By Tatum Koster
Photo Credit: Nolan Adelsky
If you have an eye out for fashion then you are sure to catch a glimpse of student Linfeng Li and his “solar” style around campus one time or another. Li is majoring in English with a minor in theatre in hopes to someday fall back into the world of academia as a teacher. After sitting for a quick conversation with Li the first thing he shared was that his main source of inspiration comes from within himself.
Li explained that creating an outfit is really about, “How you put them together” and “balancing the energies.”
“Today, I wear lab glasses to make sure I look a little professional,” Li explained.
His outfit had a very high fashion aura with a collage of colors melting together, the Coach bag, and a unique choice of glasses. The bag was actually a sale snag, marked down from the original price which is the only reason he got it. He explained that he doesn’t buy things unless they are marked down, usually. He still shops for quality but why spend an entire check on one item if you can get it later for a portion of the price?
Photo Credit: Nolan Adelsky
With every look, Li always has his hair pulled into a towering ponytail.
“I want to bring back the ancient Chinese idea that the hair belongs to your parents,” he said. “If you cut them, that means you lose that connection.”
He explained that though this isn’t necessarily a powerful rule in modern times but something that he can still trace back to his culture. He also added that he still interacts with a lot of modern Chinese culture and fashion through social media, sometimes pulling from it to add to his style. In China, the status quo in fashion is very different from what is seen around campuses in America so Li likes to gain some inspiration from abroad.
Li explained that because his fashion taste comes from within, he has always had a liking for extravagant looks.
“When I was a little kid I would always dress up. I just love it,” he explained. “I didn’t like the clothes that my parents got for me because they tried to put me into a box, and I don’t like that.”
His main goal when creating a look is to always balance the energies, whether that’s wearing bright clothes on a rainy day or mixing masculine and feminine vibes. Each day, Li looks for pieces that can work together to make him feel balanced and confident.
“I already look different, so I put icing on the cake by dressing different. I want people to see that I’m not only looking different, but I also feel comfortable in my own skin.”