Author: Saira Talwar

CollegeFashionista X Macy’s: mstylelab at The University of Wisconsin

As the snow trickles down and the roads become icy, all I want to do is bundle up in my fuzzy robe and watch Christmas movies. I want to wrap my hands around a giant mug of hot cocoa and swirl a candy cane in it. I want to look out to the snow as it settles on the mounds of glistening pre-fallen snow. However, that’s not all the Holiday season is about. The winter months are about skiing, snowboarding and making snow angels. The Holidays are about dressing up festively, glitz to glam, head to toe. You want to look elegant without screaming Santa. You want to have a delicate shimmery touch without being a Christmas tree. Heck, even frosty has his own way to be fashionable with his top hat and carrot nose! For my Macy’s inspired looks I brought in the festive feel, with a chic vibe.

Representing your school is always a winner. I’ve overlaid a red blazer on a white Wisconsin V-neck. This one from mstylelab is a perfect essential for grabbing when heading to class. This blazer goes great with anything from the classroom to heading to a presentation for class.

I am all about comfort and yoga pants are my go-to. There are ways to make this staple more fashion forward like I did pairing with a structured blazer. Hue makes a handful of styles that still look like actual pants but are really legging material.

I brought the tan boots in for the pop, because obviously you can never get enough pizzazz. At Wisconsin, I am always looking to stand out and taking fashion risks with footwear and accessories.

For my second look, I have taken a play off of the Christmas tree – the green contrasting the lights. This street sign green contrasts great off of the white snow. This loose-fitting sheer shirt provides comfort in addition to the yoga pants. On the other hand, the subtle heals are in vogue. Throw on a black blazer to make it a bit more like the business casual look or slip on a pair of skinny jeans if you find comfort in those, I know I don’t! I put my bangs back with a twist and a few pins to add to the look in addition to a simple chain wrapping around my neck. Including simple touches like those always completes an outfit. Try a little lip color for a day to night change.

This last look is my favorite. A full-covered dress is always a holiday favorite. Who wants to see skin-slipups at holiday parties? Not me. Furthermore, I picked this coral color (that is huge this season) over a subtle white for some color pop to this polka-dot overlay. The fit of this dress is amazing – a flattering one-size-fits all, draping with elegance and class. This Calvin Klein dual-fabric sweater is essential for this season. A warm look with the leather front bodice gives the whole outfit an edge. Lastly, I threw on a pair of gold-wedged heals for some more holiday shine. The nude snakeskin gives the outfit sophistication with subtleness, perfect to mix and match with any fashion-forward look. You could always throw on a pair of black or nude tights if you’ll be outside, but this works great for a holiday party!

The Holidays are brought upon by a change in weather from fall to winter. Just as that, it only seems fitting to go from snuggling on the couch, to snow boarding, then jumping into a hot bath before a holiday party. While dressing for the weather, let’s not forget that Frosty is out in the cold, yet only wearing a scarf! If style means being a little chilly during the Holidays, so be it, but then again, why not purchase a cute cardigan or a pair of tights to complete any and every look? It’s never too late to dress for the weather, and what better way than to do it with style? ‘Tis the season and Happy Holidays!

Disclosure Statement: 

This post is brought to you by Macy’s. Create your own mstylelab look.

WHAT TO WEAR: Library

The dreaded word that comes from a college students mouth much too often is library. “Mom, I can’t talk, I’m at the library.” “Hey, want to meet me at the library?” “You know where to find me. I’ll be at the library!” And so on. Since most of us have spent days and nights at libraries, there is only one thing to think of (besides the studying) and that is what to wear to the library. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to the library, I’m all about the comfort. I guess the library has never really come across as the runway of my campus. Who knows? You may be inspiring someone else by adding a little cute to your comfort.

This Fashionista is wearing the perfect library outfit. It entails the perfect amount of style with its flexibility and cozy wear. The ultimate go-to comfort pant is the yoga pant. Whether you throw on a pair of leggings or boot cut pants, there is just something about the hip-hugging, colorful flap that increases its comfort substantially. You can purchase a pair almost anywhere these days, including Victoria’s Secret, Target or lululemon. In addition, nothing other than yoga pants screams comfort more than a scarf. The neck wrap, essential for most months in Wisconsin, gives you something to hold on to, snuggle into or take off and take a nap on when spending long, frustrating hours at the library. Try a local store like Art Gecko for your trendy yet cozy scarf today. Throw on a pair of snug and fashion forward moccasins and a loose fitting long sleeve to finish off the comfortable look.

The article of clothing that intrigued me to this Fashionista was her elbow-patched loose long sleeve. Sure, the shirt is an easy wear with flexibility, but the elbow patch is what gives this whole outfit an edge that a simple tee wouldn’t. Sometimes you just need to purchase something with a little oomph. The style of shirt is great for the library because of its obvious comfort. When you buy a simple shirt like this it can be worn easily with a pair of yoga pants. A great part about this shirt is that because it is a neutral color, it can go well with almost any scarf! Regardless, use this elbow-patch for your inspiration to buy your next comfy wear. Add a little zest to your day in and day out library wear today.

Check out how to recreate this look with eBay here. My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT

One Simple Change: Change the style you wear your scarf, throw your hair in messy half pony and put on a pair of bootie heels and you have a great outfit for going out with friends or grabbing a meal!

WHAT TO WEAR: Cold Weather

Winter hasn’t hesitated one bit to roll in with full force. Sure, there is no snow on the ground quite yet; nevertheless, the cold front has kicked into gear. People from warmer states may think that in places like Wisconsin we have it all down—that we are so used to the cold and we all live in igloos. How about that we have fluffy eskimo jackets and moon boots? Or better yet, we make porridge every day because we live like our heater is broken. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Even us, all the way up in Wisconsin, are not used to the cold. I have lived here for the 22 years am nowhere close to enjoying the cold. I say let it snow a few times, preferably around Christmas with hopes that it won’t stick for too long. Can you blame me? We have a 25-minute walking span campus!

This is exactly why, come the early months of winter, we should be dressing more like this Fashionista. With a pair of generic black legging yoga pants, anything goes. This Fashionista is wearing the well-known warmers—a flannel along with a wrap-around scarf. The accented colors on this Fashionista’s look lay great on top of the black bottoms. To top it off, she is wearing a pair of troopa boots. In these cold winter months you think, ah ha, UGGs. However, you have the opportunity to change it up a bit and go the trendy route this Fashionista has taken.

These combat boots are the new fad. I feel like everywhere I look, I see someone rocking this unique accessory.  These boots are specifically a great buy and wear because of their olden day grungy look. Steve Madden has done a stupendous job creating a “journey” feel to these boots. You can also try a gray, olive green or black pair for alternates. Regardless, step out of the cold weather to grab a pair of these combat boots and join the fashion statement. They look great with every ensemble and will give your look a new edge since they are not a pair of salt-faded warm winter shoes.

Try to deal with the cold weather like us Wisconsinites do and go on a journey with a hot drink in hand.

Check out how to recreate this look with eBay here. My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT

One Simple Change: Switch out the outfit for a dress and tights to have the perfect trendy look for a night on the town!

WHAT TO WEAR: Shopping

Who doesn’t love shopping? It’s the perfect pick-me-up, as well as a great thing to do when you’re high on life. You can do it by yourself or peek into any store when your walking down the street with a friend. Not to mention it’s the go-to time killer (and money killer) when the seasons change. Need a sundress for the summer? Shopping. Brrr, a scarf is more like it for the time being! Shopping it is.

As exhilarating the act of throwing clothes around and scanning through piles of jeans to find the right size is, there’s always one problem about shopping: trying on the clothes. How many of you have passed up an article of clothing because you knew that you should try it on, but you just weren’t in the mood or were just wearing too many layers? Good news is you will no longer be in that position. This Fashionista is displaying a perfect outfit for shopping. She is not wearing too many layers, while still being fashion forward for the mall.

The way that you know that you are dressed for trying on clothes is when your outfit is loose fitting and easily removable. This Fashionista is successfully rocking a loose white tee with a button-up. The army green look goes great with her tan boots and single striped leggings. Try Target or Urban Outfitters for the pieces of the look including different variations of the jacket. You can go with an army green or camouflage to match this Fashoinista’s vibe.

The idea of the button-down sounds familiar, doesn’t it? You are probably most familiar to this idea because of prom or maybe your sister’s wedding. This type of top is best used for hairstyles. You can remove it easily when your hair is done and it won’t touch a loose curl. After all, it’s wedding proof; it has to be shopping proof, right?

Check out how to recreate this look with eBay here.

One Simple Change: Change out the army button-up for your school’s colored jacket for a great Game Day!

WHAT TO WEAR: Girl’s Night Out

Every girl needs her girl time. Whether it is because of a busy and stressful week or just to have a little fun, a night on the town should always fit into your schedule. A girl’s night out can entail going to a nice dinner, relaxing at a lounge or grabbing some drinks at a classy bar. Whatever it is, you always want to dress to impress. You never know who will see the pictures from the night and spot out the best dressed.

This Fashionista has put together a flashy, elegant and trendy look, perfect for a night out. From head to toe she is matching with class and style. A cute pair of black skinnies and a nice shirt is a perfect base for an outfit out. With this Fashionista’s addition of pumps and slip-on blazer gives traditional pieces and edge. Lastly, she has completed the look with a chunky maroon necklace matching her pumps, which works perfectly with the rest of the ensemble. All eyes will sure be on her when she walks in!

When dressing for a night on the town, the one thing to be sure your outfit includes is a garment or accessory that pops. The silver metallic top gives this outfit the perfect pop. It’s an eye-catcher without giving a less than sophisticated impression. That’s the idea — to give the perfect impression while looking fabulous. This Fashionista has chosen all neutral colors to act as a canvas for her maroon pop. The dark silver shimmer not only goes perfect with the blazer, but it also accentuates the deep red in her shoes, necklace, nails and hair!  When you are out with the girls next time be the showstopper by shopping at Maurice’s like this Fashionista did. Check out how to recreate this look with eBay here for some inexpensive options.

Don’t forget, the look counts, but the pop counts more. Make yourself noticed by accentuating one part of your look with another; it does work after all.

One Simple Change: Switch out the shimmery top with a white V-neck for a more casual outfit to wear for a date night or to class!

WHAT TO WEAR: Rainy Days

Fall and spring are total transition seasons. You don’t really know if it’s going to be hot or cold, rainy or sunny. Better yet, in Wisconsin you don’t even know if the provided weather is going to last throughout the day. Yes, there was a day that it hailed, snowed, was sunny and cloudy, not to mention there was a beautiful rainbow that peaked out as well. These transition seasons tend to be the most confusing to dress for, but a couple things that save us is layers and planning as much as you can for the day.

This Fashionista has thrown together an outfit great for this transition season to fall. From head to toe, she is dressed comfortably and chill, yet with unique style and is appropriate for the weather. Cardigans are staples for any wardrobe. You can change any summer outfit to a warmer look instantly. She has done just that by throwing this royal blue cardigan over a tube top and jeans. In addition, this Fashionista’s red scarf from H&M creates a cozier, comfier look. It’s a removable asset that makes the look pop. This Fashionista has warn her hair down, but because it is not perm pressed, slick straight or super curled, it makes the look more chill for her day full of class. The naturalness truly comes out, which is always a plus in regards to beauty and fashion.

You may be thinking that I haven’t even talked about the most obvious part of her wardrobe. It’s because it’s the most essential— her rain boots. For rainy fall days, it’s really important to own a good pair of rain boots. Hunter Boots are both visually pleasing and durable. Having a good pair of rain boots truly prevents the weather from putting a damper on your day! This pair of rain boots has the essentials: they are warm, tall and they can match almost anything and everything. You could always try Target for a pair of rain boots more at a more reasonable price. They also have other colorful and fun designs, as does Coach. However, if you want to be able to afford not only nice rain boots, but also this whole outfit, check out how to recreate this look with eBay here.

It’s rainy season here in Wisconsin, so make sure you bundle up and more importantly wear the appropriate shoes. The shoes make all the difference especially if you want to beat the weather with fashion. Rain boots are not only essential, but hefty rain boots are truly worth it. Make them a fashion statement!

One Simple Change: Switch out the rain boots for a cute pair of flats and throw your scarf in your bag for easy access for a lunch out with a friend!

My eBay collections were curated as part of the CollegeFashionista and eBay collaboration with Style Coalition #FOLLOWITFINDIT

WHAT TO WEAR: Work Out

When midterms roll around we tend to let things slip out of our schedule. While we are writing tomorrow’s to-do list, we stutter on the things that didn’t make the cut that day. Yes, this includes the workouts—the thing that takes a good three hours of your day. I mean think about it. You have to change, go to the gym, go up the stairs to the cardio room, run/warm up, go to the hour long class (so you feel like you got a good hour in at least), put all the equipment away, come home and, of course, don’t forget showering and getting ready for the day. Who has time for all that? YOU DO. What if we cut out all the excuses and condensed the way we think of our workouts? You could think of it in two ways: you go to bed early wearing workout clothes and hop right out of bed in the morning to get your workout in before starting your day! Or you could go about it like this Fashionista did. This Fashionista is dressed cute, classy, comfy and more importantly, yoga-ready.

Something like a pair of shoes or a yoga mat are easy things to grab along with you for the day. Simply throw them in your bag and head on your way to class and then to the gym. Now that you have those essentials, you can’t forget your outfit. This Fashionista is wearing a perfect class-appropriate workout outfit. The cozy yoga pants and loose full sleeve allow you to be comfortable at the library while not having to shed many layers when you hit the gym.

This outfit is specifically perfect for the gym because when you are warming up you can keep on your layers and when you heat up during cardio, you can just slip off the long sleeves. The attire is also nice and flexible for classes such as yoga or Pilates. Victoria’s Secret PINK has great yoga wear, as seen on this Fashionista. For something a little more affordable, try places like Forever 21.

To top it off, this Fashionista has her hair pulled back. This is an essential part of workout wear. Having a cute styled up-do when you are ready for the day and later transitioning into your workout makes you look good and feel great. Try a French braid for long hair like this Fashionista or a ponytail with a cute headband for shorter hair. There’s so much you could do to look good and feel great at the gym, so start now!

One Simple Change: Loose the yoga mat and throw on a shoulder bag to run some errands in comfy attire!

WHAT TO WEAR: Early Class

Morning class tends to put people in a rut. Not only do you have to set their alarm and wake up early, but there are so many other downsides to it as well. You have to plan to get to sleep on time otherwise you don’t get enough sleep; you most likely have to learn to get ready faster because you snooze your alarm so many times. In fact, everything feels a little bit more rushed. One positive note is that you get to start your day earlier than others; you get more accomplished in the morning if you are willing to go through the drawbacks. Since you are getting ahead of your neighbor who’s sleeping, why not do it in style?

This Fashionista has put together an effortless look, which is great for the brisk mornings and the transition to heat later in the day. First of all, leggings are great for this situation— they are not too thick, but they still cover your legs from the chill of the morning. Capri leggings are great if you want to change it up a bit. This Fashionista suggests a comfy look with her draping sweater shirt from Elan. In addition, she has on a cozy Chan Luu scarf. The best part, besides being snug, is the fact that you are able to breathe because sometimes if you throw on a sweater and scarf it gets a bit congested and over-layered. This Fashionista chose a lightweight sweater with a complementary lightweight scarf. This is perfect for early class because while its coziness provides the feeling of still being in your cloud-like comforter, the fact that you put together an outfit and didn’t just roll into class with sweats on helps you stay awake.

More specifically, the scarf is what saves the day. It is an easily removable addition to an outfit that can be for several occasions. This Fashionista could have wrapped it around her neck leaving home in the morning, taken it off at the peak hours of the day and then draped it back around when dusk approached. It’s a perfect accessory to throw in your backpack just in case of sudden weather change. The pattern on this Fashionista’s scarf is particularly advantageously ambiguous—it can go with anything and everything! She has even displayed the scarf in a couple different ways for us, which is yet another positive about scarves.

We found two essentials to fall attire: lightweight sweater and a scarf. Mix and match colors and styles and you will walk around with a new cozy look every morning!

One Simple Change: Switch out the flip flops and add a pair of booties for a dinner date! You can never go wrong with black or tan boots.

WHAT TO WEAR: Internship

One experience students should have on their resume upon graduation is an internship. With so many opportunities out there, why not? There are internships available for anything and everything these days, all you have to do is look. For this CollegeFashionista internship, we are able to display our creativity and compassion for fashion, photography and writing. However, this is not the only internship that allows for creativity. Internships through your school, a department store or even a bar could offers way for you to explore your creativity.

This Fashionista is fashion-forward and ready to go on a hunt to take photos for a photography internship. To be honest, my favorite part of her outfit is the shiny silver camera—it’s almost looks a little antique and I guess I’m a little bias since I love taking pictures! Her outfit corresponds perfectly with the weather while giving her camera a perfect backdrop. On a gloomy and foggy day like this one, I personally like wearing bright colors so I don’t feel gloomy myself, but this Fashionista’s darker hues left me considering my other options. This look is also perfect for comfort while displaying fashion. Her black loose-fitting, off-the-shoulder shirt keeps it cozy, while the gray skinnies give the look an edge. Try NASTY GAL for your own pair of gray skinny jeans. Lastly, her black Converse ties the look all together, no pun intended. This Fashionista is getting her job done in style and with comfort, what better way? Comfortable fashion is my favorite!

When considering your internship preference, you want to look at all aspects. The interests you have will most likely correspond with the internship you apply for. If you would rather have the prim proper daily look, you may want to look into a political or magazine based internship. On the other hand, if you would like to strut your style, try being a stylist for a store! And if you honestly prefer to lie around in sweats, get an online-based internship. There are options for everyone with every style; do your homework and research what’s out there so you can dress to please your interests!

One Simple Change: Switch out the camera for a side purse or backpack to be ready instantly for grabbing coffee or heading to the library; since midterms are here, that may be the perfect option!

WHAT TO WEAR: Out With Friends

When midterms roll around we start to realize that we have less time for ourselves and the fun things we want to do because all that time is getting invested in studying. Classes finally become harder than syllabus week, but we are barely back into school gear. In all that chaos, we don’t even grasp when the weather changes from a hot and humid 84 degrees to a cold and foggy 52-degrees. Time beings to fly; however, in all this running around, it is important to keep time allotted to yourself—to get a good nights rest, a daily workout in and time for your closest friends, even if it means just grabbing a quick bite to eat!

This Fashionista is all ready for a day to explore her lunch options on State Street with a friend she hasn’t seen all semester! She’s wearing a cute pair of flats to walk down the way, an easy access bag in case they want to stop at food cart instead and of course she shows her fashion genius when strutting a pair of skinnies with a half sleeve shirt. The weather can be a touchy topic, but not for the Fashionistas that dress for the weather. She’s wearing the perfect combo of pants and a half sleeve. I personally like to go the opposite way around—long sleeves and shorts! This Fashionista has put together some essential clothing into this comfy but cute lunch wear. From the black and white striped shirt to the black skinnies and nude flats, she sticks to the classics. Try Forever 21’s black and white striped knit tee and Macy’s black skinnies and you’ll be set for your next break from chaos to meet with an old friend.

One Simple Change: Switch out the nude flats to a pair of bright heels or even black heels for a night out!