Author: Ellie Sul

FASHIONISTO SPOTLIGHT: Kyle Yi

The 7th Earl of Cardigan supposedly first started the cardigan trend all the way back in the 1800s, while the baseball team at Harvard created the “preppy-jock” style with the legendary varsity sweaters. From then on, men's cardigans became the renowned “formal-casual” wear. When I thought the style has been dying out, I began to notice many guys on campus redeeming the look this year. Today's Fashionisto's style perfectly describes the “formal-casual” look with his cardigan, V-neck, khakis and sneakers that match with his cardigan.

Name: Kyle Yi

Major: Biochemistry

Year: Alumnus

CollegeFashionista: How do you like styling your cardigan?

Kyle Yi: I actually just recently started to wear one because my girlfriend bought it for me. I like wearing it over a simple shirt and with my favorite khaki pants.

CF: You said your favorite pants are your khakis, why?

KY: Just because the way it looks. It's not as casual as jeans, but then again it's not too formal to wear on a regular basis. It also looks good with just about anything so it's easy for me to style it.

CF: How do you decide what to wear each day?

KY: Just whatever looks good … or the first thing that I see. Like if I didn't wear them yesterday then I wear them today.

How To: Want to be the next Mr. Rogers? Purchase your cardigan sweaters at just about any men's stores. There are so many colors and patterns that they come with and you can style one with a simple tee like Kyle did to wear on a regular day, or with a collared shirt to a business meeting or event. I personally recommend the cardigans from Fred Perry.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Christal Yuen

As I was walking around campus, this Fashionista's backpack made me turn around once more. I had to stop her for a closer look. When I was snapping a picture, I realized that the backpack's brand was The North Face, something that totally took me by surprise. The Fashionista explained to me that the purple label of The North Face on her backpack represents the limited edition items made in Japan. I absolutely enjoyed her casual look while I also obtained an interesting fashion tip!

Name: Christal Yuen

Major: Film and English

Year: Senior

College Fashionista: You said you went to Japan, how was the fashion life there like compared to the States?

Christal Yuen: People in Japan definitely dress more unique and more of what they want. Everything's brighter there as well. They use a lot of texture in their fashion, like they're really into frills and laces. But people in the States tend to wear the same things.

CF: How do you decide what to wear every morning?

CY: I wear whatever's comfortable. Unlike most students at our school, I never check the weather outside so I either always under-dress or overdress. But I guess in my case, I'm usually overdressing.

CF: What are you excited to wear this summer?

CY: Skirts, flowy skirts and flip-flops, of course.

How To: Backpacks have been extremely popular lately around campus and even outside of campus. But I'm not talking about our usual, boring Jansport backpacks; I'm talking about those with bright colors and attention-grabbing patterns. The floral pattern has been widely worn, for example, we can see another Fashionista from Ohio State University sporting one also. Urban Outfitters have a great deal of cute and distinct backpacks, like this one or this Jeffrey Campbell's design backpack. These trendsetting backpacks are the absolute bags college Fashionistas can carry for both convenience and style. So what are you waiting for!

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Victoria Wong

I think a lot of Fashionistas can relate to me with the fact that I've recently been obsessing over bright-colored pants. I was enlivened when I went to go see a fashion show at our school last week because of all the colored pants the Fashionistas were wearing. Colored pants definitely look stylish and are very fun to style around with. Today's Fashionista shows a great example styling her bright blue pants with a black leather jacket, perfect for the infamous “not-so-cold, not-so-hot” weather.

Name: Victoria Wong

Major: Pre-Med Bio Tech

Year: Junior

CF: What kind of clothing draws your attention?

Victoria Wong: I like comfortable clothes and bright colors. I'm not really into patterns so I like to keep it simple and plain, but then have at least one piece stand out.

CF: Do you have a specific style you like on a guy?

VW: I like guys who are clean cut, like metro style. A guy who wears fitted clothing and basically just knows how to style himself.

CF: What are you excited to wear this summer?

VW: I love high-waist shorts and skirts and of course my summer dresses with sandals. I also like wearing accessories, and summer is perfect to show them off.

How To: Add on a pop of color to your wardrobe this season. J.Crew has a wonderful collection of colored pants starting from the ultimate lovely capris to high-waist pants. Urban Outfitters also has a variety of bright colored pants by BDG, and these particular rose-colored pants were my ultimate favorite buy. It will be great to explore what kind of style fits you and your colored pants. A previous post I wrote was also about colored pants, but Ramona Penala styled her pants with a patterned top, while Victoria likes her style simple.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Brandy Gu

I was walking behind this Fashionista who was listening to her iPod when I noticed her flats, accessories and the layering of her jackets. I was glad I got to stop her for an interview because she was extremely specific in her answers, and I could tell that she was really into fashion as well!

Name: Brandy Gu

Major: Marketing and Retail

Year: Sophomore

CollegeFashionista: Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?

Brandy Gu: I have so many [places I get inspiration from]! But right now [pulling out her iPhone to show me examples] I'm really into the “casual chic meets grungy” look (from Nylon magazine). I love to look at magazines and I look at a lot of fashion blogs.

CF: What made you decide what to wear this morning?

BG: First, my shoes, I had to wear them. And I was thinking something denim, but not just a denim jacket, so I put the blazer over it.

CF: What is a brand and type of clothing that you think is out of style, as of today?

BG: I'm not sure about being out of style, but personally, I'm not really a fan of Tory Burch like everyone else is. It seems so many people are so obsessed with it, and I'm just not and don't understand why they are. Also, don't wear sweatpants or pajamas to school.

How To: Want to create a layering look like today's Fashionista did? Put on your favorite tee or a blouse, a thin jacket you want to wear inside and then a more detailed jacket over. You can start off with something like this for the inner layer, and this one for the outer layer. Layering keeps you warm, stylish and creative. Let your fashionable imaginations create your look!

 

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Jennifer Bae

Just when we thought spring was officially here, the temperature started to decrease once again and even showed some bits of rain (I also swear it was hailing for a moment, too). I remember talking with friends about how happy we are to finally pull out our spring/summer outfits when really, we had to keep our coats out also. A small tip for incoming freshmen: even though it's April or May, always have at least one warm coat out! While thinking about this, I managed to stop this Fashionista wearing a black trench coat and a cute fur muffler.

Name: Jennifer Bae

Major: Political Science

Year: Senior

CollegeFashionista: Who are your favorite designers?

Jennifer Bae: Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang and recently I really like Victoria Beckham because her fashion line features a lot of black; I love black.

CF: Any personal advice, tip, or motto you have about fashion?

JB: Many people ask me why I only wear black and only have dark shades of clothes. And I always answer back by saying I just really like black, because it goes well with everything, especially with accessories or heels and find no problem in trying to style it in a certain way. So I guess my advice is don't get influenced by what others say about your fashion. Be confident with what you chose to wear and what you like. You wear it because you like it, so you should be confident about it.

How To: Jennifer gives a perfect advice for those who have once been hindered about their own fashion style. Just like she remarked, be confident of what you're wearing because no one is to judge or criticize for what you personally like. Her adorable fur muffler is a very stylish accessory especially during a cold weather, and since all you have to do is stick your head through it and not have to worry about wrapping it around. There are many types of mufflers and scarves that you can conveniently just put on, which I introduced in my past post. If you're just like this Fashionista and love to wear black but like to add on a minimal perkiness with accessories, try to search for some colored scarves, colored bags, or colored shoes!

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Kimberleigh Powell

Cute sweatshirt, ripped jeans and ankle boots are what defines an excellent combination of style for a fall/spring season at our campus. Before going to class I saw a girl that perfectly fit into that look. Her pink sweatshirt looked great with her light-colored ripped jeans. Her grayish ankle boots also matched well with her sliver metallic tote bag.

Name: Kimberleigh Powell

Major: Communication and Rhetorical Studies

Year: Sophomore

CollegeFashionista: What do you think are some of the “hot” colors this season?

Kimberleigh Powell: Bright colors like turquoise, orange and pink.

CF: Do you shop more in stores or online? What are some of your favorite stores to shop at?

KP: I definitely shop more in stores. I like Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 and Lord & Taylor. (It's amazing Syracuse has all the stores.)

CF: What is your favorite piece of clothing you have on right now?

KP: I like my sweatshirt because if you see the back, the design is is pretty detailed and it's really cute.

How To: If you want to get in on the perfect campus look, you need to first find yourself a nice cute pair of jeans, something you can wear with about any kind of top, shoes and bag. For the nice spring weather, ripped jeans will keep you cool and stylish. In addition, I think that lighter colored denim gives a loose and cool feeling for the spring. Many people are saying that skinny jeans are soon to be out of style, but I personally think that every Fashionista should still keep a pair. They are an impeccable style to fit with a pair of boots when you want to tuck in your jeans for a more fashionable look, like today's Fashionista did.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Ahra Kim

Waking up to a ray of sunlight peeping through our windows is always a wonderful feeling when we're students at 'Cuse. Once I stepped out with my shades and shorts, I just automatically had a smile on my face looking forward to the 80 degree weather. What I looked forward to most was what people would wear on campus on this superb day. I strolled over to the quad and there were just so many students lying around on the grass, chatting, and hanging out, a scene in which I haven't seen for a very long time. Among the crowd, I spotted a Fashionista in a very lovely asymmetrical maxi skirt, balanced out with a simple white tank.

Name: Ahra Kim

Major: Political Science & Modern Foreign Language

Year: Senior

CollegeFashionista: What is your favorite summer style or piece of clothing?

Ahra Kim: Sunglasses. I am obsessed with sunglasses; I have a huge collection of them and I think they can make the outfit depending on the style.

CF: If you could go to any place in the world to study the culture of their fashion, where would that be and why?

AK: India. I find the whole Bollywood concept very interesting and all their clothes and garments look very original and detailed. They have the whole henna thing which just seems very lavish and very different.

CF: Do you usually take long to figure out what to wear every day?

AK: Yes…maybe like average time I guess. I change a lot like in between.

How To: On hot days like today, Fashionistas know they can always look good and stay cool in their maxi dresses/skirts. I think it's clear enough to say that many college students have been searching for dresses lately for the summer season, after seeing a clump of Fashionistas with their pretty summer dresses on. Maxi skirts are the perfect alternative if you're not really into dresses, shorts, or miniskirts. For starters, try a simple one like this and like how today's Fashionista did, wear it with a simple tee. To style a maxi skirt, I think it's always important what you're wearing for the top. If your skirt is colorful and patterned like this one, then it's best not to overdo the top either. If your skirt is rather simple and less detailed, then go for the tops that are more exotic.Then finish off your summer dress look with some matching accessories and sandals and you will be the next Fashionista spotlight.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Jane Yeh

I love winter and styling for the chilly season, and there are many kinds of winter jackets/coats I would love to own. When it comes to snowy days, many of us can agree we get a bit lazy to style up and just want to put on a big warm jacket and head out. I was thinking about what type of winter jackets I would like to have and what would be good for the snow, when I spotted a Fashionista in a casual, olive military-inspired jacket. She kept herself warm with a cute color-patterned sweater inside.

Name: Jane Yeh

Major: Natural Resources Management

Year: Freshman

CollegeFashionista: If you were a fashion designer, what kind of clothes would you be designing?

Jane Yeh: Casual clothes with a spin of glamour, clothes that people can wear on a baily basis.

CF: Are you an accessories person? If yes, what kind of accessories are you most into?

JY: I'm definitely an accessories person. I love necklaces and earrings, but not wearing them at the same time depending on what type. Either the necklace or the earrings should be simple. I'm also a scarf person; I love scarves.

CF: If you could steal a celebrity's closet for a day, whose would you steal?

JY: That's a hard question. I'd say Cameron Diaz. I love her casual looks.

How To: With their gold, bronze and black accents, numerous buttons and tailored fit, military jackets are flattering on almost everyone and easy to wear. As they were primarily inspired by men's clothing (literally from military look), there are jackets that are very well feminine and fashionable for women. I haven't yet to purchase one, but it is definitely in my list. I love how the jacket is perfect to wear during a snowy season because I can stay stylish with just that one jacket. This military-inspired jacket is a great example to show off an accented body even in the cold, while this one is an excellent wear to stay casual and comfortable.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Ramona Penala

It was such a pleasant day on campus with the sun out and everyone looking very stylish and fabulous. While I was thinking of what I would want to write about, I caught a Fashionista in blue pants. I've been eyeing out on colored pants as well, but was afraid to even try it on thinking I would not match. But today's Fashionista inspired me to try something new.

Name: Ramona Penala

Major: Sociology and Global Political Economy

Year: Junior

CollegeFashionista: How would you describe your style?

Ramona Penala: It varies day to day, and it definitely depends on the weather. I'm from California so I like to wear warm weather clothes, like I would layer a lot instead of just one big thick jacket.

CF: What do you think the hottest trend is in 2012?

RP: Mixing lace with heavier material; it's like juxtaposing feminism with basic materials. I also love cutout oxford shoes.

CF: What are some styles you don't want to see around campus anymore?

RP: Sweats and UGGs.

How To: What other great way is there to brighten up during a sunny day than to “add a pop of color“? It seems that many Fashionistas/os are adding a bit of color in their style this year to maximize their fashion looks. As I mentioned earlier, I was hesitant to try on colored pants myself even though I wanted a pair. However, when I saw the colorful trend around campus, it not only inspired me to get a pair, but also brightened up my day. I think that when we dress in certain colors and styles, it relates to our mood. Something about the colored pants make that person wearing it look more happy and cheerful. Start with colorful blue denim, then if you think you are ready to pop, try this amazing red pants.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Sapa Truong

Fur is a great item to wear if you want to stay both stylish and warm. I've seen many Fashionistas on our campus displaying the fur-vest trend. On my way home, I caught a Fashionista wearing a long, black fur vest, which was something different from the usual brown fur I've seen around.

Name: Sapa Truong

Major: Psychology

Year: Senior

CollegeFashionista: Who are your favorite designers?

Sapa Truong: Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney

CF: What is a trend you see on campus that you really like, and would like to try yourself?

ST: Lace-up boots. They look comfortable, and here in Syracuse, you need like winter boots and those look like it can withstand the snow and stuff.

CF: What is a trend you see on campus that you don't like?

ST: Just when girls are wearing really short skirts/shorts outside when it's freezing. This is definitely a trend you see on our campus on the weekends at night.

How To: Fur comes in all colors and sizes. A Fashionista from Philadelphia University gives us an example of a fur vest in a very rich contrasting color of white, gray and brown. Unlike fur coats, fur vests give us a more casual look which is perfect for just throwing it on over a long sleeve shirt or sweater for school. They look great with a pair of jeans or leggings and a plain solid tee. Get loose with your inner animal diva and incorporate yourself with some fur vest loving!