“When people work multiple colors or when an outfit makes you think, ‘How did their brain figure out a way to make that outfit work?!’ That’s what makes an outfit unique.”

Jason Nagata believes that the ways we express ourselves outwardly ought to flow from and reflect the internal ways in which we navigate a changing world. He and I discussed this and other fashion philosophies on a recent brisk January evening.

“Style was always difficult for me, and I always resorted to black, white, or gray because it was easy,” the local musician explained. “My girlfriend has inspired me to explore colors and how they work together in an outfit. I want to continue working on expressing the different inner colors I feel for each day on my external side.”

He showed off the color block puffy jacket that he snagged from 2020’s Black Friday sale (Cotton On, $35). “It has nice earthy colors,” Jason said, before pointing out his loose-fit tan t-shirt underneath (Cotton On, $12). “Another earthy yellowish color. Cotton On is a great place to buy affordable earthy-toned pieces or solid colors that are easy to pair outfits with.”

“When people work multiple colors or when an outfit makes you think, ‘How did their brain figure out a way to make that outfit work?!’ That’s what makes an outfit unique.”

Jason’s San Diego winter ensemble was completed by stretchy black skinny jeans (Empyre etc, $50), classic black Doc Martens ($100, also on sale for Black Friday), dark blue Ray-Ban glasses ($120), and a hand-wrapped labradorite crystal necklace which he snagged for $17 from a street vendor in Berkeley. “I had many life-changing adventures in nature with my sibling in Berkeley, which is what this necklace reminds me of,” he recalled while hopping to crunch a leaf under his boot.

A person’s hairstyle can be another true expression of one’s inner self, and I inquired as to whether Jason’s new undercut gave him a new sense of identity. “You just naturally feel different when you have a new hairstyle, and at the same time, the people around you react to it, too. This is the longest my hair has been, and I think it generally makes you look older, which feels fitting for me as I near age 30.”

His outfits shift when he’s on stage too, which he said helps him get into his artistic groove before he begins rapping or singing. “Different outfits make me feel and move differently on stage. I think it helps to pick an outfit that matches the way you feel on that day or the music you’re performing. Most of the time, I like to wear things that flow as I move, like a button-up that is unbuttoned — with a t-shirt underneath, of course.”