If Anthropologie made men's clothes, Jon Lohse '10 would be its designers' main source of inspiration. Lohse, however, said he did not develop his fashion sense before arriving at Dartmouth. His New Jersey high school, full of hallway fights and general teen angst, was not the most conducive environment for creative or artistic development or expression, he said.
Even on the weekends, Lohse played trombone at the Juilliard School, where he was trapped in a tuxedo. Essentially, he spent his entire high school career on fashion lockdown.
Upon arriving at Dartmouth, however, it did not take Lohse long to realize that Dartmouth "has it's own aesthetic orientation," which he describes as "preppy, with a twist."
Lohse draws his inspiration from his grandfather, a Dartmouth alumnus with what Lohse described as "the perfect mid-twentieth century wardrobe."
Armed with that foundation, he mixes pieces bequeathed to him from his grandfather with various articles picked up during his world travels.
Lohse spent his sophomore spring in London on the music FSP, where he found himself dressing up frequently for the many concerts and musical events he attended during his stay.
During his junior winter, meanwhile, he traveled to Thailand, where he lived in Chiang Mai and had what he described as the exact opposite fashion experience of the one he experienced in London.
Lohse fondly recalled buying fabric by the yard from a cheap fabric store in Chinatown and going to a tailor everyday after work. Over the course of three weeks, after daily fittings and no common language for verbal communication, the tailor constructed Lohse a beautiful, Chuck Bass-esque, three-piece suit and shirt set for 50 dollars.
Lohse said he thinks about collection when considering his fashion choices. Rather than simply matching the belt with the shoes, he works to draw connections from his experiences and weave them into his everyday wardrobe.
"It's important to create meaning within your own collection, and not rely on others for inspiration," Lohse, an art history major, said.
For this reason, Lohse does not frequently look to designers for inspiration he said he is much more interested in objects with histories, and frequents thrift stores and loves secondhand clothes.
The Armani jacket he is shown wearing was one he bought
for $20 after Lohse sorted through lots of trash at a consignment shop. These rare finds make Lohse's wardrobe particularly intriguing.
Perhaps fittingly, Lohse is currently a resident of 9 Prospect St., a house that has a beautifully dilapidated aesthetic appeal. The house is full of history and random trinkets left behind by the many previous inhabitants.
Lohse has found some great pieces in "9P," including paintings and photo collages in the basement, and even a Brooks Brothers belt left by former resident, Ty Moddlemog '08.
Lohse said he loves to wear other people's hand-me-downs.
"It's a great way to live life: in other people's spaces, with other people's things," he said. "It's a more creative existence when everything you own isn't something you bought."
Kudos Jon Lohse, we are impressed! As for the rest of you, we'll be on the lookout. You never know, you could be next!
