Square Spotlight: Story Lee

Square Spotlight: Story Lee

By Jane Dunn — March 25th, 2025

Story Lee is a current sophomore at the University of Mississippi majoring in Film Production. Born and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, her sense of style has always been unique and eye-catching. Through a series of questions, we learn how Story developed her sense of style and the influences behind it. 

SM: How would you describe your style using three words?

SL: Campy, iconic, and chaotic!

SM: What aesthetic would you identify with?

SL: I'm punk and goth and so typically I would self describe as a death rocker. Death rock is its own genre that is a melding of goth and punk.

SM: When did your love for alternative fashion begin?

SL: I've always been interested in alternative fashion. They've been a part of me ever since I was a little kid. My dad was really into, like, grunge and rock and stuff like that, so I was listening to that kind of stuff when I was a little kid. When I was 12, I dyed my hair blue. I think it was the first color I ever did. But that's when I started to really get interested, seeing how the bands I like dressed and so I started doing smudged eyeliner and I would flip my hair over and bobby pin it to try and make it look like I had my head half shaved. But yeah, it's been something that's been present pretty much all my life.

SM: What are some of your style staples?

SL: Statement jackets, muscle tees, cargo pants, bullet belt, Doc Martens, and a rosary necklace.

SM: Any quotes you live by?

SL: “Beauty is looks that stop you in your tracks. And when I walk on the street with Divine, car crashes happen.” - John Waters

SM: Who are some of your fashion icons?

SL: I was really into Avril Lavigne as a little kid, then once I got to middle school, I started trying and failing, as we all do in middle school, to develop a sort of style. Gerard Way is like the massive, massive one that really influenced a lot of how I dressed. I also started to get into classic punk esthetics like Vivienne Westwood, Sex Pistols and The Ramones, but also Siouxsie Sioux, Joan Jett, Daniel Ash from Bauhaus, David Bowie as well—people who are able to do this very classic androgynous look without necessarily a ton of prep or a ton of makeup, like you usually associate with goth fashion. 

SM: What do you use to spice up any outfit?

SL: I have these leather motorcycle gloves I just got from a big barn sale. This rosary makes any outfit just look so much cooler. You can wear it as a necklace, bracelet, or a belt. Bullet belts are classic. Makes any basic outfit more alternative and look cohesive. 

SM: How do you define style?

SL: When I think of style, I'm usually thinking more of like personal style, of things that are a bit more realistic, for lack of better words. It doesn't necessarily have to be something that's more wearable, but something that's more accessible.

SM: How did your personal style evolve over time, and what influences shaped it?

SL: I started to get really into this idea of one DIY fashion which is something I do a lot, especially with things like Battle fest. You know, how can I create my own clothes? How can I take older clothes and rejuvenate them? How do I create something that's my own? And then when I went to high school, that started to transition into, I got deeper into the punk scene, and I also started to get into goth, and that's where, kind of the melding, I guess, of my personal style, really started to emerge, was looking through a lot of those. For example, I have my battle vest has multiple patches that are sealed with clear nail polish, including my big back patch that says shape shift with me, and I used a glittery top coat for the sealant that the glitter changes colors in the light to red, but yeah you really have to use what you got. I take a lot of influence from people like Ethel Cain, Sasha Calle, Julien Baker, and Keshi. 

SM: Where do you shop? 

SL: A lot of local thrift stores, especially in places like Water Valley, I look for really unique pieces, stuff that stands out to me. I really like shoulder pads, and the best place to find, like, shoulder padded stuff is thrift stores. I shop online a lot. I love Etsy, that's where I get a lot of accessories, and also where I get a lot of statement shirts. The Punk Flea market is another great place to go. It only happens twice a year in Oxford.

SM: Advice you have for people wanting to go outside of the box and push fashion boundaries, but are hesitant?

SL: The first thing that matters to me anytime I'm getting dressed is that I feel good and I look good for myself. I don't dress for anyone but myself. I dress to make myself comfortable, whether or not that makes other people look at me any sort of way. What matters to me is that I like how I look. When you look good, you feel good. That's the main reason that you shouldn't be dressing for anyone but yourself- you only have so much time on this earth, and it's your body. You should honor it with your own style, with your own presentation. It really starts with little things like taking a very basic outfit and then having some sort of statement piece you add on it, like a jacket or some earrings, a necklace, something that sets it apart and makes it feel a little more you. And you can work from there. Just go in little by little and try to figure out what makes you feel like yourself. It's very freeing. I feel more confident when I look how I want to look, and I look like myself, no matter what kind of looks I get when I go out in full Trad goth. But again, I don't care if I look cool. Yeah, you might, you might think I look stupid, but the fact that you're stopping and noticing me again, that means that I'm doing something that's memorable and thinking that's recognizable.

Lee’s bold, unapologetic approach to fashion reminds us that true style is about embracing individuality and confidently expressing who you are, no matter what anyone else thinks. 

Whether it’s through DIY fashion, thrifting, or simply adding a statement piece, Lee proves that fashion is a powerful tool for self-expression and that stepping outside of the box is the key to creating something truly unique.

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All images belong to Story Lee and edited by June Alves.