“Fashion and functionality” is often said by Sydney Mikulak, a 16-year-old girl from Hartland, Wisconsin, who enjoys building her custom-styled outfits. Mikulak receives several compliments on her outfits on a day-to-day basis, as she beguiles everyone with her tips and tricks. Many people struggle to pick the right outfit, but Mikulak enjoys this challenge. After four years of figuring out the correct method for this problem, she perfected her technique by using the sandwich method. The sandwich method is applied by pairing two colors in union for the top and shoes of an outfit. This practice creates a cohesive look of the elements of an outfit. 

Mikulak believes that the first step in picking out an outfit is to have an organized closet. Many people struggle with keeping their work spaces clean, but this small step impacts the ease of picking out an outfit. Imagine your clothes separated by style, color, size, and shape. Pants in one area, and shirts in another, wouldn’t piecing an outfit together be much more efficient? Well, Mikulak feels the same way because she can match the hues of tops and shoes much easier when she can visualize her options. 

The next step in Mikulak's process is checking the weather. Planning her outfit according to the weather not only influences her choice of clothes but also impacts how she feels. When factoring in the function of clothing, she focuses on pants. For school days and comfortable options, she enjoys wearing neutral-colored leggings, basic Brandy Melville sweatpants ranging from light pinks and blues to grays and blacks, and baggy blue Zara jeans. For weekends and running errands, she chooses colorful Lululemon athletic skirts or blue/white jean shorts. Along, with Pacsun jeans or the classic Free People onesie for basic winter activities. The last step in building an outfit is wearing basic silver or gold jewelry, whether that is dainty hoops or basic chains. This system for picking out the most convenient and stylish outfit is the way to be the next Mikulak, stylish and functional. But don’t forget, Mikulak is a teenage girl. She has good and bad mornings, and sometimes she wants to wear a sweatsuit. In this case, Mikulak resorts to her backup outfit.