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Vintage. Chic. Artsy. Sophisticated. Individual. Casual. Dynamic.

These are just a few words that can be used to describe someone’s style. Style is a word that is heard often, but do people really know what it means? It’s something that’s original. It’s something that everyone has. And it’s something that can define a person before they say a word.

As fashion designer and writer Rachel Zoe put it, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”

Fashion, on the other hand, is defined in the dictionary as “a popular trend, especially in style of dress and ornament of manners of behavior.” That said, fashion is what makes up style. However, people haven’t always been able to choose their own style; they had to stick to what the fashion was at the time.

It all started in the fashion capital of the world: Paris. According to encyclopedia.com, Paris has been the fashion capital from the 17th century to the 21st century. Cities such as New York, London and Milan are now important centers for the fashion industry, but it all goes back to Paris.

In 1648, the rulers of France started to realize the importance of fashion rather than style. They believed that fashion represented power. Anytime someone was in the presence of a ruler, they were required to wear something that was in fashion at the time.

Eventually, keeping up with the constantly changing trends was too expensive and exhausting. This is where style came in. Men stopped wearing designer clothes from Paris and started dressing in “English” style. There was really no right or wrong, and this style was more comfortable and practical for men.

Style is something that everyone has, even if they don’t know it. Who you are and what you’re feeling on the inside is reflected by what you’re wearing. Some people don’t have one cohesive style but instead have different ways they express themselves through clothing. For example, one day you could be tired and feel lazy. To reflect these feelings, you might wear darker colors and looser clothes. The next day, you could be feeling the complete opposite and wear something bright and dressy.

For me, this couldn’t be more true. My mom once told me that I would change my outfit four times a day when I was younger. I would go from a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt to something crazy such as a tutu or dress in the span of a couple hours. It was clear when I was young that I was trying to figure out what style meant for me.

Now, 18 years later, I’m still not sure what it is or what it means to me. The only word that comes to mind is inconsistent. Some days I like to be trendy and up-to-date with fashion trends, while other days I’m perfectly comfortable in a sweatshirt and yoga pants.

My inspiration for my “trendy” style comes from social media and traveling. I was once told that Iowa is about three to four years behind everywhere else in fashion. I noticed this when I went to Europe for almost two months. Some things that I saw over there were things I have never seen before. My favorite example is platform shoes. Ninety percent of the people I saw walking around had some kind of platform shoe on. So, I decided to buy a pair, and they are just now becoming trendy in Iowa.

When I wake up, my mood seems to dictate what my style will look like for the day. Most people can tell what mood I am in by what I’m wearing. If I’m wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, I’m probably kind of tired, and if I’m wearing something trendy and cute, I’m usually in a much better mood.

That is what makes my style so important to me. I feel more confident and energized when I am wearing something that fits my “trendy” style.

Many studies have shown that this is true for a lot of people. The Daily Universe published an article discussing how clothes can affect your emotions. They also argued that your clothes can change the way you go about your day. Professor of Psychology Robert Ridge at Brigham Young University called it The Spotlight Effect.

“There definitely can be a connection between how people dress and how they feel,” Ridge said. “The more you like your appearance, the more confident you can be.”

Studio arts and English student Ashley Wyman feels that way with her style. Wyman describes her style as eclectic. She doesn’t just go to one store and buy what is hanging on the front mannequin. She buys things from all over. Her aesthetic makes her one of the most stylish people on campus in a sea of sports gear.

Wyman started exploring the idea of style because she was looking for a way to feel more like herself. She was tired of blending in and just doing what everyone else was doing. She did that by changing the color of her hair. When she was 16, she decided to stop following the rules and dye her hair. This is what started her style journey.

“It’s not about what makes others happy,” Wyman said. “It’s for you instead of what’s good for everybody else.”

The color of Wyman’s hair along with the colors and patterns of her clothing all have meaning. Her green hair reflects her love for the environment, while her clothing represents her favorite colors and sometimes even her artwork.

“Now that I’ve gotten on green, I can’t let it go,” Wyman said. “I always thought I would be the person to change my hair color, but now that I found green it really is a part of who I am.”

She starts with the basics, which are her favorite colors: purple, green and orange. From there, she mixes the triads of colors together. Wyman said she does this with layering. She doesn’t care if it is “cool” or “trendy” because it’s her style and it’s original.

“I feel more like myself when I dress to follow my sense of style instead of what I’m supposed to be wearing or what might be cool at the time,” Wyman said.

Others might tow the line of individualist and mainstream when it comes to style.

Owner of Wanderlust Jennifer Coughenour has a passion for fashion. She reflects that in her own personal style and in her store. Although she has a love for fashion, she also knows there is a fine line between style and fashion.

“Fashion is trendy and can change seasonally,” Coughenour said. “Style is something that is personal. It’s someone’s personality in clothes.”

She describes her personal style as eclectic.

“I like more edgy, but then again I like mixing feminine pieces with it,” Coughenour said. “I like vintage with a new modern twist.”

Her store, on the other hand, has something for everyone because she is inspired by what she sees on the streets. She is inspired by everyone else’s personal style, and that is reflected in her store. What she has in her store isn’t always what she sees on the runway because she knows that people in Iowa might have a different style than those in other areas of the United States.

The difference in style from east coast to west coast in the United States is dramatically different, but what happens when people go beyond our borders? GV kinesiology student Peter Masikini moved to Omaha from Zambia in 2012.

Although he is living in the United States, he still reflects some of his home country in what he wears. He said there is a huge difference in style between the two countries.

“Most people here wear sweatpants or sometimes pajamas,” Masikini said. “No one does that in Zambia.”

If you see him walking around, you’ll notice he dresses a little differently than other people. He said there aren’t really any words that describe his style because what he is wearing is variable.

“It just depends on my mood,” Masikini said. “It’s just a way for me to express myself without saying words.”

This makes style universal. No matter where people are from, style is style. It is always how individuals reflect themselves without having to speak.

Style is something that makes people unique and confident. It doesn’t have to be fashionable or what’s trending at the moment, it just has to be yours. It’s something that you’ll always have, and you have the freedom to make it whatever you want. Realize what your style is and rock it.