Me in Bryant park, just one block from the Conde Nast building.

Well, summer’s just about over, and you know what that means. It’s the final installment of SHEI and the City—and I’ve decided to mark this occasion with a few words on something that’s been on my mind all summer: style.

Four months ago, I thought style meant your own sartorial way of defining and separating yourself from the rest of the world. And for those of you who know me, you know that my style is a bit more on the extreme side.

This caused a bit of a predicament for me this summer, as I began my professional career. (GQ is a very classy publication, after all). The more I started working there, the more I began to notice my style changing. This came uneasily to me. On the one hand, I wanted to dress the part, to impress and succeed. On the other hand, I didn’t want to sacrifice who I was.

Getting ready in the morning became quite the battle. But in the end, the only thing that really changed was my understanding of the concept of style. Ultimately I realized that people are far too complicated to be defined by one aesthetic. As people grow and move forward in their lives, their styles evolve, adjusting to different places and scenarios.

No matter the setting or dress code, the little things that make you who you are will show through in what you wear. That’s what true style is. It doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing who you are or anything as dramatic as that. Because if I’ve learned anything this summer, it’s that if you’re a healthy, growing person, what you wear doesn’t define you. Nothing defines you.

All in all, it’s been an incredible four months, and I can’t wait to see you all soon. Make sure to stay tuned for all of the exciting things SHEI has planned for fall 2010!

Viva La SHEI!

–Will Defebaugh, Creative Director