Style is more than items on a shelf or mannequins in a window. Style is a story, one that says a lot about the individual. There is a reason why someone prefers heels over flats; there is a story about why someone hates T-shirts and there is a memory that keeps someone’s old sequined top in the back of his or her closet. This is why I’m so fortunate to be a part of CollegeFashionista. I can tell the sartorial tales we don’t pick up on from first glance.
I also have a story for why I dress the way I do. I have an affinity for minimalism and stealing items from my mom’s closet. I’m a maniacal sweater collector, and the three colors hanging in my closet are black, white and beige. Minimalism has given me a breath of fresh air and a taste of simplicity in the busy life I and many other students have. It also has encouraged me to wear and appreciate the sentimental pieces I’ve received from friends and family throughout my life. My mom’s clothes hold pieces of nostalgia in them. I adore her leather Bandolino boots, which are still trendy a decade or two later. Sweaters happen to be a ball of comfort for me, and the lack of bright hues in my closet simply leaves room for my creativity to be its most colorful. But trust me, my style developed over time. If you flip back a few years in the photo albums you’ll find me donning my finest pair of sweatpants (every day) in third grade.
Now as a junior journalism major and art minor at the University of Oregon, I’m slowly but surely beginning to articulate my words and starting to craft stories and art that reflect who I am. I aspire to write for a fashion or slow lifestyle magazine (hello Vogue and Kinfolk!) and maybe even design my own line of lingerie. I’m excited to see what the future holds, and I’m looking forward to sharing the style stories of people around campus.
