Hey guys! My name’s Alexa Mendoza, and on the 15th of August I started my second semester at Cerritos College as a Graphic Design major. I’m 100 percent Mexican, and the first in my entire family to attend college, which I can say is an absolute honor. When I begin to hear the phrase “Back to school!” constantly being roared out from the television, however, my heart just drops. Summer is coming to an end, vacation time is over, and I’ll now have to get back into my “college all day, come home just to sleep” routine. However, my heart doesn’t exactly drop because I dread going back to school (I actually enjoy school a bit too much), but rather because I will soon have to start saying goodbye to one of my two best friends—my cat Cookie. I’m an animal lover to the fullest, and to this day I have not lived my life without having a pet (they’re just too adorable!). What’s something else I love, you might ask? Fashion.
High school was when I really started getting into all things fashion. I joined an art program named Arts and Technology Academy (ATA) my junior year, and it was almost too fun to even describe. We were assigned a project every month, and of course, I would always go with the fashion design project. From creating inspiration boards, to actually getting to make clothes, I was hooked. So hooked that I applied to be producer of ATA’s annual fashion show my senior year. A few weeks later, I received the good news—I got the job! I was now running around from one corner of the room to the other, both making my outfits for the show and making sure everyone was on top of their own jobs. There were stressful moments of course, but I can honestly say that those months of producing and executing the show were the best months ever. Not only did I gain experience and an abundance of knowledge (about sewing, producing, budgeting, etc.), but I also got to leave high school with a few of my creations! Along with white faux fur pants and a lace dress, I also created the long grey skirt I am wearing in the photos. As it is one of my creations and I enjoy minimal yet trendy outfits, I decided to pair the skirt with a black, thrifted handbag (only $12!), a black bodysuit (similar to this) and some black heeled sandals (similar to these). Can you tell I’m a fan of black?
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that style isn’t always about having the newest shoes, the most expensive handbag or even the exact sweater Kendall Jenner wore one August night as she was having dinner with friends. Yes, it’s beyond exciting to go shopping and splurge on super cute things sometimes (guilty!), but in the end, I believe the price tag of your outfit doesn’t determine its ability to make you look and feel extraordinary.
