Hello Fashionistas/os! My name is Gabrielle Pata and I am currently finishing up my senior year at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. I am majoring in mass communications with a concentration in public relations. This is my first semester as a Style Guru, and I could not be more excited to learn about fashion as well as improve my writing and photography skills.
This past fall semester, I joined an on-campus, student-run PR firm whose client was a consignment boutique. I got the opportunity to help revamp the boutique’s social media presence, as well as to create a fall lookbook for the website. Participating in such a fun project really piqued my interest in fashion!
I see style as a creative outlet and mode of expression. There is no right or wrong when it comes to fashion! My personal style tends to be classic, feminine, and modest. Comfort is a huge factor for me when picking out outfits. My wardrobe consists of lots of dresses—casual ones for every day looks, and fancier ones for special events. I find that wearing dresses is a simple way to achieve that “comfortable but still cute” look. Plus, they are super easy to either dress up or dress down with the help of the right accessories.
For this particular outfit, I chose a Great Gatsby/Blair Waldorf inspired look. I am wearing a sparkly gold dress—perfect for the holidays! It is paired with a black coat, beige clutch, and simple black heels to pull the outfit together. For an extra pop of color, I added a classy red lip to top off the look. Red lipstick has become a staple in my makeup bag, as I think it is the perfect accessory to make a look instantly more elegant and put together.
I have always loved all things beauty-related, as well as writing, so it’s safe to say I think this is the perfect internship for me. Some of my other hobbies include dance (I danced for about 10 years growing up!), American Sign Language, and watching hockey. Spare time to catch up on TV shows usually turns into rewatching episodes of Friends or Gossip Girl. I really admire the fashion sense of the Gossip Girl characters, whom I draw a lot of style inspiration from.
I can’t wait to see what this semester has in store and to share some USF styles with you all!
