Welcome, Fashionistas/os! My name is Madeline Makoul and this is my third, and sadly, my final semester with CollegeFashionista. I’m a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying journalism and English literature and will be graduating in May (I know, I can’t believe it either).
The number of times I was asked over the holidays what my post-graduation plans are was truly absurd, but at least I now have the answer down pat. I’ll be spending most of this upcoming semester looking around for jobs, but I have always dreamed of moving to New York after graduation to pursue a career as a journalist for a magazine. After spending most of my life in the Windy City and my college career nearby in the Midwest, I’m excited to finally step out of my comfort zone. In the meantime, when I’m not completely freaking out about graduating in just a few short months, I’ll be scouting out the best Fashionistas/os on my college campus!
We all have people that influence our styles, from your parent’s classic look to the lavish outfits celebrities wear and post on social media for all of us to covet. Some of my biggest style influencers are Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Olivia Culpo. All of these women have unique styles and set the trends for the seasons to come. I myself tend to lean towards edgier, darker hues, and these women often inspire me with their daily Instagram posts highlighting their latest look. Yet their inspiration only goes so far for me. I’m just a college student ballin’ on a budget, not a supermodel or socialite. Although their choices inspire me, I try to only buy items that I feel are timeless so I don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe every season. But of course, there are some trends I just can’t ignore, like my latest obsession with velvet.
Speaking of velvet, my burgundy velvet booties are by far my favorite purchase so far this year. With most of my wardrobe consisting of black pieces, I thought I would add some color with these booties, and of course, they go perfectly with my monotone closet. Especially in these winter months, I take my leather jacket with me everywhere. It is super thick and actually keeps me warm for winter nights out when I don’t want to lug my parka around. A black leather jacket is truly something I don’t think I could live without. Even though I gravitate towards darker colored clothing, I love to make a bold statement with bright gold jewelry. I’m really into layering different chokers and necklaces; I love to mix and match a few different ones every day. No matter how casual the outfit, it always looks good to add some jewelry to really complete the look.
I’m looking forward to sharing more on my personal style throughout this semester and more from the Fashionistas/os I see around campus. Let’s make this the best semester yet!
