While I love New Orleans and its unique and vibrant culture, it hasn’t historically been known for fashion, and runway styles can take a little longer to make it down here. However, I’ve watched the fashion scene transform throughout my time at Tulane and as boutiques continue to pop up and the local fashion week evolves, the city is becoming more up-to-date with the newest styles. I’m excited for the future of the city as it grows and continues to attract young people from all over. Tulane’s campus is full of young adults from all over the country with unique styles, but in general students tend to dress pretty casual. While going out offers an opportunity for experimenting with clothes, students who want to try out trends while staying casual enough for classes and studying may have some trouble. This Fashionista is a great example of how to bring runway styles to campus.
This Fashionista stood out to me for her perfect mix of masculine and feminine styles and her ability to blend dressy and casual pieces to create an effortlessly cool outfit. I was impressed that she was able to make a slip dress work for daytime after seeing it all over the runway and having been too nervous to try it out for myself. I’ll definitely be taking some tips from this Fashionista after seeing how easy to this trend really is to pull off.
To make her look work for classes, she balanced her lacy slip dress with an oversized black blazer. The masculinity and loose fit of a large blazer make it the perfect complement for a very feminine dress. Blazers can also serve as a great option for creating a look that can easily transition between day and night because it works for both occasions. A simple change of footwear would allow this Fashionista to take this look from class to a dinner date or drinks with the girls. While she chose to pair her dress and blazer with casual Birkenstocks to keep it daytime appropriate, they could easily be switched out for heeled sandals for the night.
This student chose to keep her accessories understated which added to her effortlessly cool vibe. She told me she typically chooses simple jewelry and focuses more on interesting silhouettes and textures to stand out. Her gold and diamond necklace and silver and gold watch add a little touch of glamour, but let her clothes do the talking. Finally she threw on a black saddle bag that can also transition from day to night.
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “Because I grew up outside of New York City, I’ve always been very aware of new trends and runway styles, but going to school in New Orleans sometimes makes me tone down my looks. I try to mix trendy statement pieces with classic jewelry, simple layers and casual shoes so I can stay true to my style and love of fashion while fitting in with the students on campus.”
