Quad Style: Adeyemi Thomas
Yemi, as he introduces himself, occupies his space easily, with a strong thread of self-assurance that thrums throughout our chat. His smiles come easily, though his smolder is strong, and he begins each sentence with purpose.
Can you introduce yourself to our readers? (e.g. name, year, majors + minors, RSOs + hobbies)
Hey, I’m Yemi! I’m a second-year premed Neuroscience and potential Psychology double major from western Massachusetts (not Boston). I’ve always had a passion for community service: I’m the Service Chair of Phi Delt and I’m involved in Alpha Phi Omega (Michelle Obama’s frat!) On campus, I’m also involved in OBS (Organization of Black Students) and the NEURO Club. Besides helping out in my community, I’m super passionate about art and music (I love *most* genres) and find it hard not to play every piano I see.
This is one of my casual, sunny-day fits. I’m wearing a matching floral button-up and shorts from Fashion Nova and a pair of Bacco Bucci Oxfords that I love to wear and stole from my dad. My accessories are a pair of Ray-Ban Clubmasters, a Citizen Eco-Drive wristwatch, an Adidas Originals fanny pack, a *handful* of rings off Amazon that I’ve grown attached to, and gold Africa and scroll pendant necklaces that were gifts from my mum that I wear nearly every day because they remind me of my Nigerian heritage and my mum’s constant stream of advice.
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is entirely dependent on Chicago’s inconsistent weather, my activities for the day, or my mood at the moment I’m deciding what I want to spend a day in. As expected, my style can seem more or less all over the place, ranging from “extra af” splashes of colour or graphics to more minimalistic solid colours which are easier to coordinate. Being in Chicago, my outfits typically have some element of practicality to them, like a fanny pack or crossbody bag on warmer days (since deep-pocketed shorts don’t exist in my wardrobe) to a light jacket or oversized hoodie on cooler days. When I’m not wearing a pair of Oxfords or Chelseas, I tend to go for a solid pair of Vans since I get around on a longboard and they’ve proven to be both reliable and comfortable.
Where do you find style inspiration?
My fashion was initially inspired by my dad and oldest brother, who both gravitated towards more classic looks like layering turtlenecks and wool sweaters with a double-breasted wool peacoat or camel coat. As I grew, especially after starting college, I began to place more of my personality in my style (at least for my spring and summer fashion), going for obscure graphics, anything with a flower on it, and whatever hidden gems I manage to thrift. Nowadays, I tend to style myself after what would look good to me, and some of my looks “work” while some don’t and my style is always changing.
Where do you like to shop?
I already know the Gucci belt kids are totally gonna drag me for this (and I don’t care), but no, I’m not dropping hundreds on clothes. One thing that I know is a constant is my love for finding great deals and saving money. I’m loath to pay full price for anything so when I shop, it usually consists of me online shopping, jumping from site to site until I find a piece that’s both realistically priced and screams “Yemi.” Most of my clothes are from sales at Urban Outfitters, Pac-sun, Macys (they have great turtlenecks) and a select few items from, dare I say, *Forever 21* (audible gasps). Besides this, I love finding clothes in thrift stores that you wouldn’t normally see anywhere else and picking out some vintage shirts from my dad’s closet.
Why is fashion important to you?
More or less, fashion to me is the way I express myself to the world. Ever since I was much younger, like many kids, I’d loved to express myself through drawing or painting, as it provided a sense of freedom. For me, I’ve always placed fashion as existing as this same sense of freedom. Fashion allows people to make themselves their own canvas where they can truly express themselves simply by what they choose to wear. Like painting, people are allowed to start a new canvas with a new style or a new outfit, becoming a different person each day. Fashion has always been important to me because my style represents my personality and my feelings on any given day or time better than any other medium. It allows us to be subtle, or to be loud, to make a statement, and to truly be the people we want to be. To me, fashion represents so much more than just the clothes you wear.
All images via Jaire Byers. View his online photography portfolio here.
