Lifestyle
'First impressions are everything': What 9 teens wore on the first day of school in L.A.
As a kid, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I was going to wear on the first day of school. I loved going shopping for new supplies, clothes and shoes. Then, the night before the first day, I would lay out my look — backpack and all — and daydream about how I was going to show up the next day. (This TikTok from comedian Big Homie Blocks perfectly describes the feeling.)
For many students, the first day of school can feel like New Year’s Day. It’s a chance to reimagine yourself and give a glimpse of the new you. The way you do this is through your outfit. Perhaps you were more into the preppy look last year but now you want to explore more unisex styles — the opportunities are endless.
Monday marked the first day of classes in the Los Angeles Unified School District. As students scurried in between classes and reunited with their friends at Venice High School, we were able to ask them: What did they choose to wear and why?
While some students took more than an hour to get ready, others dressed in minutes, throwing on whatever felt most comfortable. But even if they didn’t “dress up,” per se, most students agreed that they put in at least a little extra effort — pajamas were an obvious no — for the first day of school. Here’s what they had to say. Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Melanie Chevarria, 16.
“I like girlie clothes. I like to maintain myself. I like doing my hair and stuff. It’s fun for me,” Chevarria said.
Melanie Chavarria, 16, junior
Tell us about your outfit. I got this whole outfit from Forever 21, except the shoes. I got them from Foot Locker.
What inspired your look today? I wanted to look like I was going to school, but also cute and girlie.
How long did it take you to get ready today? An hour and 30 minutes. It was mostly stuff I did the night before. I scrubbed my face. I shaved my face. I did a face mask and everything so I wouldn’t have dry skin to make sure today could be good. My mom helped me pick out my outfit, and I then I put it on my bed the night before. I was really excited.
What is your favorite part of your outfit? Probably my hair. It took 20 minutes. I wanted to incorporate the bows.
What do you think your outfit says about you? I think it says that I’m excited for school. I like girlie clothes. I like to maintain myself. I like doing my hair and stuff. It’s fun for me.
How does this outfit translate to how you want to enter your junior year? I think that I’m more put together now. I want to be more on a set track and have more things prepared instead of just going with the flow. [This summer], I got all my stuff together. I got everything I needed, like my notebooks. I think first impressions are everything. Also, going to school feeling your best can set the mood for the rest of your year and how other people see you first. I feel like everybody should try to make themselves look nice to feel better.
Taylor Gallen, 14, freshman
Tell us about your outfit. I think my top and my bottoms are both from Cotton On, and then I have on Converse. I got my earrings from Lovisa. They have good ones that don’t hurt. I have very sensitive ears. I have no idea where my necklace is from. My dad gave it to me. Technically, there’s supposed to be a turquoise piece inside, but it came out and I don’t want to put it back in because I like it better this way.
What inspired your look today? Nothing in particular. I mean, this sounds bad, but [I wanted to] blend in a little bit so I can get used to [high school] first and then I can come in a hot pink shirt. That was one of my options, but I was like, “Maybe I’ll just go a little bit less.” And I have a pink backpack, so I already have some color, and I have pink on my shoes.
What is your favorite part of your outfit? Maybe my necklace or my shoes. I’ve had my shoes for a long time. I don’t really do shoes. I told my mom, “Stereotypical girls have a lot of shoes. I have a lot of sweatshirts, and I have a lot of dresses. That’s my thing.’ This is my one pair of shoes that I always wear. These Birkenstocks and slippers.
Gallen’s white Converse sneakers, a staple piece of her wardobe.
How long did it take you to get ready today? Maybe an hour and a half. I already had my outfit picked out, but I had to do mascara and my hair. My hair took the longest. And then I had to eat, and then I had to walk my dog.
How much time and effort did you put into your look? I was focusing on what backpack I wanted because I got two yesterday and then I couldn’t decide, and then I decided this morning right as I was leaving. I like the one I went with, but I hate [making] decisions.
What does your outfit say about you? I think personality, but also feeling in that moment. If I’m with people who I already know, I’m going to be wearing a bright green top and other pants. But you know, new things, new people, new adventures. I’m like, “Maybe I’ll stay a little in the middle.” Especially because… I mean I have bright red hair, that’s something. [Laughs] I have a bright pink skirt — I’m not going to wear that until second semester.
How does this outfit translate to how you want to enter your freshman year? I do really like leadership, I think it’s a professionalism type thing, but then also by dressing in a certain way, you come off with a different energy, like I’m here to do this or I’m here because it’s an easy A.
Rosby’s bright orange jacket is from Bape. “I think it [my outfit] brings personality,” she said. “You got the patches. You got the color, so it’s different.”
Dallas Rosby, 16.
Dallas Rosby, 16, junior
Tell us about your outfit. I got this jacket from Bape. My tank top is from Walmart, the shorts are from Shein and the shoes are from Foot Locker. All of my jewelry is from Lovisa. I got it at the Del Amo mall.
What inspired your look today? This is my everyday life and how I go out.
What is your favorite part of your outfit? My jacket. I usually pick out my shoes first, then I just find something that matches it.
How much time and effort did you put into your look? I just picked it up. It took 10 minutes this morning.
How long did it take you to get ready today? Not that long either. Maybe 15 minutes.
What does your outfit say about you? I think it brings personality. You got the patches. You got the color, so it’s different.
How does this outfit translate to how you want to enter your junior year? I think it’s different because last year I came in with sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Now, it’s definitely more fashion.
Bruno Ciment, 15. “I’m just casual. I still have summer mind. Not taking it too seriously yet,” Ciment said.
Bruno Ciment, 15, sophomore
Tell us about your outfit. Well, honestly, I have a pile of unfolded laundry on my chair and this was on the top. I didn’t put a lot of thought into it.
What inspired your look today? I’m just casual. I still have summer mind. Not taking it too seriously yet.
What is your favorite part of your outfit? Probably my shirt. It’s a pretty nice shirt. It’s neutral and can work with a lot of things.
How much time and effort did you put into your look? Not much.
How long did it take you to get ready today? Probably 20 minutes.
What does your outfit say about you? I’m flexible. Just go with whatever there is. Don’t stress about it too much.
How does this outfit translate to how you want to enter your sophomore year? I think it translates that I’m trying to enjoy it and accomplish what I want to. Not overthinking.
Ava Samuel, 16.
“I got my nails done on Friday. I like to have something different on every nail,” Samuel said.
Ava Samuel, 16, junior
Tell us about your outfit. I found this shirt sometime this summer at a vintage store on Melrose called Newfriend Vintage. These jeans are from H&M, and then I just have Sambas on. The glasses are from Temu — they are not real. I got my nails done on Friday. I like to have something different on every nail.
What is your favorite part of your outfit? I really like this shirt. I tucked it into my bra so it has some shape. Then the green from my shoes with the green shirt. I also really like my hair.
How much time and effort did you put into your look? Not a lot. I mean I had the idea that I was going to wear this shirt, but I put it together last night. I braided my hair last night for fun and then I was like “This is actually kind of cute.”
How does this outfit translate to how you want to enter your junior year? Very chill, like I’m not trying to overthink anything. I’m trying to stay calm and not stress myself. I’m taking AP bio, U.S. history and literature.
Friends Seth Romo, 18, Dylan Rezvani, 17, and Shane Flores, 18.
Dylan Rezvani, 17, senior; Shane Flores, 18, senior; and Seth Romo, 18, senior
Tell us about your outfits.
Rezvani: I’m wearing a Gucci chain, a $60 [Nike] Dri-FIT, pants from Zumiez, but I cut them off because it was kind of ugly. $110 on the shoes.
Flores: I got the chain, authentic gold. I have a thrifted $10 hoodie, Chrome Hearts sweats (currently $1,000+ on resale sites), a pretty expensive piece, and then Yeezy slides.
Romo: I got the Goodfellow T-shirt on, Nike sweats and Yeezy slides.
Shane Flores’ wore Chrome Hearts sweats, paired with Yeezy slides and socks.
Dylan Rezvani’s chain necklace comes from Gucci. The bling is his favorite part of the outfit.
What is your favorite part of your outfit?
Rezvani: The jewelry.
Flores: My sweatpants, because they are exclusive.
Romo: The comfiness of it.
What does your outfit say about you?
Rezvani: I think I deem myself very approachable based on my clothing.
Flores: I like to be comfortable with a little bit of fashion in there.
Romo: I’m a pretty chill person.
Faith Lister’s jewelry is from various thrift stores — she acquired a lot of pieces from a summer vacation trip to England.
Faith Lister, 15.
Faith Lister, 15, sophomore
Tell us about your outfit. I have this sweater so that I’m in dress code. My baggy jeans are from Subdued. My jewelry is from some thrift stores, and I got a lot when I went on vacation this summer in England. My friend has a house there.
What inspired your look today? I just want something comfortable and something that kind of shows my style for the first day. Something new. Dress to impress.
What is your favorite part of your outfit? I like my jeans. I’ve been into baggy jeans recently. It’s harder to find this brand Subdued here.
How much time and effort did you put into your look? I thought about my outfit for the whole summer pretty much because I love back-to-school shopping. I woke up this morning at 5:45 so I could take my time and call my friends. We were showing each other what we were going to wear, what time we were going to get here [and] doing our makeup on FaceTime.
Another look at Lister’s layers of jewelry and orange-tipped nails.
How long did it take you to get ready today? It took me an hour and half in total for the outfit, makeup and everything.
What does your outfit say about you? It’s definitely harder to dress in school because there’s dress code, but I would say my outfit kind of shows how I dress outside of school. I like wearing summery, beachy outfits so I decided to wear something that kind of represents that.
How does this outfit translate to how you want to enter your sophomore year? It’s starting to be more transformative … like trying to find my own personal style, rather than just wearing what’s trendy. Obviously, in my freshman year, I was trying to wear what was cool, like the new thing. Now it’s like more me.
Neve Campbell in Scream 7.
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The OG Scream Queen Neve Campbell returns. Scream 7 re-centers the franchise back on Sidney Prescott. She has a new life, a family, and lots of baggage. You know the drill: Someone dressing up as the masked slasher Ghostface comes for her, her family and friends. There’s lots of stabbing and murder and so many red herrings it’s practically a smorgasbord.
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Abriana Vicioso is the host of the Flower Hour, which takes place monthly.
(Jennifer McCord / For The Times)
Each flower carries a personal history. For Abriana Vicioso, the calla lily was her parents’ wedding flower — a symbol of her mother’s beauty. “She had this big, beautiful white calla lily in her hair,” Vicioso says. “I love my parents. They’re the reason I’m here. I’ll never forget where I came from.”
The Flower Hour begins with Vicioso announcing, with a warm smile: “Today is about touching grass.” The florist-by-trade gestures behind her to hundreds of flowers contained in buckets — blue thistles, ivory anemones and calla lilies painted silver — all twisted and unfurling into the air. “Tonight is going to be so sweet and intimate,” Vicioso says, eyeing the beautiful chaos at her feet. A grin buds across her face.
Moments before the workshop, participants sit at candlelit tables exchanging horoscopes and comparing their favorite flowers. A mention of the illustrious bird-of-paradise flower elicits coos and awe from the women. Izamar Vazquez, who is from Jalisco, Mexico, reveals her fondness for roses, which make her feel connected to her Mexican roots.
Vicioso hosts her flower-themed wellness workshop near the iconic Original Los Angeles Flower Market in downtown L.A. In January, the first Flower Hour event sold out, prompting her to make it a monthly series. Vicioso describes the event as a “three-part journey” where participants are invited to drink herbal tea, smoke rose-petal-rolled cannabis joints and create a floral arrangement. “The guide is to connect with the medicine of flowers,” Vicioso says.
Rose petal joints, tea and flower arranging are all part of The Flower Hour event’s offerings.
The event is hosted at the Art Club, a membership-based co-working space. “The Flower Hour is really beautiful. Everyone gets to explore their creativity while meeting new people,” says Lindsay Williams, the co-owner of the Art Club.
The idea for Flower Hour came to Vicioso during a conversation with her mother. “We joke all the time that flowers were destined to make their way into my life,” she says. She works as a florist and models on the side, even appearing in the pages of Vogue. Vicioso grew up in a Caribbean household, where flowers and offerings were part of daily life. “In my culture and religion, a lot of my family practices — an Afro-Caribbean religion — we build altars.”
Like many cultures, flowers carry sentimental value in her religion. “I’m Caribbean, so a lot of my family practices a Yoruba religion, which comes from Africa. In the Caribbean, it’s well known as Santería.”
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After a difficult year and a breakup, Vicioso wanted to marry her love of flowers with community building. Because Vicioso uses cannabis medicinally, the workshop naturally includes a smoking component. “My family has smoked cannabis for a lot of reasons for a long time. It’s a really healing plant,” she explains.
In the workshop, even the cannabis gets the floral treatment. Vicioso presents her rose-petal-wrapped joints on a silver platter at each table. She rolled each by hand. “If you’ve never smoked a rose-petal-rolled joint, the difference with this is it’s going to have roses that have a slight tobacco effect,” she announces.
During the workshop, Vicioso stresses the importance of buying cannabis from local vendors. The cannabis provided was purchased from a Northern Californian vendor. The wellness workshop aims to reclaim the healing ritual of smoking cannabis. “This is a plant that has been commercialized,” Vicioso says. “There’s a lot of Black and Brown people who are in jail for this plant.”
The resulting workshop is what Vicioso describes as “an immersive wellness experience that is the intersection of wellness, creativity, community and an appreciation of flowers.” The workshop serves as a reminder to enjoy Earth’s innate beauty in the form of flowers — including cannabis. “It’s this gift that the universe gave us for free and that I have this deep connection with,” Vicioso says.
Conversation cards to generate discussion among participants (top, letf). The workshop serves as a “third space” for Angelenos to engage in tactile creativity and community building outside of traditional nightlife settings.
After enjoying lavender chamomile tea and smoking a joint, Vicioso introduces the flowers to the group before inviting them to pick their own. She emphasizes each flower’s personality traits, describing green dianthus as a “Dr. Seuss” plant. Then, there are calla lilies with their “main character moment.” It gets personal. “Start thinking of a flower in your life that you can discover,” she says. “If you’re feeling like you need inspiration, you can always remember that these flowers have stories.”
Vicioso infuses wisdom into her instruction on floral arrangements: There are no mistakes. Let the flowers tell you where they want to go, she urges. Intuition will be your guide — the wilder, the better.
“Hecho in Mexico” reads a sticker on a bunch of green stems. “Like me,” says Vazquez with a laugh. “They’re all doing their own thing. Like a family,” she says later, arranging stems.
The Flower Hour participants and Vicioso, center, chat as they build their own floral arrangements at the sold-out event.
Two participants — Vazquez and Rebeca Alvarado — are friends who run a floral design company together called Izza Rose. Like Vicioso, the friends have a connection to flowers through their Latin American culture. They met Vicioso in the floral industry and were overjoyed to discover her workshop.
“This is a great way to connect with other people,” says Vazquez.
Alvarado agrees, adding: “You’re getting to know people outside of going to bars. You can connect in different ways when there’s an activity.”
Vazquez uses flowers to stay connected to her Mexican heritage, adding that she prefers to support Mexican vendors. In recent months, the downtown L.A. flower market has struggled to recover from ongoing ICE raids. “Some are scared to come back,” says Vazquez.
Hand-rolled cannabis joints wrapped in rose petals are presented on a silver platter at The ArtClub (top, right). The Flower Hour aims to reclaim the healing rituals of cannabis and flowers.
Another participant, Barbara Rios, was attracted to the workshop for stress relief. “You can hang out with your friends, but it’s nice to do things with your hands,” she says. “I work a stressful job, and it’s nice to have that third space that we’re all craving.”
On this February night, the participants were predominantly women, save for one man. In the future, Vicioso hopes that more men learn to engage with flowers. “There’s a statistic about men receiving flowers for the first time at their funerals, and I think we have changed that,” she says.
To conclude the workshop, Vicioso encourages participants to build lasting friendships and incorporate flower arranging into their daily practice — even if it’s just with a small, inexpensive bouquet.
“Get some flowers together, go to the park, hang out with each other and hang out with me,” she says. Participants leave with flower arrangements in hand. In the darkness of the night air, it briefly looks as though the women carry silver calla lilies that are blooming from their palms.
An underwater view shows US’ Lilly King competing in a heat of the women’s 200m breaststroke swimming event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on July 31, 2024. (Photo by François-Xavier MARIT / AFP) (Photo by FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP via Getty Images)
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This week’s show was recorded in Bloomington, Indiana with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Lilly King and panelists Alonzo Bodden, Josh Gondelman, and Faith Salie. Click the audio link above to hear the whole show.
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