STYLE GURU BIO: Cassie Howard

January 9th, 2015 at 2:00am

Hello my name is Cassie and I’m delighted to join the CollegeFashionista community this year. My hometown is Denver, Colorado and I’m a freshman at Union College in Schenectady, New York. I plan to double major in Studio Art and English. I enjoy drawing, painting and creative writing. As a general trait, I admire anyone who has a deep sense of creativity and can find a spark of inspiration at a random place and time. In terms of fashion, I’m fascinated with makeup, editorial photography, styling and design. I find inspiration in designers such as Dries Van Noten, Isabel Marant, Erdem and Oscar de la Renta. When I look at collections by various designers, I search for original patterns, bold colors and details that still emphasize a sense of femininity and softness. Also as a personal goal, I want to explore edgier styles and push myself towards pieces that I would not ordinary choose for myself.

As a young woman from Colorado, I normally find people in slouchy sweatshirts, distressed blue jeans and UGGs. Unfortunately, the Western culture has drifted from formal attire seen in the 1800s, the 1920s and other periods from the past. I definitely appreciate the modern trends in today’s society, but at times we have grown lazy and we have forgotten the definition of expression and individualism. I admit that sometimes I throw on a Pategonia quarter zip and lululemon leggings, but what happened to our creativity and eagerness to dress beautiful? As a new Style Guru at CollegeFashionista, I want to inspire others and show them the wonders behind fashion. Many students dress in similar trends and it’s important that young women and men discover their own style, which brings more diversity and substance to our community.

Clothing is not just a piece of fabric or a part of our morning regiment. In fact, fashion represents an art form that requires one’s imagination and passion for innovation. Alexander McQueen stated, “I think there is beauty in everything. What ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it.” McQueen offered dedication and forced his imagination to search for a vision that a few artists may understand. Friends, classmates, acquaintances and even strangers wonder why I dress elaborately. They ask why I rarely wear comfortable clothing and how I make the effort to look nice throughout the day. I answer back with a smile and say, “I enjoy getting ready because I love clothes and putting on makeup.” I state this confidently because fashion represents my dreams, my happiness and my overall identity as an individual in today’s society. If the world did not leave a place for the fashion industry, a huge part of my soul would feel lost and unheard.

Want to get my look? I put together a soft and delicate outfit and I chose a cerulean blouse, a navy skirt and a jeweled statement necklace.  In general, I love styles that have a feminine and flirty touch!

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