmore.edu. Please include your name and contact information.

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