Text and photo Eva de Koeijer
You can spot great-looking people and cool outfits on Wageningen campus. This column highlights some of them. This time, meet Bioinformatics Master’s student Dennis Vlegels (25).
‘I’ve experimented a lot with my style over the years. I wouldn’t wear now what I used to wear five years ago. These days, my clothes are pretty unique because I buy everything second-hand or make it myself. Making my own clothes is a hobby I started with my flatmate during Covid that got a bit out of hand. The dungarees I’m wearing now, for example, I made myself. My flatmate made my bag and this shirt was one he created too. We keep things sustainable this way.
Sometimes, an outfit will even prompt an unexpected conversation with someone, which I love
‘I think people who see me will expect me to be open and extrovert. My clothes send a message that I’m not afraid to stand out. But there’s a negative side to standing out: people shout “gay” sometimes and recently someone even spat in my face. Despite that, I still wear what I want.
‘Fortunately, most comments are positive. Sometimes, an outfit will even prompt an unexpected conversation with someone, which I love. If I see someone wearing something cool, I also like to say something nice to them. In fact, I’m often looking at who I can “copy”; everyone around you can be a source of inspiration.’
