Author: Emily Oen

STYLE GURU STYLE: Shaggin’ Into Spring

The spring season is upon us, but before we start dressing in our daisy dukes, we prepare for April showers. These wet and dreary next few weeks might not call for our sturdy winter coats anymore, but it is my favorite time to bring out my fun and wild, lightweight jackets. Very recently I snagged a stunning shag material bomber jacket. While warm and cozy on the outside, the inside is entirely satin, which makes it the perfect lightweight jacket to edge-up any rainy day outfit.

It’s a no-brainer that this jacket is the star show of my overall look, so I stuck with basic pieces that wouldn’t draw attention away from my favorite purchase. I went with my go-to denim ripped jeans which matched the edgy and cool vibes the jacket gave off, especially with the high-neck collar. To pair with the jeans I reached for a simple white, ribbed V-neck. To create a more casual, street style look, I added my Adidas Superstar sneakers to bring some brightness to the outfit. Finally, to finish off this trendy ensemble, I reached for a silver, long chained necklace with triangle detail to add spunk. Before leaving the house, I grabbed a frayed crossbody bag to hold all my essentials.

I’m in love with how the overall look turned out and can’t help thinking this bomber was a complete steal. The piece itself is so rad and eye-catching, yet it creates for the most casual and street style look. April can be an overall dull month, but with fun and eccentric pieces, you can rock the city streets.

STYLE GURU STYLE: Justifying Joggers

Lately, I’ve found myself being a huge sucker for joggers. Not only are they my go-to loungewear, but now they are my favorite evening look.

During a recent shopping trip, I scored myself an army-style jogger pant, which featured the same cinched ankle and drawstring waist you would see on those you might wear to bed. However, the piece transitioned into an evening look with the pocket details that gave it a structured look, as well as the fabric which resembled a polyester feel. I took it upon myself to style this urban pant for a night on the town.

I wanted to keep the edgy feel that the pants gave off, so I steered towards a rather overall dark and daring look. For my top, I tucked in a sheer dotted top that would show some skin, but kept it classy by pairing that top with a simple black bodysuit. For a more sultry feel, I would have swapped the bodysuit with a lace bralette. To add some much-needed sparkle to such basic pieces, I added my favorite coin necklace that brings a statement to any look. It’s essential to all of my evening looks to always have a light jacket on hand because I never know where the night might take me. I threw on this copper colored leather jacket to add some color to the outfit. Now, to the shoes to finish off this evening look. I reached for my cutout pointed toe heels to keep the outfit clean and tied together. These shoes have a thick heel which I absolutely adore because comfort is so necessary for any nighttime look.

I’m obsessed with the versatility that this outfit has. There are so many diverse pieces that come together to create a bold look. I think mixing and matching items from your closet can be so rewarding and you’d be surprised how you can highlight basic pieces like the jogger. The jogger pants were recently know as loungewear, and now known as an evening piece.

WHAT TO WEAR: Cold Weather

The winter season seems to drag on forever here in Minnesota, which in turn brings everyone’s mood down to a dull, bland, and “blah” feeling. Creating cold weather looks in this season can often prove to be quite the challenge. It leaves everyone thinking,”How can I bundle up and stay warm, but also model a trendy outfit?” It wasn’t until I was walking to my noon mass media class that I spotted a Fashionista sporting a breath of fresh air in this dreary weather. I, without a doubt, had to cover her ensemble and share it with the CollegeFashionista community.

This Fashionista was leaving the local campus coffee shop when I pulled her aside to chat about her breathtaking and simplistic look. What really drew me to her outfit was how nicely the burnt orange color of her frayed-edge poncho looked against her hair and skin color. It was obvious that this poncho was the focal point of her look, as she opted for darker colors underneath. She modeled a solid black long sleeve tucked inside a classic blue jean, with a small cuff to flatter her legs and show off those gorgeous booties. This Fashionista paired the look with black, pointed-toe booties that displayed an edgy V-cut along the sides to show some much-needed skin. In a campus where the only skin exposed in the chilly months is our rosy cheeks, it was so inspiring to see how this Fashionista found a way to let her legs breathe while also keeping the toes warm. The more I talked to this Fashionista, the more I began to notice the little details of her look. She paired the outfit with simplistic, gold jewelry to break apart all the solid colors by adding bling. Her pearl necklace, ring set, and watch are all from Charlotte Russe. Her final touches included adding a darling, brown, elastic ribbon hair tie for class.

For cold weather students who might be in the same pickle as this Fashionista and myself; where staying on trend but also keeping warm can be tough, I strongly encourage playing with ponchos, coats, and jackets. These pieces can be thrown on top of a pair of jeans and plain shirt so quick, but yet add those bold pops of colors, prints, and edge you might be looking for. Don’t let the bitter weather scare you away from staying innovative and trendy with your looks!

STYLE GURU BIO: Emily Oen

Hello Fashionistas! My name is Emily, but most people call me Ems. I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Minnesota, so if you’re thinking I have the typical Minnesotan accent then you betcha. What I love most about Minnesota is that I can get a taste of the suburb, city, country, and lake life all at once. I recently made the transition from living at home and attending community college, to living in the dorms while attending Minnesota State University Mankato. While I’m here, I will be pursuing a major in mass media communication with a minor in marketing. This new year will be full of change and nothing short of an adventure for me.  I look forward to sharing with you the trends I try to encourage across this beautiful campus, as well as the amazing looks I spot amongst my fellow students.

While we are entering the spring semester, the Minnesota weather doesn’t show signs of temperatures above 50 degrees until March. So for now, I’m stuck styling fashion forward cold weather looks. The outfit I’m showing you today is my typical everyday look for running errands, attending class, and getting work done! I These ripped jeans are my go-to and not to mention, extremely comfy. I edged them up with a western style belt from ASOS. I paired them with a white, ribbed, v-neck cropped top that truly makes my handmade, pink, druzy stone necklace, pop in vibrance. I wanted the necklace to be the standout piece, so I kept the outfit clean by throwing on an oversized, plaid poncho with solid black, pointed toe booties to match. There are so many pieces to this look, but it flowed so nicely together.

I think the most prominent thing you will notice about me throughout this spring season is that I don’t have a pinpointed style quite yet. The beauty of being young is that I’m still trying to figure myself out, so I love trying trends from every category.

STYLE GURU STYLE: The Seasonal Slip Dress

‘Tis the season to shop for warm, yet trendy peacoats and stock up on all the coziest knee-high socks. It seems that once the temperatures drop, and there’s a slight chill in the air, we toss all our spring and summer pieces aside. I’m challenging this yearly ritual and finding a way to incorporate some of the trendiest skin-bearing pieces I have into my winter wardrobe. My first task is the slip dress.

Drawing some major inspiration for my own look from the Wanda Nylon fall/winter 2016–2017 ready-to-wear collection, I used the classic technique of layering to combine differing season pieces. My favorite look of Nylon’s incorporated that street style vibe by pairing an elegant slip dress over a plain white T-shirt, accessorized with black frame sunglasses and paired with a thigh-high boot. I found that the look embodied both the winter and spring season, which I recreated in my own look.

For me, winter screams turtlenecks, so I paired my rose gold, slip dress over a ribbed sweater. I opted to pair the look with a knee-high boot versus a thigh-high boot to make sure I still had that peek-a-book of leg in the outfit. I wanted to dress the elegance of the slip down by working with natural hair and accessorizing with a clear-framed, geek-style sunglasses. I didn’t want the neck to feel heavy by adding a glam statement necklace, so I paired the look with my favorite bolo tie to hang loose, but add contrast. The overall look felt both trendy and street style.

STYLE GURU STYLE: The Choker Comeback

Calling all my fellow ’90s babies, chokers are back! Not only is our beloved tattoo, elastic choker currently in style, but it’s taken on many new forms. From velvet, satin, lace, beaded and so on, the choker family has grown immensely. Amidst this all, the trend has found it’s way into major runway shows, one of which was Fenty x Puma, ready-to-wear spring 2017 Collection.

The designer behind the collection, Rihanna, is known for bold and edgy statement looks that grace every red carpet lucky enough to have her. The spring 2017 collection, however, brought out her girly side with frills, pale pinks, lace and sheer textiles. Her looks were accompanied by some amazing styling of accessories, which featured a handful of various of chokers, one of which carried a satin-like appearance. I was awestruck over her collection’s play on soft but sexy pieces and wanted to channel this within my own look.

The obvious focal point of my look was the deep teal satin choker. This piece immediately brought the edge to my outfit that I was looking for when trying to recreate any mock Rihanna look. I paired it against a smocked off-the-shoulder top from Urban Outfitters that added the girly and delicate contrast, similar to that of the ready-to-wear collection.

Given the weather conditions in Minne-“snowta” (Minnesota), I opted for high-waisted, dark wash jeans that fit me in all the right places. While I would’ve opted for a cute skirt, I think the fitting of the jeans added that sultry appeal Rihanna’s collection implied. To finish it off, I added a lace-up heel in the color “sand suede.”

WHAT TO WEAR: Brunch

Thankfully, for those students who hit the snooze button more than a handful of times in the morning at the expense of missing the most important meal of the day, we’ve still got options for our scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. We’ve got brunch. The best part about this savory meal time is that you can sleep in till around 10:00 a.m. and still have some of your favorite breakfast foods. I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of starting my mornings feeling and looking good. Brunch allows for the stylish individuals to opt out of their 7:00 a.m. pajamas and into a comfy chic look. I spotted this Fashionista walking to Sunday brunch when I asked her for all the details on this street-style look.

Decked out in everything Target, this Fashionista styled an easy and on-the-go look while staying on a budget. The focal point of this look is the peach and floral embroidered, peplum tank. Floral accents add a soft side to any look and are super feminine. The top flows beautifully over this Fashionista’s cuffed, denim, blue jeans. To keep this look comfy for the mid-morning meal, our Fashionista paired ankle strap sandals with a unique braided detail. In color coordination with her shoes, she paired a faux leather crossbody bag with gold accents from Forever 21. For the finishing touches, the Fashionista added her gifted rings that she never leaves the house without and a gold watch for a pinch of sparkle. This Fashionista took essential college wardrobe pieces and turned them into a soft and feminine look for brunch with friends.

While this look allows you to travel from brunch to class, how about the girls night out that calls at 8:00 p.m.? Pairing a heeled shoe with this look takes it from soft and cute to bold and fancy. Try adding a couple inches with a thick stacked heel and stud detailing for a more nighttime edge.

STYLE GURU BIO: Emily Oen

Hello, Fashionistas! My name is Emily, but most people call me “Ems.” I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Minnesota, so if you’re thinking I have the typical Minnesotan accent than you betcha. What I love most about Minnesota is that I can get a taste of the suburb, city, country and lake life all at once. I’m currently in the suburbs attending Normandale Community College pursuing a degree in communication studies through Mankato State University. I thoroughly enjoy getting ready for school and feeling free to try out any style and trend I’m feeling that morning. In dull classrooms, I love being that burst of color and fun prints that walks through the door on the first day.

Enough about school—I’m a firm believer in spoiling yourself with clothes, coffee and Netflix whenever you want. If I’m not working on posts for CollegeFashionista, you can find me binge watching Grey’s Anatomy in Victoria’s Secret Pajamas while sipping an iced caramel latte.

The look I’m showing you today is a typical everyday outfit that I would totally be caught wearing back to back. Not only is it one of my favorite daytime looks, but every piece I purchased was so affordable. Starting with my color blocking, button-down, I purchased this for only $10. To give it the casual vibe I wanted, I only used a few buttons and added a halter neck, lace bralette underneath. Dainty pieces peeking out of tops like these are a must for me. I paired this ensemble with my go-to vintage, denim, Levi shorts, along with a braided belt. And, who doesn’t love a good tote bag (especially the ones that only cost $10—thank you,Target)? I love this light gray color that pairs with anything, and the stitching on the side is an eye-snatching detail. The shoes absolutely take this look from something rather clean and cut to a more colorful and fun vibe. Again, another steal; these pom-pom sandals were only eight dollars, pretty sweet. Finally, I added another accent color with my turquoise ring and threw on a simple watch I never leave the house without. These pieces were all so different, yet they came together in the most exciting way.

I think the most prominent thing you will notice about me throughout this fall season is that I don’t have a pinpointed style quite yet. The beauty of being young is that I’m still trying to figure myself out, so I love trying trends from every category.

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Bomber Babe

I may have just found your new favorite style of jacket that works for just about every season. A jacket in summer? I know, it’s crazy. It’s close to impossible to go into any retail store this month without seeing the bomber jacket. This piece is known to be light, with a satin-like feel, that accentuates any outfit. You can get your hands on one in just about every color, texture, pattern, and length. So with such a versatile piece, how do you even know where to start with styling it? Well, this Fashionista has got you covered.

With jackets in general, it can be easy to opt for dark colors and edgy looks. Take for example the fall 2016 ready-to-wear YEEZY collection. Kanye West showcased a variety of show stopping bombers in this collection that were paired with a group of neutral colors such as taupe, black, chocolate brown, etc. However, as the trend has continued to rise, there’s been an increase in the overall color palette for this jacket to include bright and fun colors such as sunshine yellow and bubblegum pink. The bomber jacket is no longer restricted to this dark and edgy look they were once introduced as, but now are open to just about any style out there.

I spotted this Fashionista heading to her local coffee shop when I couldn’t help but take a long gaze at her cotton candy pink bomber. Not only that, but her look captured that edge while sticking to those rather light colors at the same time. She paired her bomber with the equally on trend crisscross, cotton T-shirt, that also had a fun tie-dye print to enhance this solid color look. Her look began to scream edge with the use of the destroyed, light wash jeans, and lace-up combat boots that featured a solid heel to still give this look a flirty and fun aspect. With so many clothing pieces already, this Fashionista stuck to minimal jewelry by sporting an embellished, gold bracelet. This Fashionista incorporated a variety of colors that in the end played wonderfully together and gave her the casual, street style look she was going for. 

What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “With bomber jackets, it’s all about versatility, they can easily be worn for casual wear with boyfriend jeans, or made sophisticated paired with a dress.”

WHAT TO WEAR: Celebration

Happy Summer Birthday, Fashionista/os! Achieving the perfect look for any kind of celebration is no easy task, especially when the heat of the season kicks into full force. Rather than sticking to bland and minimal pieces of clothing to avoid becoming drenched in sweat on your special day, search for fun prints of your favorite light and airy pieces. No pants? No problem. I seriously live in dresses all summer long because they’re the perfect way to stay completely comfortable, while totally flirty. Plus, we avoid the inevitable sweat stains. The Fashionista pictured totally gets where I’m coming from and went with a fun, flirty and floral look to celebrate the weekend events.

This Fashionista isn’t letting the spotlight slip away today, as she sports fun and bright colors that truly encompass one of the girlies’ birthdays. Immediately, your eyes are drawn to the crazy, vivid coral platform heels that make her whole look pop. To coordinate with the heels, the vibrant florals on her crisscross flared dress accentuate not only her curves but, the chest as well. In an effort not to go completely overboard with the warm colors, this Fashionista paired a light wash denim jacket with her look to give it a more casual vibe, which is perfect for the daytime. What would a completed look be without the jewels? To top this look off, a gold chain cuff was added, as well as staple gold rings from Forever 21. Overall, this celebration ensemble is minimal and the use of fun prints and loud colors gives it that all eyes on me appeal. This Fashionista is ready to blow out her candles!

One Simple Change: While this daytime birthday attire is classy enough for your eldest invites and family, how can you transform this into a nighttime look with your girlfriends? Instead of a flared floral dress, opt out for a solid color bodycon dress that will hug you in all the right places. The denim jacket creates for a sultry, yet casual look.