As the leaves fall and the temperature drops, our wardrobes may experience an identity crisis. It’s too warm to wear a jacket, but too cold to not wear a long-sleeved shirt, hence the creation of the “shacket.”

The shacket is the marriage of a shirt and jacket, providing just enough warmth against the cool breeze but doesn’t suffocate the person wearing it. Just like a shacket, autumn creates a bridge between seasons.

Autumn is the season of ever-changing colors and therefore ever-changing clothes. The unpredictability of the season warrants creations such as the shacket and the need for more versatile pieces.

Fall is often bound by four colors; orange, red, yellow and brown, reflecting the colors of the falling leaves as brighter tones are swapped out for more muted ones.

However, a question can be raised by this observation. What warrants our desire to wear these colors during the season?

The color orange signifies warmth and optimism, which allows us to welcome autumn with positivity.

Orange can elicit a broad spectrum of hues. From bright orange to burnt orange, the color has a lot of variety to offer.

Additionally, pumpkins are orange, so the acclaimed mascot of fall is well-represented throughout the season.

Red seems to be the second most popular color of the season, as it offers a vibrant, yet mysterious undertone.

The color red signifies joy and passion, the perfect combination for fall’s proceeding season, winter.

Since fall fashion can elicit more muted tones, red adds the right splash of color to any outfit. 

The color yellow signifies happiness and marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. During fall, yellow is often worn in softer hues such as mustard or amber. 

With the conclusion of Daylight Savings Time, yellow reintroduces feelings of contentment during the season.

Lastly, Brown represents warmth and earthiness, which captures the cozy feeling of fall.

Brown tends to be at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to color. While some shades of brown are not the most exciting, the right shades of brown can elevate an outfit to the next level.

The color brown can serve as either an accent color or the base of an outfit and also serves as the perfect color to sport a monochrome look.

Brown is not too harsh on the eyes, it is not bright or attention-calling, and although it is the lesser of the favorites, brown aids a fall color palette perfectly.

Fall wardrobes certainly favor these four colors, although they are not limited to only these four. Other common fall colors include cream, burgundy and darker hues of green.

Autumn is a unique season with respect to color, as the other three seasons tend to employ brighter colors, fall is darker and cozier. 

Summer is notorious for bright yellows, whites and turquoise, shades of color that match the energy of the sun’s beaming heat.

Winter is best known for its iconic wine red and evergreen green combination, due to the fact that Christmas seems to dominate the entire season, not leaving much room for other colors. However, lighter shades of blue and white tend to be popular during the snowy season.

Spring, like summer, elicits brighter hues. Spring is different in the sense that the colors are bright, but not overpowering. The shades worn in spring tend to be pink, light green and canary yellow, pastel shades of summer colors. 

Additionally, each season has its own holidays and days of recognition that seem to be absent from fall.

Independence Day and summer vacations govern the summer, with celebrations seeming to last the entire season.

Winter contains almost too many holidays, with Christmas, New Year, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, that seem to take over the season. 

Spring welcomes Easter and Memorial Day and autumn, of course, has Halloween, the Day of the Dead and Thanksgiving. 

Other than these few events, the season doesn’t have much more to offer other than a dreadful shift in weather and the impending doom of midterms at the end of the semester.

Regardless of these circumstances, autumn is emerging as a favorite in terms of fashion and overall aesthetic. 

A person’s aesthetic is so important to who they are. It reflects their personality and their interests and acts as their own brand. 

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is known for her exorbitantly pink wardrobe, while Wednesday Addams is infamous for her dark, gothic nature, but each of these characters’ aesthetics associates them with certain personality traits. Elle is bubbly and unapologetic and Wednesday is rather cynical and sadistic, bringing their fictional characters to life. 

The same applies to us as well. Our aesthetic can be indicative of the kind of people we are and how we present ourselves.

The only question is, how do you build your personal aesthetic?

1. Build Your Capsule Wardrobe 

It is best to begin by building your capsule wardrobe – a combination of your best and most worn pieces – which will help create a base for your outfits. 

A capsule wardrobe usually contains 10-20 pieces of clothing and includes pieces that can easily be layered and accessorized. The pieces in your capsule wardrobe will be ones that you wear for years.

One thing to keep in mind is a color palette. While you should always have some neutrals, make sure you have colors that suit your style, whether that be bright, muted or anything in between.

2. Find Your Inspiration 

Have you ever tried to write an essay without a central theme? It can be pretty difficult. Building a personal aesthetic with no theme or inspiration can be just as difficult. 

Without any inspiration, you could be cycling through clothes and end up wasting a lot of money buying pieces that you rarely wear. 

While it is great to experiment, it’s crucial to be tactful with your experimentation. Use Pinterest boards and magazines to get inspiration. Almost every celebrity in the media has a distinct aesthetic. Try scoping out the style you like the best and find pieces that meet your needs.

3. Experiment 

There is no right answer in fashion. If skirts and dresses are more your thing, find a way to tailor that style to the weather. If you like a more androgynous look, don’t be afraid to peruse the men’s section.

Confidence is key, so find a style that makes you feel like a million bucks and strut your stuff. 

Take a look at how these Scarlette Magazine members describe and embrace their own personal aesthetics. 

Katelyn’s Personal Aesthetic 

“Vintage and timeless” is the way Katelyn Wescott describes her aesthetic. 

She said she prefers hues of black, red, pink, and blue and the word sustainability carries a lot of weight for Wescott, as she finds it highly important to purchase second-hand pieces.

Another bonus of buying second-hand pieces from thrift stores and vintage shops is the uniqueness, said Wescott. 

“I’ve always loved the idea of owning pieces that no one else has,” Wescott said.

Her inspiration for her style stems from movies, said Wescott. Specifically, she loves Kat Stratford’s style from the 1999 film, “10 Things I Hate About You.”

Wescott integrates midi skirts, flare pants and loose tops into her wardrobe. These articles of clothing are very representative of Kat Stratford.

Although Wescott described her style as timeless, she said she believes aesthetics can be fluid, meaning not one person is limited to only one aesthetic.

While Wescott said she centralizes her theme around a vintage look, she always chooses looks that represent her and give her confidence. 

Cherod’s Personal Aesthtetic 

Neutral browns and greens mark Cherod Bowens’ style. He said denim is his go-to pant, so any washed blue works perfectly for him. 

Designers such as Jacquemus, Issey Miyake and Aimé Leon, Bowens’ said, inspire his streetwear and contemporary minimalism style.

Bowens’ personal aesthetic is something he said he grew into.

“As I got more comfortable in my skin, I began to explore colors that complimented my natural look and it took off from there,” Bowens said.

Denim is a staple in Cherod’s closet. Anything from washed to fitted jeans piques his interest. However, pleated loose-fitting washed jeans, he said, are his favorite.

“I have evolved deeper into the intention of my aesthetic,” Bowens said. 

Bowens remarked on the fluidity of aesthetics, saying they affirm the flexibility that one’s style can have. He also reflected on how his style was primarily monochrome but has transitioned into a classy, streetwear look as he’s gotten older.

Bowens emphasized how important it is to feel confident in his own skin and choose clothing accordingly.

My Personal Aesthetic 

Whenever someone sees me, I want their immediate thought to be, “She dresses well.” This has caused me to adopt a posh and professional attire.

My closet consists mostly of dresses and skirts, with a few graphic tees and tank tops to balance it out. 

I am a big fan of patterns, but only when they suit my skin tone. I usually go for cheetah print, stripes, polka dots and houndstooth. 

The biggest contributing factor to my wardrobe is accessories. I pride myself on my jewelry collection, as I always try to find unique pieces that can serve as an accent to my look.

My inspiration comes from early 2000s movies, including “Legally Blonde,” “13 Going On 30,” and “Cheetah Girls,” and pink is a common motif in my wardrobe.

When I want to sport a casual look, my go-to outfit is one of my monotone Juicy Couture jogging suit sets. Pairing that with my cheetah print vans and big earrings has become one of my most worn looks.

Aesthetics are always changing, and I think it is incredibly limiting for one person to only stick to one aesthetic.

My aesthetic has evolved drastically over the years, and I know there will be another aesthetic change in the near future. 

My goal every day is to feel my best, and I feel my best when I look my best. Fortunately, my current aesthetic makes me feel like a million bucks every single day.

“What does the fox say?” 

Haitian-born, United States-based fashion designer Prajjé O. Jean Baptiste, searches for the answer. 

Philanthropy Meets Fashion, a program of the Columbus Fashion Council and Fashion Week Columbus (FWC), hosted students and designers alike Thursday evening at the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) to discuss the life and work of Baptiste and bring awareness to the inhumane tactics used to create fox-fur pieces in the fashion industry.

Welcomed with hor d’oeuvres, guests were given the chance to speak and take pictures with the distinguished designer and donate to leading nonprofits. 

Walking Wild Rescue, a nonprofit focused on rescuing and providing a safe haven for captive-bred foxes, attended the event, bringing along some furry friends of their own — four live foxes. 

The organization’s hope for the event was to spread awareness about the exploitation of foxes – often used and then discarded to create fur coats and hats in the fashion industry. 

“Foxes are friends, not fashion,” said Baptiste. 

According to an article from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), about 85 percent of the fur industry’s skins come from animals living captive in fur factory farms which can be home to thousands of captive-bred animals. 

According to the same article, there is no federal humane slaughter law that protects animals in fur factories and the killing methods can be gruesome. Many fur farmers care more about keeping the pelts intact and therefore use poisoning methods to kill the animals which can cause a long and slow death for the animal. 

Baptiste said he has never been one to use furs in his designs because it does not align with his beliefs. 

During the event Baptiste said that he was grateful to play a role in inviting Walking Wild Rescue to the event and that he hopes others in the fashion industry will learn to have a conscious lens on their use of furs. 

“Foxes are friends, not fashion,” said Baptiste.

Baptiste continued the night, talking about his time on both season 19 and the recent “All Stars” season of “Project Runway,” what he learned from it and his inspiration for his upcoming designs. 

Baptiste said he took inspiration for his upcoming collection, “Nos Ginen,” from childhood memories he has, dressing up in clothes from his grandmother’s closet. 

Baptiste said he is largely inspired by his upbringing having lost his birth parents at a young age, he was left with next to nothing, except for fashion. 

Being it was all he had, Baptiste said he threw himself into everything the world of fashion had to offer him and viewed “Project Runway” as a fresh start.

Baptiste made a point to use his position on “Project Runway” to advertise young, marginalized designers. It was his goal to make it so that the world could see what these upcoming designers have to offer.

Throughout the show, Baptiste dressed himself in the works of young artists from head to toe. Anything and everything he wore or used were either pieces from his own collection or those of lesser-known designers. 

As a once struggling artist, Baptiste said he understands how strenuous the industry can be and was happy to have the chance to pay it forward by promoting up-and-coming designers.

As an aspiring artist, Baptiste said he refused to back down despite the fashion industry being very daunting. While most juniors in high school are concerned about the ACT and college applications, Baptiste was organizing art shows for the community. 

Utilizing bright colors and asymmetrical designs, Baptiste exemplifies his extensive knowledge of how to highlight the beauty of the female body while also telling a story through his designs. 

“A runway show is not what I make; It’s a sample of what I make,” said Baptiste. 

“I’m not just casting pretty girls,” said Baptiste. “I’m casting the girl that’s going to tell the story.” 

Baptiste said that it is hard to admit when you need help but that it is okay. There is no need to push yourself past your limits all alone. 

“You are not Superman. Let people help you,” said Baptiste. 

Baptiste spent some time during the event resonating over the lessons he learned during his time on “Project Runway,” discussing the idea of a fashion designer’s job of designing pieces with real people in mind. 

“As a designer, I have a responsibility to the woman for whom I design so that she feels beautiful, confident, and modern,” said Baptiste. “Above all I wish to bring her affordable luxury.”

Baptiste explained that runway shows are simply a glimpse into the mind and work of a designer, not a full representation of everything they are capable of.  

“A runway show is not what I make; it’s a sample of what I make,” said Baptiste.

Founder of Columbus Fashion Council and FWC, Thomas McClure, along with Nia Noelle, hosted the event, asking Baptiste questions about his life and his work.

McClure said he was proud to wear one of Baptiste’s iconic bomber jackets. The denim jacket encapsulates the aura of Baptiste’s style with loud colors and unpredictable patterns. 

Baptiste will be featured in the 14th Annual Finale Runway Show this Saturday at The Joseph Hotel as the headlining designer of FWC.

To learn more about Baptiste and his work visit prajjeoscar.com. 

To learn more about Walking Wild Rescue visit walkingwildrescue.org. 

For Scarlette’s full gallery of photos from the event click here.

PHOTOGRAPHY Catherine Lees