To borrow a customary greeting of famed character David Wooderson from the film Dazed and Confused, alright, alright, alright, Fashionistas/os! My name is Lindsay Call, and I’m a senior at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California where I’m majoring in English. I’m massively excited to be writing for CollegeFashionista this summer!
I was born and raised in inland southern California about an hour from the beach in one direction and the desert in the other. Going to school in Santa Barbara is like one long, endless summer—except for the workload, of course! I’ve never really felt a desire to live anywhere else, except the United Kingdom, where I studied abroad last fall. Transitioning to such a vastly different climate made me realize that in places that actually have all four seasons, fall and winter wardrobes are exponentially more sophisticated. I can’t begin to explain how badly I miss envying the well-dressed men and women flitting about the Tube in Burberry coats and scarves. Upon moving back home, I was almost irritated at the temperate climate for not allowing anyone to need an extensive winter wardrobe beyond jeans and hoodies. To paraphrase T. S. Eliot, it was truly a case of arriving where I had started my journey and seeing the place for the first time.
However, I began to realize that just as nobody can dress for winter like a Londoner, nobody can dress for summer like a southern Californian. Little by little, I began to re-embrace the easygoing, sun-friendly outfits that I’d grown up with. Which was fortunate for me—Coachella-style trends are having a big moment right now. In addition, my love of movies set in the golden age of rock n’ roll like the aforementioned Linklater classic Dazed and Confused and Cameron Crowe’s brainchild Almost Famous led me to the more breezy, boho looks of the ’70s. Inspired by the festival looks of Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine and the ethereal ’70s feel of Louis Vuitton’s spring 2015 line, my little white dress/kimono combo aims to give off some earthy, summery vibes (which I’ve hoped to heighten by standing among some bushes. Sorry, university gardeners!).
My outfit consists of a simple white embroidered cotton dress I found thrifting awhile back, which I’ve belted to give it some shape and to define the smallest part of my waist. A little white dress is the perfect summer go-to, as a simple cotton one can be worn alone over a bathing suit as a cover-up or dressed up for a night out. To dress the outfit up, I’ve added a sheer ombré kimono—a lightweight piece that looks almost like a moth or butterfly wing in the light. Paired with some crisscross sandals, the outfit is a perfect harbinger for warm summer days.
I’m looking forward to the coming months and hoping to share an awesome summer with you!
