A few years ago, I started asking people about how they dress. Some worked in fashion, but most were everyday people—college students, baristas, shop clerks—just getting dressed for their daily lives. Talking to them taught me more about style than anything I’d learned in my career covering fashion and culture. I saw how style shapes and reflects who we are, and how we want to be seen. Those conversations eventually became my newsletter, American Style.

I’ve always been drawn to young people. They’re the group everyone studies to figure out where culture is headed—or if it’s completely lost—but they rarely get to speak for themselves beyond their own social media posts. When Vogue asked me to find 50 stylish people across the United States for its 250th anniversary, I knew I wanted to give young Americans from all over the country a chance to share what style means to them. Applications came in from everywhere, from Kentucky to Puerto Rico. Their inspirations ranged from Georgia O’Keeffe and Pinterest to transcendental meditation and, very often, their mothers and grandmothers.

After we narrowed it down to 50 finalists, I traveled to Minnesota and Alabama to profile two of them. First stop: the suburbs of Minneapolis, where I met 19-year-old Owen Peters. He’s inspired just as much by the frat boys at his university as he is by Jackie O. Then I went to Birmingham to visit Chelsi Banks, also 19, who got her start on fashion Twitter and developed her personal style during COVID.

While choosing the finalists, I found myself inspired—though a little overwhelmed—by page after page of amazing outfits. Someone recently asked me how I decide who to feature in American Style. I told her it’s a mix of signals that’s almost impossible to put into words. I’m often drawn to outfits that feel thoughtful, unexpected, or that speak to something I’m already thinking about. But mostly, it’s the sense that I’ve never seen anything quite like this before—even if the look is trendy or classic. That’s true for every one of the 50 finalists in American Style x Vogue. It’s that feeling that I couldn’t have put that outfit together, because I’m not you.

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Biz Sherberts crosscountry search for 50 stylish young Americans written in a natural tone with clear answers

Beginner Questions

1 Who is Biz Sherbert
Biz Sherbert is a writer editor and style journalist Shes known for covering street style and youth culture and she writes about how fashion reflects personality and place

2 What exactly is the 50 stylish young Americans project
Its a road trip and reporting project where Biz traveled across the US to find and interview 50 young people who have unique personal style She wanted to show what stylish means outside of big fashion cities like New York

3 Why 50 Does that match the number of states
Yes exactly She aimed to find one stylish person in each state to represent the diversity of American style from coast to coast

4 How did Biz Sherbert pick the people she featured
She didnt just pick models or influencers She looked for real people with a strong sense of personal stylepeople who dress in a way that tells a story about who they are where they live or what they love

5 Is this a book a magazine article or a social media project
It started as a feature for The New York Times and also appeared on Instagram and other platforms Its a mix of written profiles and photographs

Intermediate Questions

6 What kinds of places did Biz visit on her trip
She went to cities small towns and rural areasplaces like Portland Maine rural Montana Austin Texas Detroit Michigan and even tiny towns youve never heard of The goal was to avoid only big coastal cities

7 Did she only photograph people or did she interview them too
Both Each profile includes a short interview about their style inspirations where they shop and what their clothes mean to them The photos show them in their natural environment

8 Whats the main point or takeaway from the project
That style isnt about trends or moneyits about creativity identity and community The project challenges the idea that you have to live in a fashion capital