I am Naja from the Jersey Shore. Although I spent some of my childhood in Ohio, I am a true East Coast girl. What’s not to love? New York is a train ride away, and East Coast fashion is a top contender, of course. Not to mention some of our famous little beaches such as Asbury Park.
I am a nursing major with a true love for science. I have keen interests in psychology and I will most likely start out in a behavioral health center or psychiatric facility upon my initial graduation. My goal is to obtain a Master’s degree in nursing and retire to instructing future nurses later on in life. The great thing about nursing is that the possibilities are nearly endless. There is so much to do, and many areas of practice to specialize in.
Fashion has always been a big part of my life. My mother fully encouraged my self-expression early on by letting me wear pretty much whatever I wanted. I got most of my knowledge about clothing, colors, textiles, prints, fabric cuts, and styles from her. Let’s just say my mom lived in heels and boots, so I rarely ever saw her in sneakers. One of the most valuable things she taught me was how to thrift. I wasn’t really into it at first, but it eventually grew into something amazing as I fell in love with vintage. Finding cool pieces is a thrill, as well as knowing that it’s something that isn’t widely available. In addition, I thrift for more modern items and sometimes I get lucky finding designer pieces that are to die for!
My style is mostly modern goth with a vintage, feminine and edgy twist. I wear a lot of black, even if it’s a hoodie, leggings and sneakers. Although I am comfortable with my personal style, I often like to experiment. Thrifting allows me to try new things regularly without the expense of shopping regular retail.
For this look, I am wearing a comfortable long sleeved swing dress that features a slouchy turtleneck from Marshalls. I threw over a waffle knit cardigan from Merona. Then, underneath I wore my opaque black tights. My shoe choice is an edgy wedge from Diesel which features cool cutout details on each side. The jewelry is always minimal for me, so I went for a golden bauble ring which I purchased from a bazaar at Centra State Hospital. Lastly, I added a long velvet choker from Forever 21. I decided to add it over the turtleneck because the contrast of different fabrics and the golden details on it made it pop against the all-black canvas.
Hunting for cool self-expression is sort of my obsession. I’m looking forward to finding and featuring awesome street style on my campus this semester.
