Two Daring Dressers, One Unique Style
Candace Coley, left, and Chyna Allen take a moment to show off their sense of fashion. Cerstin Johnson / The Green Chair
By Cerstin Johnson
Chyna Allen and Candace Coley are known as two of the more daring dressers to walk the halls of Duke Ellington. Allen, a junior, and Coley, a sophomore, have built a reputation for having a unique dressing style that sets them apart from other Ellington students.
When asked about what goes into their different fashion style, Allen and Coley sometimes come off as finishing each other's sentences, sharing smiles and a similar sense of style. Wearing multiple bracelets, long earrings and fashionable belts, the two Ellington students were eager to share what goes into the fashion thought process.
"To be honest, I just throw things together," Coley said, waving her hand. "I take anything that no one else would wear, and just make it look cute."
When deciding on her own outfits, Allen takes a different approach.
"I don't want to look like a clown," she said.
Despite these differences in approach, the two students have developed styles that mirror each other in many ways. When questioned about certain styles, such as pencil skirts, heels, and mismatched jewelry, both girls said they liked them. Allen even went so far as to mention good stores to buy these items, such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and just your average thrift store.
"Something in my outfit has to be normal to balance it out."
"Thrift stores are great because they have everything for cheap," Coley said.
Both girls expressed some doubt about how original their styles actually are.
"I'll never get to the point where I'm the only one wearing a shirt. Until then I'm just part of a trend," Allen said, without shame.
Coley nodded in agreement and added, "We can only buy what's in the stores for everyone."
Even in the face of fashion trends, both girls seem fearless of trying new styles of dress--a nerve they attribute to being Ellington students. "There's no such thing as fitting out at Duke," Allen said.
Coley, who came to Ellington for the first time this school year, said her style changed completely after her arrival.
In fact she felt prompted to do so after only a few hours of walking Ellington halls. "Here you're free to be you--wacky--artsy--whatever," she said, with a smile.
By Madia Brown |
April 15, 2007; 11:46 PM ET
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Posted by: Amber Y. | May 22, 2007 11:11 AM
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I really like this article about fashion at Duke Ellington. I think that it is good that the students feel they can express themselves through the way they dress. Some of the students' styles are very unique; it's kind of like i can see some of the students from your school and know they go there just by the way they are dressed.
This was a well written article; keep up the good work.