Elyzia – CollegeFashionista

Inspiration from the Sea

School’s out for the summer, which means that every Fashionista’s fun in the sun has just begun. The best way to kick off your summer vacation on the east coast is to gear up for those long, sun-kissed days at the beach, and this Fashionista did just that with her classic outfit.

This Fashionista is a Jersey girl at heart and knows how to rock denim and lace on the shore like nobody’s business! She gears up to jump into the saltwater and sand by pulling out a pair of denim shorts lined with lace. Bralettes go perfectly with a lace T-shirt, which shows off some skin for sunbathing. The loose knit fabric has perfect movement, and can easily be worn as a cover-up over a bathing suit, while the thick fabric is great for cooler days. But, the most important aspect that completes this look is her makeup.

Our Fashionista uses the natural colors of the shore as inspiration for her makeup. She first uses concealer and foundation to create a clean base, which works perfectly under contouring from Urban Decay’s Naked Smoky Palette and E.l.f’s baked highlighter. Next, she uses Covergirl’s Katy Kat Pearl Apricat Lipstick for a more natural pink. The most unique and fun aspect of the look is the eyeshadow from The Body Shop’s Shimmer Cubes, which starts as a beautiful light green shimmer and slowly blends into a deep sea green as it reaches the outer corner of the eye. With simple and casual eyeliner and long black lashes, this Fashionista was able to draw the most the attention to her eyeshadow, which matches the shimmering waves of the sea as much as it does her green and cream colored outfit.

She finishes the look by accessorizing according to color, including natural tones like cream, brown and green along with some blue to channel her inner beach-bug. She sports a crystal green necklace along with rings of pearls and other precious stones, her jewelry mimicking the glow of seaglass. Meanwhile, she tops the look with a pair of stunning leather strap sandals and an adorable white cheer bow. Here, we can see how her makeup blends perfectly with her outfit. The pearly shimmer of the light green eyeshadow matches the glow of her rings, while the darker green eyeshadow corresponds with the muted green bralette and plays into the outfit’s natural color scheme.

Whether you’re on your way to the beach or the boardwalk, this look helps prepare you for a day of movement and laughter in the sunlight. What else can a summer Fashionista ask for?

Make sure to let me know if you try this look in the comments below!

STYLE GURU STYLE: Sweet Summer

As we near the end of the semester, many find that their favorite season is right around the corner: summer. While we admire the wonderful spring weather in New York, students like myself have been itching to shed our layers and finally let some skin see the light of day!

For this look, I created a simple aesthetic that is as sweet as summer itself. I started with a straightforward outfit with a bold sense of style: a white Brandy Melville T-shirt and a black skirt. While the coord is simple with its black and white color scheme, the beautiful embroidery on the T-shirt and the cute suspenders on the skirt give off a playful vibe.

Meanwhile, the black and white base allows me to pair the outfit with almost any other article of clothing. While summer is great for showing off those shoulders, one may grow chilly when running through rain showers or splashing around at the beach. For both convenience and style, I added a graphic windbreaker. The windbreaker I advise is something lightweight, well ventilated, and just a little oversize to add more style. The base outfit looks modern with its color blocking, but the white windbreaker nods to a retro look while adding a splash of color to the outfit with its decals. As the base shirt and skirt are form fitting, the windbreaker is flexible and moves with you as you walk around the city or the suburbs.

Next, I focused on the accessories that complement the outfit. Note that I kept jewelry on the down low and used accessories that were easy to adorn or remove. For example, I paired a casual pink baseball cap with the pink lining of the graphic windbreaker and wore white Converse to keep the coord’s bright white coherency.

Lastly, I turned to my makeup to complete the outfit. I personally love this portion of my routine—putting on my own style of makeup further personalizes my outfit. Make getting ready for the day just as fun and exciting as the day itself. Show your true colors! Are you as bright as the summer sky? Add blue eyeshadow! Or maybe you’re as graceful as a sunset—add pink! I showed off my inner sweetness by adding a couple hearts to line my cheekbones by using heart stickers as a template to on dab eyeshadow and blush. Don’t forget to add highlighter for an instant glow up!

Regardless of what you’re wearing this summer, remember that you are what makes your outfit stunning. The accessories that you select, the makeup that you come up with, and the way you carry yourself is key to creating a traffic-stopping look. The clothes, makeup, and accessories only serve the bring out the beauty that you naturally have, and one should never feel obligated to stick to conservative or trending fashions because they are in style; a Fashionista selects her clothes based on what she loves about herself.

STYLE ADVICE: Denim for Days

This time of the year, spring weather is extremely finicky; mornings and evenings may be cold, while the afternoon is hot—along with sporadic spring showers. This Fashionista I found chilling around campus combats the fickle climate wisely by creating an outfit that grows in style as it does layers, wearing a light a breezy shirt under a vintage-looking printed sweatshirt. She combines this convenient and comfortable outfit with a trend that has recently resurfaced into the fashion industry: denim.

This past year has been the media age of nostalgia—a Friends anniversary special aired while sequels and remakes of classic movies and shows, like Full House, attract loads of attention. This appreciation for past trends has thrust denim back into the spotlight, and this Fashionista jumps on the bandwagon by pairing an adorable oversize denim jacket with a pair of skinny jeans. Note that the outfit pulls off a both cute and flattering look. Her oversize sweater makes her look lovable and cuddly, while her fitting jeans make her legs look even more gorgeous and striking.

Our Fashionista personalizes her outfit by making subtle changes to the coord; for example, she rolls up the sleeves to her denim jacket to let her navy blue sweatshirt reveal an extra splash of dark hues that match her combat boots. She also makes good use of minimizing unneeded accessories, using a simple gray baseball cap that matches her pants and ties the entire outfit together. Take note of how her outfit has color coherence; the white undershirt matches the print on her sweater and the light denim jacket. Meanwhile, the medium-gray hat matches the jean bottoms. Lastly, dark tones show through the sweatshirt covering the torso and wrists and leads down to the boots, creating an outfit out of articles that run seamlessly into one another from the top down.

Whether you’re heading to class or hanging with friends, this outfit works extremely well with the ever-changing weather. While you’re snug and cozy with your layers, you can also look stunning in an outfit that accentuates the form of your legs in a playfully, simple, low-maintenance coord.

BEAUTY BAR: Color Blocking

Spring is rounding the corner as Fashionistas and Fashionistos seek outfits just as colorful as the flowers in bloom. Some may also be searching for a new makeup look to complete a bold and vibrant outfit. Around campus, I found a courageous student showing their true colors and knew that they were perfect for my article.

Those who are looking to match their makeup look with their outfit may draw inspiration from this Fashioniste. They start off with a color-block route for a bold base. They paired black pants from Uniqlo with a yellow graphic T-shirt, red platform sneakers, and a brilliant red Puma coat. They also added accessories to characterize themselves, matching funky red suspenders with a hat from the hit ’80s TV show, Dr. Slump. Since makeup serves as the focal point of this look, consider solid colored clothing as opposed to patterns; printed or patterned clothing will likely take away from statement makeup.

Do not be afraid to rock vivid, intense makeup—statement makeup is the perfect way to make an entrance in any scenario, while the casual but bright outfit is suitable for both sitting in class and looking fashionable. The Fashioniste looks powerful with their makeup, using bold black eyeliner to bring out the dark brown of their irises. With red Sugarpill eyeshadow, they create a prominent cat eye that drags past the brow bone to draw the most attention to the eyes. Yellow Sugarpill eyeshadow is used to fill the rest of the lid and act as a soft neutralizer to the red while matching the remainder of the outfit. Because this statement makeup focuses on the eyes, consider applying a very simple and natural lip.

This makeup is called ‘statement makeup’ for a reason: your eyes do the talking for you as you reveal your true colors. Your beautiful and powerful makeup is only the reflection of a beautiful and powerful person. Trends may change over time, as will you, but it is up to you to portray yourself truthfully and brilliantly through your looks.

ALL IN THE DETAILS: Vintage Vogue

As Fashionistas and Fashionistos gear up for the celebration of the Lunar New Year, many find it difficult to put together a perfectly accessorized outfit that still keeps them warm! Here, I’ve found a Fashionista that integrates her accessories beautifully into a winter outfit.

The first smart move our Fashionista makes is starting off with simple but elegant attire before adding any accessories. She adorns a comfy gray sweater dress with black leggings and classy black kitty heels. Not only is the outfit in monochrome colors, as to match with any colored accessories, but the outfit also keeps this Fashionista warm. And while the outfit is simple and fitting for the chilly weather, it is also body fitting and outlines her beautiful curves.

With these clothes, this Fashionista has become a color-block canvas, ready to be painted with beautiful accessories. We start with the tweed plaid hat; the red and darker colors mix together in our favorite vintage pattern to give off an air of throwback class. To go further into the details of her hat, we can see that the hat is elegantly embroidered with gold thread, making the hat pop out. The embellishments on the hat match beautifully with our Fashionista’s tasteful jewelry. She is wearing a brilliant jewel necklace around the base of her neck to catch anyone’s eyes. Next, she pulls out a pearl bracelet to further convey a vintage aesthetic. To complete the outfit, she adorns stunning gloves that encourage the white pearls to pop against the black leather. The gloves’ fur also matches the fur topping her hat to tie the ensemble together.

Whether this vintage voguer is dressing up for a night of celebration or an evening tailgate, we know that she gives off an essence of classy elegance and feminine power. I hope everyone is prepared in celebrating the beginning of another Lunar New Year with outfits that present prosperity and style!

WHAT TO WEAR: Natural Tones

Most snow-loving Fashionistas spend their fall season dreaming of winter’s crisp days: you have just enough time to rise from your plush bed, apply makeup and leap out your door for a day of flurry-filled fun. A typical day might be meeting friends for lunch, dancing with the snowflakes, and reminiscing over the frosty fun with some hot cocoa at the end of the day. Whether you’re running amongst snow banks or bustling cities, your outfit has to reflect the chill, nature-loving aesthetic that you show during your woodsy adventures. I’ve found a Fashionista that makes her outfits warm, playful and comfortable – even while padding through inches of snow.

Although this Fashionista may not be sporting loads of accessories, this outfits simple and dynamic look is something that many winter lovers would love to model! Without dangling earrings, necklaces or bracelets, this outfit gives the wearer the freedom of movement – something that is much appreciated during an extravagant snowball fight or trek through the forest. By jumping onto the bandwagon and sporting the ever-trending keyhole shirt, the ensemble keeps our Fashionista warm with long sleeves while also showing a bit of chest through the cutout. The tee’s simple two-colored scheme, paired with the repeated stripes, also matches an earthy green parka. This monochrome scheme mixed with earthy tones reveals our Fashionista’s earthy aesthetic, which is further accentuated through her Doc Martens. The boots are fashionable and tomboyish, but also keep snow off our Fashionista’s feet as she dances in the snow.

This simple outfit can be tied together with some natural makeup. Our Fashionista has applied light, casual makeup to draw attention to a more natural state of being – our Fashionista is as chill and calm as her look! This natural makeup reflects a bareness that can be seen in Naturism, further drawing out her earthy tones.

I hope everyone is well prepared for looking stylish while playing in the snow. Feel free to groove the day away—because you’re definitely going to warmest and best dressed!

STYLE GURU BIO: Elyzia Zhang

Hey! My name is Elyzia, and I’m a freshman studying at New York University for media, culture and communications. I’m very excited to start my first semester here at CollegeFashionista; I’ve been in love with fashion from a very young age. On top of fashion, I’m very passionate about art, makeup, and design. I love to sew clothing and make and design costumes.

My favorite thing about fashion is the way you can play with it—you don’t have to have one certain aesthetic that you follow, but you can mix and match different styles and articles of clothing to create a creative, unique look! My favorite saying when talking about fashion is that a smile is never out of style. The best way to make certain clothes and aesthetics truly yours is to apply things that you feel represent you. I’m heavily inspired by the TV shows I watch, the music I listen to, and the different aspects of my life that I love. I feel that graphic T-shirts are a great way to contribute a bit of your personality directly to your look. When people look at you, they’ll immediately be able to tell what kind of person you are.

For this look, I took a simple graphic T-shirt from H&M; the cute, repetitive pattern caught my eye and my love for cats. Then, I paired it with a quirky, black, high-waisted A-line skirt. My favorite kinds of these skirts often come with suspenders. I made my outfit infinitely more playful by adding on these black knee-high socks and sweet aviator sunglasses. The finishing touch that made my outfit pop were my Chuck Taylors, which stood out well from the black socks.

I hope you all enjoy this boppin’ look. If you would like to keep up with my clothes and costumes, make sure to follow me on other social medias!