My name is Alyssa Estrella, and I am 20 years old. I grew up in Manila, Philippines and moved to California when I was very young. I am currently a sophomore at Oregon State University, majoring in New Media Communications. My dream is to move to New York City after I graduate and work for a magazine company one day. This is my first term as a Style Guru and I couldn’t be more excited to share the great styles of the students here.
A year and a half ago, I was on the path of becoming a doctor. I was taking a heavy course load of science and math classes. Then one day, there was a sudden moment of realization while sitting in a math lecture that I was in the wrong major. I thought back and tried to really think what I was passionate about and that was fashion and writing. When I was 12, I begged my mom to get me a subscription to Seventeen and Teen Vogue. I would get so excited coming home from football practice with a new edition on my bed. I got so inspired by all the pictures of girls in dresses and heels that I would skip out doing my homework just to look at the magazines from front to back. However, as a Californian, I stuck to my basics: shorts, a T-shirt and flip flops. Even in the rain I would bust out my shorts, because that was the norm here. When I moved to Corvallis, I got a rude awakening when the temperature dropped 20 degrees and the wind was in full force. I had to re-evaluate my entire wardrobe, and brought home about half of my closet by the time winter break rolled around.
I’m a very simple girl, but that doesn’t reflect my style. I love pairing a plain dress with a scarf or a chunky necklace and layering it with a jean jacket. If the weather is really bad, I’ll throw a beanie on my head. Lately, I’ve been obsessing over booties and pairing them with cuffed jeans. I find that every day should be a dress-up day because I might just meet my future boss or employer on my way to class!
Corvallis has a very eclectic style. Many people from all over the world go to the school, which brings about the overall uniqueness of the town. Some of my inspirations come from what I have seen on campus while walking to class. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to show off what Corvallis has to offer!
