The Hearts on our Sleeves: Students share the most emotional items in their closet

Designed by Linda Montejo-Bartolon

Throughout every important moment in our lives, the clothing and accessories we wear are able to carry long-lasting memories and feelings. Whether these pieces are gifted, bought, borrowed or exchanged, what we wear holds meaning. 

School of Communications sophomore Ellie Caro’s has a sweatshirt that says, “Bartlet for America.” The line is from “The West Wing,” a political drama series on HBO. It represents the fictional political campaign of Jed Barltet, a Democrat in the show. Caro says the sweatshirt has given her hope even during Trump’s next presidency. 

“Recently, it's been a comfort and something I can look to in these harrowing political times,” Caro said. 

This positive energy comes in part from the writing of the show. 

“Aaron Sorkin is just an absolute visionary, genius writer. I love every single character,” she said. “It makes me feel passionate; it invigorates me.”

Outside of the political climate, the piece of merchandise has allowed her to connect more deeply with both the show and other viewers. “When people are like, ‘I love your shirt,’ I’m like, ‘I like you.’” Caro said. “I used to call it my cool kid detector. I still do.”

Medill sophomore Grace Jordan-Weinstein has a navy blue cardigan that was her mother’s.

“She was an au pair one of her summers in college,” Jordan-Weinstein said. “The mother of the children she babysat for said that the cardigan will never last. I still wear that cardigan. It’s really well made.”

Despite ideas of the opposite, Jordan-Weinstein can still wear the item almost 40 years later. She hopes that one day, she can pass it on to someone else.

“It was handed off to me,” she says. “Now I feel it's sort of mine. I might give it to another loved one. Maybe a future child or something that's way ahead.”

For Weinberg freshman Malcolm Nyondo, items can also have value because of the person who gave it to them. In his case, it’s a pendant from a high school friend that he wanted to be more than a friend.

“I had a crush on her,” Nyondo says. “I was like, ‘I'm not about to try anything romantic.’ I wanted to get to know her.”

Nyondo gave her a birthday gift after his crush developed. It wasn’t until the end of their time together before leaving for college that she gave him the necklace.

“The morning I was supposed to leave, she came and dropped off a shirt, a letter, dessert and this pendant,” he said. “At first, I didn't think I'd like it, but I actually really like it. I wear it a lot.”

The emotion behind Nyondo’s pendant comes from the friendship he had with her, and the decisions he made to prioritize it.

“It reminds me of being mature enough to put my feelings aside and actually think about the best way to have something sustainable.”

For Weinberg freshman Andrew Onema, a bracelet carries a similar feeling. However, his was given to him during his senior year of high school by his best friend, Keyanna, someone he considers a sister. 

“I really don’t know what I would’ve done without her,” Onema said. “She helped me open up, and she opened up to me.”

He received the bracelet from her during a school trip to Washington, D.C. She had bought two and gave him one on the bus. The gift was for no special occasion, symbolizing the dynamic of their friendship.

“This is random because we are random sometimes,” he said.

Communications freshman Jacky Maya also has a bracelet that reminds her of loved ones. Maya’s reminds her of her friend group from back home. 

“One of them I’ve known since elementary school, the other one since middle school and another one since high school,” Maya said. “They have seen me change a lot.”

Maya’s friend group decided to get matching bracelets before moving out for college.

The matching bracelets all say “forever friends” on them, a phrase the friend group found tacky but endearing. 

“It was the cheapest thing that looked nice. We all got different stones,” Maya said. 

Clothing and accessories will always be more than the pieces of fabric or chains they are made of. They are vessels for memories, connections and stories about our lives. Even items as small as a bracelet or as simple as a piece of merch can evoke emotion and serve as powerful reminders of meaningful moments.