Author: Maya Jimenez

WHAT TO WEAR: Concert

Going to Boston University, especially if you live on campus, it’s pretty hard to not go to a show within your years here. There are several venues in the area—House of Blues, Paradise Rock Club and Brighton Music Hall, to name a few—that often offer great shows geared towards the college-aged community. Even the Great Scott has some awesome shows every now and then, especially when the Allston Pudding is involved.

The great thing about these venues is that the unwritten dress code tends to be fairly similar regardless of the show. This Fashionista is wearing a really laidback outfit, probably fit to go see The Smith Westerns or Delta Spirit. She paired simple T-shirt and jeans with a cute faux leather biker jacket and fingerless gloves. The scarf and beanie are essentials for any winter season, and this Fashionista wears hers really well.

The most important thing about going to any show is making sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes because odds are you’re going to be standing for a long time. This Fashionista is wearing suede ankle booties, which are a personal favorite of mine. Every girl and boy should own a pair.

If you love to discover new music and live shows, the local music scene is at your fingertips, literally. Download an app called Bandsintown. It’ll scan your music library and let you know if any of your favorite artists are coming to town. It’ll also recommend shows for you in the area and let you preview some of the music!

It’s really important to note that while there is a general consensus on what to wear to your regular run-of-the-mill rock show, it’s still fun to play around with your wardrobe. Going to see a poppier artist like Katie Melua or Kimbra usually requires some hair crimping and cutesy shorts with tights. The best way to figure out what to wear is to listen to the artist’s music while you get ready and let the music inspire your look!

One Simple Change: If you’re going to a bigger venue or seeing an artist with a bit of a higher profile, switch out the T-shirt for a chiffon blouse. You’ll be surprised at how it immediately dresses up your outfit. You’ll go from grunge to great in no time.

WHAT TO WEAR: Study Group

Here in windy Boston, the rain comes at you sideways. It’s lovely, really, trying to meet up with your classmates for a little study session while you feel like someone is sprinkling you with water every couple of seconds. I also love having a completely wet backside upon arriving at Starbucks, only to find out when I sit down, feel my bum getting wet and realize that there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I’m kidding.

It’s hard to find something about rain that I really do like to be honest. I’m the kind of girl who likes to sit inside and drink a warm cup of cocoa while I watch rain drops roll down window panes, especially when I have a lot of work to do. However, this Fashionista reminded me that trench coats should be a reason enough to fall in love with rainy weather. When you’re headed to meet up to study with friends and it’s raining out, you don’t really feel like putting yourself together properly. However, if you style your outfit the right way, you’ll be begging for rain everyday. Okay, maybe not, but you’ll at least be well prepared!

This Fashionista chose a great trench coat to keep herself at least partially dry on this rainy day. It’s a great coat for muggy, humid spring days because it isn’t too heavy and won’t weigh you down. I love the drawstrings that allow you to cinch the waist, so your beautiful figure doesn’t get lost under there. She has a great pair of cowhide booties, which are a nice replacement for your leather or suede boots when the going gets tough and the sky gets wet.

Possibly the best tip I can give a girl attempting to brave a rainy day is to pull her hair back. This Fashionista did so in a very Blair Waldorf fashion with a jewel-studded headband. I love it because it’ll keep your hair put when the wind starts blowing it in every direction. Don’t be hard on yourself. Just because the weather has taken a turn for the worse, it doesn’t mean your fashion sense needs to take a hit too.

One Simple Change: If you plan on rewarding yourself with a nice dinner after studying, I’d suggest switching the casual top for a dressier chiffon blouse like this one. It’ll make transitioning from studying to stuffing your face (in a classy way) as easy as getting wet in the rain.

WHAT TO WEAR: Cold Weather

The sunny blue skies no longer fool me. For the past week or so, I haven’t been able to walk outside for more than five seconds without losing all feeling in my hands and face. I wake up hopeful every morning that maybe it’s a couple degrees warmer, but my hopes are always thwarted by reality when I check the weather.

One of the reasons I don’t like the winter is because everyone seems to dress with such lack of imagination; everyone looks so dull and sad in their black and gray winter coats. That’s why this Fashionista immediately caught my eye! It’s always a great idea to add a pop of color in your outfit if you’re feeling kind of fun and it’s even better during these cold months. You’re more likely to stand out if you change your color palette a little bit and spice things up.

This Fashionista chose a bright orange wool coat to make herself pop, which she certainly did. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a huge fan of leather leggings and this Fashionista wears them really well. She paired her outfit nicely with an oversized brown leather bag and a beautiful wool scarf. It’s always a great idea to bundle up around these parts because you never know when those Boston winds will (literally) blow you away!

This Fashionista has a great set of leather gloves and I now find myself wanting my own! They’re great to keep your hands warm while making you look and feel trés chic! Rather than wearing boring winter boots, this Fashionista chose awesome combat boots to complete her look. Try to put a little spin on your cold weather wear to stand out in the sea of black and gray. Who knows? You might put a little smile on someone’s face.

One Simple Change: If you’re running from a late class to a fancy dinner with the girls, you’re going to want to strap on a nice pair of pumps to complete your outfit. Check out this pair from Steve Madden.

WHAT TO WEAR: Weekend Wear

Classes have barely started and I’m already missing being in bed, snuggling under my comforter and dreaming myself away onto a beach in the middle of paradise with a piña colada. I’ve never been a winter kind of gal; I just wasn’t made for it. My mood is determined by the way I feel when I look out my window every morning.

Now that I’m back in Boston, Saturdays are the only days I can do whatever I want without being restricted by homework and job-searching. I usually sleep in, pretending like I have nothing to do until it hits me that I’m being useless and wasting my time. Right around the time I begin wondering what I’ve been doing for the past four hours, I decide it’s time to get outside of my building, even if it’s just for a walk around the block. Now, despite what you may think of me at this point, I’m not as lazy as I’ve led on. Sure, I enjoy staying in my pajamas for as long as humanly possible, but not more than the average college student.

This Fashionista reminded me of the importance of looking good no matter where you’re going. Some of you may think this is a bit of a shallow perspective, but I’m a firm believer that you attract what you put out. If you dress like a slob, people will take you for a sloppy kind of person. I know, “Who cares what other people think?” For me, it isn’t about other people; it’s about respecting yourself and the kind of person you know you are. That’s why I always like to look nice before I go anywhere, even if I just throw on some blush, eyeliner, an oversized blouse and a pair of leggings. If I look good, I feel good, regardless of what other people think of me.

This statement even goes for wintery weekends when I don’t particularly feel like going outside. A pair of comfy black leggings are the gods’ gift to Saturdays. This Fashionista styled her outfit with a simple blouse and a button-down underneath an adorable cable knit cardigan. She cinched the waist of her outfit with a braided belt and matched it with her leather purse. The patent leather flats are a great finish to a simple outfit for a stroll around the city.

ONE SIMPLE CHANGE: If you’re planning on having a nice dinner at one of Newbury Street’s many restaurants, lose the blouse and button-down and add a tunic top to class up your outfit. Depending on how well you do in heels, you can switch your ballet flats for a nice pair of pumps.

STYLE GURU BIO: Maya Jimenez

If there is anything I’ve learned from CollegeFashionista, it’s that you can’t count on others to make decisions for you. Sure, you can spend hours on end perusing fashion blogs and gawking at how awesome other people look, wishing you looked like them. You can imagine a life where your wardrobe has no budget limits and you constantly look like a celebrity.

However, through no process of osmosis or a miracle will you suddenly find yourself taking those risks you’ve always wanted to take. You won’t realize that you don’t need a big wallet to look awesome all the time and that, in fact, you probably already look awesome on any given day. You have to push yourself to be truly outstanding and that push is what will set you apart from everybody else.

My name is Maya and this is my fourth (and sadly last) semester writing for CollegeFashionista. Over the past year, I’ve enjoyed spotting students here and there and photographing them for the site. I started writing the FASHIONISTA/O SPOTLIGHT column last spring and enjoyed asking BU students several questions about their fashion icons, inspirations and favorite places to shop. In the summer, I interned in New York and continued writing the spotlight column. I was able to talk to a variety of students from around the U.S. and the world, learning a lot about New York fashion. This past fall, I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and wrote the FASHION FROM ABROAD column. I met Spanish students and was introduced to the ever-changing European fashion world.

Now, I find myself caught in what feels like a mid-life crisis. Unsure of how to handle my impending graduation date, I check Facebook more than usual and read a lot of articles in The New Yorker. I’ve dusted off my StumbleUpon account and I finished a book in two days last week. I refuse to accept the fact that my college experience is over and even worse, that I have to start looking for jobs. CollegeFashionista is giving me an opportunity to work on something that’s really important to me and build my photography portfolio, which will hopefully come in handy when I’m ready to stop avoiding the unavoidable.

I find fashion to be one of the most interesting forms of self-expression. You can either explicitly tell everyone who you are and what you think, or you can subtly slip through the cracks and go by unnoticed while still making a pretty solid statement. That’s the beauty of it: you can choose how much of yourself you want to expose to the world. I enjoy speaking my mind, however and whenever I can. I’d say that on a good day, my fashion expresses exactly who I am: someone who loves to laugh and make others laugh, a music lover, a sucker for tearjerkers and a left-leaning liberal at heart. After 21 years, I can’t really say there’s anything I’d change about all that.

FASHION FROM ABROAD: I’m Coming Home

My semester in Madrid was probably one of the most rewarding things I've done thus far in my college career. I was so nervous and anxious before going because I didn't know what to expect. When I arrived, I found that most of the other students felt exactly the way I did and I was able to put myself out there to new people and an entirely new culture. I came out with amazing new friends and knowing myself better than I ever have! My self-discovery came with the evolution of my fashion sense and I've become more open to different trends that I wouldn't have been willing to try in the past.

Alas, all good things come to and end, as they say, and my semester abroad is over. Once again, I feel so conflicted: am I excited to go home or am I devastated to leave Madrid? I'm home now and I still can't decide! I can say, however, that I love seeing Fashionistas come home as a chic version of themselves. No more sloppy outfits to spend the holidays with your family; when girls (and boys) come home for winter break, they're more conscious of their sartorialism. Their college adventures, whatever they may be, help them grow up and teach them a thing or two about good fashion. 

This Fashionista is the perfect example of pairing your good fashion sense with the fact that you're home and want to wear pajamas: all day, every day. She's wearing a great pair of riding pants, which give her the benefits of feeling like she's wearing leggings while actually wearing pants. She's also rocking a nice pair of suede boots with tassels and a striped oversized shirt, which is perfectly falling off her shoulder. Her Longchamp bag is big enough to carry her laptop and red sweater, but small enough that it doesn't take over her outfit when she puts it on. 

I would say this look is laidback but super chic, which is perfect for the holiday season with your family—a time where you don't want to put much effort into anything other than sleeping and eating. With that in mind, I hope everyone has a wonderful break with their families, or wherever their adventures may take them. I hope you eat as much homemade food you can get your hands on and that you have a wonderful new year!

FASHION FROM ABROAD: Get It Right, Get It Tight

I don't often wear tights so I haven't really noticed that they're everywhere this season and, well, they've been around for a while. I'm a sucker for all kinds of cool prints and designs, especially when they're applied in interesting ways. Girls have been coming out of their shells and taking more risks with prints, not only on tights, but on pants as well and this is something I absolutely love.

Depending on what you decide to wear your printed tights with, you can get a chic winter look like this Fashionista. She chose to pair her tights with a burgundy dress, which is a hot color this season, Vans sneakers and an asymmetrical leather jacket. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of crosses at a pattern, but I used to say that about skulls and I purchased two skull scarves a couple months ago in Valencia. Suffice to say that as trends evolve, people change.

This Fashionista rocks her tights and I'm a huge fan of the pattern itself because the crosses aren't obnoxious and ubiquitous. They're understated and simple, just like a good pattern should be. I've previously mentioned the dress-and-sneakers trend as a personal favorite and this Fashionista reminded me of it with her cool, collected outfit. 

A great way to adopt a new trend can be by looking at how others wear it and adding a little bit of your personality to it, making it unique and your own. Hopefully that way, you'll inspire others as well.

FASHION FROM ABROAD: Inspiration

I love being inspired. I find it in the cutest pair of shoes and in the best of songs. As a photographer, inspiration comes to me in the form of fleeting moments in my everyday life. And if I don't stop to take it in, it might just pass me by.

Today, this Fashionista was my inspiration; it was literally a scene out of a movie. I was walking down Gran Vía–known for its great retail therapy—and I turned to see this lovely girl owning the sidewalk like a model during New York Fashion Week. If you follow my column, you know that I'm a huge fan of leather on leather on leather. Since Spain is known for its wonderful handmade leather goods, I've fallen even more in love with them. And this Fashionista reminded me of it. Her sleek leather jacket matches almost perfectly with her adorable handbag! I'm not sure if she did this on purpose, but she looks fab anyway. I'm not a huge fan of faded denim, but this Fashionista makes me want a pair so badly. That's honestly one of the best ways to inspire others: make them want what you have. 

I also love her sunglasses. I know some people have a hard time finding the perfect pair of shades, but they key is to get a pair that don't only fit you right, but that you feel comfortable in. Don't get a pair that's too wide for your face because they'll make your head seem small and I'm not sure if there's exactly a time when that's a good thing. 

More than anything, remember to take risks and inspire yourself. Though we all like to impress others with how awesome we look, we need to impress ourselves first.

FASHION FROM ABROAD: Boot-iful

We're all pretty familiar with the boot craze girls go into when fall and winter rolls around. Girls are just so excited to break out these leather goodies every single year. It marks not only the change in seasons, but a change in their closets as well—that's always something they find incredibly exciting. It's like wearing all of their clothes for the first time and that rush of excitement comes back.

Something I've noticed while being here is that guys love boots, too. And it's definitely not just a Spanish thing because I've seen several dudes back home rocking awesome boots. My favorite boot-sporting Fashionistos have to be the Kings Of Leon boys. They're so incredibly stylish and prove that guys can wear longer boots and still look amazing.

This Fashionisto opted for a nice pair of suede desert boots—a personal favorite of mine and many others. They're sleek, comfortable and have the ability to dress any outfit up just enough to make it clean cut. He wore a burgundy sweater—another favorite for this season—and a nice, wool peacoat, tying his outfit together in a very comfortable way. 

I also don't think guys wear skinny jeans enough. I'm not talking about the extremely skinny “girl jeans” donned by stars like Pete Wentz back in the day—I think we can all agree they had their moment, but that moment is long gone. I'm talking about the ones this Fashionisto is wearing: skinny and casual. There's no need to be afraid of these leg-huggers because tapered jeans are as awesome as Betty White in the Snickers commercial. And even though they are jeans, they still surprisingly have the ability to dress an outfit up in a very understated way. 

If you want to try new boots this season, check out Clarks's new Desert Mali boots—guaranteed style. And if you're willing to make an investment in good denim, I've always been a fan of Nudie Jeans. Check out this skinny pair and you won't be disappointed!

FASHION FROM ABROAD: Big Wool Scarf

Last month, the weather in Madrid literally changed from one day to the next. One Saturday was beautiful and sunny so I took a walk with my friends. The sun was shining and we were wearing shorts and dresses as we enjoyed the wonderful warmth. I woke up on Sunday to a very unpleasant surprise: the sky was gray and there was a chilly breeze. I had to run across the street to buy bread and my teeth were chattering the whole time. Ever since, I've noticed the sky fluctuating between being sunny, cloudy, chilly and rainy. I'm used to fast weather changes in Boston, but I wasn't expecting it to get as cold as it has here in Madrid.

Because of the change of season, I've definitely seen a spike in dark fall colors, leather boots and one of my favorite winter accessories: oversized scarves. These are definite fall must-haves, especially for Fashionistas on the go. Fashion here resembles Boston a lot more now that it's cold and people are dusting off their winter clothes. Transitioning your wardrobe can be exciting because you feel like you're wearing completely new clothes. It's also a great opportunity to go shopping and buy the season's new collections as a prize for having to deal with cold weather. That's how I see it anyway. And you can never go wrong with winter clothes because items like wool coats and leather boots will never go out of style.

I own something that's called a Diving Bell Snood from Superdry. I wore it just yesterday because it keeps me incredibly warm and shades my face from the wind. It's wool on the outside with a beautiful cable knit design and has an amazingly soft faux fur lining. Just like this Fashionista, I'm a huge fan of endless scarves because you can loop them around your neck as many times as you want to keep yourself warm while possibly ending your winter day blues. She paired her outfit with an '80s jean jacket and an adorable red wool sweater. Her green scarf complements the red nicely and doesn't take over the outfit. Cable knits always remind me of hot cups of cocoa and Christmas music, which I'm totally OK with…

Chunky scarves are back for the winter and I, for one, couldn't be happier! So bring 'em out girls (and boys) because 'tis the season to keep yourself warm. And in case you're worried about static cling attacking your hair this winter, check out this article for some tips on getting rid of it.