Undressed: Patrick Alvarez

By Zuri Plair

You dress pretty snazzy for a college student.

You never know who you're going to meet. I've met really influential people on the train, on airplanes, even just walking on the street, who have literally changed my life. It's always good to look presentable.

Who has had the most influence on your style?

My mom has had a huge influence on how I dress. My shirt is always crisp; she taught me how to iron when I was really young. I always wear brown and navy because those are the colors my mom loves. She always critiques my style.

So, you've always dressed this way?

Since the first grade, and I didn't even go to a private school. My mom always made me wear shirts and ties. Soon, I became comfortable with it and started putting in my own personality. I love red power ties, for example. And I love the combination of brown shoes and a brown belt.

Tell me a little about Project Feed Me.

It's a non-profit organization. We're a team of students, and we help feed families, like on Thanksgiving. We started out in Harlem my freshman year, and now it's spreading out to areas of Syracuse. We actually got a chance to do a lot last year because of co-curricular grants through Syracuse University and sponsorship from The New York Times and a Harvard Law professor.

What inspired you to take on this project?

The way I grew up. I was once put in the position where I was homeless with my mom. We moved in and out of shelters and the most devastating thing was when we didn't have food. So, a couple of years ago, I vowed that I would take on this project. That I would help out as many people as I could, whether it was going to community centers and feeding children, going to homeless shelters, or going through different parts of Syracuse or Harlem.

Do you think your involvement in Project Feed Me has had any effect on your style?

No, because I've always had a suit on. I think it also has something to do with where I'm from [New York City]. I remember going to California once and thinking, "Wow, professionalism means something totally different out here." Everybody wore flip-flops, but I just couldn't do it. I'm not a flip-flop guy.