I’m Julianna, a senior at the University of Southern California, and this is my first semester as a Style Guru. With multiple fashion-oriented organizations and the ever-present SoCal sun as motivation, USC students really bring it when it comes to their style. I cannot wait to showcase some of my favorite looks!
The first, and sometimes only, thing we project onto others is our appearance. Whether it’s sweats or a little black dress, everything you wear sends a message. Although it can sometimes be seen as unfair, I chose to embrace this fact and have fun with it. Fashion can uplift you at low points, express an inner spark within that you are dying for others to notice and help break the ice in forming new relationships.
Fashion was one factor in turning this extremely shy girl, afraid to emerge from her shell, into a much more outgoing and confident person. My mom, who boldly rocked red hair before Rihanna, helped instill in me the fact that no matter what I wore my best accessory would always be confidence. The times I stopped overthinking and decided to fearlessly try something new, regardless of the possibility of external validation or criticism, were the times I felt the best about myself and often received the most compliments. This is why I admire Rihanna, my style icon. Her looks are innovative, daring and sometimes shocking. However, the lack of even a trace of self-doubt in her stance leaves the rest of us with only one option: to bow down.
My style is quite versatile. You can find me in a preppy cardigan and an A-line dress one day, and my black leather jacket and combat boots the next. I love incorporating trends from previous generations, as I wear a lot of ’80s-inspired bright colors and prints, and ’90s chokers with a heap of denim. I have been known to wear beanies frequently, crop tops on the regular and bright lipstick always. The current look reflects my recent obsession with extremely flowy maxi skirts, hair cuffs and heeled sandals that can transition from day to night.
