This collection of quotes reflects a few perspectives on fashion at Georgetown. These quotes were selected from email interviews conducted by Brynn Furey (SFS ’20), Joy Kim (COL ’21), and Runzhong Xu (COL ’21).
“I try to have fun with my fashion all the time. It was a central part of coming into my queer identity—I would use occasions like Halloween to dress up as male characters before I was comfortable wearing masculine clothing all the time. It is already more difficult for women and younger people to get the same kind of respect as adult men … so I have to make sure I am always dressed for the occasion.”
~Amanda Phillips, assistant professor in the English department
“In [an Another Round] interview, [Audie] Cornish equates function of makeup, hair, and style to that of body armor or a shield. I think this is a really empowering metaphor because it encourages us to channel our inner strength and self-confidence in a tangible, visible way. In a world in which we can often feel like our voices are silenced by the clamor around us, self-expression through style is an effective mechanism through which we can take ownership of our own truths, and, through our confidence, inspire others to do the same.”
~Caroline Kline (COL ’20), sophomore liaison for Georgetown University Women in Leadership
“When I decide to wear something ‘unapologetically left-wing,’ whether it’s a hat, patch, or T-shirt, I throw my earnest political beliefs out there for anyone to see, inquire about, and challenge. As a result, I only wear the political ideas in which I most firmly believe and feel I can most competently explain. Making such a statement forces me to re-examine and challenge my own beliefs until I’m confident in their validity, resulting in my development of a deeper understanding of them. In this way, I hold myself accountable to my beliefs.”
~Gabe Mielke (SFS ’20), member of Georgetown Solidarity Committee
“Georgetown is a fairly gender-conforming campus in terms of expression, in general. …We are fairly traditional in our understanding of dress codes, and we see this reflected at many events; it is more an unspoken expectation or code rather than anything spelled-out, but [it] is very present. As one of the few who routinely wears clothes from India, I am ‘easy to spot’ and identify, which is a new experience for me on this campus!”
~Shiva Subbaraman, director of the LGBTQ Center
