I couldn’t help but stop this girl in the hallway! Shannon Miller is a senior fashion design student. She says her fashion is “free-spirited” and “mystical.”

Shannon is wearing a thrifted dress, tights and an Urban Outfitters cardigan. She made her accessories by hand including her hat, headband and necklace!

Above all, her boots are quite the statement piece. These leafy forest boots were handmade by an artist on Etsy.

What I love about Shannon’s look is that it is extremely original and daring. She is not trying to follow any special fall trend, yet purely wearing what she loves!

The natural tones stay true to the fall season and keep her outfit from being too outrageous. Shannon rocked these stunning boots perfectly by pairing them with a simple, shapeless dress. With such an overpowering piece, it is essential to stay simple with the rest of your look; Eyes are drawn directly to the piece that you are trying to show!

So what do you have hiding in your closet — an oversized necklace, a wacky headpiece or a new fur vest?   Whatever you may have in mind, try it out!

Don’t be afraid to rock something different or outrageous. All you need to do is throw on a basic piece in your wardrobe, such as a shift dress or your favorite jeans, and you will be getting compliments all day long.

Your focus piece will be loud enough on its own to cause a stir among your classmates!

Fashionably yours,
—Jessica

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The rainy weather this past week couldn’t keep Courtney Earls, junior fashion merchandising major, from dressing her best. As a fellow classmate in my Jewelry/ Metals class, Courtney showed up in her formal attire.

She portrays a feeling of effortless elegance. Believe it or not, most of the pieces Courtney is wearing are either thrifted or vintage!

The leopard print top was a steal — she says she bought it for only 50 cents! She sports it in a way in which it appears to be quite expensive and luxurious.

She pairs this top well with a vintage blazer. The blazer ends at the perfect length, mid-thigh, and hits right at her shorts’ hem. This boyfriend-style blazer gives her formal look a more casual vibe, wearable for an ordinary day.

The flat dress shoes are also a smart choice when dressing this outfit down for school. Courtney goes on to tell me that she found these at a thrift shop … in the young boys’ section!

If you’ve never done so, give thrifting a shot. You will find great deals on some well-made clothing. Shirts made of silk and merino wool sweaters are not hard to come across. You will end up paying a quarter of the price for a quality piece compared to an ordinary, synthetic top at Forever 21.

Courtney says she even found a Salvatore Ferragamo snakeskin purse at a Goodwill store. It’s all about timing and the effort you put into sifting through the endless racks, so check back often because new pieces arrive daily.

Lastly, I love how this look is seamlessly transformable when dressing from day to night. Courtney can flaunt her current outfit around school for the day and easily toss aside he blazer and slip on some heels for a sexy girls’ night out outfit. Try this look when you can’t quite make it home before grabbing cocktails!

Fashionably yours,

—Jessica

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Being a fashion design major, you would think that we ALWAYS look fashionable — false!

As senioritis hits the Kent State School of Fashion, it sometimes becomes difficult to spot style. Nights are sleepless and you begin to see your friends wearing those dreadful velour sweatpants!

This “lazy” trend was seen throughout the fashion school this week, yet Senior Fashion Design Student Mary Ann strayed away from the group!

She is looking stylish in a pink jersey frock from Forever 21 paired with a thrift store blazer and chunky necklaces.

I love the way Mary Ann jazzed up her leg wear by layering a pair of black thigh high socks over top of Express tights. The socks give the tights a bit more of a casual, fall-like feel.

With Mary Ann’s petite body, this look of long socks and a short dress gives her body more length, making her appear taller!

Her look is quite effortless, yet unique enough to make a statement. On a morning when your mind is telling you “sweatpants,” try out Mary Ann’s tights and socks combo with a simple dress.

It’s easy and just as comfortable! Remember those bright pink soccer socks that you have from high school? Be a bit courageous and dig them up. Throw them over a pair of sheer tights for a funky alternative to Mary Ann’s look!

Fashionably yours,

—Jessica

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