Hello there, Fashionistas/os! I’m Maren Dziedzic, and I’m a junior advertising major and art & design minor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Fashion, like art, takes a lot of creativity and self-expression, so I’m very excited to be part of the CollegeFashionista team!
Growing up behind a farm in a northern suburb of Chicago, I had very few opportunities to dress in fashionable wear. When I first entered into high school, I took to the halls in hand-me-down jeans and oversized T-shirts. As I advanced into my sophomore year, everything I knew, or thought I knew about fashion went out the door. At the age of 14, I was signed on as a model to one of the biggest and oldest agencies in the world. From that point on, my love for fashion blossomed.
Today, I proudly walk my university’s campus in a style of my own, influenced by multiple years of working in the fashion industry. Every day, I have the opportunity to express myself to the world, no words necessary and that’s what I love so much about fashion.
Other than a Fashionista, I am also an athlete. As a kid, I dabbled in sports such as gymnastics, horseback riding and martial arts, but it wasn’t until high school that I found my true passion in volleyball. Although I’m no longer playing for a team, I try my best to exercise on a daily basis. That being said, my closet is bursting with stylish comfy outfits and tennis shoes. That’s not to say that I won’t dress up in nice gown and a pair of Versace pumps when the mood strikes, but I prefer to keep things sporty.
Like what you see? I’m rocking my favorite Vans, BlueSpice high-waist jean shorts and Merona flannel.
