On March 7, The New School Free Press sat down with Leah Shear, a second-year studying arts with a context concentration in visual studies and Journalism + Design at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, to learn more about her personal style.
Inside Leah Shear’s Manhattan railroad-style apartment, evidence of her personality was all over the place. A poster of Debbie Harry hung on the wall, an emerald green couch filled the living room and her cat Rikki cuddled into the gray fuzzy carpet. Shear’s Leo energy radiated from the bright pinks and eclectic patterns throughout her closet.
A piece Shear said she would never get rid of in her closet is an oversized gold button-down. She described this piece as a sort of good luck charm.
“I feel like every night that something crazy happens to me, I’m wearing it,” Shear said. “I feel like it brings a lot of energy.”
As Shear modeled her favorite pair of pants — low-rise jeans with a pink ribbon lace-up detail in the front — she exuded confidence. She described the moment after buying the jeans as a big moment for her in her style evolution.
“They’re so cute, and flattering,” she said. “I just never thought I could wear low-rise pants, but then I was like I can.”
Originally from the Bay Area in Northern California, Shear told us about her high school style and a sentimental piece her mother gave to her in her senior year of high school. The black corduroy jacket was worn by her mom when she lived in Brooklyn in the ‘90s, working as a sculptor.
“It used to have bits of clay on it,” Shear said.
She said the jacket represents a full-circle moment from mother to daughter.
Shear discussed the concept of healing your inner child through fashion. She said she dresses similarly to how she did growing up and that each day is like playing dress up, and now she dresses like she has always wanted to when growing up.
“I have been obsessed with pink my whole life,” she said. “My room was bright pink when I was little. I’ve kind of reclaimed that part of my identity.”
Shear’s style is versatile. The pieces she showed off all had their own separate story to tell. Whether she’s going for a simple white hoodie with gold vinyl detailing or a long gray iridescent pleated dress, the pieces are all personal to her.
The Free Press is continuing its search into the closets of New School students. To be featured in a future edition of “New School: Inside the Wardrobe,” reach out to us on Instagram @nsfreepress.