Hello fashionista/os! My name is Ashlyn McCowan Perez. I’m a rising sophomore at Baylor University studying journalism, creative writing, education and apparel design. When I graduate I hope to become a novelist or costume designer. This is my first semester as a Style Guru, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally put my love of fashion, writing and street style scouting to good use.
Inspired by my battle with self-esteem and disordered eating, I’m an advocate for body positivity. I’m also a part-time novelist and a full-time coffee lover. I applaud individuality, beautiful syllables, courage, strong female characters and a good pair of black jeans.
My fashion inspiration comes from the world around me – sometimes people, sometimes places, oftentimes culture and far too often, social media. If you love Dr. Martens, Gwen Stefani, Iris Apfel, Moschino, anything ‘90s and young adult novels, we can be friends. The oriental kimono I’m wearing was an end of the day vintage find in Austin, and it reflects a small piece of my overall aesthetic. I love shopping for bargains. Scoring rare or unique garments I can update for a modern look is the best!
I’m not much for trends—it’s a struggle for me to keep up with them—but I love style. I think it’s important to keep those two things separate. These black jeans and peep-toe booties do a nice job of working double-duty between utilitarian and fashionable. Basics are important (especially in college!) and they save those precious minutes between sleep and scrambling for class. The statement gold necklace(s) I’m wearing are a leftover festival craze I fell in love with. Something about the texture against a plain T-shirt makes getting dressed more fun.
Be sure to follow me on social media, grab a cup of coffee and kick back those (uber-stylish) shoes. It’s going to be a #RAD semester!
