Category: Exclusive Feature

The September “Rally” Moodboard is Here!

September hits and suddenly the reality sets in: summer is o-v-e-r. How can it be? Your bucket list isn’t complete. The temperature is still in the 80s. Heck, your tan hasn’t even faded. How, then, can you possibly come to terms with the fact that it’s time to head back to school?

This month is full of opportunities to rally in every sense of the word. Sure, summer might be over, but that doesn’t mean your world is. It’s the start of the school year; beginning of a new season. Pull yourself up and use these fresh starts as opportunities to step outside your comfort zone, embrace everything around you, and rise to the occasion.

The concept of rally also means coming together. In this moment and political climate, we can all use an excuse for an everyday “pep rally.” Show support for teams, causes, and people in your life that you are passionate about. Laugh. Cheer. Celebrate your friendships. Enjoy all that college life has to offer.

Let’s bask in the memories of summer, but not sulk or mourn them. Prepare and commit to making this the best school year yet, knowing that we’re all rallying behind you.

To kick-off this month, check out our September Mood Board on Pinterest to get you in the playful mood!

Five Ways to Feel Your Best This Semester

Created with Simply Summer’s Eve™

Let’s get real here: being a student is hard. As a woman in college, it’s not uncommon to feel anxious, stressed, or just plain not in control of your life—and allowing your wellness to fall to the back burner can only exacerbate these feelings. So this year, consider the new semester a fresh start. Your GPA is high, your tan is strong, you are thriving—and you’re going to keep it that way. Keep reading for our top self-care tips to be the best version of you this semester.

 Move Daily

“Netflix and chill” is our favorite mode, too, but unfortunately walking to and from the kitchen doesn’t actually count as exercise. Even if it’s not a daily activity, schedule 30 minutes of activity into your schedule a few times a week. It’s amazing what endorphins can do for your brain power, and you’ll be thanking yourself when your GPA suddenly starts to fly off the charts.

Take Small Steps Toward Personal Care

Yes, this should be a given—but when you’re running on two hours of sleep and you have back-to-back classes for six hours straight, sometimes wellness isn’t your first priority. Our best tip? Make your routine on-the-go ready. A simple kit with basics like a toothbrush, deodorant, and Simply Summer’s Eve™ Cleansing Cloths will ensure you feel your best at all times—no matter what. And for those days where you may have a few minutes to spare for a relaxing shower, pamper yourself with a fresh cleanser like the Simply Summer’s Eve™  Gentle Cleansing Wash which features a luxurious, soft foam infused with skin-loving botanicals.

Eat Well

We know an everything-free diet can be expensive, so focus on the feasible and come up with a plan to incorporate healthy foods into your diet. Whether it’s adding greens into your smoothie or choosing almonds over chips and fruit over cookies. Small changes can make a huge impact on the way you feel.

Build Relationships

The stress of college can make you feel like crawling into a hole and hiding from the world at times—but when you do feel that way, you should do exactly the opposite. Everything you want is outside of your comfort zone. If you’re overwhelmed, fight the anti-social voice in your head and reach out to the people you love. Whether you’re grabbing a quick coffee together or hosting a full-out movie marathon–these moments are the best medicine for your anxious soul.

Sleep

Okay, so you probably don’t need a reminder to get your z’s—but those 16 hours you slept after that all-nighter you pulled don’t exactly equal out. Try establishing a routine that’s not only healthier, but easier to follow as well. Your first step would be reading then going to bed an hour earlier to get a head start on your mornings. Who knows? You may even start showing up to that 8 a.m.

Ever Wonder What It’s Really Like to be the Digital Editor of Cosmopolitan?

The official CollegeFashionista podcast is taking the internet by storm! As a top ranked and noteworthy podcast on iTunes, we are excited to share with you more episodes and continue to provide unique content you won’t hear anywhere else!

It’s funny to think about but the next gen editor-in-chiefs aren’t as hyper focused on gorgeous spreads as they are about creating exclusive videos and shareable content.

Enter Amy Odell, the editor of Cosmopolitan.com. Contrary what you may think, many publications, like Cosmo, run their .com and print magazines almost entirely separately, given the ultimate goal of the content each is trying to produce. On a given day, Odell’s digital team is busy tailoring content for the audience, serving stories to high schoolers on Snapchat and creating stories about childbirth for expecting mothers to share with their friends on Facebook.

To put it in other words, the .com brings the print features to life. Take for example, this month’s Cosmopolitan cover star Miley Cyrus. Odell oversaw the production of a behind-the-scenes video of Miley in her childhood bedroom in Nashville, something that couldn’t really be conveyed in a traditional print article. That raw, real content is signature to Cosmo, and definitely something Odell has helped shape during her time overseeing as editor.

As a young mover-and-shaker in the industry, we couldn’t wait to pick Odell’s brain about what it is like to oversee the digital side of a publication. In our latest podcast episode, Odell chatted exclusively with CollegeFashionista in our how to move up in your organization, nurturing young talent, the challenges of the digital media industry, and more.

Whether you are walking to class, taking a coffee break, or unwinding in bed, you can access these “Office Hours” at your convenience. Check us out the latest episode and all episodes on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Get ready to get schooled in style (and learn a thing or two in the process).

Photos provided by Amy Odell

Back-to-School Outfit Inspo From the Coolest Girls on Campus

Created with Topshop

Between scary professors, the guy across the hall, and hundreds of new classmates, the first day back to school is not without its pressure. Yet while the first day back used to be the time to go all out, every cool girl has come to learn over the years that it’s the kiss of death to look like you tried too hard to look good—and who has time, anyway? You have syllabi to review and reunions to host.

Fortunately, we got the chance to catch up with the coolest girls we know to check out their style essentials and back-to-school basics. Keep scrolling for some seriously effortless inspiration on how to style key pieces to impress on your first day back.

“When you go to school in NYC, it’s easy to blend in with the millions of people
roaming the streets. Instead of choosing muted colors this fall, I wanted to pick
statement patterns like these attention-grabbing stripes to help me stand out. Plus,
the cream color warms up the top and makes it a great autumn take on nautical
stripes!” – Kiki Murphy, Style Guru at NYU

“I’m in an all-girl rock band and I like to add a touch of grunge to all my outfits. I love Topshop’s MOTO line since the pieces are both flattering and badass. I can totally see myself rocking their MOTO Lace Up Denim Mini Skirt both on campus and on stage.” – Tigerlily Cooley, Style Guru at Fordham University

“We all have those days when we can’t figure out what to wear for class, which is why
it’s good to own wardrobe staples that are easy to throw on. I like that I can rely on
Topshop for those basics, as well as strong statement pieces for when I want to spice
up those everyday looks. It’s definitely my go-to destination for back-to-school
shopping!” – Jade Sayson, Style Guru at Columbia College Chicago

The first week of school is all about creating a solid foundation for the semester—so why not do it with your wardrobe, too? Instead of going all out with statement pieces and over-the-top looks, create a vibe that’s simple but strong. Feeling inspired, but lacking the basics your wardrobe needs?

Be sure to check out Topshop for 10 percent off everything for all students—because it’s possible to look great and actually still afford all the textbooks you need to pass your classes.

These Editors Get Candid About What It Really Means to Work in Fashion and Instagram DMs

The official CollegeFashionista podcast is taking the internet by storm! As a top ranked and noteworthy podcast on iTunes, we are excited to share with you more episodes and continue to provide unique content you won’t hear anywhere else!

We are lucky to have thousands of Style Gurus in our college fashionista community who contribute content, hone their creative skill set, and bring the brand to life on their campuses during their college experience. But what happens when they graduate?

We like to think that college fashionista gives our contributors the confidence and skills to go out and take the fashion and beauty industries by storm. Case in point? Maura Brannigan (Senior Editor at Fashionista.com), Jen Mulrow (Assistant Beauty Editor at Glamour Magazine), and Olivia Muenter (Fashion and Beauty Editor at Bustle.com) are three leading editors amongst their peers—and all former Style Gurus!

While these former Style Gurus are still only a few years out of college, they have learned a lot. Here are some takeaways they wanted to share:

  • If you know what you want to do the moment you step on campus, mazel tov! But in case you feel overwhelmed on not knowing, don’t be. All three of these ladies dabbled during college (premed; public relations; Latin; you know name it.) and continued to take opportunities, follow their interests, and ultimately land their dream positions.
  • Think landing a job after college is all or nothing? Think again. Full time freelance (which two of three of these ladies did) is an opportunity to work (aka make money), get your foot in the door of a company, prove yourself, and (hopefully) eventually transition into a full time employee.
  • Business relationships like friendships take time and must be fostered. Start relationships when in college to land to job post-grad. Start with a simple email or DM on Instagram. That way when the time comes to graduate, you have already planted the seed and have roots to work with.

Besides this sage advice, Maura, Jen, and Olivia gave us a glimpse into what it actually means to be an editor today, the value of relationships, and the magic of paper and pen in the latest episode of our podcast, “Office Hours.”

Whether you are heading back to campus, taking a coffee break, or unwinding in bed, you can access these “Office Hours” at your convenience. Check us out the latest episode and all episodes on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Get ready to get schooled in style (and learn a thing or two in the process).

Here’s What Industry Insiders Wished They Learned in College

Our entire lives, we are trained to think that college is the only education we can get when it comes to jobs. We are told to choose a major that applies to the career we want, and then we’re expected to shell out thousands of dollars and four or more years of our lives to attend a university. Yet when it’s all said and done, many of us still don’t feel prepared for life after school. At CollegeFashionista, we often feel the same way—so a few of our team members sat down to share their experiences in college and what they really wish they learned in class.

Keep reading to see what the CF Team wishes they learned in college, and our number one tip on what to do if you’re left feeling unprepared for the real world. 

(Photo via @jaidabrinkley_)

Basic Applications—While there are some students that receive a perfect, well-rounded education, there are also many programs that unfortunately leave out important lessons in basic programs like Excel and Google Analytics. Sarah Desiderio, CF’s Social Media Manager, says, “I wish I would’ve learned photoshop and a lot of other apps and programs that you have to use in a job but you don’t necessarily learn in class—things like Google Analytics and just real world experience. I wish I would’ve learned to write a successful cover letter and really market myself in a résumé or an interview. So much of having a job is a hands-on learning process, but having the help of learning through our experiences in college can ease the transition into a full time job.”

(Photo via @alexadmendoza)
Job Etiquette—It could be argued that job etiquette is something that has to be learned on the job, but it’s such a huge part of working that it’s imperative to be introduced to it before your first day in an office. Kali Concepcion, Marketing Coordinator at CF, says, “I wish my classes would have focused more on the day-to-day operations of the different sectors of the industry. I would have liked to be more familiar with email etiquette, as well as commonly used applications. This industry is constantly evolving, and fashion schools should work to reflect that and be as up-to-date as possible.” (Photo via @alexadmendoza)

(Photo via @hellogabrielle)
Networking—It’s true that some universities make it a point to stress the importance of making contacts in the industry—but it’s an unfortunate reality that others simply skip right over it. Anna Coke, an editor at CF, says, “Probably the most important part in getting a job is knowing how to leverage your connections and network, network, network. Yet after four years in college, the word ‘network’ hadn’t been mentioned in my classes a single time. Luckily, I had a mentor at CollegeFashionista during my junior year who taught me the importance of reaching out to people in the industry and making and keeping contacts. Ultimately, connections are what led to me landing a job in the fashion industry. More than anything, I wish my college had provided classes and opportunities to learn about best practices for networking. It would have helped me tremendously.”

So now you know what you need to know—but where do you go from there? As much as we wish we could give you all the answers, it’s up to you to decide to put in the work in order to learn. However, there are resources available that can give you the extra push you need. Instead of being complacent, start researching programs and opportunities that will provide you with experience and lessons that you need to get ahead in your career.

Apply for as many internships as you can, and soak up every skill they provide. Additionally, find other educational opportunities outside of school. Yes, a lot of classes outside of school still cost money. But there are some amazing (and free!) programs like CollegeFashionista that allow you to not only learn straight from industry insiders, but provide you with access to exclusive job boards, educational videos, and even internship opportunities. With that kind of education, who needs school?

What are you doing to build your future? Apply to CollegeFashionista today and learn the skills you need to pursue your dream career.

Have You Heard Our Big News?

In case you didn’t already know, CollegeFashionista is all about empowering the students of today to build their career and start making connections in college that will last them a lifetime. As a team, that’s been our goal from the beginning—we are dedicated to helping women help themselves when it comes to their dreams.

When we started CollegeFashionista seven years ago, it was so much different than it was today. There were only a few Style Gurus, Instagram was barely a thing, and the CollegeFashionista team was only two people working out of their apartments. Fast forward, and things have changed quite a bit. However, our goal of helping students build a career remains the same.

In the past, Style Gurus have been contributors to CollegeFashionista’s website and social media channels. They’ve been the face of our brand, and the glue that holds us all together. We would be nowhere without them. Yet with more Style Gurus comes new (but good!) challenges, and so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to ensure that we not only tackle the challenges but make our mission stronger and more effective in the process. That’s where the new CF comes in.

This fall, we are beyond excited to introduce our brand new program for Style Gurus. We will now be providing our community of career driven college students with an incredible, in-depth curriculum on every topic and skill they need to know to succeed in the fashion industry. Our Style Gurus will be members of a community in which they will be able to learn everything they know to land their dream jobs—but it doesn’t end there. Along with our new curriculum, we will also be rolling out our new Fellowship programs this September, which will provide learning opportunities for students interested in editorial, photography, graphic design, social media, and marketing and PR. These Fellowships are available to students who have been Style Gurus for a semester or more who wish to delve deeper into a subject they’re interested in and learn straight from industry professionals. They’ll also have the chance to start building a portfolio of work and get daily feedback on how to continue making their work stronger.

Basically, our new programs are a way for us to provide more in-depth, meaningful lessons and feedback to each and every student that joins our community—and we couldn’t be more excited.

In essence, CollegeFashionista will remain the same—a company whose main goal is to help students around the world achieve the dream that we all once had—to land a job and build a career in fashion. The only thing changing is that we’re getting better at it.

Interested in becoming a Style Guru? Learn the skills you need to land your dream job in fashion and apply to be a Style Guru today.

The August “Rhythm” Moodboard is Here!

Despite being in the middle of the calendar, August has always seemed like the unofficial new year. Finishing out your internship on a high; relishing the last bits of summer; the thrill of the back-to-school season. The ebb and flow of the summer meeting the school year brings about a recognizable cadence of endings and beginnings.

And while, yes, this time of year has a comforting familiarity to it that goes back to your elementary school days, that doesn’t mean it has to be ordinary. Instead of letting the routine of it all get the best of you, this month we invite you to create a new rhythm that is bolder, more vibrant, and powerful than ever before.

We here at CollegeFashionista are using this time to create a bold new rhythm ourselves! In honor of our seventh anniversary, we are unveiling our brand NEW Style Guru program, giving you an opportunity to learn about things you are actually interested in, get access to industry insiders, network, and grow your skills, community, and confidence!

So whether you are looking to end your internship on a high or start of the school year stronger than ever, create and find your own rhythm that is as unique and mighty as you are!

To kick-off this month, check out our August Mood Board on Pinterest to get you in the playful mood!

This One Product is the Key to a Perfect Beauty Routine

Created with Hawaiian Tropic 

If you’re a skincare fanatic, chances are you live for nothing more than finding the ever-elusive beauty routine for flawless skin. You spend your days researching ingredients, finding new products, and meticulously crafting the perfect step-by-step process to achieve that “glow” we’re all striving for. But what if we told you there’s a good chance you’re missing the most important step?


Photo by @brittneyfhughes

Every beauty guru knows that great skin is not achieved with just one product. Between cleansers, serums, oils, and moisturizers, a pared down process is not really an option. Yet—though its benefits are praised endlessly—the one product that should be used daily is most often forgotten. You guessed it—we’re talking about sunscreen. Sun protection is an essential part of every routine; there’s not a single person who is immune to the negative effects of the sun’s rays. But when it comes to actually incorporating it into a beauty routine, panic tends to ensue. When do you put it on? Do you wear it with makeup? Will it leave a strange white cast on your face? These are the burning (pun intended) questions of skin care lovers around the world. So how do you use sun protection in your everyday routine? We’re here to give you our broken down, simplified version for you to easily incorporate it into your life.


Photo by @samanthaneira

If your regimen is as complicated as ours, don’t worry—we’ve got your back with an easy, step-by-step process. Start with your favorite cleanser, and then exfoliate if necessary (one to two days a week should do the trick). Once you’re squeaky clean, there’s only one other step—apply sun protection. Our personal favorite?  Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Weightless Face Lotion SPF 30—because yes, it’s as good as its name sounds and you’ll barely feel it on! If your routine is chock-full of products, this lightweight sunscreen won’t weigh you down and won’t clog pores. And if 10-step beauty routines make you yawn, the hydrating ribbons of silk protein and shea butter provide up to 12 hours of skin moisurization making it easy to get all the benefits you need in one product—no serum or cream necessary. And there you have it: The perfect beauty routine, simplified.

Exclusive! Iskra and Halima Get Candid on Self-Love and Breaking Stereotypes

Created with American Eagle Outfitters

The official CollegeFashionista podcast is taking the internet by storm! As a top ranked and noteworthy podcast on iTunes, we are excited to share with you more episodes and continue to provide unique content you won’t hear anywhere else!

What could make CollegeFashionista’s IRL podcast recording even better? How about having not one but two incredible women who personify the term “Girl Power” as our guests?

Attendees at the recording were given the privilege to take part in a candid conversation with two of the most inspiring and game changing young women out there today, that faces of American Eagle Outfitters‘ fall campaign: Iskra Lawrence and Halima Aden. Besides being beautiful inside and out, Iskra and Halima have successfully quieted the noise and rose to have successful multi-hyphenated careers.

Before Iskra became the single name celebrated model-activist she is today, she had to overcome a lot of obstacles society put in her way. Growing up, every time she went to other castings, Iskra thought “‘I don’t look like these other girls. My body shape is just a bit curvier.'” But that didn’t stop her. Instead it inspired her to embrace her individual body, creating a calendar that celebrated women of all shapes and sizes with the proceeds going to cervical cancer. The calendar was a success. “From that time on, I realized I didn’t want to retouch my photos. I started talking about this online. [I then] heard about Aerie and their unretouched campaign and thought, “Wow this is the first brand and company I have ever seen that I felt like I really aligned with.'”

Self representation is a sentiment that fellow model-inclusivity activist Halima felt when she first sought to start her career. After being born in a refugee camp in Kenya and moving to the states, Halima entered the Miss Minnesota pageant not to try to fit into a stereotypical look, but rather she wasn’t seeing women like her being represented. Halima became the first contestant to wear a hijab and burkini. “I didn’t have modeling in mind; I just wanted representation.”

While their stories are different, their energy and success are rooted in the same thing: being true to yourself. “If you’re forcing yourself to be a square key trying to get into a round hole or trying to be like someone else, that space is already taken. You can’t be that person. You have to be yourself,” noted Iskra. “You will be valuable when you are yourself.”

“You can’t compare yourself what the next girl is doing. You don’t have the same journey.” Halima shared with the audience, “Share the love. At the end of the day, we are all women. We all have obstacles. We all have things we can do better at. But we have to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.”

These two women inspired our audience and will inspire you the listener at home with their powerful journeys, messages, and advice to finding your voice.

Whether you are heading to your internship, taking a coffee break, or unwinding in bed, you can access these “Office Hours” at your convenience. Check us out the latest episode and all episodes on iTunes and Soundcloud.

Get ready to get schooled in style (and learn a thing or two in the process).