I’m Hayley Merrick and I am thrilled to be reporting from CollegeFashionista this term. I am currently a sophomore at Portland State University studying Business Marketing.
I always knew I wanted to do something in fashion, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do within the field. Working as a bridal consultant in Portland made me realize my love of all things related to weddings and how I want to follow that path in my future. I love helping women make themselves feel beautiful for the most important day of their lives. Who doesn’t love playing with pretty white dresses all day?
As long as I can remember, I’ve been drawing dresses on napkins on long road trips and designing different pieces in my head. Fashion is such a great way to express yourself. When I wake up in the morning, I find it to be a fun adventure of “Who do I want to be today?” I’m a strong believer that your outfit influences how you go about your day. Putting on a cute dress and a great pair of heels makes me feel fun and flirty, while I feel like I can conquer the world wearing all black with combat boots.
My style is always growing and changing, but I would say my style is classic with an urban twist. I pull most of my influences from the ’50s look: big curls, red lips and feminine silhouettes. But being born and raised in the beautiful Portland, I will always love a good flannel and some combat boots. I find my signature to be red lips—at work, at school or any day in between, I’m rocking them. No event is too casual for a red lip.
During this term, I am excited to grow with my look through CollegeFashionista. Learning how other people express themselves is so interesting to me, and I find that when I put together an outfit I pull aspects from the people around me. I’m excited to hear what influences other people and to see how my style evolves from it, and I can’t wait for CollegeFashionista to be a part of the ride!
