One thing I really captured when studying abroad in London for 5 months is that there are absolutely no rules when it comes to fashion. You are the ultimate creator of your outfit and can decide what looks best with what. It wasn’t until spending so much time over there and being surrounded by the creativity of clothing that I realized fashion is literally what you make it. There were so many outfits I observed on the streets of Londontown that were created with such creativity that I became fascinated with these international influences. People over there were less concerned with what was considered popular and more interested with simply expressing themselves. I came to admire and appreciate the imagination and confidence within these ensembles, and brought that perception of fashion back with me to the states. Since that amazing journey, I’ve kept this as my principal rule of fashion: There Are No Rules. Because of my recently re-constructed view of fashion, I’m more aware of original outfits surrounding me. I think it’s incredibly important to dress with confidence and to take pride in what you wear, and I believe that the way you dress effects how you feel about yourself. With that being said, I’m always noticing the fabulous chosen attire on the campus of College of Charleston. What I really admire about how the students at CofC dress is that generally everyone looks put together on a day-to-day basis. I thought it’d be fun to capture and share a few of the fashionistas that I came across on campus.
Gabriela is a classmate of mine and always comes to classes dressed to impress expressing herself through fashion. She always has great outfits that she’s not afraid to put together and call her own. In this outfit, Gab is wearing a flannel from Urban Outfitters, layered with a striped long sleeve shirt from J Crew underneath. Her jeans are from Armani Exchange, glasses are seeeyewear, and the shoes are Dr. Martens which you can get from various stores such as Nordstroms, Macy’s, Steve Madden & more. What I especially loved about this outfit was her creativity and ability of mixing patterns: Plaid with Stripes.
Lia is another classmate of mine, and she never fails to come to class looking fabulous. Here she is wearing a fur vest from Forever 21 worn over a sheer long sleeve black shirt, which is also from Forever as well. Her pants are from Anthropologie, and the flats are from Steve Madden. The piece of this outfit that stood out the most to me was the silver sparkly necklace, which is from Urban Outfitters. I love how simple yet trendy and edgy this outfit is, and how it could be worn both to class, work, or even a night out.
Victoria is wearing the perfect fall outfit, and on this day it was colder than usual for Charleston’s typical fall climate. Her military-inspired jacket is from forever21 and her knit scarf is Forever as well. Her jeans are J Brand, her long-sleeve sheer striped shirt is from Madewell, and the boots are Frye. What I admired most about Victoria’s outfit was how she chose to make the sleeves of the shirt visible underneath her jacket, and the choice of scarf color which gave the outfit a more vibrant look.
Zealand’s outfit is a cross-over between summer and fall attire, as she chose to combine denim shorts with a flannel, scarf, and boots. Her top is from J Crew and the boots are Tory Burch. Her sunglasses are Ray Ban Aviators, and the infinity scarf is from Anthropologie which can still be purchased here! I loved Zealand’s concept of a casual, cute, and comfortable outfit: perfect for class.
Finally, my outfit of the week is similar to Zealand’s, but I chose to pair the denim shorts with grey tights since it was on the chillier side.
The denim shorts are from American Apparel, the Grid Pattern Georgette Shirt is from Forever, the infinity scarf is from Nasty Gal and can still be found online here! I can’t help but notice that this outfit relates back to where this post all began, London, where I wore a similar outfit just as the one shown above and where my obsession for the same look first took place.
All of these fashionistas did a great job of demonstrating what it means to truly take pride in your outfit. Never be afraid to mix and match patterns, colors, or anything for that matter. As Man Repeller once said, “This is my outfit. Does anyone like it? If anyone doesn’t…I don’t give a shit.” Go with it and rock it. After all, you are your own dresser. Anything goes.