Salutations, Fashionistas! My name is Kelly Tran and I am currently a third-year student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. I was previously studying pharmacy, but I am now venturing into the world of economics, computer science, and information technology. Basically, I’ve got some big decisions to make ahead of me, but for now, I’m just rolling with the punches and going wherever the wind blows me.
I feel that fashion and marketing myself is integral to who I am as a person. This sounds shallow but let me explain. As much as we want to believe that it’s all about what’s on the inside, we have to admit that first impressions are based largely on appearance and there’s nothing wrong with that! Your appearance is an expression of who you are- how much effort you put into the way you look, your style choices, and hygiene. It also tells a lot about your personality. Someone who wears a lot of band T-shirts is likely to be a music enthusiast, while someone who wears a lot of accessories likely pays a lot of attention to details, etc.
I have no reservations admitting that I care about how I am perceived but at the same time, I also dress for myself. The way I dress is a reflection of how I’m feeling. On days where I need a boost of confidence, I’ll dress up with heels or a nice blouse and spend extra time on my make-up. On days where I just don’t want to deal with the world, you’ve probably guessed it, but it’s a “sweatpants and hoodie” kind of day.
For this look, I started with piecing the denim crop top and white, floral skater skirt together. To dress it down a bit, I threw a cardigan over it (if you’re ever feeling too dressed up, an oversized cardigan can usually do the trick to making your outfit more casual). Since it’s winter, I went with black tights and a pair of faux leather, heeled booties to finish it off. As for my bag of choice, it’s almost always a backpack. I probably have more backpacks than the average person. My go-to is my brick colored Fjallraven, but here I am sporting a blue, faux leather backpack to add a pop of color and complement the denim top. Bonus: it has a zippered pocket on the back! When I first saw this bag, I thought it was unique and functional so I had to have it.
I hear a lot of people say, “I would dress better if I had the money to,” but in all honesty, it’s not hard to dress well on a budget. I am always looking out for good sales and a large portion of my closet is actually from thrift stores. I hope I can show that style is not about how much you spend, but how much effort you put into curating your style.
