LGBTQ Style Tips With Erica Votta (@ericavotta)

AT MNSTRM we love the LGBTQ community and strive to highlight the unique style of queer women all over the world. We reached out to our favorite fashion forward influencers to get the inside scoop on their wardrobe, styling techniques, and more.

Today we have Erica Votta, a social media creator, artist, songwriter, and more. Follow her on all platforms for entertaining videos, style inspo, and original music.

Who are you and what is your passion?

My name is Erica Votta. I’m 20 years old and I work full time while also trying to stay active on all of my social media platforms. I love posting funny and interactive photos and videos but my true passion is in music. I sing, post covers, write my own songs and dream of eventually impacting people with my art. Music has always been my way of really connecting with my emotions and with others. I find it to be the most easy and comfortable way for me to express myself and it serves as a healthy outlet for whatever I am feeling.

You have 60 seconds to put together an outfit. What do you wear?
Depending on the occasion, my favorite outfits are usually comfortable yet still make me feel confident. While I don’t necessarily think that my wardrobe falls into a specific category of fashion, I most often lean towards joggers, a graphic tee and my favorite flannel. You will most often see me in all white Air Force 1’s and either a baseball cap or a beanie that matches my color scheme. I generally prefer less obvious jewelry to accessorize, which usually consists of a simple silver chain and my everyday stud and hanging earrings. I am also a sucker for beige everything. Even though it is a more subtle color, it always makes me feel clean and put together.

What's your #1 tip for putting together a cohesive look?
The best way to build a cohesive look is to shop around to see what you like, even if that doesn’t necessarily fall into the social norms. Whatever makes you feel the most yourself is what you should start with. Then, once you have gathered some items that feel the most “you”, you can start mapping out some outfits. When it comes to matching, I try to put plain items with pattens. For instance, if I am wearing camouflage or plaid pants, I will wear a simple or plain shirt and shoes. If I have a plaid flannel on, I try to wear plain black or khaki pants to offset the bolder patterns. I also like to alternate my colors. For example, I like my hat to match my pants or the logo on my shirt, and I try to match my shoes to the color of my shirt so that the color scheme blends well but doesn’t seem too overwhelming. These are just some of my basics when I am putting together an outfit, but there are always exceptions that prove me wrong. Remember, if it makes you feel confident and comfortable, wear it!

What's your current favorite article of clothing?
My favorite article of clothing right now is a simple beige crewneck. It is extremely soft and comfortable yet it still can pull together an outfit that makes me feel good.

How does clothing fit into your every day life?
I really started expanding my wardrobe and going outside of my comfort zones in the last year or two. It began when I first started getting into thrifting. At first, I struggled with finding items that I liked. Later on, I found a thrift shop that I enjoyed and I went into my shopping spree with the mindset that I was going to grab a bunch of things that I wouldn’t normally get and try them on. To my surprise, I ended up finding a lot of things that I liked that fell far outside of my usual finds. I realized that challenging my wardrobe helped me expand my style and discover a new side of myself that I hadn’t let surface in the past. This opened the door to a new form of expression everyday that I had been blind to before.

What's a style or trend that you just don't understand? What's a style or trend you wish you could bring back?
Because thrifting opened my eyes to so many forms of clothing, I don’t think there is any style that I wouldn’t try out. Everyone likes different things so even if something might not be my favorite thing to wear, I am sure there is someone that would absolutely rock it. I think that getting in touch with any past fashion trends is always cool. It’s an awesome way to be creative, unique, and add a modern twist to something we haven’t seen in a minute.

Who do you look at for fashion inspo or advice?
I find the most inspiration with fashion in people that I look up to whether that be an artist I love, a friend, or even someone that I have never met. I am always open to new trends, styles that are uncommon and new, and anything that expands my clothing. Then, I can try different things and add my own twist to it so I still feel the most confident and myself.

Where can we find you? (social media)
You can find me on tiktok @ericavotta, instagram or twitter @ericavots14, and my YouTube is Erica Votta.

For more style tips, follow us on instagram @wearmnstrm where we post fashion polls, tips, and more.