Style Guru Bio: Nicole Merritt

Strawberry lemonade, unexpected rain showers, Rebecca Minkoff and cheetah duct tape.

These are a few of my favorite things — as well as my experience as a Style Guru for NYU this past summer. This fall, I'll be trading the skyscrapers of New York for the brownstones of Boston, but not before snapping one last touristy photo!

Not only am I excited to spend time with friends, take strolls down Newbury Street and live two minutes away from UBurger this semester, but Commonwealth Avenue is where my camera belongs. If you've read any of my articles, you probably already know that the fall is undeniably my favorite season. And what better place than Boston to bundle up in a cute sweater, infinity scarf and knit hat? Oh, the possibilities…

I'll never forget the day my mother told me that I could buy whatever clothes I wanted, as long as it was with my own money. While some may have groaned and complained, I quickly identified this as my first newfound freedom as a teenager: the freedom to shop.

When I couldn't afford the clothes I wanted, I, in the words of Tim Gunn, “made it work.” I began to experiment with patterns, colors and styles — this worked, that didn't. Or did it? Who was to say it wasn't “fashion-forward”? I soon realized fashion wasn't about replicating the outfits in Teen People or Seventeen — it was about showcasing your unique personality. Soon, clothes became more than a daily neccessity; they were a tool to discover who I was as a person (or Fashionista)!

I've learned valuable lessons by creating my own style: be your own person, don't take “no” for an answer, you never know until you try, spend wisely and trust your gut. There's a lot we can learn from our wardrobes if we take a second look!

If there's one thing I'll leave you with this semester, it's that fashion is perception. There’s no better time to create the person you want to be than in college.

Boston, it's time to take the runway.

Style Guru Bio: Nicole Merritt

Growing up in suburban New Jersey I made frequent trips to New York City. Then, even the hot dog stands seemed glamorous. By the time I was a senior in high school, I knew I wanted to spend my college years living in a city. Even though I now live most of the year as a student at Boston University, I can proudly say that my love of fashion was fostered in New York City. It’s an honor to join the CollegeFashionista team returning to the familiar streets I grew up exploring.

My mother always told me that I could buy whatever I wanted, as long as it was with my own money. Needless to say, the week of my fourteenth birthday I landed my first job as a barista. Five years and hundreds of purchases later, I can proudly stand outside my closet and understand what Carrie Bradshaw meant when she said “I like my money right where I can see it… hanging in my closet.” My closet must-haves are a great pair of black skinny jeans, turquoise jewelry and plenty of shoes. I believe you can judge a Fashionista/o’s personality by their shoes. And being 5’3”, I’ve always appreciated a great pair of heels. It's no wonder my parents nicknamed me Imelda.

If there's one thing I love more than shoes, it’s travel. They say you can only truly immerse yourself in a culture when you walk around and get to know its people. For me, I got to know the fashion. From Harrods in London to boutique jewelry shops on the Big Island of Hawai’i, I believe travel is the quintessential way to discover new trends. But for now, it’s time to return to my roots.

Fashion is perception. There’s no better time to create the person you want to be than in college. It’s time to take the runway.

Style Guru Bio: Nicole Merritt