Hi, everyone! My name is Amal Hawari and I’m a sophomore studying Advertising and Marketing Communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). I am 20 years old living in the heart of New York City, Queens. This is my first semester as a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista and I couldn’t be more excited!
For as long as I can remember I have always loved fashion. I never thought I would even study fashion or get into FIT. I use to think to myself about how it always felt impossible to make it into such a competitive industry with many talented people. However, I learned to believe in myself and go for it!
I commute to school from Queens to Manhattan every day (which sounds impossible, but it’s really not that bad!). I work part time at a family owned restaurant in Astoria as a hostess. In December of 2014, I had the greatest opportunity of my life. I got the chance to be a stylist assistant behind the scenes for the Revlon: “Love Is On” campaign shoot. That experience gave me a first-hand exposure to the reality behind the fashion industry. It is much more than glitz and glam; it was about working and thinking quickly with an energetic team, rather than as an individual to be able to make a successful ad. I’ve taken that experience throughout my daily life endeavors.
My goal is to be an inspiring blogger that could help other people become more confident and stylish in a fun and creative way that best suits their individual personalities. My sense of style isn’t about buying the most expensive piece of clothing from a luxury brand store; my entire closet is made up of thrift shop finds! I like to take dull and boring clothes and transform them into runway-ready looks at a cheaper price! Some people ask me, “OMG, where did you buy this? How much was it?” I simply say, “It was two dollars at a thrift shop.” They look at me with a face of disbelief and that is exactly the reaction I am looking for. Who said you can’t get that runway look at a cheaper price? I call this trick “Pretty Little Bargainers.”
I am currently seeking a new adventure in the fashion/beauty field. At this time, I am in the process of starting my own blog, and hopefully a YouTube account for anything on fashion, beauty, DIYs and even little life hacks!
Besides my love for fashion and beauty I love music, photography, and food! My lovely mom recently bought me a DSLR Nikon D5300 as a gift to start my vlog/blog. I’m so excited to finally explore photography through a professional high-quality camera. I want to find out what my style as a photographer is and make it a hobby. I like to express my style through the inspiration that music, photography, and food give me.
As a Style Guru, I will be able to express myself and reach out to other fashion lovers!
