When I’m on the hunt for someone to feature in this column, what attracts me most to a person is a distinctive sense of style. This person does not resemble anyone else. He or she does not flash the latest trends, his or her outfits are never too predictable and he or she always looks fresh. There could be something slightly unusual about the style. Maybe the student has a story to tell. Most importantly, the student makes me want to look twice.
Nupur Patel is one of those interesting characters. The best thing about her is she never falls victim to fashion. She hates to shop, she never over-analyzes an outfit and she doesn’t own a purse.
What are you wearing?
My dress is from French Connection and my shoes are Steve Madden.
What kinds of clothing are you drawn to when you walk into a store?
I’m not attracted to a certain style of clothing, but mostly I’m attracted to clothes that are pretty conservative, don’t stand out too much, and grandma clothes.
Grandma clothes?
I like to pretend I’m a grandma, wearing clothes like really comfortable sweaters and really loose clothing. I don’t like to wear tight clothing at all. I like to move around in my clothes.
So you hate tight clothing. Anything else?
I never wear clothes that show the name brand. I don’t like to be ostentatious with my outfits.
How do you decide what to wear when you are dressing in the morning?
I just go on a whim. I usually have a feeling about what I want to wear, but I don’t really put time into my outfits. Sometimes when I’m bored, I like to dress up according to a theme, like pretending I’m a boy, or Minnie Mouse.
Do you ever accessorize?
No, I like to keep it simple. I don’t even own a purse. I hate dragging it along. I hate baggage. I just love my backpack.
Where do you typically shop?
The stores I find the most interesting clothes in are Anthropologie and Free People. I love their style. I hate to shop. If I see something I like, I’ll just buy it. I usually don’t even try stuff on.
Do you like to wear a lot of colorful outfits?
I like to wear color. It just makes me happier. I’m not a fan of black.
Do you find that your style changes a lot?
My style is always changing based on my mood and my personality. I don’t think that anything in my closet necessarily makes sense.
