Author: Jordan Miller

6 Items Even Minimalists Should Keep in Their Bathroom

The term “beauty product” probably means something different to all of us. Everyone has their own definition of what counts as a beauty product, and everyone has their own preference for how many they own. For example, I own about 10, but my sister owns at least 100. Whether you’re more like me, or more like my sister, there are a few staple items I think everyone should own, or at least keep in their bathroom “just in case.”

1—Candle

The first is something simple and relaxing—a candle. I’m a candle enthusiast; I always have one in my bathroom, one in my bedroom, one in my kitchen, one on the balcony, etc. Even if you aren’t so into the idea of candles, the bathroom is the perfect place to start! Choose from aromatherapy, citrus, fresh linen, vanilla sugar, and so much more. There is a scent for everyone, and I promise it will make showers, baths, or even just getting ready in the morning better!

PHOTO: Amber Sudra

2—Face Mask

These are a staple item for me. Even though they’re not something I use daily, I always have one lying around. The best part is that there’s a mask for whatever you need—healing, moisturizing, rejuvenating, sleeping, you name it! Not only are they relaxing but they are so good for your skin as well. Your face will thank you.

3—Eyeshadow

If I’m being completely transparent, I am not an eyeshadow artist. I know so many people who are really good at it, but unfortunately, I am not one of those people. However, I do think that eyeshadow is fun to experiment with, and can dress up any look in a matter of seconds.

 

PHOTO: Daisa Harris

4—Facial Spray

This stuff is a game changer. It’s starting to become more and more popular, and I can see why! Whether you choose makeup setting spray, hydrating protection spray, or the ever so popular Mario Badescu Rosewater Facial Spray, you’re bound to feel like a new person after just one use.

5—Perfume

I’m sure this one seems like a given, but I still wanted to mention it, as it is a staple item. I also wanted to share a little beauty hack I recently learned! If you rub a tiny amount of Vaseline on your neck before spraying your fragrance, the smell will last longer!

PHOTO: Emily Truong

6—Bath Bomb

Last but not least, the bath bomb. Similar to candles, I am a sucker for these. I didn’t really get into bubble baths until last year when I finally had my own bathroom and decided to try one of these bombs that were all the rave. However, now I’m really into them. They’re perfect for unwinding at the end of a long day, or even just to relax in the afternoon.

Do you have a favorite beauty product? Share it with us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @cfashionista!

The Back-to-School Bucket List You Need This Fall

School is officially back in session and fall is right around the corner. I couldn’t be more excited for the leaves to start changing colors, the return of football, and the fresh start that a new season brings. However, I know that getting into the swing of things can be extremely difficult, especially in college. That’s why I like to make a back to school bucket list each fall so that I can start the year ready to conquer whatever may lie ahead. It’s also a good way to make the most out of every experience! Whether you’re a new freshman, a graduating senior, or anywhere in between, you will want to make your own back to school bucket list. Here are the top three items on my bucket list.

1—Get a planner you’ll actually use

This may sound like a no-brainer, but I’m a firm believer that there are two types of planner users: those who use them systematically and those who don’t use them at all. I don’t know about you guys, but I tend to fall in the latter. I can’t bring myself to keep it updated as often as I need to or I don’t have “that much” going on a certain week, so I lose track, etc. Whatever the reason, I can never stick with it for an entire year. However, this year I intend to change that. I spent a long time choosing a planner I loved, and I’ve challenged myself to keep up with it and stay organized.

PHOTO: Anna Buckman

2—Try a class outside of your comfort zone

I am a communication studies major, who pretty much only takes communication classes. However, that’s not getting the full college experience, so I like to challenge myself to take a class I wouldn’t normally take. These have ranged from criminal justice to theater to psychology classes. Take advantage of all your school has to offer!

PHOTO: Kenia Viezcas

3—Participate in a school function

I don’t know your school’s level of spirit, but at the University of Alabama, we pretty much live and breathe the Crimson Tide. Maybe you don’t have football, therefore, I encourage you to try something else. Last year, I participated in the Alabama Dance Marathon where we danced for 12 hours straight to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network! I grew closer to my city and my school and that’s something I think everyone should experience!

PHOTO: Kenia Viezcas

Overall, the biggest item on my list every year is to make as many memories as I can and enjoy every single moment. College flies by in the blink of an eye; I remember thinking this even my freshman year. These four years are truly some of the most challenging, fulfilling, and life-changing. While they may not be “the best four years,” in my opinion, they come pretty dang close.

Do you have your own back to school bucket list? Share it with us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

What I Learned From My First Editorial Fashion Shoot

Hey everyone, and happy (official) summer! I am so excited to be returning for my FOURTH semester as a Style Guru and to celebrate one year of interning with this incredible company. As we usher in June, spring colors start to fade along with the blooming flowers and the April showers (thank goodness!). I believe that summer can be a time for reinvention, for a fresh start. A time to try something new, to create an entire new look. So for my June article, I have chosen to do just that!

Inspired by a modern fashion mood board that I’ve been working on, I decided to ditch the pastel sundresses that I usually choose for summer and bought a bright red jumpsuit instead. My goal was to attempt to bring my modern fashion magazine pictures to life. It was a little bit of a challenge, but it was so much fun! While I learned how extremely difficult it is to pose for editorial fashion, and how much work goes into it all, I had a complete blast! I felt confident, which is a rare feeling for me when it comes to being in front of a camera.

I have never tried anything like this before, but I am so unbelievably happy that I did. For the first time, I felt like I actually knew what I was doing, and that I would be able to continue working on my dream of someday having a career in the fashion world. My friend who was my photographer started scrolling through our photos and I was absolutely speechless! I couldn’t believe it was me in the photos.

As I said earlier, summer is time for a new look, and I think I definitely accomplished that this month. For this shoot, I chose to buy some bright blue, modern looking tassel earrings and a large pink ribbon choker. Both of these items have since become staple items in my wardrobe. I wear them so often and have had so much fun finding ways to incorporate them into my outfits. I feel so comfortable with this new sense of style, and I am excited to continue trying new looks.

I hope this post has inspired you to take a chance on a different look or style that you’ve always wanted to try. As our girl Hilary Duff once said, “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” If you had told me last year when I started this internship that one day I’d be taking photos wearing a bright red jumpsuit with my hair in a half top-knot, I would have laughed in your face, but yet here we are. Fashion is constantly growing and evolving, and so are we! Take a chance on your dreams and your style goals, and see where it takes you!

What new look have you tried recently? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista. 

BEAUTY BAR: Out of the Blue

April showers bring May flowers… as well as lots of trendy, colorful, new obsession-worthy looks. In the fashion world, I think spring is a great time to explore all the fun and exciting trends you’ve always wanted to try. This Fashionista I spotted on campus has been doing exactly that! As someone who lives for bright colors and vibrant looks, I immediately fell in love with the makeup this Fashionista had on and knew I had to capture it on camera.

Now, I am no expert when it comes to eyeliner (and happily admit that with no shame), but I know an expert job when I see one. This Fashionista has so much skill, it’s ridiculous! Her bright blue Revlon Colorstay eyeliner was flawlessly done: thin enough to look clean, but bold enough to make a statement.

Personally, I think her eyeliner made the entire look, but this Fashionista’s outfit wasn’t lacking in style either. Her Michael Antonio brown booties go perfectly with her brown tone bracelets to complete this effortlessly chic look.

When I asked this Fashionista the inspiration for her outfit, she said she loves to make her eyes pop. She likes when her makeup stands on its own, and she can dress more casual. To copy this Fashionista’s look, you’ll just need a bright colored liquid eyeliner, a pair of fun booties, and a cute but comfortable slouchy T-shirt.

With spring in full bloom and endless possibilities in the air, I urge you to try a look you’ve been curious about trying. Find a funky new hair dye, rock a pair of knee high boots, or maybe try a neon-colored nail polish. I hope this post has inspired you to go out of your comfort zone because you never know what you’ll find “out of the blue.” Happy beautifying!

STYLE GURU STYLE: Spring Forward

Spring is officially here and so are all of the trends from the spring runway shows! I am so excited that I can finally break my out my sunglasses and lightweight dresses because winter is over and I no longer have to wear nine layers of clothing. So long scarves and leather jackets, hello bikinis and sunscreen!

Luckily for me, in Alabama the weather is somewhere in between spring and summer, meaning it’s not too hot but it’s definitely not too cold. I don’t need a sweater to step outside, but if I want to wear something more than just shorts and a tank top, I won’t sweat to death.

As I was researching for this upcoming spring, I came across the Diane von Fürstenberg spring 2017 ready-to-wear collection. It is a little bit out there for my taste, but it had exactly what I was looking for. At the end of last summer, I acquired a sundress from a friend and I couldn’t wait for the perfect opportunity to wear it. I’ve been waiting so long that I just knew I would find a way to sneak it into my spring wardrobe. Who says you can’t wear summer wear in the spring anyway? In fact, just a few weeks ago I believe we sprang forward, therefore, so did my wardrobe.

Inspired by the photos in the Fürstenberg Vogue runway lookbook, I decided to give it a try. I wore a sundress with high heels for a day out and about over my spring break. I was a little nervous at first, but I ended falling in love! This look is the perfect combination of casual and classy. It’s comfortable, (I mean, it’s a sundress, hello), but it’s also classic. The heels add a nice touch that a sundress is otherwise missing. Instead of screaming “Look at me, I’m on the beach!” it screams “Look at me, I look stylish and cute right here in the middle of spring.”

I am fully convinced there is a reason these dresses are called sundresses and not summer dresses. I believe they can be worn at any time you so please… as long as the sun is out, of course.

I hope this has inspired you to try some of your favorite summer looks right now in spring, and if you liked what you saw in mine, here is how you can get my look: a lightweight, flowy and long length sundress, a pair of lace-up or tie-up high heels, and a floppy hat.

STYLE ADVICE: Simply Bombin’

I spotted this Fashionisto on campus and instantly knew I needed to capture his look. He was leaving an afternoon class, and was soon headed to an event in Birmingham. When asked what inspired his look, he said, “Bomber jackets are really in right now.” And he is so right!

My favorite part about this Fashionisto’s look is that he chose to wear a simple white shirt and jeans so that the jacket would really stand out. The bomber makes the main statement, and then he adds sunglasses and a watch for a final touch.

The Michael Kors jacket is light, so it’s perfect for the crazy back-and-forth weather of a typical Alabama spring. It’s not too hot, but it keeps you warm during the colder, breezy hours.

The Fashionisto chose Converse shoes to keep the look casual, and I think the white shoes paired with the white shirt is what makes the outfit pop.

His choice of accessories though are what really ties the look together. The Ray-Ban sunglasses are simple enough that they don’t steal the show, and the Fossil watch makes a statement that says “I’m fashionable but I mean business.”

When asked about any changes the Fashionisto would make to alter the look, he said he would trade the Converse for Calvin Klein Clarke boots to dress up the outfit. In fact, he was planning on making that change himself for his event in Birmingham that night. He said, “It’s a simple change that instantly amps the look up from casual to dressy.”

Based off of this look, my style advice to you is to find a bomber and let it be the statement. Feel free to add some accessories, and don’t be afraid to choose casual shoes or dressy shoes, depending on where you’re going!

STYLE GURU BIO: Jordan Miller

Hey y’all, my name is Jordan and this is my third semester with CollegeFashionista! I am so excited to continue growing in the fashion industry and learn even more from what this internship has to offer. I absolutely adore being a Style Guru and I can’t wait to see what this next semester has in store.

I’m a junior at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) and my major is communication studies. I hope to someday work in social media, preferably in the fashion industry. I also love writing, so maybe journalism could be mixed up in there a little bit too. I’m not too worried about it, because as long as I have a passion for what I’m doing, I’ll be happy.

When it comes to my personal style, I am literally all over the place. One day I’ll wear a skirt with tights and a cashmere sweater, and the next day, a leather jacket with leather booties and a black choker. I like to mix it up, so everyday is an adventure. One thing that remains constant though, is that my outfit will never be complete until I have a coffee in my hand. Hot or iced, depending on the weather, but a paper or plastic cup will always complete my ensemble.

I’m basically Lorelai Gilmore, because when it comes to caffeine, I cannot have too much. I’m the same way with Netflix, and I’m honestly not sure which one is more unhealthy. I say that I’m trying to work on it, but between you and me, all I’m “working on” is picking out my next show to binge watch.

My favorite part about being a Style Guru is that CollegeFashionista is constantly pushing me to be the best that I can be. Every semester I learn more and more about fashion. I love browsing Vogue runway shows, stalking fashion icons on social media, and doing research to find out what the big trends of next Fall will be. I also love to look back and see how my style has evolved over the past few semesters. It’s exciting to see the changes and the improvements I have made and I can’t wait to see how I continue to grow from here.

In these photos I am wearing a simple black dress, with a denim shirt tied around my waist, and of course, my trusty ole Converse. It’s a casual and simple look to pull off on any busy day, and you could dress it up by doing your hair and adding maybe a cute crossbody bag!

Well, that’s all I have for now. Keep up with me on social media, and/or if you go to Alabama, you can catch me at the campus Starbucks, “working” on my marble covered laptop and sipping a Trenta iced coffee. Feel free to come say hi! I can’t wait to start spotting all the trends at the Capstone, it’s going to be a great spring semester!

 

STYLE GURU STYLE: Falling for Spring

Hey y’all, and happy (almost) winter! Fall is quickly coming to an end and before that happens I always like to do a little research on rising trends for the spring. The other day I was browsing a few Vogue runway shoots and I fell in love with the Alice + Olivia spring 2017 ready-to-wear collection. Luckily for me, we don’t really get winter here in Alabama so I get to test run these spring looks over the break! I was super inspired by this show and immediately wanted to give it a try. One of the looks really spoke to me because it had a crossbody bag and I just got the most beautiful new crossbody bag last weekend. I really wanted to use it in this shoot so I chose this look as my muse when getting dressed.

I absolutely adored the idea of a busy dress paired with a statement bag and a statement pair of sunglasses. I usually only have one statement so this was going to be a challenge for me. I am also not extremely talented when it comes to doing hair, so my friend helped me achieve the messy braid look I was stealing from the model. Side note: my hair had been straightened the day before, so they added some volume with hairspray before tying in the braids!

Once I had this look ready I knew I was hooked. I felt so proud and inspired knowing where I got the ideas from and I was so excited that I found a way to make it work! If you want to #getmylook all you need is three simple things. First you’ll need a busy patterned dress; preferably short. My dress was from One Clothing which you can find at Nordstrom. This dress happens to be a few years old and probably discontinued, so I found a similar one here. This one is so cute (and comes in two different colors) that I almost bought one myself! Second you’ll need a funky crossbody bag. This one is my absolute favorite, which you can get right here. It also comes in black and white. Lastly we have my guilty pleasure, a pair of chunky sunglasses. In these photos I am wearing my favorite go-to trusty old pair of Kate Spade glasses. It’s always fun to expand and my current obsession is this pair of Michael Kors sunglasses.

I had so much fun exploring this show and you know I started following Alice + Olivia on Instagram. Check out the show for yourself and maybe even search some others, getting inspired by a different look of your own. You can never go wrong with scanning through Vogue and I hope you feel a little bit more prepared for spring 2017!

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Florally Yours

Hey y’all and happy fall! I am so excited for this season to start. It’s one of the reasons I chose to go to the University of Alabama. Being from Florida, I’m used to getting one season and one season only: summer. But those days are long gone as here the leaves are starting to change color and there’s a breeze in the air. Every day Alabama gets more and more beautiful, and so does it’s fashion!

I ran into this Fashionista on the way to Starbucks on Sunday morning. We were both just trying to grab our caffeine for the day. But she looked entirely put together and stylish; nothing like the sea of casual T-shirts and Nike shorts that she stood in. I was super impressed and decided to capture her look for my November post of the month!

With the bright colors of orange, red and yellow against navy, her outfit screams “fall” without being overdone. I love the way she paired it with brown shoes and red earrings, yet the blue is still a major component. I think keeping a monochromatic background is important, especially with all of the floral happening. The blue keeps everything else from being too busy.

When asked what inspired her look, this Fashionista said she usually tends to go for black and gray colors. However, when she found this dress she knew she needed to expand her closet and try something with a pattern. She also said, “One of my favorite parts of the dress is the neckline because it’s almost like a built-in choker. It helped me feel like the dress was the statement and I could go minimalistic with jewelry, which was nice because I’m already not a jewelry person. At all, haha.” I loved her earrings and ring as well. I think they added to the outfit without being too much.

If you want to take this Fashionista’s and my advice, try something that you don’t normally wear. Going a little out of your comfort zone can do wonders for your wardrobe, style and confidence! If you want this Fashionista’s look follow these three simple statement items. First, a flowy dress. Hers is from Altar’d State, but online that color is sold out so I found one very similar for y’all here. Second, you’ll need a pair of chunky simple wedges. This Fashionista got hers for a bargain at Target and they’re super cute! You don’t always need to spend a fortune to get the job done. Lastly you’ll need a statement pair of earrings, she says. Her dress required no necklace, because it basically had one built in. Aa pair like this will do or maybe something more simple or more elaborate depending on your taste.

WHAT TO WEAR: Class

I ran into this Fashionisto on campus on his way to class. At Alabama, almost every student opts for Nike shorts and T-shirts when it comes to what to wear during the week. However, this Fashionisto didn’t let the campus norm dictate his style. “While it can be easy to want to wear the extra comfy so-called Alabama ‘uniform’, I force myself to get dressed even when it can be really difficult. When I feel my best, I perform my best—both in school and at work,” he said.

He rocks an easy and comfortable look that battles the Alabama heat, while still looking fabulous and expressing himself through his outfit. The green T-shirt complements his green Keds; the two items creating a pop of color against his khaki shorts. For accessories this Fashionisto chose a Lokai bracelet that was a gift from Haiti, and of course, the ever-growing popular Fitbit. He tops it off with his favorite Ray-ban sunglasses, perfect for both function and fashion while walking across campus.

When asked about how he chooses his outfits in the morning, this Fashionisto explained, “I try on at least three outfits every day. My mindset each day is that you never know who you’re going to run into or who you’re going to meet.” At the end of our conversation, I asked him what could be one simple change to make to this outfit so it is appropriate for an evening out. His suggestion was switching out his shorts for a pair of colored denim pants—he recommends a light brown. I really enjoyed getting to talk with him and after this conversation I am inspired to dress up more on campus here at Alabama!