For this edition of the HerCampus blog, we’re going to start taking a look at some of the fashion on Clark’s campus. Fall is here, and the cold weather of winter is fast at fall’s heels. However, with a new season, comes new fashion and new styles. This week, we interview Lisa Johnson, an english major, and get her insight into the world of style and dressing for fall weather.
Name: Lisa Johnson
Class: Senior, ’12
Major: English
Favorite thing about fall: Pumpkin lattes
The top ten “most played” on my iPod includes…: I’ve been really into Mumford & Sons recently, Florence and the Machine, my one true love is Regina Spektor.
Dream city to visit or live in: It’s not really a city, but I really want to go to Morocco.
Why do you like this outfit?: That’s tough. I like wearing skirts in the winter and fall, because I get to wear tights. I like wearing tights instead of socks, because socks can be really ugly. Wearing tights lets you wear cuter shoes than just sneakers, an I like wearing cute shoes.
Describe your sense of style: Maybe overly dressy and little eclectic? I’d say chic on a budget, or, at least, attempting to be chic.
Favorite places to shop: J. Crew, although its expensive. I never buy anything full price- I always shop the clearance sections first. Also, Anne Taylor, but again, only clearance.
Why you think its important to dress well: I think that whether we like it or not, your outside appearance reflects how your feeling inwardly and your personality, and its nice to be able to give people a clear image of who you are when you’re talking to them. You seem like a more confident individual because you know who you are, and you can express that through your clothing.
Do you feel that your sense of style reflects your personality?: It depends on how much time I’ve had to get ready in the morning. If I stay up late, and I have an exam, I wear the first hing that I can find, but otherwise, yes.
Who is your celebrity style icon?: I don’t really follow pop culture, but I do watch project runway all the time. I think that their ingenuity makes me want to push the boundaries of my fashion.
Important part of an outfit for fall?: Boots, definitely. You cant wear flats because its too cold, and boots are the only cute options unless you have oxfords, which I really want to get a pair of. So, boots, especially with knee socks.
Favorite city for fashion: Palermo? It’s in Sicily. I always expected that Roman fashion or fashion in Milan would be more exciting, but Sicilians are so edgy and confident.
Fashion must-have: For me, a headband. I never leave the house without one.
Favorite article of clothing in menswear: If guys are wearing like really nice brown leather shoes, and they know how to wear them, that’s the most essential thing that should be in every man’s wardrobe. It’s just nice to see and it connotes professionalism.
How do you feel about brown shoes and grey suits?: As long as the grey is light enough, and the brown is a nice caramel brown, yes. But otherwise, it doesn’t work.
Diplo did a photo-shoot with GQ on the re-emergence of the turtleneck in men’s fashion. What do you think?: I don’t think there’s a hard and fast fashion rulebook, so I think its important to push boundaries. It will be difficult to convince the general male populace that the turtle neck can be masculine enough, but I think men should make more forays into women’s clothing.
Final thoughts: I am not a style guru, nor do I pretend to be one. Nor do I aspire to be.
My take:
Lisa’s outfit is great, because it straddles the fence between too much and not enough with a respectable flair. The skirt is just outside of the box enough to be a little unexpected, but not distastefully so. I also really like the jacket choice- it’s short, which provides a professional image, but it’s also cuffed just so, which makes it a bit more casual. Because of the dark color of the jacket, and the patterned skirt, a patterned scarf might be seen as too busy. However, a tasteful scarf for this outfit would be in an unexpected, but subdued color.
Take-away-tip: Even though it’s cold don’t stray away from tights- with tall boots, your legs can still be warm enough in the colder fall weather.