“You’re from Bloomington?” in any sort of introduction, is almost always the first question someone asks, with surprise and almost a hint of accusation. It’s as if growing up in Bloomington and then deciding to go to college in my hometown was some kind of crazy, outlandish idea. I embrace the word “townie.”
I have been extremely lucky in that I have been raised in a small town environment with a culturally diverse university in my backyard. I can say, proudly, that at home, sushi was as common an affair as deer meat. My father instilled in me at a young age that I could be as fabulous as I wanted. The man bought me my first vanity at age three.
I don’t really know when the interest in fashion and retail really began. Perhaps it was when I received my first Seventeen magazine or rather my first time strolling Kirkwood, where the boutiques have chic pieces that would not be possible if not for IU’s presence in Bloomington.
On any given day, my style cannot be pinpointed. Perhaps I’m wearing my dad’s denim shirt, a hand me down from the 90’s, with combat boots, reliving grunge. The next day, I’ll be wearing a romper and kimono, feminine and soft. My style is as diverse and changing as the place I grew up in and decided to further my education in. Don’t count me out just yet, a small town girl can do big things. If Tommy Hilfiger can do it, so can I.
