Smoothie Fashion, an Unexpected Duo

Sometimes, the best outfits can come from the strangest inspirations. Hannah Godshall, a fashion enthusiast who draws outfit inspiration from all around her, ran an outfit-of-the-day club at Pennridge High School and loves to create inspired looks. “I draw most of my inspiration from film or television; it could be a character or show in general or even just a specific scene,” Godshall says. Inspiration can be found anywhere, from celebrity styles to locations to inanimate objects to a simple aesthetic or vibe. Inspiration can even be found in food, such as smoothies! Each type of smoothie has its own “personality”, determined by the color, the flavor, the ingredients, texture, and presentation. Smoothies and fashion aren’t two topics you’d normally see paired together, but together they can create some very interesting dialogue drawing inspiration from one another. The outfit for the Green Smoothie has more of an earthy, boho vibe, inspired by the leafy greens and all-natural ingredients it is made of. The mom shorts pictured are from Pacsun and have a whimsical black butterfly pattern, paired with a sage green ribbed tank top from SHEIN and Steve Madden platforms, along with a pair of retro sunglasses.

Every smoothie starts off with some basic key ingredients. You will find milk, ice, and frozen fruit are the foundation of the majority of the smoothies out there. However, every once in a while, the smoothie can take a twisted turn. The inclusion of avocado in this pineapple green smoothie was an interesting change. Usually, when thinking of avocado, guacamole and more savory dishes come to mind. Avocado is popularly used in a variety of fashions around the world. For example in Brazil, a dish known as creme de abacate or avocado cream is a popular sweet dessert. In Ethiopia, avocados are used layered fruit purees which can be similar to a smoothie. The ingredients almond milk, chia seeds, avocado, spinach, and frozen pineapple blended together into an earthy green color. By just looking at the smoothie, it felt like a summer day in a tropical rainforest. Avocados and chia seeds are great alternatives to bananas when trying to thicken the smoothie and drink. Unfortunately, I may have added too little avocado and the smoothie was thinner than I had hoped. At first sip, the pineapple taste definitely stood out. After a couple of seconds, the greens settled into the palette and the avocado and spinach were added to the mix. Surprisingly, the smoothie was sweeter than I had expected which was most likely due to the frozen pineapple base. Although refreshing, the avocado may have not been the best thickening alternative as it felt duller in taste with its inclusion. I would rate this smoothie a six out of ten, but most likely wouldn’t make it again. It felt like a lot of ingredients for a mediocre outcome. However, its color and presentation definitely fit the earthy green aesthetic.

The trial and error process of finding the perfect smoothie for you seems very time-consuming, but once you’ve got it down, smoothies can become your best friend. Michael Dertouzos, a high school teacher at Pennridge, has had quite the experience with smoothies. He drinks a fruit/protein smoothie every day as his breakfast and then one with lunch. When asked about what was in his smoothie for the day, Dertouzos said, “Today I have blueberries, spinach, half a banana, and a scoop of protein in my smoothie.” This is a great example of mixing every type of smoothie into one. Although many smoothies are labeled as fruit smoothies, green smoothies, and protein smoothies, having ingredients that include all three categories is an amazing option that may suit your taste preferences more. It’s important to realize when cooking, baking, or blending, you can have as much creative freedom as you’d like. I think that’s one of the most important lessons I’ve learned while testing and trying the various smoothies. Recipes are always there for you to follow, but if you don’t have an ingredient that’s listed or would like to add something that you know you’ll enjoy in your drink, no one can stop you. Implementing healthier food options like smoothies in your diet becomes a lot more enjoyable and attainable when you realize the freedom you can have with it.