Hey there! My name is Alyssa, and I’m a junior year at the University of Oregon. I spent last summer hosting and serving at a southeast Portland country club, wearing a white polo and a khaki skort, so when my three months summer job stint came to an end, I jetted off to Italy for a semester abroad. Let me tell you, my fashion taste buds were tingling.
It was so like me to leave my suitcase half empty, fully knowing that in the three months that I was living in Italy and exploring the rest of Europe, I would amass enough clothes and souvenirs to fill it to the brim.
While I packed, I had no knowledge of whether or not the weather in the medieval town of Siena, Italy would resemble my hometown in Oregon. I packed sparsely, bringing only the bare essentials–not an easy task for someone who revels in the blessing of options. I laughed when I unpacked my suitcase, and I laughed even harder when I hung my favorite pieces up in the dorm room closet provided for me. This told me so much about my personal style upon arriving, a style that is rooted in me upon my return. There was five colors accounted for: black, white, olive, burgundy and gray. My style is simple, purposely oversized, mostly solid and largely layer-able. I will always appreciate the worn, rustic qualities of previously owned or used-looking items, and the extent of my print-wearing was, and is, stripes and plaid. Additionally, I love my solids, and I love a good layer. Let’s be honest, partially for fashion, partially for poor circulation.
Since my return, I have unpacked pieces that define my stay abroad. The ponchos I saw at the leather market in Florence, the turtlenecks I hunted for in Amsterdam and the cozy knit hats that were essential in the Swiss Alps.
I’m able to appreciate the class a solid piece offers, while fully acknowledging that my style crosses over to grungy-chic, more often than not. Subsequently, I am a firm believer in a black leather pair of healed booties. I must be, because I biked 18 miles in Amsterdam in my trusty pair of black leather Levi’s. Additionally, I’m a snowboarder, showing my Pacific Northwest roots, but the mountains do not always offer the best opportunity for runway style, so I’ll save that for the sidewalk.
Following completion of my undergrad, I hope to work under the realm of fashion PR, diving into the world of fashion show production and individual brand PR. But for now, I’ll continue getting up, getting dressed, going to class and writing about the fashions I hope to one day send down the runway.
Three. Two. One. You’re On.
