Author: Krystyna Barnard

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Campus Casual

As summer heats up, literally, Fashionistas alike have resorted to shorts, skirts, dresses and rompers as part of their daily ensembles. I noticed this Fashionista during one of my days on campus and couldn’t help but notice how she perfectly combined casual, yet random pieces of her wardrobe to create her look. She paired cream colored linen blend shorts with a light denim button down shirt. The light, airy fabric of her ensemble creates a casual yet chic look, making it perfect for the hot and humid days we’ve recently experienced in the South. To complete her outfit, she wore camel colored moccasins and accessorized with a canvas cross-body bag and large silver earrings.

For a similar look try a pair of khaki colored linen blend shorts and a denim shirt, which was previously featured in one of this year’s issues of Glamour. Pair it with moccasins, a canvas cross-body bag and silver earrings.  Or, for a more dressy look, try a pair of khaki colored paper bag shorts and denim shirt. Pair it with flat strappy sandals or wedges. 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Classically Maxed Out

While models, fashion icons and even students at the University of Tennessee have been seen sporting some of the hottest summer trends like high-waist skirts, shorts and rompers, maxi dresses seem to be a favorite among fellow Fashionistas. Proven to be a casual, comfortable and chic look, maxi dresses come in various colors and styles and have been paired with everything from flats and wedges to cardigans, leather jackets and even denim jackets.

Take this week's Fashionista for example, who has mixed a hot summer trends with a classic denim jacket, an item that’s surely graced the wardrobes of all Fashionistas at some point in our lives.

And although most people, including myself, would generally opt for a cardigan or blazer in addition to our dresses, this week's Fashionista re-incorporated a denim jacket into her ensemble to create a look that’s both trendy and classic.

She was spotted wearing a taupe colored crochet maxi dress paired with an 80’s style denim jacket. The addition of turquoise colored accessories and embellished flat sandals also helps to provide an additional amount of color to her ensemble without taking away from the focal points of her outfit, which are of course the maxi dress and denim jacket.

For look similar to this Fashionista, try pairing a cream colored strapless maxi dress with a light wash denim jacket, turquoise flat sandals and accessories.

Or, for something a little brighter, try a strapless maxi dress in coral, paired with a dark wash denim jacket, strappy gold wedges and accessories.
 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Bold Stripes and Style

Pinstripes, wide stripes, bold stripes, bright stripes…Stripes of all types tend to be one of the most popular trends during the late spring and summer seasons of each year. And although they’re most commonly associated with a nautical appearance, stripes have been seen in various colors and styles on everything from shirts, skirts and dresses to shoes and even accessories.

Take this week's Fashionista, for example. The knit texture of her olive green and beige striped, high-waist pencil skirt gives her a casual, laid-back look. However, by pairing it with a fitted beige tank and embellished, bohemian inspired wedges she creates an outfit that’s not only trendy for the summer season, but perfect for almost any occasion – day or night.

For a look similar to this Fashionista, try pairing a super edgy black and beige zigzag pencil skirt with a fitted black tank and earthy, embellished straw and feather wedges. It's a great summer night out look!

Or, if you’re like me and pencil skirts are not a flattering look for your figure, try a high-waist A-line skirt. Because the stripes of this skirt are diagonal, they'll tend to provide a slimming effect, whereas horizontal stripes typically do not. The subtle blue, cream and red colors of the skirt make for a nautical inspired look, which I previously mentioned tends to happen with striped apparel. Pair with a cream colored tank and striped nautical wedges, you'll be ready for a stroll by the beach in no time! 

To avoid going overboard with a striped ensemble, pair the striped item with a solid. For example, if you have a striped top, pair with skinny jeans or shorts and flats. Or, if you have a striped skirt like this weeks' Fashionista, pair it with a solid top, as I described above. 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Chic in Chiffon

Although spring has come and gone, floral print remains one of the hottest trends of the summer, let alone the entire year! Whether it’s floral print blouses, skirts, rompers or dresses like the one this week’s Fashionista is wearing, we’ve seen it all.

Pairing a black and white chiffon floral print dress from Urban Outfitters with a pair of camel colored espadrille wedges, this Fashionista created a chic and casual look, perfect for a summer day in the South.

The lightweight, airy look of chiffon makes a dress like this Fashionista’s the perfect addition to any wardrobe. Why? Because it can easily be dressed down with a pair of sandals for the daytime, and dressed up with a pair of pumps or wedges for a night out on the town.

For a look similar to this Fashionista’s, pair a dress with canvas espadrille wedges like these or a pair of strappy flats like these, both from Lulu’s. Or for a night out, pair the dress with a sexy peep toe wedges like these from Steve Madden

Hint: Take this Fashionista’s dress, for example. For a dress that's lacking a significant amount of color, by simply adding a camel colored belt to the waist of her dress she could add an additional amount of color to her outfit. And by matching the color of the belt with her shoes, it would help tie her outfit together as a whole.
 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Rock Your Romper

With summer in full swing and classes underway at the University of Tennessee, Fashionistas alike are rocking some of the summer’s hottest trends. A huge trend we’ve seen emerge over the past year, especially during the spring and summer seasons, is rompers. And as things heat up in Knoxville, rompers are becoming hot, hot, hot!

One of the great things about rompers is that they’re simple. There’s no worrying about what shirt to match with what skirt or what pair of shorts because once you’ve got your romper, you’re ready to go. It’s a perfectly chic and easy alternative to shorts and summer dresses.

This Fashionista caught my eye as I spotted her between classes. Rocking a strapless blue and white pinstripe romper paired with rhinestone sandals, Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene canvas tote and brown Ray-Ban Original Wayfayers sunglasses, she created a casual look that is perfect for a hot summer day on campus.

For a similar look, try a grey and white pinstripe romper like this from Forever21 and pair it with sandals and a canvas tote. If you’re like me and prefer solids over stripes, try a blue romper like this from Lulu’s. Pair it with flat sandals for an afternoon running errands, or a pair of blush colored pumps for a night out with the girls.

Websites like Forever21, Lulu’s and Urban Outfitters carry numerous rompers in various styles and colors, so you’ll be sure to find one that suits your style and personality.
 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: The Short on Summer Shorts

Whether you’re on vacation and taking a stroll along the beach, barbecuing on a holiday weekend or rushing to and from summer classes, a trend I’ve seen more often than not this summer is white shorts. From white denim  to white linen-blend, they have become one of the must-have items for summer ensembles. Fashionista’s alike are combining various items in their wardrobe with white shorts to create outfits that are both chic and casual for the summer season.

Take this week’s Fashionista, for example. While it can be somewhat difficult when deciding what to pair with white shorts, this Fashionista was able to successfully create a casual summer look by pairing white cotton twill shorts with a colorful blue and white V-neck, canary yellow cardigan and multi-colored beaded sandals. Because the color choices and patterns of her outfit are simple, she avoids going overboard by clashing various colors and patterns.

For a similar look, try a pair of white denim shorts like these om Forever 21 or a pair of white cotton twill shorts like these from J.Crew. Pair them with a brightly colored T-shirt, cardigan and beaded sandals as this Fashionista did. For a more nautical-inspired look, try a pair of woven shorts like these, also from Forever 21, with a striped T-shirt and a pair of nautical style wedges.

Also, if you’re into accessorizing as much as I am, pair white shorts with a solid T-shirt, colorful scarf and bangles. Wear with sandals or dress it up with a pair of wedges.
 

Style Guru Bio: Krystyna Barnard

Hey Fashionistas!

I’m Krystyna – A born and raised Orange County girl who moved from the sunny beaches of Southern California to the rolling hills of east Tennessee to pursue an undergraduate career at the University of Tennessee.

I’m currently a junior journalism and electronic media major with an emphasis on magazine journalism and am also minoring in political science.

As for my interest in fashion, I wouldn’t say that I’m defined by any one style. I’m really girly, love to dress up and love, love, love to accessorize. But as much as I like doing so, I equally enjoy the days where I can wear jeans and a T-shirt.

And although my college student budget doesn’t exactly allow my closet to be filled with the luxuries of Gucci, Prada and Jimmy Choo, I’m always up for the challenge of finding something comparable, yet affordable, at stores like Nordstrom and Forever 21.

This is my second semester as a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista and I hope that one day, my love for both writing and fashion will lead me to a career in the magazine industry. But until then, I’ll continue to share with you the latest and greatest fashion trends around UT!
 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Re-Boot for Finals

With students in the midst of finals and summer vacation in sight, the last thing on most Fashionistas' minds is fashion. This week’s Fashionista, however, was able to create an outfit that successfully showcased one of the South’s most-loved summer trends — boots.

Like I said in one of my posts earlier this year, Buckle Up, boots have been all the rage around Tennessee’s campus. From jeans and jeggings to dresses, skirts and shorts, we’ve seen boots paired with just about everything this year.

This week’s Fashionista stood out by creating a look that closely resembles those seen in Dukes of Hazard. And what says country better than pairing boots with denim shorts and a tank top?

The neutral camel color of her boots enables her to easily pair them with denim, of any kind and her colored top. Also, to add additional elements of femininity and personal style to her outfit, she could have added a pair of dangling earring and a set of bangles. When adding boots to your outfit, pair them with a casual summer dress (one of my personal favorites) or a look similar to this week’s Fashionista. Try camel colored boots from Steve Madden, denim shorts and a ruffled scoop neck T-shirt, both from Forever 21. It will create a simple, yet chic outfit that can be quickly and easily be replicated from something in just about every closet.

And with that being said, you’ll be able to get ready to take on finals, fashionably, in no time!

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Dress in Southern Style

As a new season approaches, a popular trend that is continually seen every year in the south are casual summer dresses. Whether they’re paired with strappy sandals, cowboy boots or floppy hats, they fill the closets of almost all southern Fashionistas and are considered to be one of the must-wear items of the season.

Also, in addition to that trend, brightly colored apparel is re-emerging in the fashion world for spring and summer. With that being said, this week’s Fashionista perfectly combined both of these trends to create an outfit that exemplifies that of a true Southern Belle.

The brightness and versatility of her turquoise dress is what ultimately makes this Fashionista stand out among the rest. While the ruffles make the dress appear somewhat dressy; they also add an increased touch of femininity to the dress. By pairing it with strappy brown sandals, this Fashionista finds a way to keep it chic yet casual.

Also, the best thing about her dress is that it can either be dressed up or down. For a look similar to this Fashionista’s, try a dress like this from LuLu’s paired with camel colored sandals and simple accessories. Or, dress it up with blush colored pumps like these from Steve Madden. Complete your outfit with simple accessories and you’re all set for a day or night out on the town.

Some of my favorite places to get summer dresses are ModCloth and LuLu’s. From strapless dresses to one shoulder dresses in a variety of colors in patterns, they have something for every Fashionista, guaranteed!
 

STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Hats Off to Spring!

With spring in full bloom and summer fast approaching at the University of Tennessee, Fashionistas and Fashionistos alike are eager for some fun in the sun. And, with summer comes warm weather and stylish summer outfits consisting of high-waisted skirts, floral print camisoles and fedoras.

From Tennessee’s Fashionista’s and Fashionisto’s, to celebrities such as Nicole Richie and Ryan Reynolds, fedoras have reemerged to become one of the must-have accessories of the year. Because they come in a variety of colors and styles, their versatility enables them to become the perfect accessory to any spring or summer outfit.

This Fashionista’s straw fedora helps to create a relaxed, bohemian style vibe to her outfit, while the ribbon adds an element of color and uniqueness to the hat itself. A fedora like this Fashionista’s or like this from Urban Outfitters can be perfectly paired with denim shorts, a tunic and black flats for a chic, yet dressy look. Or, it could also be paired with a cover up for a day by the pool or beach.

Hats off to this Fashionista, literally! Aside from the fedora, she sported several of this season’s hottest trends. To complete her look, she wore a pair of acid-wash jeans, a floral print camisole, a cross-body bag and simple brown sandals.

For the Fashionistos out there, the fedora was initially intended as an accessory for men. Try pairing yours with a classic white T-shirt and jeans or even a suit. Visit Forever 21 or Urban Outfitters to find a fedora that'll match your wardrobe and style!