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Meet Ali Sutherland, Fashion Guru

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Nicole Patterson Student Contributor, University of Virginia
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UVA chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Ali Sutherland, Government major from Grundy, Virginia, began her fashion blog, Official Preppy Handbook in the summer of 2011. As a singer and player of the guitar, she hopes to either have a record deal or be a social media guru for a fashion label in the next five years.

I asked Ali some questions to learn more about her blog:

Nicole: Official Preppy Handbook is your blog on Tumblr. When did you start this blog? 

Ali: I started the blog in the summer of 2011 – I was really bored one day and thought it would be a good way to pass time. Needless to say, it has been. Fashion has always been a very central part of my life, and in my 1,000 person hometown, it was definitely something that made me stand out. 

 
Nicole: You use the word “Preppy” often in your posts. What does the word preppy mean to you in the context of fashion and your blog?
 
Ali: To me, to be preppy is to be classic. When people use the word ‘preppy’ in reference to brands like A&F or Hollister, it makes me sick. My version of preppy is Grace Kelly meets Kanye West. Have you seen that man’s smoking slippers? They’re amazing.
 
Nicole: What do you think the big fashion trends are right now? What fashion trends do you think are big “no nos”?
 
Ali: Big trends of the moment: solid pastels, bold gold accessories, graphic shirts that reference a fandom, and basic leather handbags – less is more sometimes.  
Biggest ‘no nos’ according to me: printed tights, tight t-shirts, and booty shorts (unless you are a dancer). 
 
Nicole: What are 5 items in your closet that you can’t live without?
Ali: Printed pants, good flats, red lipstick, ladylike cardigans, and anything Lilly Pulitzer.
 
Ali: I’m really inspired by good music and films. I live for Lady Gaga, David Bowie, and Kanye West.  Each have their own style that is so uniquely theirs – you know you’re doing something right when people want to watch you crumble. Gone With The Wind, Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth are huge fashion inspirations for me, Labyrinth probably being the greatest of them all. 
 
Check out Ali’s blog at officialpreppyhandbook.tumblr.com

 

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Nicole Patterson

UVA