Head to Toe

Some+of+the+funkiest+footwear+seen+at+John+Jay%21

Some of the funkiest footwear seen at John Jay!

Lately, John Jay students have been dressed to impress in stylin’ fashion-forward looks. However, with the latest trends spreading through the student body like wildfire, originality is a struggle to say the least. Finding that unique twist to add to your trendy – yet unoriginal – outfit is nearly impossible, yet some lucky teens have been able to find and flaunt it. Through their footwear.

And although it may seem like the least important part of any outfit, the footwear, particularly, worn by fellow students has been legendary. From vibrant Doc Martens to stylish flats, John Jay students have been rocking some of the most fashionable and one-of-a-kind looks, on their feet.  

I have one friend who consistently wears hilarious, wacky, or downright weird socks with her outfits. From her Abraham Lincoln mid-calfs to her low-cut fox socks, she adds a bit of originality and personality into her footwear. As I found myself laid out on the ground of our Drawing and Painting Two class, snapping a picture of her fabulous Corgi socks, I came to realize how great these photos actually were. So, naturally, I decided to see who else I could bombard with the ever-so-strange question: Can I take a picture of your feet?

After starting off with a few photos of some of the sickest socks and funkiest footwear to walk our campus, I found myself strolling the halls with my chin pinned down to my chest. Rather than looking at people’s faces, outfits, or simply not staring at anyone, for that matter, I found my eyes glued down to the floor. Scanning the ground for those one-of-a-kind shoes, I realized how much footwear can say about a person (and how hilarious socks can really be). Our student body has found a way to escape the haunting slum of unoriginality, by showing off their personality through their shoes and socks. I found my own self purposely wearing my taco socks (which, when I first received as a gift, caused great confusion) to school or wandering the shoe section for a bit longer than usual in some of my favorite stores. Wacky socks or stylish shoes provide a way for teens to show their true selves in one of the most amusing ways possible.

As teens desperately struggle with fighting the norm in terms of fashion, I’ve certainly witnessed a new era of students bringing back their own personal style through their footwear. Now, I find myself constantly looking at people’s shoes and socks rather than their outfit, consistently surprised and amused to see how students add a twist to an otherwise unoriginal look. Personality can truly shine through fashion from head to toe (literally).