Hello everyone! My name is Leah Pearlman, and I am a sophomore double majoring in journalism and graphic design at University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. I love fashion because it is a mix of art, culture, passion, and everything I love combined. If I’m not writing articles or in the art studio working on projects, I am most likely scrolling my Instagram feed full of pug photos, dancing by myself to punk music in my room, or eating pretzels dipped in cream cheese—it’s good!
When it comes to my personal style, things have gotten simpler for me. There have been times when accessories were my best friends and complicated layers adorned my body for any occasion. However, college has turned me into a busy, busy bee with barely enough time to even think about where I last threw my light wash denim jacket in my room or remember which friend has those super cute aviator sunglasses that go perfectly with my band T-shirt. In fact, sleep is on such a back order that I am lucky enough to get out of the door in anything that isn’t my pajamas.
I still look to designers like Rei Kawakubo, Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, and Virgil Abloh (to name a very small few) for inspiration, I still stalk Blair Eadie’s Atlantic-Pacific fashion blog like it is my job, and everyone knows I will bring the heat on rare nights I get to go out. But I know that realistically covering my body for day-to-day activities is a task best suited for simple clothing items.
I opt for simple looks that are easy to throw on in a rush before my 9:00 a.m. classes and easily wearable from anything to a meeting or my studio art classes. I bought black jeans plain and later decided to cut and distress them at the ankles and at the knees. This was easy to do with a pair of scissors and a seam ripper. I love their high waist because they can easily be matched with a cropped shirt or sweater.
My sneakers are perfect for running from one side of campus for my journalism classes to the other side for my art classes. I love the snakeskin pattern and the way they match with almost anything. Here is a pair that would be equally comfortable and cute. I pulled my off-the-shoulder sweater over a short sleeved, cropped button-down; then I pulled my hair into a half up-do and was able to start my long day.
In my future, I hope to do work with fashion magazines or blogs. I cannot wait to start with CollegeFashionista, and I know this will be a very exciting semester!
