STYLE GURU BIO: Janice Yahner

Greetings, earthlings. My name is Janice Yahner and I’m currently in denial that this is my senior year at James Madison University. I’m majoring in Psychology, so you bet I’m analyzing you. This is my first internship with CollegeFashionista, and I am wicked excited to be here and representing my university campus!

I fell in love with fashion in high school and it’s been a big part of my life ever since. Aside from having an addiction (a very happy one I might add) to shoes, brown boots in particular, I am a stickler for the little details that complete any look. I’ve always been a bit of a tom-boy and I think my style really reflects that. My dog is my best friend and my biggest fan, so naturally I model him and wear all black when I can. If I’m not wearing 7″ heels, then I’m in some form of boot. Every outfit I wear is based off the shoes I want to showcase, so you know I have my priorities straight.

My style has changed a little over the years, but, for the most part, it’s edgy with a bohemian twist. I have key pieces that I wear constantly and use to make my style unique. To me, an outfit should always have something unique, like a charm bracelet my best friend and I made when we were seven, or a leather backpack that was my mom’s in the ’90s. It’s those little pieces that for me are the most important thing to make my style my signature.

In this particular outfit, I choose the top with its delicate mandala pattern and layered it over a white halter bralette to capture the bohemian style. I paired these with my favorite ripped jeans in a medium wash, so that they were in a neutral color to accentuate my top. The distressing on the jeans added the edgy vibes to contrast with my top. My necklace in this outfit is my go-to piece for almost every occasion. It’s a rustic bronze color and the spikes keep the edgy tone, all while the rhinestones add a girly touch. Since the necklace and shirt are pretty busy, I kept all my other accessories simple.

I couldn’t resist wearing my leather bracelet that my friend brought me back from Peru. Adding unique and memorable pieces, like this bracelet, make my outfit truly mine. Of course, to keep the warm, boho and earthy tone of my outfit, I wore my suede TOMS wedges. The best part about the TOMS is that they are so comfortable! I was spending the day with my roommate and exploring downtown, so I knew that I would be walking for most of the day; these shoes it’s never an issue.

This outfit is so versatile because it remains casual with the jeans and top, but the shoes and necklace dress it up a little and make a statement. Sometimes, I’ll want to wear something like this out. To do this, all I change are the jeans to a darker wash that still has the distressing and switch my TOMS shoes out for a pair of brown suede booties with a heel.

I can’t wait to impart some unfiltered and personal advice in fashion to you this semester! Stay real, my friends.

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