Author: Paige Cero

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Hanayo Hasegawa

Dressing for a day of class is difficult. Starting in the morning always motivates one to layer up, while the afternoon requires at least two limbs exposure to fresh air. This Fashionista captures the essence of early fall class wear.

Name: Hanayo Hasegawa

Year: Sophomore

Major: Journalism

CollegeFashionista: What is your style?

Hanayo Hasegawa: I’ve never really been asked so it’s hard to answer, but I’m probably a mixture of street and chic/smart. Topshop basically sums it up for me.

CF: Where does your inspiration come from?

HH: My biggest inspiration probably comes from Japanese street style, especially Harajuku.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

HH: Rumi Neely. She has all the beautiful and basic clothing and shoes that I would never be able to afford!

CF: What’s next on your shopping list for fall?

HH: A lot of socks and a pair of suede biker boots.

CF: What has been your favorite trend over the years?

HH: The oxblood color trend and the sheer material trend.

How To: This Fashionista is dressing for class. For a base she wears shorts and a tank. For depth and warmth she used a knit sweater. The sweater is moderately oversized. To maximize the fashion potential she half-tucked the sweater into her high-waisted shorts and cuffed the sleeves mid forearm. The cuff roll mixture of the sleeves allows for bracelet exposure. On the neck this Fashionista uses a chain-linked, gold metal necklace that touches the brim of the sweater’s neckline. The necklace becomes a strong piece due to the neutral color palette of the outfit and the size of the chain-linked shapes. On her feet this Fashionista wears combat boots. She leaves the top shoelace hole unused for a loose look and allows her printed socks to peak out.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Rachel Belconis

Looking back at old pictures two things happen: memories and evaluation of one’s appearance. Memories never go out of style, but unfortunately looks do. Each decade holds a horrific bundle of trends. The trends that we don’t cringe at come often back around some years soon after. This Fashionista supports a simple look, one that is neutral and hard to go out of style.

Name: Rachel Belconis

Year: Junior

Major: Finance

College Fashionista: What is your style?

Rachel Belconis: I would say my style is pretty simple. I tend to wear full colors rather than patterns because I like the clean and cut look. I tend to be attracted to neutral colors and accessorize with silver jewelry.

CF: Where does your inspiration come from?

RB: I don’t think my inspiration comes from anywhere specific. My style is majorly based off of feeling comfortable and cute. I suppose if anything it could have to do with growing up in Chicago. There’s a pretty big selection of stores to choose from, so I never had to conform to a specific look.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

RB: Jessica Alba. She has great fashion sense with a conservative flair. Every time she is photographed she appears effortlessly put together. I also wouldn’t say she falls victims to fads. Most of her outfits withhold time.

CF: What’s next on your shopping list?

RB: Probably a pair of fall boots. I prefer a riding boot height and chocolate brown although I know shorter booties are rising in popularity.

CF: What has been your favorite trend over the years?

RB: Definitely a knit sweater with leggings, leg warmers and boots. 

How To: To obtain this Fashionista’s look you must look to simple shapes and neutral colors. Try finding a loose fitting sweater, but not extremely oversized, and pairing it with a long, simple necklace. Leggings or black jeans make up the bottom portion of the outfit. This Fashionista selected white sneakers with a textured bottom to add a design element, but allows for easy campus walking.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Jordan Richman

Thank goodness for New York Fashion Week. It’s a notorious time of year when new trends sprout. Although we don’t all have access to these high-end products, sooner or later they will trickle down into various stores. And for us, Fashionistas, it means we have something new to search for and add to our closets.

Name: Jordan Richman

Year: Junior

Major: Marketing

CollegeFashionista: What is your style?

Jordan Richman: Trendy yet classy and conservative.

CF: Where does your inspiration come from?

JR: I love picking up on new trends and finding new styles. However, I don’t like to jump completely out of the box when it comes to clothing. I like to look like I put effort into my outfit, but stay very comfortable. Comfort is key.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

JR: Rachel Zoe. First off, she is AMAZE. Second, I love her large, oversized everything. She rocks the fur and accessories. You don’t have to wear tight clothes to look good.

CF: What’s next on your shopping list?

JR: Nice comfortable jeans. But who isn’t looking for a pair of those? They’ll be essential soon for fall and winter.

CF: What has been your favorite trend over the years?

JR: Leggings. Who couldn’t love the comfort of leggings. You can dress them up and down. They are so versatile!

How To: This Fashionista uses bold color and print for her ensemble. She rocks color with her cotton skirt and keeps it neutral with a black crop top. To bring the look together she mirrors the black shirt with black ballet flats. Overall she maintains comfort with style.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Alexa Silverman

Moving back to college can be such a pain, especially in the Midwest. We know the first three weeks will be sweltering hot and limited clothing is the only way to keep cool, but come October, jackets are necessary. This Fashionista has adapted her fall wardrobe to accommodate the swift decrease in temperature.

Name: Alexa Silverman

Year: Junior

Major: Political Science

CollegeFashionista: What is your style?

Alexa Silverman: I like to keep it loose and casual while incorporating trendy accessories and pieces. I love bracelets and earrings especially.

CF: Where does your inspiration come from?

AS: I get inspired by just about anything from friends, people I see on the street, fashion magazines and TV shows. My campus is pretty big and diverse so I get introduced to different looks often. Otherwise my favorite magazines are Teen Vogue and Style. Pretty Little Liars and The Rachel Zoe Project are great shows for style tips.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

AS: I would take over Sienna Miller’s closet. She’s been through modeling, acting and fashion designing so it’s easy to say she’s seen it all and has picked the best of the best. Overall her style is relaxed, but still very fashion forward.

CF: What’s next on your shopping list?

AS: My next purchase would be a fall jacket. I feel like every fall military inspired clothing comes back into style!

CF: What has been your favorite trend over the years?

AS: My favorite trend has to be knee-high boots because they go with almost everything! I wear them with dresses in late summer and early fall but also in the winter with skinny jeans and chunky sweaters.

How To: This Fashionista is using a white summer dress as a base layer. She wears a slouchy sweater as an outer layer. The cardigan allows some of the top of the dress to be shown on occasion and makes the bottom of the outfit to appear as a skirt. The knee-high boots transferred the look from mid-summer to late summer.

 

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Lexi Vogler

Although it’s sad to feel the sun’s rays retreat, fall gives the opportunity for style revamping. After summer vaycay, various online shopping snooping and trips to the mall to get a glimpse on what’s coming in for fall, us Fashionistas acquire a sense of who we can be this coming school year. Come August, we have made our “I want lists” and by the end of the month we are ready to debut our carefully collected closet. The first day of school marks a fresh, new beginning.

Name: Lexi Vogler

Year: Freshman

Major: Animal Sciences

College Fashionista: What is your style?

Lexi Vogler: I’m not really sure what my style is. I like mixing and matching simple things to create an outfit focusing lately with red and blue.

CF: What is the inspiration for your style?

LV: I was just in Europe and noticed a lot of common things they wore over there like high top sneakers and military inspired jackets. I have kept those in mind. Otherwise, I just buy whatever I love and can picture myself wearing multiple times with different outfits. For that reason my items are pretty casual and can go with anything.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

LV: Blake Lively’s closet while playing Serena Van Der Woodsen on Gossip Girl. On the show she always stands out. She has structure to her outfits while some others have none, texture and pattern as well as glimpses of high fashion. This makes her outfits so different from everyone else’s and to be admired!

CF: What is next on your to-buy list?

LV: Light blue rain boots, oversized sweaters and a lot of simple tops that I can layer for fall. I tried not to fall into the Sperry Top-Sider trend, but I think I might cave in and buy a pair of those too!

CF: What has been your favorite trend thus far?

LV: Big sweaters. They’re so comfortable and can be worn with basically anything whether it is with shorts, over a dress, a skirt, pants or leggings. As long as you have a big sweater on you are part of that eclectic trend and how easy is that?

How To: This Fashionista is wearing tribal patterned knit shorts with a neutral top and flats. As the knit shorts are more fitted she chose to pair them with a looser top. The flats match with the color of the top and add detail with the bow. This look is easy to do for class.

STYLE GURU BIO: Paige Cero

When I was 16 I got my first job at Buckle, a store that primarily sells jeans. Before my first day I had an in-store fitting. I tried on a multiple outfits and saw how I could be transformed into whoever I wanted to be. I have continued that motto five years later.

This summer at Nordstrom I worked in the TBD department. TBD sells premium denim and Free People.  I started a room for a young mom on the hunt for a new fall wardrobe. When I opened her dressing room door she looked at me and her multiples of striped shirts she selected and said “I don’t even know where to start.” I ended up sending her stripe shirts out and bringing in a variety of different looks. I don’t think everyone fits into one style and no one should have a closet filled with a single look. I think our style depends on what mood we have when we wake up that day and everyone should learn to flaunt it. Like Rachel Zoe says, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”

My name is Paige Cero and I write Fashionista Spotlight. I am on the brink of turning 21 and majoring in Journalism at UW-Madison focusing on Strategic Communications. A month ago I learned to sew and it’s become a new hobby.

I’ll admit I’m addicted to clothes. It’s a rather healthy addiction as far as addictions go. I am so addicted that instead of buying them I recently began to make them. After spending countless hours on my breaks at work and school scrolling through Pinterest, I began to see the simple shapes in clothing. At work I would find how the shapes fit together to make a garment and things took off. I started with crop tops, moved to a dress, pumped out at least 10 circle skirts and have begun working with sleeves on shirts.

After creating a skirt I decided to wear it to work. It was made of upholstery fabric. I received multiple compliments during the morning. As I was walking through the mall during my break three different strangers approached me and asked where I purchased the skirt I was wearing. I smiled and told them I made it. They then asked me, after throwing looks of awe my way, if I was on Etsy and if they could have my business card.

When I make my clothes not only do I get to style the look of who I am, but I got to create the pieces to style. That to me is rewarding.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Grace Longman

Everyone has one season where they adore the clothing. Some may think it’s because of the fit, but take a closer look at the colors they’re drawn to. Each skin tone has a series of shades that enhances its radiance. This Fashionista looks forward to fall and the dusty, burnt colors it brings.

Name: Grace Longman

Year: Freshman

Major: Nursing

College Fashionista:  How would you describe your style?

Grace Longman: I don’t think I have a distinct style or one that would fit into a label like shabby chic, preppy or hipster. My outfits depend on my mood. I like to be unique and cute but still comfy.

CF: Where does your inspiration come from?

GL: I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest and magazines. I primarily look at People, Seventeen and Vogue. I like to see what is trendy and in style and then modify to work for me.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

GL: Blake Lively, hands down. She has a way of taking casual items and dressing them up. She is also shown sporting various looks instead of tied down to one image.

CF: What’s next on your shopping list?

GL: Boots. I need a cute pair of combat boots that can be worn with leggings and a sweater or with a casual dress.

CF: What has been your favorite trend over the years?

GL: The comeback of dresses because I love that you can dress them up or down and still look cute and comfy at the same time.

How to: This Fashionista is sporting a plum lace top tucked into a tapestry print high-waisted skirt. To make a definite waistline she adds a belt; and to lighten up the look she uses a light brown pair of slouchy knee high boots.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Allison Micheletti

A wise Pinterest pin once told me, “Never leave the house in sweats. A girl must be prepared to meet a dashing stranger or old enemy.” Running into this Fashionista brought the memory of the pin to mind. It shouldn’t take a planned event to dress up for you’ll never know who you might meet throughout your daily routine.

Name: Allison Micheletti

Year: Junior

Major: Biology

College Fashionista: How would you describe your style?

Allison Micheletti: My style takes on different looks. I have a sporty look that consists of skinny jeans, Nike high tops and graphic tees. Contrary to that I have a more classic look of sweaters, boots and any type of pearl jewelry. I can’t say I have one style; I change around a lot. Sometimes I wear more edgy clothing while other times a more classy, reserved look. It all depends on my mood that day.

CF: Where does your inspiration come from?

AM: I think a large part comes from my mom. She travels all over the world and hits fashion hot spots. She gets a peek at trends before they reach the US and also access to a large variety of stores this way. Lucky for me, we are the same size.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be?

AM: Miley Cyrus. She has a variety of styles ranging from country to edgy. This would fit in with my indecisive sense of style. Also, I admire her for wearing what she wants and not caring about what people say.

CF: What will be your next purchase?

AM: Burberry cashmere sweaters. There is no better feeling on your skin than cashmere, and also warming. I can trust Burberry to deliver quality as well.

CF: What has been your favorite trend thus far?

AM: Skinny jeans and crop tops have been my favorite. Skinny jeans work better with a variety of shoes from sneakers to heels. Plus, they can worn for dressy or casual occasions. I love True Religion’s skinnies. As for crop tops, I like how they show a little skin in a fashionable way.

How to: This Fashionista has a white dress with ruffled collar paired with animal fur heels and minimal jewelry accessories. Because of the ruffled collar of the dress, she used a subtle cross necklace and to keep with her classic look, added a pearl bracelet.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Alex Beckman

I often wonder if we watch certain shows because of the storyline, or because the characters become our idol. In high school I have a vivid memory of watching a season of Gossip Girl and being convinced I needed to go shopping for headbands, pleated skirts and anything Serena Van Der Woodsen was sporting. Like me, this Fashionista has a keen eye for the fashion on Revenge, and although she hasn’t conformed to the show’s look she can see it happening in the future.

Name: Alex Beckman

Major: Nursing

Year: Junior

College Fashionista: How would you describe your style?

Alex Beckman: I would say I aim for bohemian on a daily basis. I adore the fabric textures and the loose structure of the pieces, but I often resort to a simple, sporty look. I blame it on my lifestyle!  Going from practice, to class, to practice – it’s difficult to be trendy in between!

CF: Where does your style inspiration come from?

AB:  I admit I’m not the trendsetter. I pick up ideas while working my way across campus and my friends. The more familiar I become with the look, the easier I find to put it together myself. Another factor is Pinterest. I’m an avid user and recommend it. You see hundreds of looks and can organize what you would like to see more of.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s closet who would it be and why?

AB:  If I could take over anyone’s fashion it would be the actresses on Revenge. Not a single one, I would just take over the set’s wardrobe. Whoever is the show’s stylist I must commend them. I love the combination of their dressy and sophistication. I’m coming to the age (post-college) where this should be my look. I enjoy the way they soften the business casual pieces with nautical, hipster and preppy touches. The accents are so detailed. Another thing I noticed are the bold colors. My bohemian side tends to lean towards natural, subtle hues, but I’m drawn towards the presence of a single color.

CF: What’s next on your shopping list?

AB:  For fall I look forward to boots and jeans. I am super tall so boots can be super fashionable without adding a ton of inches. I shy away from wedge booties for that reason, but flat booties and riding boots are definitely essential.

CF: What has been your favorite trend thus far?

AB:  My favorite trend has definitely been the boho trend. I love everything from the crop tops to the maxi skirts and dresses, especially in the middle of summer… No one wants skintight fabric when it’s hot and humid! Something about the flow of boho pieces seems effortless and natural.

How To: Unlike a majority of bohemian styles, this Fashionista has a vibrant colored floral print dress. To take away from the boldness and to maintain a bohemian feel she layered with a soft tone oversized shirt. The key is non-fitted layering.

FASHIONISTA SPOTLIGHT: Amanda Beckman

Thank goodness for dresses. When I was five-years-old I went through a phase where I would only wear dresses because it was as girly as you could get—besides a tutu. I grew out of that phase for a solid 12 years until I realized the ease they brought to my morning routine. It’s one layer, non constricting and more comfortable than sweats. I spotted this Fashionista on an outing with her sister keeping cool in her floral print dress.

Name: Amanda Beckman

Major: Nursing

Year: Junior

College Fashionista: How would you describe your style?

Amanda Beckman:  I would describe my style as boho chic. I love loose and flowy tops and dresses in floral patterns and lace. In the summer, with tanned skin, white lace is my go-to. It works as a cover-up for swim suits and with jean shorts and skirts.  But as we move into fall, my style will consist of skinny jeans, big chunky sweaters and deep brown leather riding boots.

CF: Where does your fashion inspiration come from?

AB:  I would say my inspiration comes from friends wearing new pieces, other girls on campus at school and celebrities featured in magazines. I take it all in and decide what works best for my body. I have an athletic build with long legs so some styles can be a challenge to pull off while others are a breeze.

CF: If you could take over anyone’s style who would it be and why?

AB: I really love Rachel Bilson and would gladly take her closet off of her hands for a while! She always looks great whether caught on the streets wearing she is rocking loose and flowy jean/sweater combo or a form fitting dress on the red carpet. She always looks unique pairing patterns, colors and designs together in her outfits and they never appear chaotic. And we must not forget her hair, luscious.

CF: What’s next on your shopping list?

AB:  I think that the next thing on my shopping list, especially for fall, would be a great new pair of dark skinny jeans and then a pair of medium brown leather riding boots. The color coordinates with all of autumn’s palates. Also… if I found a maxi skirt long enough for me I would like one of those as well!!

CF: What has been your favorite trend thus far?

AB: My favorite trend at the moment would have to be the chambray shirt! You can dress it up with a skirt or just wear it with shorts and it always looks clean, simple and classy!

How to: Amanda picked a short floral dress as her base. She pulled a color from the floral to use for her exterior layer, the tied button-up. Her accessories consisted of colored sunglasses.