Author: Katherina Kutter-Heinrich

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Fringe Sweaters

This year’s spring runways have been filled with fringe. From handbags to scarves and jackets to dresses, fringe accents can be found across the board. I personally have never been a huge fan of fringe until now. The trend can be traced back to Native American clothing and still to this day have a native American influence. I have come to realize that it tends to make a piece feel vintage with a modern twist. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love that swishing sound you make with every step you take.

This Fashionista opted for a effortlessly casual look with a fringed sweater and super-soft printed knit leggings. I have often found that fringe can be a difficult look to pair other clothing items with. Usually, it is best to wear it with causal pieces or basics so the fringe can be the statement of your ensemble. My personal favorite fringe pieces include this Laura Moshi giraffe sweater, and this long fresh-floral fringe cardigan from Free People.  They both have a relaxed feel to them that makes them easy to pair with and cozy up in during our last few months of winter. If fringed sweaters are not for you, a handbag is also always a great option if you want just a little fringe in your outfit—have fun with it!

STYLE GURU BIO: Katherina Kutter-Heinrich

Hello Fellow Fashionistas! My name is Katherina Kutter-Heinrich and I am junior majoring in Communications and minoring in German at Denison University. I currently call Berkeley, California my home, however attending school in Ohio has made me adjust my style to the cold winter weather. This will be my second year writing for CollegeFashionista, and I’m happy to say that I’m no longer the only one writing for Denison’s campus! Make sure to check out Denison’s three other lovely Style Guru’s posts.

Now a little bit about me. From a very early age I have always had an obsession with fashion.  I would sit in my mother’s closet and play dress up on a regular basis, and to this day I still spend late nights experimenting and trying on different possible outfits for the following day. I would describe my personal style as classic, feminine and simple. I am a huge fan of muted or natural colors, however I am currently trying to take my style into a more colorful direction to prevent myself from catching seasonal depression (as many of us college students seem to do).  My current favorite pieces for winter are my shearling coat, gold statement jewelry and riding boots—I wear them almost every day!

I’m currently in New York city interning for the remainder of my winter break. Make sure to check out my first few posts on fashion advice from a fashion capital, “The Big Apple,” before I return to Denison for another amazing semester back on the hill! I can’t wait to report on what Denisonians have in store for me this semester! Remember, always dress to impress!

STYLE FROM ABROAD: The Funky ’60s

If you have not already noticed, this fall funky '60s inspired patterns seem to be making a comeback from high street to designer fashion. The retro looks are this season's way of making your look stand out. Designers like Marni, Louis Vuitton, Rochas and Prada all seem to have been inspired by the colorful patterns of the '60s. Although this trend may seem intimidating, I thought this Heidelberg native pulled off the trend and made it her own effortlessly. Her bright patterned leggings are vibrant and make her stand out on a grey, cold day in Heidelberg. Her choice to pair it with a solid colored sweater is a perfect one. My common rule is if you have one item of clothing that you want to be the focal point of the look, make the other parts more subdued. She hit this concept spot on. Her brown leather boots and bag are a great basic to add to her fun ambitious ensemble. 

To find your perfect retro '60s inspired piece and don’t want to break the bank on this trend I recommend checking out H&M. They currently have a great selection of fun patterned pieces like this Fashionista's. My personal favorite are these burgundy-patterned pants. You can dress them up or down. Parker also has a great printed skirt that would look great with a black top and tights. Patterns can always be difficult to match, but remember to just keep everything else simple and make it the main item and your bound to rock it.

FASHION FROM ABROAD: Black Out

Greetings from Heidelberg! As the start of the semester is right around the corner here at Heidelberg University College Fashionistas/o’s are slowly trickling back to Heidelberg and can be spotted walking down the Hauptrasses or out of the Mensa (which is German for dinning hall).  I spotted this Fashionista as she was walking out of the Mensa after lunch.  I was intrigued with the way she wore black on black.

After spending an entire summer in New York City where everyone seems to always be wearing black, I have become obsessed with the color or might I say lack there of. I have come to realize that no matter what time of year or season it is black is always in style. Black has always been associated with elegance, seductiveness, and mysteriousness.  It is also a color unlike most others that can suit a range of different ages.  It is a color that can be worn together like this Fashionista did or it can be paired with multiple colors. 

To find your inner dark side I recommend making your staple or basic pieces black since the color is so versatile. These David Lerner cigarette leggings are a great way to incorporate more black into your fall and winter wardrobe.  Also a classic black blouse like this Vince one is also a great black basic that is bound to never go out of style.  

As Coco Chanel always said “Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all…”

Style Guru Bio: Katherina Kutter-Heinrich

Hello Fellow Fashionistas/os! My Name is Katherina and I’m a Junior at Denison University. I’m double majoring in Communications and German. I’m from Berkeley California but this semester I will be studying abroad in Germany!  I have always had a great lover affair with fashion, even from an early age. When I was four I was very opionated on what I wore. I actually refused to wear pants for a whole year and only ever wore dresses. Fourtunetly since then my closet has expanded beyond just dresses. I would still however say that I like to keep things feminine when it comes to my personal style.

This past summer I interned at Elle magazine, as a Market intern for the Senior Fashion editor, Jade Frampton. It was a great experience and I can’t thank them enough for teaching me all the things I learned while working there. The internship gave me even more insight into the fashion world and solidified my goal to continue pursuing a career in fashion.

This will be my second year writing for CollegeFashionista and I’m happy to say that I’m no longer the only one writing for Denison’s campus! So make sure to check out Denison’s two other lovely Style Gurus posts. I can’t wait to highlight the distinctive fall trends and styles the students at Heidelberg University put together this fall. So be sure to check in every Friday for your fill of FASHION FROM ABROAD!

INTERNSHIP FASHIONISTA: It’s Heating Up!

While New York City has been blessed this summer with some amazing weather, the time has finally come for the real heat to take over the city. In most situations I would find myself embracing the heat, but on days when I have to dress for work it can be difficult to convince myself that dress pants are a good idea for the long workday ahead. If you are an intern in New York City, you can count on part of your work day including running around the city doing a few errands during the day so when the temperatures begin to rise it can be difficult for us interns who are often running throughout the city to dress professionally without finding ourselves drenched in sweat by the time we return to the office. This Internship Fashionista was able to do just that by wearing a high-waist skirt and a sleeveless top.

I ran into this Internship Fashionista on my walk home from work and made a mental note on how refreshed she looked. The heat didn’t seem to be having any affect on her work wear so I knew I had to stop her and find out her secret. Her advice on dressing for the heat is to opt for more dresses and skirts since they allow for a breeze while your walking as apposed to pants that often just seem to stick and become tighter in the heat as the workday progresses. So, if you haven’t already taken advantage of the amazing summer sales currently going on in the city I suggest you do! If there is one more piece of clothing you should make sure to invest in, it's work appropriate summer skirts and dresses.

To be stylish in the heat I recommend checking out  H&M or Aritzia, they both have a great selection of fun work aproprait dresses and skirts. Some are even on sale!  My personal favorite is this pastel one.  The length is great for work and it has pockets! What more could a girl ask for? Also since this dress is very basic you can choose to play it up by adding some bolder accessories. Once you have found your perfect skirt or dress for work you’ll be ready to embrace the heat!

INTERNSHIP FASHIONISTA: Aloha From The City

The trends this summer have been taking us back to the root of femininity with soft pastels, bright neon and floral hues. In particular the floral prints have become my personal favorite to wear this summer so, as you can imagine I knew I had to stop this law intern from Holland during her late afternoon stroll through Washington Square Park to snap a quick shot of her pajama-like tropical printed pants.

Her combination of loose fitting floral pants with gold Nike sneakers and matching neon orange laces made up for an interesting pairing that is full of originality and flair.  Her Hawaiian-inspired print pants, which have usually been reserved for travelers in tropical destinations, are a great example of how designers have been reinventing the trend. The pants are the focal point to her ensemble and reflect many of the summer designer runway looks such as Givenchy and Proenza Schouler.

To find your own pair of Hawaiian inspired pants I recommend Zara. They are currently have a huge summer sale and these purple and green tropical printed pants are a great options. If Hawaiian printed pants are too much of a statement for you then you can always opt for a headband like this one from Jest Jewles or simple blouse like this one from Stella McCartney, which is currently on my wish list. Have fun with the floral prints don’t be afraid to make them the statement of your outfit like this Fashionista did.

INTERNSHIP FASHIONISTA: Weekend Neons

I personally love weekends in New York City. Sleeping in, eating a late brunch with friends at The Spotted Pig and taking a break from having to dress up for work. Weekend dressing in the city brings out the more laid-back side of New Yorkers that is often lost during the hustle bustle of the work days.  

This Fashionista intern look is a perfect example of a summer weekend look in New York City. It was her combination of floral shorts and neons that caught my eye. I would never have thought to combine these two hot summer trends together. One of the major trends this summer that you can see from apparel to shoes and accessories, even in nails and beauty products is neons. This Fashionista's look is great for the weekend. Her coral top with bright neon bra and floral cut off shorts is bright and fun and is a fun way to mix this season's trends. 

To find your perfect neon style, I recommend making it an accent color in your look. This will enhance the brightness. To mimic this Fashionista's look Charlotte Russe has a great selection of neon bras that you could pair with a light colored top. You can also opt for a neon bag or necklace as your neon accent peice. ShopStyle is a great way to see what other neon pieces are out there. Play around with different accents since there are so many different options out there to choose from.

INTERNSHIP FASHIONISTA: Classic With a Twist

With internship season fully under way it has become difficult to ignore the many dressed-to-impress college interns strutting their stuff down the sidewalks of New York City. New York City seems to bring out the inner Fashionista within all of us; it's almost impossible not to play around with your style here, even when it comes to dressing for work.

I caught this Fashionista on her way to grab a quick bite to eat on her lunch break. Her classic look is what caught my eye. Her white pleated skirt paired with a blue and white striped blouse looked professional but still young and fresh. The silver studded accents on both her top and skirt added that perfect touch of personality and edge that can often be lost when trying to dress for a corporate environment and this Fashionista did a great job of mixing the two together.  

To get a look similar to hers I recommend checking out Zara. They have a great selection of clothing that I find is perfect for a business casual environment. This Fashionsta even told me that her skirt was recently bought at Zara so you may even be able to snag this very skirt.  Another great place to look is J.Crew or Madewell. They currently have a good selection of basic work-appropriate clothes in fun bright colors! It is important to remember that dressing for work does not mean it has to be dry and conservative. Have fun with it!

INTERNSHIP FASHIONISTA: Running in Flats

Every summer New York City becomes packed with a whole new crowd of ambitious college students taking one step closer in perusing their dream careers and more often then not these interns are always dressed to impress.

On one of my weekend walks through Washington square park I came across dozens of fashionably dressed college students enjoying the sun and street entertainment in the park.  While I was eating my first real New York soft pretzel, I spotted this Fashionista sitting on one of the many park benches in Washington Square.  After talking with her for a couple minuets I soon learned that she was interning at Conde Neste the home of Teen Vogue and Vogue for the summer and like myself attended a small liberal arts college in the mid west. Once we bounded over our experiences in attending school surrounded by cornfields we began to discuss how difficult it could be to dress for work while interning at a fashion magazine.  As an intern you spend a great amount of time of your feet which can make it difficult to wear sky high heels, so us fashion interns must learn to be creative yet comfortable when it comes to our footwear.
This Fashionista intern did a great job still looking casual and put together by combining her cropped top and orange colored jeans with a classic pair of Sperry boat shoes.  Although her cropped top maybe more appropriates for weekends her shoes are a great option for the work place. They are a classic staple that never seems to go out of style and you can rely on them to be comfortable for the entire day.  If boat shoes are not for you I recommend investing in a comfortable yet still fashion forward pair of flats.  For example London Sole always has s great selection of comfortable ballet flats in a large selection of colors.  Also oxfords lace ups are another great option.   Since summer has only just begun make sure to invest in some comfortable flat shoes, since not only will they be good for work, but they will also be good for strolling around the city.