By Heidi Kurpiela


People watching. We’re all guilty of doing it at some point. Take for example when people walk in late for class. You watch them as they quietly take their seat and clumsily take their book bag off. Sometimes you survey their outfit.

You think: “Who is that person 20 minutes late to class… oh that’s a nice shirt, those pants could use an ironing, I saw that scarf at American Eagle, those shoes were probably expensive, he looks like he just rolled out of bed, why does she wear all that gaudy jewelry?”

And they think: “What a weirdo! Take a picture it lasts longer!”

So that’s just what I did, I took their picture, then asked a class of credible apparel and design majors to critique their outfits.

Colleen Frey teaches the pattern drafting class of junior and senior students that I approached.

She says: “Everywhere you go there’s usually an unwritten code of dress. Even if you have freedom of expression you dress according to your group. There’s a different style of dress according to department. You’ll find that the design majors are very eclectic.”

Student Nikki Barry says, “T-shirts and blue jeans are practically a uniform here.”

The panel of design majors

• Bridget
• Nikki
• Kari
• Crystal
• Heidi
• Amanda
• Gina

Bridget: “Sometimes people over accessorize, not good.”

Nikki: “She has a neat and clean look. The color on top is cheerful and goes nicely with her skin tone. The coordination of accessories is good—leather tones and gold is a good fit. Very modern and age appropriate.”

Heidi: “I like the brown-themed accessories, cute belt buckle.”

Amanda: “Nicely put together. Belt matches boots. The theme is throughout the outfit.”

Joe Kreamer is a sophomore psychology major who works at Amvets thrift store and says he gets everything there for free.

Amanda: “I can tell he gets his stuff for free. His shirt looks dingy.”

Crystal: “This is very vintage.”

Heidi: “Anyone dressing from Amvets gets a plus in my book!”

Gina: “He’s got a typical college guy look—very casual.”

Amanda C. is a junior speech pathology major who thought I was crazy when I walked into her class and asked to take her picture in the hall.

Heidi: “She looks smart and casual. Cute shoes.”

Crystal: “Cute yet comfortable for school.”

Amanda: “Cute. Very college-like.”

Gina: “She looks stylish and comfortable.”

Lindsay Jones is not a Buffalo State student. Last Tuesday she had to drive her friend Kate to school because Kate’s car is smashed up from a car accident.

Crystal: “That’s a pretty top.”

Bridget: “She should stay away from prints.”

Heidi: “She looks relaxed.”

Amanda: “The print makes her look bigger. If she wore a smaller print or solid it would flatter her figure.”

Tom Hotaling describes his style as “Hotaling-ish.” He says, “It’s cold outside so I have on three sweaters and two pairs of pants.”
Heidi: “He’s dressed for Buffalo weather. I wear two pairs of pants myself!”

Crystal: “Is that a turban?”

Amanda: “Vintage. I guess that’s a sweater on his head?”

Gina: “What’s on his head? OK it’s cold—but come on!”

AJ is on the far left. He says his initials stand for “Armani Jova.” He describes his style as “posh” and asks, “why is it that if you wear leather pants in Vegas it’s OK, but if you wear them in Buffalo it’s f**ked up?”

Laurie is in the middle. She was shy about having her picture taken and describes her clothes as “comfortable.”

Frank on the far right says he “always has to have the latest clothes.”

Heidi: “AJ looks stylish, Laurie looks relaxed and Frank is a cross between sporty and preppie.”

Crystal: “They all look cute and stylish.”

Bridget: “Laurie needs to get pants that aren’t way too long and AJ is one of the most stylish guys I know.”

Amanda: “AJ looks very well put together—not too trendy—classic with a little flair. Laurie and Frank have an ‘Abercrombie’ style.”

Gina: “AJ looks very nice! Laurie looks like she’s going out with her midriff showing and Frank looks a little too casual.”

Kristen Smith is a communications major. She says her jacket came from the Banana Republic.

Bridget: “Long jackets look nice on tall people.”

Heidi: “She looks business casual. Nice jacket.”

Crystal: “Stylish and professional.”

Amanda: “The blazer is a little loud. Other than that she looks put together.”

Gina: “She has a nice mixture of class with casualness. (Her jacket) looks very comfortable.”






Yolande Francis describes her style as “sexy.” She insisted I take the picture of her left side. “’Cuz my left side’s my best side.”

Amanda: “I’d hardly describe this as sexy—but that could be due to the cold weather.”

Crystal: “Cute gloves!”

Heidi: “Cute gloves—rainbows!”

Bridget: “She’s dressed cute for Buffalo winters!”

Gina: “She looks warm.”

Mitch Soto is a sophomore industrial technology major. He says what he wears depends on how he feels that day. On this day he wore a Fat Albert shirt and said, “today I felt alive!”

Crystal: “Colorful and fun!”

Amanda: “Very urban. A little too bright for my taste—the hat doesn’t match.”

Heidi: “Colorful and bright!”

Gina: “He looks fun, artistic and creative looking.”

Jocelyn Badali is on the left. She says she’s a Pisces and describes her style as “f**king-A plus-plus straight flossin’.”

Jenn G. is on the right. She’s also a Pisces. She says her style is “spontaneous.”

Amanda: “(Jocelyn’s clothes) are very unappealing. It looks like she got dressed in the dark. Jenn’s shoes are filthy.”

Heidi: “Jocelyn’s look is new age. Jenn looks like she’s trying to stay warm.”

Kari: “Jocelyn’s patchwork is fun and displays spontaneity and vibrancy. This is young and Northeast, Buffalo, trendy style.”

Bridget: “Jocelyn is very sexy! Definitely flossin’!”

Gina: “Jocelyn has a hippy-ish style.”