Greetings fellow Fashionistas/os! My name is Hana Hong and I will be going into my second semester of my second year at the University of Illinois. I’ve both written and edited for CollegeFashionista in the past, and I couldn’t be more excited to rejoin the delightful fashion fam.
While my past semesters as a Style Guru fortified my fashion sagacity and social nerve, it has also given me the aptitude and stimulus to further expand the scope of my fashion influence. I have discovered a newfound confidence in my style radar, bolstered my writing skills and renovated my attitude towards social media. Using this morale, I have been exposed to unbelievable opportunities: attending Teen Vogue Fashion University, meeting some of the most rousing designers in the industry and even being able to help produce a fashion show. I currently work as a jewelry stylist for Rocksbox and a campus representative for Clothes On, along with my editor positions at five magazine platforms.
As a news-editorial journalism major, the safety of words always brought me solace and sanctuary. While other kids lived out their childhoods through porcelain dolls and blipping game cubes, I found comfort hiding behind a computer monitor and submerging myself into a blinking cursor on Microsoft Word. Stepping out of this reclusive shell took just one elegant dress, a classy pair of heels and a swab of lipstick. Although writing is my mantra, fashion became my voice. It lets me articulate who I am when words often cannot, and lets me convey my persona without uttering one sentence. Hence, I hope to fuse my two favorite passions and adopt a career in fashion journalism.
Currently, I gravitate towards outfits with a charming and unexampled air and absolutely love to stand out with fantastical patterns and extravagant textures. Due to my unfortunately petite stature, I can always be found in a pair of heels, even when going to class. As Oscar Wilde brilliantly stated, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” Even more recently, I am learning to value quality over quantity when it comes to style, although my suffering bank account would beg to differ. While my love for the clean patterns and athletic silhouettes of Michael Kors knows no end, kate spade’s quirky designs and bright colors never fail to capture my heart. I wholeheartedly believe that fashion, whether it be extravagant couture designs made from the most exclusive designers or fast ensembles thrown together in a Forever 21 fitting room, is the most paramount and expressive art form in existence. Fashion shouldn’t be utilized as a way to acceptance; it should be taken as a platform to individuality.
I’m ecstatic to give you a peek inside the world of fashion from my vantage point, and although my rural surroundings may be more idyllic than those of most universities, that will not damper my commentary nor hinder me from bringing you the realm of style and college fashion as seen through my eyes.
