Michael Martinez

POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE

Junior Michael Martinez wakes up at 4 a.m. to ensure that he has ample time to perfect his look. With his signature cat-eye eyeliner, fishnet tights and silver hoops, he walks the halls of Palmetto with his head held high, unafraid of what others think about his fashion sense. As a result, Martinez, his very own style icon, turns the school halls into his very own runway every single day.

“I plan [my outfits] out a day before ...my inspiration I’d say largely is either vintage kind of looks or I guess e-boy kind of looks or...alternative,” Martinez said.

An “e-boy” or “e-girl” is an archetype emo style and has an extensive online presence. The style rose to fame during the summer of 2019 on the app TikTok.

His eclectic style includes wearing layered chokers, brightly colored stripes and chains one day and black overalls and Converse the next. Inspired by famous Youtuber Jeffree Star, Martinez dresses in a gender non-conforming manner — a manner that truly represents his personality.

“Jeffree Star inspires me because he is a successful gay man...He’s successful and glamorous,” Martinez said. “I went shopping for clothes one day and having nice clothes and looking good made me feel confident and ready to face the world.”

Since discovering his sexuality in seventh grade, Martinez has openly identified as gay. For someone as brave and prideful as Martinez, a strong support system at home is imperative. From the moment he came out to his parents, they continued to love and accept him all the same.

“They’re supportive of it,” Martinez said. “My mom has asked me to do her makeup several times. My dad treats me no different; my mom treats me no different.”

Through fashion, he can express who he is on the inside. By dressing freely, Martinez spreads joy and positivity, encouraging others to make bold fashion choices and do what makes them happy. Shopping at places like Morphe, Sephora, Hot Topic and Forever 21 helps him acquire the pieces he needs to vary his looks. While he shops at these trendy stores now, Martinez has not always described himself as a fashion trendsetter.

“In middle school, I’d say my fashion was horrendous...I mix-matched clothes — I didn’t know anything about fashion,” Martinez said. “Then, I started experimenting more freshman year.”

Martinez utilizes social media as a platform for self-expression. He uses his Instagram (@sleepy.mike) to highlight and document each of his looks. As far back as 2018, he has maintained a consistent presence online, posting about once a month and now has amassed nearly 1,000 followers. Martinez juxtaposes pictures of himself modeling oversized flannels, bold checkered prints and bright stripes with captions like “Color will always make you smile” and “Crushing on myself.”

“There’s always people that are going to not like you because of who you are and stuff like that,” Martinez said. “I think me being the way I am gave me selfconfidence.”

While some may not like him for how he identifies or dresses, Martinez and his best friends Ingrid Menoya and Lindsey Wise have bonded over his style, a shared sense of humor and unapologetically being who they are. After meeting almost three years ago, they have been inseparable.

“I met him freshman year and we had classes together and we sat together in like almost all of them,” junior Lindsey Wise said. “...He was really open-minded and really out there. I really like people who don’t care about other people’s opinions and he expressed himself without caring.”

Despite the highs and lows of high school, Martinez’s and Menoya’s close friendship remains strong. Every day, the two spend time together before homeroom and at lunch, openly being who they are.

“My first impression of him was that he was a very outgoing, outspoken and interesting person. My favorite thing about Michael is how happy...he is; he is always smiling, always laughing, always making other people smile. He’s just...a walking ray of sunshine,” Menoya said. “I think his biggest strength is being able to deal with what is thrown at him. He deals with challenges everyday from people making fun of him and his outfits, but he still shines through like a star.”

Isabel Wilder Senior Copy Editor i.wilder.thepanther@gmail.com Zaviera Presley Staff Writer z.presley.thepanther@gmail.com