What’s up, Fashionistas? My name is Erin Brown, a northerner relocated to the sunny, ocean-breezed Charleston, South Carolina. I am also a senior at the College of Charleston, majoring in communication. My college experience has not only been a platform for individual growth and academic prosperity, but a sartorial journey; mixing edgy styles from NYC, like my high rise black skinny jeans, with Charleston laid-back, preppy vibes, as seen with my flowy white button up. This is my first semester on the CollegeFashionista team, and I am excited to be a part of this organization to share fashion insights and my passion for this industry with you all.
During the spring semester of my junior year, I had the privilege to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Living in Copenhagen was a tremendous experience that allowed me to learn so much about myself and the global community. While in Copenhagen, I lived in a creative writing community, studied photography, new media and most importantly fashion. In my fashion class, I learned in-depth about Scandinavian styles, aesthetics and design. I also attended Copenhagen Fashion Week, met a local designer and learned the message behind his line. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to expand my view of fashion and what style means within different cultures.
My passion for fashion brought me to CollegeFashionista. After interning at a vintage clothing store in Charleston and at a start-up knitwear company in New York City’s Garment District, my obsession for fashion grew. More often than not, I’m reading about everything fashion related: history, subcultures, upcoming designers, trend updates and business within the industry. What I love most about fashion is that it functions as a tool that we use to tell people who we are and who we want to be. The shirt you put on your back, the jeans you zip up and the shoes you tie on your feet are such a powerful form of unspoken communication. As the writer, Cintra Wilson, said in her book Fear and Clothing: Unbuckling American Style, “Your closet is a laboratory in which you may invent astonishingly powerful voodoo. It may be used as a tool to direct yourself toward your own ideal destiny. It’s geomancy—portable feng-shui, right on your body.” I am a firm believer in experimenting with different styles and silhouettes that can bring out various parts of one’s personality.
I am eager and ecstatic to use this platform to celebrate the life and style of youth in Charleston and to share my fashion insights with you. If you find yourself looking for sartorial inspiration, I more than welcome you to join my journey with CollegeFashionista. You can find me here, or on my Twitter and Instagram page.
