Fashionista of the Month: Alex Giancola

Alex Giancola loves hats, fashion, and smelling good. He’s a senior at NHS, and a fascinating interviewee! 

What are your favorite accessories? Are you a gold or silver person?

The accessories I wear the most are chains, bracelets, hats, and the occasional watch. I’ve worn the same gold rope chain with an Armenian cross attached to it since around 5th grade. I’ve always preferred gold to silver when it comes to chains, but I think silver bracelets and watches look better. Gold watches, to me, look like you’re trying too hard. The bracelets I wear are mainly to show some personality. I used to wear 6 or 7, but some have been lost or snapped, so now we’re down to 4. My hat collection has been growing since I was in kindergarten, but I have a main rotation of maybe about 12, that I use either to tie an outfit together, or hide bad hair.

What is one thing you wish people would wear more?

I’d love it for bucket hats to be normalized. Breaking out my bucket hat is so much fun, but I feel like there just aren’t enough acceptable situations to bring it out, so I don’t get to do it too often. I wish people would rock a bucket hat (and do it well, obviously) in more settings. It shouldn’t be just beach attire, in my opinion.

That’s so fun! What is one thing you wish people would wear less?

Pajama pants to school. You just look stupid, in my opinion. I get the whole comfort argument, but just wear sweatpants if comfort is that important. Sweatpants achieve the same goal, without making you look foolish. I can’t take anyone who’s wearing flannel pajama pants seriously, unless it’s for like a sports psych or something. Stop doing it, you look dumb.

I agree. Wearing sunglasses inside/at night: yes or no?

I’m somewhat neutral on sunglasses inside/at night, but I think I lean towards not being a fan of it. I think it depends on the temples and rims of the glasses. If the temples and/or rims are thick, then no, don’t wear them inside or at night. Those are very clearly for practical use. If the temples and rims are skinny (like wire), then I think it’s fair game because those, to me, are more fashion oriented. 

Tell us about your favorite pairs of shoes. 

I got my favorite pair back in like 8th or 9th grade. It was a colorway of the Adidas Ultraboost 1.0s that were only released in Japan. I got them off a reseller, and they are my pride and joy. I’m absolutely terrified to wear them out of fear of them getting dirty, but recently I’ve been more willing to put them on. They’ve lost their white glow a bit, but they’re still nearly spotless. I’ve always thought the fireworks in them are the coolest pop of color I’ve ever seen on a shoe, but they still go with the majority of my outfits. I’ve probably gotten at least one compliment on them each time I’ve worn them. 

Those are really cool! How has your style changed since you were younger?

Up until maybe sophomore year, I don’t think I really had a style. It was very vanilla, not much flair or pop, just kinda threw on whatever was at the top of my drawer on a given day. Once I hit sophomore year, I started having more fun with what I wore on a given day. I gave more thought into what I was putting on, and trying to figure out what actually looked good. I went away from the routine of a hoodie and neutral colored pants, and getting some more variation in color, material, and focal point in my outfits. Oh, and I stopped wearing hats everyday. That was a big step too. 

What are your most recommended colognes?

Smelling good is the best way to not be an NPC, in my opinion. I wouldn’t recommend putting on a fragrance everyday, but a couple times a week can elevate your style. My go-to scent is Valentino Coral Fantasy, which is an amber fragrance that I really love. Right now, I’m really into Replica brand scents. My favorites are “Jazz Club”, which has a warmer smokier scent, and “When The Rain Stops”, which is pleasantly noticeable, but not overpowering. I have a few others, but those are my favorites to put on any given day. 

I’ve actually been meaning to buy a Replica fragrance myself. Who is your favorite fashionista/fashion inspo?

Easy, A$AP Rocky. I think his style is the perfect blend of bold, and tasteful. So many celebrities wear clothing that looks just plain stupid, and to be fair, A$AP definitely has some really dumb fits. But for the most part, I think he keeps his outfits modest (for a celebrity), without being bland either. I first got the idea to go dark on dark with my button down and suit jacket for hockey psychs from A$AP, which has become one of my favorite looks. I may be biased because he was my #1 on Spotify, but I’ve definitely taken some of his style choices for my own. 

Ankle or long socks?

All depends on the shoes you’re wearing. Because of hockey, I own way more longer socks than ankle socks, so I’d say if I’m wearing my beater shoes and pants, I’m probably wearing long socks. If I’m wearing my Nike Dunks, I’m definitely going ankle socks. If I’m wearing any type of mid or high top Jordans, long socks. In the summer, I like ankle socks a bit better, mainly because I think long socks with shorts are a little corny, but I can’t always avoid that. So in short, it really varies from day to day.

Favorite hats?

My favorites right now are a 1997 University of Oregon Rose Bowl hat, Watercolor Red Sox hat, and a Tan Dodgers hat. Contrary to what I used to do, I don’t wear hats everyday. Hats everyday aren’t great for your hair, and they should be a style touch, not a routine. Back to my favorite hats, the Rose Bowl hat fits my head really nicely, and I think it’s a unique pop of color that can tie an outfit together really well. The Watercolor Red Sox hat is so unique, I’ve never seen anyone else have something like it. It doesn’t have a patch on the side, which I don’t love, but the design is so cool it doesn’t even really need one. It’s a perfect pop of style. There’s nothing really special about my tan dodgers hat, it just goes with a lot of outfits really well. It’s got a nice patch, and neutral, but not bland colors. Plus, I’m a sucker for tan/off white crème colors, I think they look so sharp. 

I love that watercolor one. Describe the perfect sandwich. 

It all depends where I’m getting my sandwich from, but the sandwich I order the most often is a cold Italian sandwich, no tomatoes, add hot peppers. Pair that with a sweet tea, and I am totally set. 

Sounds great. What were your favorite TV shows as a kid?

Gravity Falls. I was such a nerd about that show, and I still am now. I think it’s the only show that I’ve watched multiple times through, and I probably will again at some point. I used to try and crack the codes at the end of episodes (I only did maybe twice), because it made me feel so cool. I was so upset that they ended it after 2 seasons, but a part of me is glad they quit while they were ahead. I would have hated to watch them run the show into the ground.

And lastly, what is your niche?

I’d say hats. I try to be unique with my hats, there’s not much point in wearing bland hats. Finding a hat that’s unique and tasteful is what I aim for. Most hats are either too basic or too loud, finding that perfect in between can be really hard. Recently I haven’t worn them as much, but I’m always looking for new ones for my rotation.

Thank you so much for all the photos and fun answers! NHS, stay tuned for more fashionistas this school year, and DM @hilltoppernhs on Instagram to nominate yourself or a friend as a future fashionista!