Author: Katie Higgins

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Make It Your Own

Color blocking is a huge deal this year, but don't forget the power that matching has on an outfit. This Fashionisto shows us that matching is still a good look, especially when you match accessories like he does.

First things first, let’s talk about his beanie. It’s effortlessly cool. Having a bad hair day? Throw on this hat. Beanies have been around for a long time, but they made their come back in the '90s and have stayed a popular item since. The beanie is here to stay, and this Fashionisto rocks a bright red one. His red hat is coordinated with his red shirt and red tennis shoes. One might say it’s too much but it’s actually not. The small glimpses of red in every direction bring the outfit together.

The other thing I love about this College Fashionisto is that he’s perfectly dressed for a rainy day around campus. He looks stylish for class but totally comfortable with his Nike tennis shoes. In case the sun does make an appearance through the overcast sky, he came fully prepared with white-and-silver-brimmed sunglasses. They are a cool accessory that any Fashionisto can wear to show his personality. Think of all the possibilities: colors, shapes, frames and more.

Speaking of personality, this Fashionisto is definitely rocking his own with a nose piercing. It shows confidence and a totally fun, quirky style. The amazing thing about the college generation is that we make our body our own. Clothes aren’t the only way to show our style, our bodies are our canvas. Through piercings, tattoos, makeup and more we define who we are. This Fashionishto is doing just that.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: We Can Pretend

This Fashionisto has one thing on his mind as we can tell by his wardrobe. It’s summer. Unfortunately as all Ohio State students know, we still have five more weeks in the quarter. It isn’t easy watching our friends post Facebook status upon Facebook status that read something like “FINALLY FREE!” or “DONE WITH FINALS!”, but hey at least we can pretend. We can dress like summer is here right?

This Fashionisto shows us how it’s done. He is sporting a light blue V-neck shirt. V-necks are nothing new, but they are totally in style right now. They go with pretty much anything and you can buy them in any color. Bright colors are really in this spring and summer. Go for goldenrod, turquoise, or neon. On top of various colors, V-necks come in different sizes too. If you’re the kind of guy that likes to flaunt your V mix it up and go for a deep V-neck.

The other piece this Fashionisto wears that screams summer are his capris. He rolled his jeans up so you can see his ankles. That’s definitely warm weather wear. There are a lot of ways you can wear this look. There are skinny jeans, white jeans, blue jeans, dark jeans light jeans, and they can all be folded and changed to mimic this Fashionisto.

He kicks it off with a normal pair of brown flip-flops. It’s hard to go wrong with a simple pair of sandals. He’s ready to hit class, oval-beach, or go out.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: New Fashion Meets Old

The sweater vest is an endangered species on college campuses. For some reason I don't catch many Fashionistos sporting this look, and I don't know why. This Fashionisto shows us how to rock a sweater vest in a classy yet casual way for class. If you want to look preppy and intellectual, this is the piece for you.

The navy blue shade in his vest makes his lilac tie really stand out. He paired the vest with a neutral shirt. This look can also be changed around. The sweater vest can be removed and you are left with a white button-down with a tie. Or, let’s say you're meeting your friends out later. You can take the tie off for an even more casual look.

The sweater vest doesn’t have to be preppy. You can find a bright colored vest and pair it with a contrasting solid-colored tie for a trendier spin on a classic look. If that’s too much, just brighten up the tie. Try some color blocking using accessories. This Fashionisto isn’t all prep either, hence his funky pair of Converse All-Stars. He proves that you don’t have to stick to one trend. You can mix preppy style with funky style to make your personality shine through.

If you guys have any cool ways of taking classic looks and putting your own trendy spin on it, let us know. The world is the limit when new-age fashion meets old. That’s where new styles come from!

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Accessories

Accessories often get overlooked, but they have the power to bring an outfit from good to great. Accessories need to be applied with a special hand and require balance. They cannot be under or over done.

This Fashionisto’s ensemble is well put together plus he shows us how the addition of certain accessories bring it to the next level.

First off, he keeps his outfit simple but classic. This year there is nothing more traditional and stylish than a denim button down. He paired his light jean shirt with dark denim pants. It creates a nice color contrast with cohesive and complementary pieces. The dark denim of his pants leads its way down to his stark white unlaced slip on tennis shoes. These shoes are also traditional but the way he took out the laces adds new wave feel.

He wears his button down over another signature piece of clothing, the white t-shirt. The tee, while classic, has a small shirt pocket that is black with white polka dots. This just adds a modern flair to another traditional style.

We’ve covered how wonderfully classic this Fashionisto’s outfit is, but there’s one part that’s not. Finally we’re going to go over all of his well-placed accessories. Let’s start with the  watch. His gold watch is extremely trendy. It also adds some color as you can see the face is bright yellow. The next accessory he sports is his low hanging charm necklace.  It shows up well on the bright white of his shirt and makes you notice the details of his ensemble. The last piece that I love is his headphones. Large headphones are really in right now. This Fashionisto sports bright red ones. Who knew you could color block with something like headphones?

Fashionistos I challenge you to find accessories that work for you. There are so many that small accessories you can play with that alter your look in major ways!

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Texture With Tweed

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, neutrals are big for spring. I’ve seen Fashionisto after Fashionisto sporting the neutral look and it’s been hard not to take pictures of every single one of them.

For variety’s sake, I have refrained, until I stumbled upon this Fashionisto on campus. He pairs neutral colors with different textures to create a well-put together and chic look. From corduroy and leather to tweed, this ensemble has it all.

This Fashionisto’s corduroy pants take shades of green and brown, and the thickness of the material does a nice job to counter balance that of his tweed tie. Tweed isn’t your typical spring wear, but spring isn’t always sunshine and cloudless skies. On a cloudy cold day, tweed is one of those winter items that can easily be brought into your spring wardrobe, especially when it’s an accessory.

A tie isn’t a piece that many wear to class, but it’s an easy way to look professional. This Fashionisto could easily transition from class wear,  to work-wear or even going out attire. With spring is right around the corner, ties might not be the first thing on a Fashionisto’s mind, but another huge fad for spring: bow ties. Remember this post?

Another accessory that works well with his outfit is the leather belt. It brings in his leather Sperry Top-Sider shoes. The belt also adds depth to the neutral color base. He finishes off with a white button-down. A white button-down is a classic shirt that adds a little class to an outfit and goes with everything.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Plaid Fad

Plaid has been in style for a while, but it is going to be really big this spring. This Fashionisto shows us how to ride in style as spring speeds our way. Plaid can be worn on anything. Let’s talk about all the possibilities.

Plaid shirts are great because they are extremely versatile and great for a college student who needs to be classy and casual all in one outfit. Plaid shirts have the ability to be formal for class and relaxed for after class activities. Plaid shorts and pants are a slightly less formal but still stylish option. Plaid shorts are fun and can be easily paired with many different colored shirts.

If you’re feeling dressier than normal, or have a hot date, be adventurous and try a plaid suit. They hit the runways this spring and made a big splash. Celebrities, like Ryan Gosling, have been seen wearing such suits. It’s a new spin on a classic style. There are also accessories that have been plaid-ified. Plaid bowties and ties have hit the fashion scene.

This Fashionisto rocks a plaid shirt while staying active. He’s stylish, sporty, classy and casual, all because of a plaid shirt.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Layer Up

Spring can be unpredictable. One day it’s all blue skies and sweltering hot outside. The next day, it’s frigid, windy and overcast. You never know what you’re going to get.

This Fashionisto shows us a fantastic way to elude the impulsive weather that comes with the spring season. The answer is simple: layer up. This Fashionisto didn’t layer typical winter pieces like a thick wool coat and a sweater. Instead, he layered fresh and breathable spring-style clothing. He wears a windbreaker, hoodie and a simple white tee. Any of the layers could be easily stripped or added and the outfit would still have the same chic look. He tops it off with a neutral windbreaker that’s perfect for a windy, or even rainy, spring day on campus.

There’s something naturally chic about the way he put the outfit together. Everything about it is easy, but it all goes great together. Even down to his sambas, his outfit screams effortlessly cool. There are other ways to look effortless and cool while layering spring clothing. Dsquared’s 2012 spring collection has an inventive take on different ways to layer.

The last thing this Fashionisto did right was adding his vintage-style sunglasses. I've said in previous posts, vintage never goes out of style and we can see that more than ever in these chic sunglasses. The rims of these glasses caught my attention right away. Check out the turtle shell and gold. These details add an extra cool vibe to his overall look.

Try out your taste in layering for spring, or let us all know your great tips for success!

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Gee, We Love Bow Ties

At Ohio State we proudly wear bow ties. Do you know why we wear them? It’s because our incredibly charming and wonderfully adorable president, E. Gordon Gee, is the number one bow tie enthusiast. Gee’s addiction to bow ties began when he was just a teenager. Rumor has it that now he owns over 1,000 of them and doesn’t repeat one for 365 days. Gee even wears a bow tie pin on his suit and, word on the street is, if you ask him for the pin he’ll give it to you. It’s true, I’ve seen it myself. This accessory is part of who Gee is. It is now a unique piece of his personality and a staple of him and Ohio State.

However, the bow tie is still underappreciated, especially on college campuses. That’s why I’m happy to have such a fashion forward president here who inspires Fashionistos, like this one, to dress outside the box.

Many think that a bow tie can only be worn with a suit and dress pants, but this Fashionisto proves that idea wrong. He pairs his yellow bow tie with a nice button-down shirt. From the waist up, his look is beyond formal. Then he dresses it down with a pair of jeans and Sperry Top-Siders, genius! It’s a unique way to dress for class with style and comfort.

This Fashionisto shows us the preppy side of bow ties, but they can be worn in other ways too. For other ways to rock a bow tie, check out Etro’s winter 2012-13 collection. If you have any more ideas on how to style a bow tie, let us all know!

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Pride And Style

There is a sort of uniform at Ohio State that most students live by: sporting Ohio State gear.  I’m sure OSU isn’t the only University in the nation that lives by the trend of school spirit, but we might be the biggest.

Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the nation, boasting over 60,000 students and it’s well known that many of these students are more than proud to be a buckeye. You know, I would bet that half of those students are sporting OSU apparel right now, and probably all of them own a T-shirt or two.

Whether you are the type to rock your school affiliated T-shirt to class or not, there are ways to do it in style as this Fashionisto shows us. What’s there not to love about his outfit? He’s got the cuffed dark jeans, the brown lace-up boots and a winter-warm military style jacket. And, of course, we can’t forget his sneak peak of school spirit.

Every Buckeye has loads of school apparel whether it’s T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, jackets or pants. My challenge to you is to start rocking your school pride in a trendy way like this Fashionisto. If you are an OSU student and don’t have any OSU gear, there are plenty of collegiate stores where you can purchase a few items without breaking the bank. All you have to do is search High Street.

Hey, who says we can’t have style and pride? Go Bucks!

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS: Details In The Fabric

This Fahsionisto did a great job of standing out in the snow. He paired neutral colors and accessories to create a put together and fashionable look. He paired multiple neutral colors, which is an incoming trend for spring 2012. Who says he can’t start sporting the style in the snow? Neutrals will always look good together, they just go.

His red and green plaid shirt is nicely showcased as it pops out of his chunky off-white sweater. The great thing about the red in his plaid shirt is that it adds a pop of color to an otherwise uncolorful outfit. The great thing about the green in his plaid shirt is that it matches his jacket and coordinates his outfit.

This Fashionisto is also sporting a huge staple for winter 2012: lace-up boots. Boots are a new fad for men’s fashion. This Fashionisto pairs his worn leather shoes with a pair of dark jeans. The cool thing he did to show off his boots was tuck in his jeans behind the tongue of the shoe. It really lets you notice the shoe and the excellent color of the leather.

If you take a look at his dark leather bag, you’ll notice it isn’t all one color. Right around the zipper, you’ll see the leather matches his shoes exactly. Another thing this Fashionisto got right, his glasses. They add sophistication for a collegiate look. Also, the gold trim on the glasses draws attention to his face and the big smile he’s wearing.

Little details may seem unimportant, but it’s little things like this that create a sense of cohesion in an outfit. Fashionisto/as, pay attention to the details in the fabric because they make your look that much more chic.