I started my journey as a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista in the summer of 2011. I will never forget the first street style photo I took as part of my application for the position. The photo was of a couple walking their dog on a Sunday afternoon. I remember neither were dressed in to-die-for looks that involved high-fashion pieces, but looking back on it now, my work over the years as a Style Guru has taught me that it isn’t those things that make you a CollegeFashionista, it is personal style. Because while neither of the two students I photographed were wearing designer clothing, their look and overall fabulous aesthetic is what caught my eye.
It is definitely safe to say that my time as a Style Guru has taught me to appreciate the personal style of each unique Fashionista/o I come across on the University of Iowa campus. Whether it be their quirky way of mixing unexpected pieces together to create an awesome look or their daring ability to walk down the street looking like no one else on campus. I have learned that being a CollegeFashionista can mean a lot of things. For me, being a Fashionista on a college budget has helped me fall back in love with all the great pieces I have in my closet. Running into and photographing so many amazing Fashionistas/os here on campus has kept me inspired throughout my years as a college student, and when endless amounts of homework and due dates to meet have me stressed, it is those unique street style looks that keep me smiling.
I am beyond sad to be exiting my position as a Style Guru, leaving behind the fashionable folks at the University of Iowa. But I do so knowing that I have learned so much about what it means to have personal style. And while my time scouring campus for stylish students is over, I know that wherever life takes me next their will be streets, and on them, amazing style that will keep me forever inspired.