Well hello again!
My name is Rayno Kivo and I am a junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This is my third semester as a Style Guru and looking forward as always to having a #RAD time. I am a public relations with entrepreneurial studies major through the bachelor’s degree with individual concentration program (BDIC for short). Through this program, I am able to pull from multiple departments to compile a curriculum focused in marketing, art history, communications and arts management. I am also a psychology minor and hope to pursue a career in fashion merchandising/PR/creative directing.
I grew up in sunny LA and have made my way 3,000 miles from home to Amherst, Massachusetts. The past two years in school have been an adjustment to say the least, mostly in regards to the weather (but a fun one in that!). You grow a lot in college and really start to learn what is important to you in terms of true interests and desires. For that, I am thankful because I was able to transform what I thought was just a hobby into a realistic course of study and a foreseeable career option. Clothing is much more than just an industry (a colossal industry nonetheless). I find clothing to be a creative outlet that connects people back to their roots. As we get older, people tend to lose themselves in the daily hardships and expectations of life that surround them. I am a firm believer that the way you dress can be, and is considered, an art form and something than can instantly brighten your day.
My style ranges day to day but normally falls under urban wear with a touch of vintage/boho. During the spring and summer months, I find myself wearing very bohemian-inspired outfits while during the fall and winter months, I transition to darker colors with an edgier twist. Above all, I tend to keep things simple and comfortable. I keep up with trends but also like to put my own spin on things (isn’t that more fun anyway??). Pictured above, I am definitely sporting a more boho look with a vintage flair. I am wearing a floral maxi skirt that I pulled up to make high-waisted and midi length paired with a basic grey shirt from Urban Outfitters (my all-time favorite store by the way) and Steve Madden gladiator-inspired sandals. I connected all those pieces with a belt, drop-down vintage earrings, a watch and rings. I wore this outfit to my internship, which was perfect because not only was it super comfortable, it was formal enough to meet the dress code (fashion casual dress code that is).
I am looking forward to what this semester will bring. I hope to give a west coast perspective on all things east coast and that my articles encourage looking at fashion through the lens of art created by the individual, for the individual. Fashion is art, fashion is you.
