“Week of Looks” was born out of curiosity during my first year. I wanted to delve deeper into the unique fashion on campus by adding the full scope of what a person truly wears during the week and what drives their inspiration. So continuing with the series with my fifth installment, I wanted to spotlight one of the coolest people on campus, The Dinky. Here is a little more about them:
I’m Arianna but I am better known as The Dinky. I’m a second year, and I’m double majoring in Art History and Visual Art. I draw and paint, on canvas and on my face sometimes (theDinky.com, if you’d like to check it out). I (clearly) love clothes and fashion— and the performance of dressing up. I am a disciple of Kate Bush, Sufjan Stevens, and Tina Turner.
Is there anything in fashion that scares you?
Looking ugly — joking! Since I tend to wear things that could be considered “overdressed” for daily garb, I do get worried about being “too much” or looking out of place. Luckily these thoughts do not plague me that often, because I have resolved that I simply don’t care! Wearing a silly or crazy or “costume-y” outfit makes it fun to simply be everyday. And I believe adorning the body in pretty things is one of the great joys in life. Also, as a pretty shy/quiet person, I like to think that my outfits speak for me.
How can an outfit dictate your mood?
I enjoy wearing things that make it feel fun to move throughout my day. I try to have my outfit be as cohesive as possible. I like when there is a clear color palette throughout, and if I realize throughout the day that an element of my outfit “doesn’t go,” frankly I get quite irked. I know other people don’t really notice or care, but I KNOW. Obviously if I am wearing an outfit I’m very proud of and feel comfortable in, I feel that I can move through the world with much more grace. As drag queens say, “I’m feeling my oats.”
How do your style choices change from day to day ?
There are multiple facets that go into my style choices on certain days, ranging from practicality to silhouette. I also have certain “figures” I like to emulate, or rather “archetypes.” For example, I really enjoy dressing like a vampire in the winter, and I like to look like a nymph or mythical creature when it’s warm out. Cowboy and Dapper gent are also in the mix. Another factor that goes into my choices is how I want to present myself. As a non-binary person, I desire to present more feminine sometimes and more masculine at other times, and of course anywhere in between. The clothes themselves have no gender, but an outfit as a whole with its silhouette can read different ways… I like to experiment how certain pieces of clothing can affect the vibe of an outfit. I am also very much against “outfit repeating” (it’s okay if other people do it but I simply stay away from it) and like to switch up my “character design” from day to day, unless I’m trying to stick with one “theme” for an extended period of time (for example: vampire, which was a favorite for a while).
Monday
FIT 1: Medieval Boy-scout
The outfit was mainly based around the black corset top I am wearing (which is from Depop). It felt medieval but also kind of “hard” and gothic. I was also in European Civ that quarter and had serfs and knights on the brain. Basically, I wanted to wear something that would look natural if I was also holding a long sword. It was a pretty warm day, so I did have in mind that I wanted to avoid being uncomfortable or sweaty, hence the shorts and minimal layering (which is unfortunately my favorite thing to do). I expected to feel “incomplete” in this outfit due to the pieces being minimal, but actually felt very put together! As mentioned before, I enjoy a consistent color palette, and the beige pieces (the shorts, shrug, and shoes) were so similar in tone that I ended up feeling quite complete. I really enjoy an outfit when I can easily feel like a character with a particular “vibe” no matter where I am, and this was definitely one of those times. In addition to the “put togetherness” of it, I also felt the silhouette and pieces were all pretty gender neutral but still boyish (hence medieval boy-scout), which is what I was going for. All items were found on Depop except the shrug, which I got at Village Discount here in Chicago.
Tuesday
FIT 2: Dapper Gent in all Black
Once again, it was a hot and sunny day, but this time I threw practicality out the window because I just REALLY REALLY wanted to wear all black and look like a dapper gent. Monochrome outfits are a great love of mine and focusing on a single color is also a fun challenge too! I was aiming for “dapper-gent/business man off duty”… Basically all the elements of a “formal” masculine fit but stripped down. The weather would of course not permit a blazer, so I just went with a loosely fitting black button down and a black vest for added texture and silhouette to balance out the looseness of the pants and shirt. Outfits like this one just make me feel cool, and that is the simplest way to put it. Unfortunately, wearing all black in the heat did not add to this “cool” feeling. To rephrase the classic saying, SOMETIMES beauty can be pain.
Wednesday
FIT 3: Forest Nymph/Fae Creature
Sometimes an outfit could be perfectly reasonable and practical for the weather, but the desire for accessories is too overpowering. Here is the forest nymph I mentioned earlier, complete with fingerless gloves and leg warmers (for no smart or practical reason). It was once again a beautiful sunny day, and I felt the need to look like I could frolic in a mythical land… or possibly have wings or something. I aimed for something flowy and whimsical but with a clear silhouette. Of course, a nymph would not wear a pinstripe vest, but I wanted to add some fitted shape to the flowy ensemble. (Fun fact: That vest is probably my favorite item of clothing ever. I found it at a thrift store on Melrose in LA) I think this is one of my more “costume-y” (not in a bad way) outfits, even though it’s still pretty tame (to me). The leg warmers and fingerless gloves were really not needed, but I felt this nymph character needed more texture... Plus leg warmers and gloves are simply cute! I like when certain pieces can convey an element of the character/figure/archetype I am going for. For example, I felt that the long flowing sleeves of the shirt could read as fairy wings. Every item is from Depop besides the vest, which was from a thrift store, and the leg warmers and fingerless gloves, which were from estate sales.
Thursday
FIT 4: Professor Cowboy
For people who know me, this is a pretty classic Dink Fit: all beige, signature low-waisted pinstripe tan pants, a smart blazer (from one of my mothers old pant suits), another one of my favorite shirts, a vest of course, and to top it all off — a bolo tie. The absolute kicker would have been a cowboy hat. My aim for this look was obviously cowboy-esque but also a gentleman— a traveling man who also loves to sit down with a good book. Masculine silhouettes are sometimes tricky for me, but I find that a blazer plus a vest always works/solves that issue. I felt that this outfit settles very nicely between being stylish and “normal” and performative (in the sense that I really wanted all these pieces to work together to create a real character out of it). Sometimes, I fall so deeply into the “character” of an outfit that I can’t help but move through the world with a sort of swagger (lol). When I sat down and read my book in this outfit, I really felt like I was performing a role: that of Professor Cowboy.
Friday
FIT 5: Count Dinkula or Only Dinks Left Alive or They Vant To Dink Your Blood
There are some days when I subdue my outfits for practicality or even worry that something is “too much,” but some days, I simply say Who Cares, à la Garfield, and go all out. Last winter, I watched Interview with the Vampire (for the first time embarrassingly), and I was thrown head first into an obsession with vampires and the many aesthetics they can have (ranging from grungy fashionable present day vampires in Only Lovers Left Alive to classic maximalist period-piece vampires like in Bram Stoker’s Dracula). Basically, I wanted to dress like a vampire everyday. Having a single concrete theme/character in mind also makes it much easier to decide what to wear daily, and with this one, there are so many ways to go about it! Some days I would feel like a cool modern day vampire who’s been alive long enough to finally look “hip with the times,” and other days, I would want to be a more classic vampire in Victorian garb. In this case, I wanted to be a happy medium between the two, but leaning more towards the classic Victorian style. On top of that, I wanted to take current pieces (aka nothing actually vintage) and create a vintage silhouette. It is basically just a corseted shirt and a long skirt but with a thin mesh/silk slip underneath, which I partly tucked into the skirt to add more volume and texture— almost like a bustle. Frankly, with the fog and the wind, this outfit made me feel evil (in the best way). So basically, this winter quarter, if you see a vampire sauntering around campus, that’s me! All items were found on Depop, including the glasses and boots.
all photos courtesy of Nicole Helou
