Chelsea Montgomery – CollegeFashionista

WHAT TO WEAR: Rainy Days

It happens to us all the time—we wake up in the morning and hear the pitter patter of rain outside. Now we have to choose our outfit based on the rain because let’s be honest, there are a lot of factors to consider.

First, we have to consider the temperature. In the summer months, we can get away with just our umbrella to shield us from the drops, but in the colder months, we have to think about staying warm and dry. This Fashionista has on a comfy textured sweater with a trendy toggle vest layered over it to keep herself warm.

Second, it’s important to stay away from certain fabrics and materials. Suede and leather are definitely out of the question as they can get damaged by water. We often find these materials on our shoes which take the most toll from the rain. This Fashionista has on some high-cut boots with a rubber sole to help keep her feet warm and dry.

Lastly, when dressing for the rain or cold, it’s very important to maintain functionality without having to sacrifice your style. This Fashionista maintains a trendy and functional look for the dreary weather outside.

One Simple Change: By swapping her high-cut boots for some short booties, adding a multi functional tote and a colorful scarf, this Fashionista would be ready for traveling. She would incorporate comfort into the functional and trendy mix!

Check out my eBay collection here.

My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT.

WHAT TO WEAR: Holiday

Happy Thanksgiving! For many of us, today is about being with family, for others it’s mainly about the food, but for some of us it also means the kick off to the holiday season.

Dressing for Thanksgiving can be tricky, but this Fashionista has it covered. There are many factors that should be considered. First, you will most likely be seeing a lot of family so it’s important to look conservative while still maintaining your fashion-forward attitude. This Fashionista rocks the leather skirt, but keeps it tame with her textured sweater. Her simple tights and classic black booties add a touch of flare to her look, but still keep it family-appropriate. She also has on a trendy and vintage looking statement necklace, which could be a great conversations starter!

Second, you could be eating quite a bit today, so base your outfit on some possible growth in your stomach region (what? you can’t skip out on the pumpkin pie). Look for a top that is loose and classic. You could follow the lead of this Fashionista and wear a textured sweater, or you could opt for some sort of blouse. Just keep in mind it should be simple and not too fitted, you don’t want to be uncomfortable after your feast. For the bottom half you could wear a comfortable skirt or even a pair of textured shorts. Keep your shoes basic to ground your look.

So kick back, relax and enjoy the turkey, the mashed potatoes and that pumpkin pie!

One Simple Change: Since Thanksgiving is the kick off to the Holiday Season, there could be a slew of holiday parties in your near future. This Fashionista’s leather skirt can carry her through the season while keeping her right on trend. Swap out the sweater for a sequined or lace top and you have a go-to holiday look. Plus, I like to add some gold embellishments like some dangle earrings or a sparkly statement necklace to spice up my look.

Check out my eBay collaboration with this Fashionista’s look here. My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT.

WHAT TO WEAR: Cold Weather

Now that autumn has passed, the winter chill is fast approaching. I can already see my breath when walking down the New York City streets! It’s officially time to dig out our winter hats, scarves, gloves and jackets and prepare for the winter weather (and even the threat of snow!).

This Fashionista is well prepared for the cold weather. From her head to her toes, she is dressed for that cold air in her trendy, monochrome look. Her black boots have some unique elements to them and are a necessity in NYC since we walk everywhere. She wears simple black pants and a simple black top, but it’s all about her winter wear!

She starts with a black down jacket—no frills or embellishments on it, just simple. She pairs it with a knit infinity scarf, which matches the gold zippers as well as her headphones (this may sound funny, but paying attention to details can be a very important aspect of an outfit). Her headphones, which add a very urban touch to her look, are a unique part of her outfit that really complement the other pieces she is wearing and ties the look together. To complete her winter look, she transitions a head turban to ear muffs.

One Simple Change: By adding jewelry, maybe some rings or a bib necklace, and wearing a lace or flowing top, or even a funky sweater, this Fashionista would be ready for a winter’s night out!

Check out my eBay collection here.

My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT

WHAT TO WEAR: Day To Night

As a college student, we jam pack our days with so many activities. One of the traits that I admire most in a Fashionista is the ability to dress for many occasions at once and make the look versatile enough to last into the night. This Fashionista encompasses that trait to a T!

During the school day, this Fashionista is prepared for many occasions. She has her comfortable, yet stylish, boots on and is prepared for any place she may need to walk. She also has on some simple black tights—well equipped for the cold weather.

Working our way up, she dons an utterly adorable color-block skirt that is pleated at the waist, which help to flatter her shape and elongate her legs. She tops it off with a clean-cut oxford shirt that is appropriate for any sort of school occasion: class, meeting with a professor, presentations, etc.

To finish it all off, she wears a downright cool trench coat with leather sleeves and a sash tied around the back. This outfit is versatile enough to extend into her evening activities. She is dressed up enough to be able to head out to dinner or drinks after classes, but she is also dressed casual enough to spend the day with friends or walking through the halls. This truly is a versatile outfit!

One Simple Change: By swapping her boots for some slick rain boots and adding a trendy umbrella, this Fashionista would look adorable for a rainy day!

Check out my eBay collection here!

My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT

WHAT TO WEAR: Internship

One thing that I always notice when I’m walking through the halls at Pace University is how focused students are. Many of them take on multiple jobs, projects or internships in addition to their course load. So when they arrive at school, they are often dressed for multiple occasions.

This Fashionista is well prepared for her day with a look that is casual enough for her classes but also appropriate for her internship. Starting with her shoes, she dons super cute platform oxfords. For any of you who have internships, you know that a good portion of your day consists of running from errand to errand, so this Fashionista’s choice of shoe suits her activities well.

Next she wears some plain black tights, complementing her black skirt and sweater. She wears a super cool, black leather circle skirt and pairs it with a lace tank. This takes full advantage of the hard look of the leather combined with the soft and girly look of the lace—a perfect contradiction!

Her sweater is conservative enough for a business setting as well as a classroom setting. She completes the look with her glasses and her cool jewels.

One Simple Change: This Fashionista’s look could be perfect for holiday festivities by altering only a few things. First, although I love her shoes, if I were attending a holiday party I would try to find them in a patent leather, maybe even add a little heel to them! Next, I would change the lace tank to a sequined top to add a little sparkle to the holidays!

Be sure to check out how to find items similar to this Fashionista here!

My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT

WHAT TO WEAR: Study Group

For many of us, we are in the midst of our midterms. Professors now expect the most of all of us and our work. The semester-long projects are under way and the work is piling up. So how do you maintain your style when you are stuck behind a pile of books? This Fashionista shows us how!

This Fashionista is well prepared for her group meetings, midterms, study sessions, etc. She finds the perfect combination of comfortable and trendy in her outfit. She wears flowing shirt that ties at the front and drapes a neutral, loose sweater over it. Her distressed denim adds a cool touch to her otherwise conservative outfit. She adds a bit of chic to her look with her flats and her cascading earrings.

She also has a consistent color scheme throughout her look that embodies her casual chic style. Sometimes when you have a full day of studying ahead of you it could be difficult to decide what to wear, but this Fashionista does a really nice job of preparing herself for the event!

One Simple Change: Sticking to the theme of school occasions; if this Fashionista were to swap her sweater for a black blazer she would be ready for a meeting with her professor. Add a piece of statement jewelry with some sparkle and you are all set. When meeting with a professor you don’t have to be dressed 100 percent professional, but you still need to maintain a conservative style with professional qualities to your outfit.

WHAT TO WEAR: Concert

Getting dressed for a concert can be extremely difficult depending on the type of concert you are attending. This Fashionista knows exactly how to dress for the occasion no matter what type of concert she may be heading to.

One trick is to start from the bottom and work your way up. This Fashionista began with a fun pair of cheetah print booties—a super trendy and practical way to start off her look. It may be tempting to wear your cutest heels, but think about where you will be standing/sitting at the venue.

Next, she added a simple, yet flattering pair of high-waisted pants. The dark pants have a slimming effect that make her long legs look even longer! Her reasonable choice of leg wear leaves room for any dancing, jumping or swaying that her night might consist of.

Working our way up, she is wearing a cropped graphic tee. Her top could be interchangeable no matter what show she might be attending, well done! She layers her tee with a denim shirt that complements her style while bringing some lighter tones to the look.

Lastly, she amps up her style with some statement jewelry, not to mention her natural waves and bright smile give her look an extra edge.

One Simple Change: Even more popular than concerts these days are festivals. This Fashionista could easily transition her concert look to festival wear by adding a few things. First, festivals bring to mind the days of the flower child, so add a flowy maxi skirt. You could even add a pretty pattern, print or one with some sparkle. Then I would suggest adding a hat and maybe some cute sunnies! And voila! Festival ready!

WHAT TO WEAR: Weekend Wear

A weekend in the city consists of numerous activities. We always want to sleep in a little, get brunch or go for a walk. Maybe we even fit in some shopping, some time with friends or some homework. No matter what our weekend activity is, it’s important to dress appropriately!

This Fashionista has an extremely versatile look. She mixes the prim and proper with trendy and grunge. The weekend is all about feeling relaxed and carefree, so it’s important that you are able to capture that in your outfit.

This Fashionista boasts her effortless elegance with her booties and tapered linen trousers. She stays true to the fall color scheme too with the olive pant and the brown boots. From the waist down, this Fashionista shows her refined style, but her laid-back graphic tee says otherwise.

She accessorizes with a brightly colored leather bag and a trendy watch to complete her look and refine her style.

One Simple Change: Now that our Indian summer is starting to disappear and we are actually getting some fall-worthy weather, this Fashionista could make a few changes to her look and be ready for some cold weather! I would keep the base of the look the same and add a few items to it! One of my favorite trends for fall is layering, so I would suggest adding a simple black cardigan over her tee, then a denim or leather jacket on top of that. A patterned or textured scarf could add to the look as well!

WHAT TO WEAR: Fall Break

Fall is my favorite season. Apart from the changing leaves, the crisp air and the thought of the holidays fast approaching, one of my favorite aspects of the fall season is the fashion. One of the biggest reoccurring fall trends—no matter the year—is layering.

Layers can add depth to a look. They allow you to start with one idea and end with another. Layers give us options to mix different colors, fabrics or patterns and make them work together to create our overall look and style.

This Fashionisto certainly knows how to dress for the fall season and how to wear the layering trend. From head to toe, he boasts an edge about him. On top he wears a crazy graphic tee and flannel. Graphics are a great way to start your fall layers and easy to build off of. His flannel top layer is rich with the fall color pallet and complements his dark olive pants, while his unique boots fit seamlessly into his fall appropriate look.

One Simple Change: This Fashionisto is prepared for many occasions as a college student. He takes the grunge look to the next level. If he were to add a cool book bag he would be ready for the weekend. Adding a beanie to the look would put his weekend wear even more on trend! And to continue with my theme of layers, he could add a jacket. Either a brown leather jacket to match his boots, or a unique lightweight jacket for those warmer weekend afternoons.

WHAT TO WEAR: Out With Friends

My friends have always been one of my biggest style inspirations. Although each of my friends have their own style, it’s fun to be able to take style advice from each other and to share clothes. When we get dressed up together to go out to dinner or a party there are so many different styles in the room, but that’s what makes it exciting!

This week I was lucky enough to stumble upon two Fashionistas; two friends with great style. Each of them rocks their own style identity! The girl on the left seems to have a girly sense of style. She dons a mint colored top with a cute lace collar. She pairs it with dark jeans and accessorizes simply with a chic purse and ballet flats.

Her fashionable friend has more of an edgy girly style and wears an on-trend striped sweater with a simple black skirt. She accessorizes her look with a canvas backpack and some studded booties.

One Simple Change: These Fashionistas, although perfectly dressed for many occasions, could be ready for a casual birthday party with a few simple changes. The Fashionista on the right could put her hair in a chic top knot and add some statement jewelry. She could swap her canvas nap sack for a bright bag to create a pop of color. The Fashionista on the left could swap her flats for some cute wedges. She could also add some sparkle with some statement jewels like a ring or bracelet.