Knee High or Go Home

As a Style Guru writer for College Fashionista you learn to spot fashionable people around campus regardless of the time, weather, place, etc. What I love the most about this job is the fact that I get to approach people who I believe are fashionable and talk to them, ask them questions about their style and where they buy their clothing (I love me some fashion tips from fellow High Point students.)

My most recent article featuring Susana Renfrew features knee-high socks. A very tough trend to wear if you don't know how to do it right. If you wish to see how she did it, click here.

Goodbye 2015 you have been fashionable

Another year has passed with amazing fashion moments that are definitely worth reliving. 2015 has been a year of creativity and expressionism and I am very excited that the fashion world has had such a huge year! Now help me as I count down my top 8 favorite looks of the year.

                                                 

8. Heidi Klum
The never aging Heidi Klum looks absolutely stunning in her Versace dress. Nothing better than a woman that knows how to pull off a red dress on a red carpet.

7. Justin Bieber and Olivier Rousteing
If there is anyone who knows fashion it's Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain. At only 30 years old he has managed to accomplish so many incredible things in the fashion industry. Not to mention anyone he dresses is on the best dressed list in my book- aka Justin Bieber.

 6. Josephine Skriver
Just the fact that she is a Victoria's Secret model already makes her incredible but this Gabriela Cadena dress fits her impeccably. I cannot even begin to explain how much I have loved Ecuadorian designer Gabriela Cadena's designs this season. Nude is the new black.
         

5. Taylor Swift
I admit, I'm not the biggest fan of her music but damn does this girl know how to dress. This ocean blue Elie Saab dress is god sent. I don't know how this man does it but he is genius. His designs leave me breathless.

4. Chanel Iman
First of all, she is stunning. She could be wearing a trash bag and I would be going out the next day to buy that trash bag. But this dress.... oh my god. Zuhair Murad outdid himself. If only I could afford this dress, I'd wear it 24/7 its a work of art. I could just cry.

2. Gigi Hadid
How is this dress even possible? Again, a piece of art. Gigi Hadid wore this dress like it was made for her. Maybe it was, I don't know. Who has Donatella Versace's number? I'd be glad to call her and ask.

1. Beyonce
Queen B obviously gets the number one spot this year because of her Met Gala dress. I mean look at it. I don't know of anyone else that could pull this Givenchy Haute Couture dress off this well! I could stare at this photo forever. Man, Blue Ivy is one lucky girl.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Some say the best day of the year is Christmas. I on the other hand believe that the best day of the year is December 8th. Why? Because this is the day when angels strut the runway and inspire girls all around to be confident and the best version of themselves. Yes, I am talking about the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

The VS fashion show never disappoints. An hour of the most beautiful women in the world, most beautiful lingerie I have ever seen and the top selling artists of the moment? What more could we ask for? (maybe two hours) Regardless, this year's show was absolute perfection, starting with the most recent angels, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. (fun fact! they have both been named supermodels by Vogue Magazine!) I can without a doubt say I admire Gigi Hadid, her beauty is unreal and her confidence about her body is incredibly inspiring- not to mention I met her last spring break and I've had a girl crush ever since. 

I have met many people that have told me they don't watch the VS fashion show because it causes insecurities and such. I completely disagree with this statement. If anything it causes motivation. These models work hard for the body they have, they work out twice a day and eat healthy foods just to look like they do. It is a tough job to have being that you are always under a microscope being criticized but these women make the best of it and manage to inspire young women like me everyday. There is no such thing as a perfect body, it has all been made up by society, the same society that is now tearing these women down. Lets just all love ourselves as we are instead of criticizing others!!

I mean, how could you want to criticize this spectacular woman?

Candice Swanepoel has been my all time favorite model since she began her career at Victoria's Secret. I have never seen a woman so comfortable in her body like she is. It is practically all I aspire to be (Yes I may stalk her Instagram everyday, and I may want her accent and just her face and body in general) but the way she presents herself is what is most captivating to me. You can tell she loves herself and is content with herself and that is a message that all girls need to hear. 

Now excuse me while I stop sitting behind this computer raving about these women and work out.

xo,

Paula

POSH

Since the day I began attending High Point University I felt like something was missing. Maybe it was my love for fashion but I felt like a fashion club was much needed. Luckily for me, my best friend had the same love for fashion and we came up with the brilliant idea of creating a club called POSH. This club was for all the fashion lovers to come together and share our thoughts on the current trends in the industry. Little by little the club came to life and is now a huge success. With over 50 members, and over 300 Instagram followers, POSH has become something everyone is talking about.

With out Instagram page, posh_hpu, we wanted to show the High Point University community how fashion forward our students are. With a "look of the day" posted daily, we show off the brands and trends that the students believe are "in". As my friend and I, founders of the club, got more involved, we decided that the perfect event to bring more exposure to the club would be a fashion show. 

Working day and night, emailing and calling brands, designers and boutiques we found people that were willing to work with us and sponsor our show. We now have a charity involved as well.

This goes to show that you can do anything you set your mind to, even if you have zero experience organizing events (like me).

Stay tuned for part two of this- when the show actually comes to life.

XO

Make America Great Again

What do you get when you combine politics, Donald Trump and fashion? You get the most (cotizado) hat of all time. The Make America Great Again hat is probably the most popular garment in contemporary fashion. (I alone have already seen it on so many people around campus)

Credits: The Daily Mail

It has become an iconic look for the hipsters of our world probably because of the retro feel they have to them. In an interview this summer, Donald Trump showed his surprise over how fast his hat caught on."It has become the hottest fashion item there is".

If Donald Trump wins president, I definitely think it'll be because of his hats.

Balmain x H&M

As some of you may know, H&M has paired up with various designers to create a haute couture yet affordable line of clothing. Versace, Isabel Marant and Alexander Wang have all been a part of these historic collaborations. 

This year, we are lucky to witness Balmain x H&M and I could not be more excited. Oliver Rousteing, creative director of Balmain has given us sneak peaks of the designs that will be offered and today all our suspicions came true when H&M released the faces of the campaign. 

Balmain x H&M Campaign
Credits: The Telegraph

Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Jourdan Dunn are the three leading ladies in this campaign. At first you may be thinking "where have I seen these designs before?" Let me jog your memory. Kendall Jenner wore the blazer Gigi Hadid is wearing in the campaign during the 2015 Billboard awards. The dress Jourdan Dunn is wearing was worn by Gigi Hadid at a Harpers Bazaar party. I think they did an amazing job choosing three top super models to represent their brand! I mean just looking at Gigi Hadid makes me want to buy whatever she's wearing. What makes this all so much more exciting is that the designs look exactly like the Balmain main line!! Thank you fashion God who ever you may be for making this possible for all the broke fashion loving college girls out there.

Now, I know what you may be thinking next "I want Jourdan's dress! How much is it??" Well I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but allegedly, the dress will be priced at $399 (dang H&M, why are you getting so overpriced on me?) 

Anyways, regardless of the prices I will be at H&m November 5th bright and early. Keep you posted!

XO,

  P

Falling into Autum

September 23, is more than just the date, it marks the beginning of pumpkin spice lattes, sweaters and cool temperatures. It's the first day of Fall and in High Point, N.C. it's the chilliest morning we have had since the beginning of the school year. 
I know, we are all sad because bikini weather is behind us but lets get excited for sweater weather! There are so many trends this Fall that I am super excited about, starting with suede. 

Miranda Kerr in a Yves Saint Laurent jacket
Credits: Who What Wear

High- end designers such as Moschino and Chloe have been a huge influence in society when it comes to incorporating suede back into our lives. This season it's all about being retro. Suede jackets are retro but they also have a cowboy feel to it (especially if it has fringe on it!)  
Paula Pointers: Want a suede jacket but are a broke college student? Thrift stores are the perfect place to find retro suede jackets for a really low price!

Taylor Swift in a Brandy Melville skirt
Credits: Who What Wear

The next fall trend I am obsessed with is corduroy skirts. I have always been an enemy of corduroy pants. I think that they are very heavy and unflattering but who knew skirts would be a whole different world!! They bring a flavor of fall while not completely detaching from the summer. Again, this trend is very 70s, continuing to show us that retro is very new school this season.
Paula Pointers: Always check your mom's closet before going out to buy any of these retro trends. Who knows, she may have something saved from back in the day!

Credits: Her Campus

The last fall trend I am going to talk about is over-sized, men inspired blazers (or boyfriend blazers). I cannot wait for it to be in the low 60s so I can wear my oversized blazer. Its very classy yet edgy since its not fitted, and it will look great with almost anything! So when you're too lazy to get dressed for your 8 am class, just throw on some yoga pants, a t-shirt and your over-sized blazer and you will be the most stylish girl in your class without a doubt.

Adrian Joffe

Adrian Joffe, the president of Comme des Garçons is a huge influence in the fashion world, which is why I couldn't help but sharing this news profile Business of Fashion wrote on him!

Want to find out more about him? Click here. 

Fashion Week

It's finally here. The time of year where we give and receive. No, I'm not talking about Christmas, I'm talking about fashion week. It is the time of year where designers give us their new collections to gaze at, models lend their beautiful faces and bodies for and we the people receive the gift of amazing new trends.
I'm extremely excited about NYFW this year because I feel that fashion is at it's peak. We have reached a point where we are over the awkward 2000s and have entered an era where fashion is edgy, different and sleek.

Hood By Air NYFW 2016- Livingly

Hood By Air's Shayne Oliver left me in awe with his school uniform inspired collection. If I showed up to school with anything from his collection I would probably be suspended but that is what makes this so amazing! Wearing anything HBA made makes us feel like badasses, period. This avant-garde designer knows how to be different. There is absolutely nothing like it in the industry today. I'm not exactly sure if anything out of his collection is wearable in the real world but hey, to each their own. At least he is not afraid to take risks and show us exactly what goes on in his mind- which is clearly a whole lot.

Alexander Wang NYFW 2016 - Best Celebrity Style

Alexander Wang attracted a whole bunch of celebrities to the front row of his show (I would have gone but I take my education very seriously and couldn't skip class) Everyone is always eager to see what Wang's next move will be. He didn't disappoint bringing lots of oversized, mesh and dark colored clothing. And of course he was very excited, skipping and jumping down the runway at the end of his show, as he should.

Jeremy Scott NYFW 2016- The Daily Beast

Jeremy Scott I should probably just end it here. There is no need to say anything else because the man is sheer genius. The quirky designer's color palette was all over the place. It was full of bold prints and really big hair. I could definitely see celebrities such as Katy Perry or Miley Cyrus wearing his garments!

Carolina Herrera NYFW 2016- E online

Carolina Herrera the style and class that this woman has is beyond me. Every article of clothing she creates is god's gift to this earth. It is what every modern woman should be wearing. She used pale colors as her color palette. Light rose, white, beige and small hints of black were what you could find in her collection. I just need to get my hands on that pink chiffon dress. (that is saying a lot coming from me being that I dislike pink but CH makes me love it) Beautiful as always Carolina, beautiful as always.

Reem Acra NYFW 2016 - Getty Images

Reem Acra is a designer I recently came across and couldn't believe I hadn't learned about him before! His gowns make me speechless. As in: no words can ever describe how I feel about them. I don't think there is any other designer in the industry right now that fuses culture and fashion so well. And can we please talk about the detailing!? It's just to much for human eyes.

Marcesa NYFW 2016 - E Online

Marcesa this is another designer that knows how to make a gown. The models just ooze elegance as they walk down the runway. Marcesa brought us lots of ombre, fishnets and harnesses, exactly what is in trend right now.

US OPEN

As we're finishing the quarter finals and heading to the semi finals of the US Open, it's only right that we pay homage to all the celebrities sitting on the sidelines wearing their best sporty look. How can we concentrate on tennis when we have Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner looking better than ever.

Gigi Hadid:
The gorgeous supermodel took on the challenge of pairing denim with denim. If there's someone who can pull it off it's definitely her! She paired her dark denim pants with a slashed light denim button up top. She accessorized her look with a red envelope bag and a silk scarf of the same color.

Kendall Jenner:
My eyes can't get enough of this look. She looked absolutely impeccable in an all white ensemble. Her white skirt paired perfectly with her white fuzzy crop top and her long white coat (which I don't really understand being that its summer and extremely hot outside) but hey, it works right? You just gotta do what you gotta do. Kendall finished her outfit with beige and white sneakers, sporty-chic to the T.


Kim Kardashian:
A pregnant Kim Kardashian looks flawless in her usual neutral color pallette. She paired white skinny jeans with a light brown top. The top was a little revealing but not too much, perfect for the mom to be! She topped this casual outfit with a long, regal black coal and some chained heels.

                                     Melania Trump:
I gotta give it to her, the potential first lady of the United States has style. She is rocking the white and beige look with some mean looking beige leather pants, a white blazer and some killer stilettos. Donald Trump may have gotten booed but Melania deserves all the applause in the world.

Donald Trump:
Is he running for president of the US? I can't tell. Mr. Trump showed up in red white and blue, his signature outfit now-a-days. I definitely think its time to switch it up.


Dascha Polanco:
Can you say Queen? Dascha looks amazing in her white romper and baby blue bomber jacket. I wish I could reach through the screen and borrow it from her because I'm obsessed. But then again, when am I not obsessed with Dascha. If someone is doing sporty chic right, its her.

Anna Wintour:
Finally we have the queen of all queens, Anna Wintour. The woman who doesn't seem to age a year and who's hair does not seem to be affected by the wind, ever. She is looking classy and sophisticated as always while wearing a red midi lace dress and of course her signature black glasses. I hope her will says that she's leaving those to me.

xo,
P

The Top 5

Finding a fashion website that can give you all the insight you need to know about the industry, latest trends, designers, and models is pretty hard (if you don't know where to look). So I am here to save the day and tell you all what the creme de la creme is in regards to fashion websites!

Business of Fashion
This website is one of my favorites because not only does it inform you about major occurrences in the fashion industry, it also keeps you up to date on the business aspect of it all. Seeing all the beauty and glamour that the fashion industry oozes, we don't usually take in to consideration the business behind it all. This website will change that entirely!

The New York Times Fashion
We all know that the New York Times is probably top 3 newspapers in the nation and when it comes to their fashion section they do not disappoint! They have the scoop on all the latest fashion news, trends, street style, event coverage, etc. It is pretty much the fashion bible if there is one.

We Wore What
This website started off as a street style blog created by Danielle Bernstein. Her success was so incredible that it is now a personal style blog with a surprising $5,000 to $15,000 sponsorship rate. The website documents Danielle's daily personal style and at the same time she writes articles that explain why certain things are trending, how to wear them and where to get them!

The Blonde Salad 
Continuing with our bloggers, The Blonde Salad is a fashion and lifestyle blog created by Chiara Ferragni. Based on her success, she was named one of the most influential people in the fashion industry by Business of Fashion. She covers everything from shopping to trends to beauty to people to travel and even her very own looks. Definitely a page you should check out!

Vogue
Finally we have the legendary Vogue. Even people who know absolutely nothing about fashion know what Vogue is. Why? Because they have created an impeccable reputation for themselves in the fashion industry. Only the best models are on the cover. Only the most important people have 5 page spreads, only the biggest trends are covered. So this is definitely a page all fashion lovers need to be familiar with (especially now that New York Fashion Week is coming up, those editions are my favorite)