Hello fashion lovers! My name is Dana Rausch, and I am a sophomore at Kent State University. I am working toward a Fashion Merchandising degree with a minor in Fashion Media.
I’m from a pretty small country town in Ohio where fashion isn’t really a priority for most people. alice + olivia doesn’t mix very well with cleaning out barns and cow tipping. The world’s largest Amish community surrounds me, so inspiration has always been limited. Until middle school, I spent most of my time at my Amish babysitters, helping out with the chores and learning how to cook. Fashion wasn’t really on my mind; instead all I cared about were the animals that we took care of on the farm.
Then, I went to New York City for the first time. It was amazing. I felt so at home, and everyone had such a specific style. There was inspiration everywhere: architecture, lights, and thousands of people everywhere made my heart race and my love for fashion soar. Four years later, I find myself at a wonderful fashion school studying what I love. Hopefully four years from now I’ll be back in New York City writing for a magazine and completely immersed in the fashion industry.
My style is very much inspired by the city. You can never have too much black. If you were to open my closet, it would be full of black, white, and gray. No matter how much I love color, neutrals will always be my favorite. Valentino’s recent all-white capsule collection for the new flagship store in New York made my heart sing. Valentino is by far my favorite haute couture designer. His style is so chic and easy.
This outfit might be one of my favorites. Everything is from Zara, which I’m pretty sure is God’s gift to the world. I love playing with proportions, especially oversized sweaters and scarves. This particular sweater is perfect to wear with jeans and a T-shirt or to dress down a dress.
