Hey there, Fashionistas and Fasionistos! My name is Jill Swartzentruber I am one of your new Style Gurus! I am a junior English major with a minor in leadership. This winter and spring semesters, I will be writing to you from my beautiful homes away from home: Philadelphia, New York City and the University of Delaware! I cannot wait to show you all of the incredible styles I encounter.
Fashion and style have always been interests of mine. I believe that it is an opportunity to show the world who you are and what you are made of. It is a way to communicate without speaking. Everyone in this world has the ability to present himself or herself the way they choose and that is why I believe style is so powerful. Fashion is a medium where it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, male or female, white, black or anything, basically it is something for everybody no matter where in society they stand.
I have preppy friends, grunge friends, friends who think black is the only color worth wearing and friends who brightly color-block like it’s their job. I believe my style varies with my mood, the weather and the activity I am partaking in. This winter on the East Coast has been more mild than usual, but that doesn’t keep me from pulling out my comfy sweaters!
I am a big believer in statement pieces, and as long as they’re subtle enough an outfit can never have too many. Many people think leather is only meant to be worn going out to a party or somewhere fancy, I disagree. I love putting on my leather leggings for just a walk around the block. It is one of those fabrics that makes a person look way more put together than they actually are. I also love layering, especially in the colder months. It’s a chic way to double up on warmth without being bulky. I paired a flared-out white tunic under a black knit turtleneck. These pieces alone may be a bit dull, but when they combine forces, they’re unstoppable. Having a loose turtleneck helped the tunic fit underneath perfectly.
Since my clothes were black and white from head to toe, I decided to add in jewelry that had contrasting colors. A statement necklace adds a center focus to the outfit and gives it that pop of color it needs. In my personal taste I like sticking to minimal colors with the exception to one pop color. I paired my outfit with black wedge booties (very comfy for walking in, might I add) and a black oversized clutch.
Currently, my favorite clothing brands are Marissa Webb, Anthropologie, Express and Vince. I have also learned a lot about international clothing brands through social media outlets like Instagram, Polyvore and Pinterest. I believe fashion is always changing as are people’s style. It is key to always be attentive to the trends so that you can explore and see if there are any new things you would like to try and incorporate into your outfits.
I am very excited for the coming months I have being your Style Guru and I look forward to writing every first of the month and bringing you the East Coast’s most fashionable!
