Style can be defined as many things. I like to think that everyone has their own style.

No one is entitled to delegate someone else’s look.

People tend to follow trends, not that it is a bad thing; I myself adore some trends that appear on the forefront.

Interestingly enough, I discovered someone who defies the odds and makes her own style rules.

Alexa Abrenilla is an innovative, daring young woman with an incredible style of her own. She has become a style icon over social media for her creative looks. But Abrenilla does not give herself nearly as much credit as she deserves.

“I don’t know what to call my style, because it’s honestly all over the place. Some days I feel like being monochromatic and wearing blacks, grays, whites, and some days I am just so full of color,” Abrenilla said.

She said some of her favorite places to shop include Topshop, Zara, Forever 21 and H&M. People often associate expensive with quality when that is not always the case. The high price of an item does not necessarily indicate the item is top of the line nor stylish. It is not always about the money; it is more about the look.

“As a college girl, I look for dupes that look similar to high end fashion brands,” Abrenilla said. “I online shop a lot, but I mainly go through those stores quite often because they tend to have clothes that I flow toward.”

She said she has been influenced by Korean and Japanese street style because of their ability to add a personal touch or a pop of color to effortless outfits.

“I have been finding cool Korean stores that ship to the United States such as mixxmix.com and m.en.alandglobal.com,” Abrenilla said. “Their selection is simple but very nice and affordable.”

So many people live in fear to wear what they want, to dress themselves according to their personal preferences.

Not all name brands make nice things. There are some brands that get their inspiration from traditional looks.

They revive trends from the past to bring in revenue.

“The main issue about brands is that people tend to buy it for the name and for that purpose only. They believe that if they buy a certain brand people will look up to them,” Abrenilla said. “As for me, if anything is nice in design and quality, regardless of the name brand, I will get it.”

What works for one person, may not work for you. We are all different so find what works for you, and experiment with it. It’s all about finding what is right for you.

“It is important to be yourself; don’t try to be someone else and dress like someone else. Try to find a fit that you are comfortable in and that is so you,” Abrenilla said.

As for worrying about what other people may thing of your looks try taking Abrenilla’s advice. “Don’t be afraid of what people will say, because honestly style is how you work it,” she said.

Follow Abrenilla on Twitter @atoaii. As she would say, “Stay kawaii.”

Thaija Evans can be reached at 581-2812 or tvevans@eiu.edu.