Face totally flushed from walking all over campus, I dramatically stop behind an old building that’s relatively isolated. Nervously looking sideways and front and back, and hearing the all too familiar click-clack of my drop earrings as I check to make sure no-one’s around, I settle on the location.
“Okay, coast is clear,” I spout out, handing my precious Nikon camera to my younger brother, “Take the pics now!”
He mumbles something under his breath, but grudgingly complies. We go on to do a photo shoot lasting no more than five minutes, in which I, exhausted from all of the exercise already in effect that day, stand rather stoically and he, embarrassed to be seen taking pictures of his sister, simply points and shoots the camera. There’s no appreciation for good angles or a fancy backdrop; it’s just a plain old “get the job done” scenario.
As I flip through the pictures on my laptop that very same day, I notice something almost magical: despite the low-key prep we put into the actual photo session, the results are incredible! The background, picked randomly and in-the-moment, totally works, the colors are vivid and even the poses aren’t too awkward or contrived. And, above it all, the clothes look just as editorial as they did in person—they truly stand out.
That’s the wondrous thing about working in fashion: you really develop an appreciation for clothes that can speak for themselves. You see people reflected through the garments and accessories they wear, whether it’s a ring handed down by their grandmother or a tote bag bought on their first trip abroad. Through my first semester as a Style Guru, I’ve learned to expand my sight thus, appreciating the aesthetic, historical and social value of every piece that I spot as well as the practical.
Now, as a second year student at UF taking on a second semester at CollegeFashionista, I’m ready to tackle more challenges in both the writing and collegiate world. Having passed the difficult hurdles of my first semester as a Style Guru, I emerge ready and willing to outshine last semester’s articles with a newly developed “cool girl” attitude towards fashion and a developing portfolio of the written word and photography.
So, what can you expect to see in my future posts? More diversification: from showcasing different fashion styles to exploring new ways to incorporate edgy stylistic choices into your everyday life. Also, be on the lookout for clearer photos on the image carousel as well as a meticulously curated (and up-to-date!) Instagram account. Though I can’t promise to reflect everyone’s POV on fashion within the upcoming semester, I can certainly vow to do my best and, at the very least, have a go at this Herculean task.
I hope you continue reading my articles this fall, and I wish you all good luck on your own academic endeavors this coming school year! It’s definitely going to be a great one.
