STYLE GURU BIO: Katheryn Harless

Boring is a word I’ve never associated with my style. I grew up in a little cornfield town in Indiana where boring was essentially the motto. I was this spontaneous city girl stuck in a small town in the Midwest and the only way I knew how to express myself was through my clothing. Ever since I was young, I’ve always made questionable wardrobe choices like wearing tube tops over graphic T-shirts—embarrassing I know but I needed something to liven my life up a bit through the means that I knew how. But you have to go through a few fashion faux pas at some point in your life to know how to correct them later.

Luckily, my style has evolved since then. I am about to enter my sophomore year at Kent State University as a fashion merchandising major with a minor in fashion media, but right now I am spending the summer back in Indiana. When I’m not at one of my two jobs working my booty off, you can usually find me at a thrift store or at any local music venue. I’m literally the definition of “thrifty” as most of the items in my closet I’ve gotten under ten dollars and usually from a goodwill. As Macklemore said in his song “Thrift Shop”, “I am stuntin’ and flossin’ and savin’ my money and I’m hella happy that’s a bargain.”

When it comes to defining my style, the only one word answer I can think to give is unpredictable. Putting any other kind of label on it takes away the freedom I have when choosing outfits on a day-to-day basis. One day I can feel boho, another day I can feel hipster, and the next I can feel goodwill grunge. One of my favorite things about fashion is that it is so ever-changing. As someone who gets bored by consistency, fashion is always something I can rely on to spark something new.

The look I’m sporting above definitely showcases one aspect of my style inspired by the 1950s film, And God Created Women. The scene where Brigitte Bardot dances in a waist-high unbuttoned skirt became an instant and defining moment in cinematic history. However, I paired my skirt with a slip and a pair of heeled sandals to make the look less disheveled. The neutral palette, cutout cropped tank, and acid-washed skirt gives more of a punk-feel to this classic look.

I am ecstatic to be a part of CollegeFashionista this summer and I hope you’ll stick with me on this exploration as I spot other Fashionistas/os around and share their killer looks with you!

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