UNC sophomore Liana Riachi poses for a portrait in the pit in UNC Chapel Hill, N.C. on Wednesday, Jan 29. She chooses to wear jewelry statement pieces, including her septum and necklace.
So much for relevant journalism — in the week since I wrote my winter clothing article, it’s become warm.
Due to this, I am forced to give up my signature winter clothing item — my magenta coat.
I love this coat. It makes every outfit, even pajamas, look ten times nicer and more put together. It’s the thing that gets me through hat hair and the sun going down at 4 p.m. It’s the thing my friends use to identify me on campus.
So long, magenta coat. I will see you next December (or earlier, if I move somewhere cold after graduation).
Last week, while editing my last column, I got to talking with my editors about this coat, which prompted a discussion about their campus signature items. At UNC, there’s at least one person who, from a distance, kinda looks like you, especially from the back. Without staple items, we would all be lost, constantly waving at the wrong people and then standing there awkwardly, doomed to think about that moment for the next 70 years.
Sophomore Izzy Council doesn’t have that problem because her statement clothing is year-round — she’s known for her sweaters. Her favorite is this one, which she got for Christmas.
UNC junior Izzy Council poses for a portrait in front of Lenoir Hall in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Izzy's statement piece of clothing is her sweater.
“I try and collect really creative and funky sweaters, so that I can put on a boring pair of pants and it looks cool,” Council said.
She said she hopes that her sweaters convey that she’s fun and creative. Besides aesthetics, she loves that they’re much more comfortable than tight shirts. She even has thin sweaters to wear in the summer.
I am personally not a sweaters-year-round person, but she made a solid argument about the coziness of wearing them all the time. Catch me in them the minute it gets windy!
Sophomore Aryan Kale wasn’t wearing his statement item when I talked to him on campus, but he sent me a picture of his favorite red boots.
UNC sophomore Aryen Kale poses for a portrait in front of UNC Student Stores in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Red boots are his statement piece of clothing.
Cardigan: Goodwill, Necklace: From India, Pants: From India, Shirt: From India, Shoes: Vans, Rings/Bracelets: From India
“It kinda makes me stand out, and most people are wearing like black or white shoes,” Kale said.
He said he didn’t want to just stand out for his clothing, but he liked the feeling of doing something different.
Sophomore Aryan Khale statement piece is his red boots. Photo courtesy of Aryan Khale.
I never understood why I got up extra early to dress up for my 8 a.m. classes until he said that. I really do love the feeling of doing something different and seeing other people wear things I’ve never seen before.
(Unfortunately, this has led to my best friend saying I dress like a Disney Channel side character, which admittedly has stuck with me. I maintain that Harper Finkle had cool outfits, though).
Unlike me, not everyone is trying to make a bold statement all the time. SophomoreLiana Riachi — wearing this amazing outfit I totally want — has a signature item that’s small but meaningful.
UNC sophomore Liana Riachi poses for a portrait in The Pit in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Her statement pieces of clothing are her septum piercing and her necklace.
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Sweater: Friend of Mom, Red Shirt: From Mom, Dress: Thrifted in Greensboro (Design Archives Emporium), Tights: Maybe Amazon, Socks: Rumors, Shoes: Doc Martens, Necklace: FabFitFun, Earrings: Target
UNC sophomore Liana Riachi wears a necklace of three birds that represent herself, her mom and her sister. Photo courtesy of Liana Riachi.
Her necklace, which she wasn’t wearing that morning but later sent me a close up picture of, has three birds on it that represent her, her mom and her sister. She said she wants people to know how much she loves her family when they see it, and that she thinks people are consistent with their jewelry on campus.
“I think a lot of people have signature jewelry that they wear that represents who they are and where they come from, and I don’t think it’s boring, I think it’s really special to have that one thing that’s always close to your heart,” Riachi said.
To tell you the truth, I had a hard time writing this article, because I kept walking around thinking a statement piece had to be something that was loud — something that pulled my focus from the crowd because it was just that unique.
That may be the goal for some people (see: magenta coat), but for some people, even a little piece of jewelry or article of clothing makes a statement.
Especially here at college, it’s nice that we can recognize friends and appreciate strangers by the little things they wear. And I’m extra lucky, because I get to ask them about it.
