Meet Arianna Joli, the craziest dressed Terrier on Comm Ave

Arianna Joli is a sophomore psychology major in CAS with an amazing wardrobe.

She radiates confidence and has a closet full of clothes and accessories which would make anyone jealous.

After noticing her colorful wardrobe, we were curious to get the inside scoop on her looks.

What is “fashion” to you?

It’s the way I express myself. I know that’s super cliche but I do it for me. Some people dress for other people because they’re trying to impress them, but I just do it because it makes me feel good about myself. I’m a pretty talkative person but on days when I feel shy my clothes can show off my personality for me. I can be loud through my clothes and I can be crazy through my clothes. When I walk around it makes me feel really good because it gives me energy. Even when there’s a day where I’m like “ugh I have a test” I’ll just say “well I’m going to wear a cute outfit” and it’s going to make me feel really good.

Is that why you pick such colorful clothes? Because they brighten you up?

Kind of yeah. I go through phrases but I’m big into color and huge into pink. Like my friends call me “pink girl” because I like pink fluffy things. I also really like patterns.

Where does your inspiration for this insanely awesome style come from?

I really like Barbie a lot so I get inspired by that.
For example this bag has a doll inside it:

I also made one necklace with Barbie shoes and another with a Barbie doll I got from a Happy Meal. I did theatre in High School so I use to make these Barbie-inspired necklaces and someone even gave me an award for it: “Best Barbie Necklace”, it was so funny.

I also really like 90s fashion, and I’m inspired by Japanese fashion like harajuku. There’s also lolita which is more frilly and girly and decora girls where they wear all bright colors and put all these pins in their hair and do crazy hair styles. Nothing I do compares to these because they are so out there, but I really like them. I follow Japanese fashion blogs and I actually study Japanese too. I was always inspired by their culture so I wanted to learn the language.

Any fashion icons you admire?

I’m a huge film and music person in general so I get inspired by that. For example I get inspiration for my hair from the Spice Girls because they use to do weird things with pigtails. I also like some of the stuff Katy Perry wears. I love Jeremy Scott’s stuff because he does stuff based on Barbie, Pop Culture, McDonalds, and Power Puff girls.

How long does it take you to pick out your outfit everyday?

Maybe five minutes. I just throw things together. I plan my outfits the night before but it’s not anything that takes up time. I just kind of do what I do!

Were you always into fashion as a kid or did this start recently?

In Middle School I would experiment with different patterns, and I was known as the girl who would carry around bags that were made out of candy wrappers. I was really into eco-friendly stuff so I got all these recycled purses which were made out of things like license plates. I would get a new one every month and I was like known as the girl who had those bags.

Then in High School I would make ribbons and jewelry sometimes or I’d sow some things onto jackets. My mom is very big into fashion. She makes clothes and stuff for me. I get my creativity through her. She’s always making something.

Has your current style ever gone through phases?

It goes through phases all the time! It’s so annoying because I’ll buy things that are so similar. Like when I liked pink and fluff I got all these pink and fluffy things, then six months later I felt like I didn’t want them anymore.

Obviously I’ll still keep everything but I’ve been through so many phases like Black and White, and a phase where I use to hate skirts. I’m now in a phase where I like to do weird things with my hair, like put ribbons or pins in it.

I’m even in a phase with my makeup now – the other day I was wearing blue lipstick. I’m in a phase where I’m obsessed with lipstick so I got all different kinds of lipsticks that are cheap because I love experimenting with makeup and not spending too much on it.

What’s the best part about getting ready/all dressed up?

Ooh that’s hard. I just like piecing everything together. For example I’ll be wearing just black and white and I’ll be like “I need some color!” so I’ll just go pick out pink lipstick or shoes to match. I just like when the whole end product comes together – looking at myself in the mirror and saying “this is complete and I’m ready to go”

Any favorite outfits, clothes, or accessories you own?

I’m obsessed with Doc Martens. My entire closet is full of them! Also chokers – I have so many.

Any shops or brands you especially like?

I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes. I’m not rich so I mostly go to thrift stores. Most of my sweaters I get from the Garment District. It’s super cheap! I go to Goodwill and Buffalo Exchange. Even with my jewelry some are from my grandma and some I made. I even have ribbons I just got from birthday presents.

I’m a firm believer that anything that’s expensive, you can either make your own version of it or find something that’s the same and cheaper.

What do you think it takes to wear such crazy outfits?

Confidence. I have a lot of confidence. Obviously everyone cares about what other people think but for the most part I don’t care in terms of my clothes. I’ll get weird looks some times but it really doesn’t matter to me.

Any stories about these “weird looks” to share?

Actually, yes. The first time I was coming home from Boston – I live in Long Island – the bus broke down. I was petrified and we all had it get out. I was on the side of the road and I was in these newspaper-like leggings and this older man comes up to me and says “for a girl with such nice legs you shouldn’t be wearing pants that are so gauche. I literally said “I like my clothes, thank you” and I walked away. It was sexist and inappropriate. But I think different generations judgment each other more and things are just more accepted now.

Have incidents like these or any other sort of situation ever made you feel pressured to conform to how other people dress?

Not really. I do tone it down when I go back home because my mom, even though she really likes most of my stuff, I know she’ll still comment on certain things. So I don’t bother wearing black lipstick because I know she’ll comment on that.

So around my family or in family functions I will. Because in certain situations it’s not always appropriate to wear blue lipstick – like job interviews. I wish I could wear whatever I like everywhere but it’s just not that simple.

Would you ever consider doing fashion professionally?

I thought about it when I was younger but I don’t know. Right now it’s just something I do for fun.

Any advice to fellow fashion lovers out there to find the confidence that you have got?

That’s funny because I had a friend in one of my classes who was talking about an outfit. She said “I really wanna wear that” and I said “So wear it” and she said “I can’t” and I said “what do you mean you can’t?!” I don’t understand why she felt like she couldn’t. I guess people should just learn to not be afraid. I mean I never use to be confident, especially not in High School, but as cliche as it sounds my confidence came out when I came here, and yours might to!

So if you ever see Arianna strutting down Comm Ave in her awesome outfits, be sure to say hi to her and praise her for her confidence and courage to wear whatever she likes and not conform to what society tells her is the “normal” or “right” way to dress.

After all fashion is about expressing who you are no matter what others think or say.