When you see Sean Trkla in the halls, it’s obvious he isn’t your average high school male. On any given day, you could see him in some chinos or a collared shirt, or even rocking an athletisure of joggers and a hoodie to a subtly nuanced perfection. Sean is a refreshing change of pace from the sweats and hoodies most guys wear, and he knows it.
Sean describes his style as, “Unique for Lake Forest without any self-consciousness,” which is a fitting description for his bold ensembles on a daily basis. Admittedly, Trkla has his outfits picked out for all five days before the week even starts. And when picking an outfit, he bases it around the accessories. “All of my shirts and pants are interchangeable so I base my outfits off of my accessories,” he noted. Yet even when he drops the ball a little and has to pick an outfit out the morning of, he has a specific routine. “If I don’t have it picked out the night before, it’s always blue-based,” Trkla explained.
For Trkla, a senior who plays varsity basketball for the Scouts in the winter season, the most important part of any outfit is the overall color scheme. He notes than any outfit should be “flowy and not uncomfortable. You have to be past the point of your mom dressing you where you know what goes together,” explained Trkla. His emphasis on colors is yet another piece of his wardrobe that separates him from the rest. The halls of the high school can often become bleak–especially in the winter months–with lots of greys and blacks. When prompted, though, Trkla highly favors color as a refreshing twist.
What’s most different about Trkla is that he is not only unique in the the way he dresses, but strives to be individually unique. He does admit to the seldom casual friday but he tries to keep it different, “I think that sweats are boring and kind of ugly personally, so I like to be different and unique. I think it’s funny when people try to give me flak for what I wear when they wear sweats everyday,” the self-assured senior noted.
So what inspires his individual style? His favorite spots to shop at are H&M or J.Crew when he’s not shopping or finding outfit inspiration online. He also notes his style inspiration coming from NBA star Russell Westbrook, his English teacher and basketball coach Austin Scott, and sometimes senior classmate Jack Pasquella, “I respect their confidence,” Sean explained.
Yet the inspiration for Sean’s interest in fashion comes from elsewhere. Trkla credits two sources: the Lake Forest community and the preppy style that is often seen around here, as well as the global basketball scene and seeing players wear fun suits to express their style in clothes that are sometimes too tight or too baggy. Despite his inspirations, though, Trkla realizes that a lot of his look is based on his own individual ways of thinking.
“I like creating my own styles and fashion,” Trkla explained. “I have a lot of inspirations, of course, but I trust my own judgment on what looks good more so than anything. Looking and feeling good isn’t the same for all people. Feeling good is a state of mind.”
Although Sean likes to keep it interesting and unique, he does have one essential. When asked what one thing every guy should have in their closet, he answered with a go-to accessory. “One piece of jewelry like a watch or a necklace is essential.” Now, if you’re looking to spice up your style to be a bit more unique like Sean, he does have a few pointers, like use bold colors and try to match tops and bottoms without being too in sync. But the lesson he holds in the highest esteem: Just be yourself.
Flash Questions with Sean Trkla:
Dressed up or casual? Dressed up
Blacks and greys or colors? Colors
Jeans or chinos? Chinos
Tucked or untucked? Untucked, but it depends.
Belt or no belt? Belt
Crewneck or hoodie? Crewnecks are making a major comeback
Boots, sneakers or loafers? Sneakers, but I wear all three
