Bree Jackson is a hip Philadelphia native whose edgy and fresh style caught the attention of Teen Vogue editors and won the hearts of thousands of girls across the world. After taking her chances and sending in a photo of herself dressed in an original outfit, the Teen Vogue staff picked her out of thousands of hopefuls to be one of the top ten finalists for this year’s Teen Vogue Snapshot Contest. These finalists’ pictures were displayed on the magazine’s website for readers to decide who had the best personal style. Voters noticed the risks Bree took with her clothing and this Penn freshman stood out from other finalists.
Bree sent this photo to Teen Vogue, which was posted online where readers chose her as the Snapshot Contest winner.
The winner of the Teen Vogue Snapshot Content, Bree sat down with Her Campus UPenn after a busy evening of picking out art supplies for her drawing class this spring. Dressed in black leather leggings and a cozy sweater and scarf, one thing was clear: nothing – not even winter weather – was going to keep Bree from dressing her best. With easy charm, Bree gave HC UPenn the inside scoop on her big win and also some tips on how to make a style worthy of one of the world’s top fashion magazines.
Why did you enter the Snapshot Contest?
At first I thought, how many people win these things? No one! No one you know! But then at the same time I thought what would I lose for putting my picture in with these thousands of others pictures – it’s totally worth it. Also, half the reason I entered was because you get a free Coach poppy fragrance. Those little ones. They send it to the first thousand people who enter. So I got something out of it at least. And my friend was right behind me and she told me “just do it, what do you have to lose?”
How did you choose your outfit in the Snapshot?
It was just a random outfit. The way I choose my outfits is I see what I’m going for that day. If I’m feeling lazy, I tend to wear leggings, and if I’m looking for a more dressed up look – like a guess this one would be a little more dressed up for me – I was wearing tights and shorts, and a pair of heels. It was a really random outfit…I just threw stuff together and put a blazer on top which makes it more polished.
What did you win?
I won a Coach bag, a Coach purse, a fragrance set and the back page. So I went to New York and had a full photo shoot. We were on location at Bryant Park so I was shooting on the stairs, on the sidewalk and around the library.
As winner of the contest, Bree had a photo shoot in Bryan Park in New York, featured in Teen Vogue.
How do you describe your style?
I would say my style is a little bit edgy. I don’t wear colors that much. I wear lots of neutrals and dark tones like plums, navy blues, browns, and black. I wear a lot of black. I usually put in a bright color, a pop of color. It’s a little edgy, it’s a little cool, it’s a little city, in the sense that I wouldn’t fit in if I were on a farm.
Do you have an item that you can’t live without?
Yes, my Jeffery Campbell 99 zip boot wedges. That’s really specific, but in general it’s my wedges. If you looked at my shoe closet you’d be like what is the difference between this and this. I love them; I live in them. They are so comfortable and they match with everything.
Do you have a favorite place to shop in Philly?
I like Center City, like Walnut Street. A lot of people say that but it’s for good reason. There are a lot of good shops there. But Old City has great thrift stores and great boutiques so if you’re looking for a different feel, there are different clothes there, there’s a different vibe in old city.
Is a career fashion in your future?
I want it to be! I want to be an editor, but it’s competitive, which is an understatement. I’m looking for internships now. I want to end up in magazines. Maybe not even Condé Nast that is just what I’m looking for over the summer, but there are a lot of independent magazines that I like…Acne Paper is one of my favorites. I want to be able to edit writing. I want to be able to explore fashion on the streets. And I want to be able to bring that to the streets.
You’re invited to a date night, what do you wear?
I would wear a shirt, black tights, my wedges, and on top it depends on what kind of date you’re doing on. Dinner date I would wear a colored top tucked into the skirt with a blazer and a nice necklace.
Any last style advice for the women of UPenn?
Don’t be afraid to wear what you want. I feel like there are so many people on Penn’s campus who are afraid to break loose from the norm. Fashion is about self-expression, it’s about telling people this is what I want to wear today. Even if you have sweatpants and a sweatshirt on that says something. You want to be comfortable, maybe you have an exam, maybe you’re not feeling like dealing with anyone. It says so much so why not take a risk and wear what you want rather than what the other people around you want you to wear.