It still remains a mystery to me as to how a girl from a small town in suburban Minnesota came to have such a burning love for fashion. It might not come as a shock that Minnesota is not exactly a thriving place for fashion, but somehow I got hooked. As a child I would read all the magazines I could get my hands on; Glamour, Elle, Marie Claire, Vogue—the list goes on. I had a love of design from a young age as well. I would keep a small notebook that I would sketch my ideas into, in great detail for an eight-year-old. I also created handmade purses out of any scrap of fabric I could get ahold of. Everything I was making in those days was very hideous to be quite honest, but I didn’t mind because I was just happy to be doing something connected to fashion.
Since my desire for fashion was so apparent, going to a fashion school seemed like a logical choice, however, I did not do that. In high school I always thought of fashion as just a hobby and that there was no way I was good enough to make a career out of it. So my freshman year of college, I went to the University of Tampa in Florida to study biology. I played lacrosse there as well, and that combined with the rigorous classes I was taking was just not a good fit. I knew that was not what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. So I decided to go back to Minnesota and take a year off to figure out what I really wanted. I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in fashion since that has been my very favorite thing my whole life and I have never been happier. I am currently studying Fashion Design at Columbia College Chicago and working part time at Topshop as a personal shopping assistant. In my spare time I can be found at home in my Lincoln Park apartment listening to my David Bowie records, watching Sex and the City reruns with my cat, Eleanor Rigby (yes, as in The Beatle’s song) or working on my personal blog.
I like a mix of new and vintage pieces in my wardrobe, creating my eclectic and bold style. When I get dressed I want to make a statement. Jacqueline de Ribes said, “Style is what makes you different, it’s your own stamp, a message about yourself.” I try to keep that in mind whenever I pick out something to wear. Today I wore a gingham skirt paired with a printed tank, topped off with a suede fringe jacket. The details include a gold statement necklace, my vintage Chanel earrings, Céline sunglasses, Fendi watch and pink, pointed-toe heels.
I am so very excited to start this adventure as a Style Guru with CollegeFashionista and hope you will come along for the ride.
