“I like to stand out, but not too much where it’s weird,” said Jose Ochoa, a junior theater technology design major I spotted on campus. He is rocking an edgy-preppy look with a twist: a bow tie.

Ochoa enjoys putting in the effort of dressing up to class each day, and he always completes his outfit with one of his signature ties.

Ochoa is wearing a burgundy button-up shirt from American Eagle, a navy cardigan with light blue stripes from Old Navy, Rue 21 denim jeans, a black belt by Calvin Klein and black sneakers with stud detailing from Rock and Republic by Kohl’s. He dresses up his casual look with a black and red bow tie.

I admire the fact that Ochoa layered a cardigan over his button-up shirt and rolled up the sleeves. The cardigan is perfect for the overly air-conditioned classrooms we attend. The bow tie puts a dressy note on his casual outfit, adding an eclectic touch.

Ochoa knows how to accessorize, too. He is wearing white sunglasses as he heads to class and a unique leather backpack he scored from Goodwill.

For his personal style, Ochoa likes to mix things up with clothing from different stores, keeping his look fun and unpredictable. His favorite store is H&M because it has great styles at reasonable prices and sales throughout the year. Thrift stores like Goodwill provide unique items that turn one person’s old wear into another’s new and treasured item.

Good style does not come from expensive clothing, but from a good sense of yourself and what works for you and your body type. Be willing to try new styles with a fun approach. Fashion is all about experimenting and playing around with your personal style.

“People should dress up more often to class,” Ochoa said. “My biggest pet peeve around campus is seeing socks with sandals.”

As I was trying to spot all the styles around campus, I found it difficult to find fashionable men. But I am looking forward to seeing what the upcoming fall season has in store for both men and women around campus.