Hello Badger Fashionistas!
Everyday this week, TASA is proud to introduce to you the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Official Style Gurus for CollegeFashionista.com!
If you're not familiar with CollegeFashionista, it's a "fashion blog site for those who are passionate about the latest college fashion styles and trends on campuses around the world. This website allows students and other young adults to view photographs of what their peers are wearing around college campuses and gain valuable insight and tips to incorporate these looks into their own college fashion wardrobes."
Read about who they are, find out what this is all about and maybe you can be a Style Guru yourself!
So who are these fashion-crazed "Style Gurus" that stop unsuspecting fashionistas in their tracks and snap pictures of great style around campus???
Name: Sammy Luterbach
Year: Senior
Major: Communication Arts – Radio, TV, Film
Favorite Designer: Isaac Mizrahi, Marc Jacobs, and Betsey Johnson.
One fashion item that you can’t leave the house without? My outfits aren’t complete without a big ring, but I never leave without my camera either!
How did you find out about College Fashionista and how did you get involved and became a writer/Style Guru?
I found out about CollegeFashionista the summer before I transferred to UW-Madison a little over two years ago. My best friends and I were shopping on State Street, and a Style Guru at the time stopped my friend to snap her photo for the site. I asked the Style Guru about CF, checked it out, and e-mailed Amy Levin, the founder of CF. Within a month I was a Style Guru myself!
How long have you been a writer/Style Guru for CF?
It has been just over two years now, and I have loved every single second of it.
What do you love about being a writer/Style Guru for CF?
Everything! I am the Head Style Guru for UW-Madison and really enjoy being in a leadership position, communicating with the Style Gurus here in Madison and across the country, planning events, doing interviews, working on my writing and photography skills- I could go on and on! Being a Style Guru has really allowed me to be part of the fashion scene here in Madison and also the fashion industry throughout the country, and even the world; so many doors have opened up to me through this internship. I also love being a part of such a tight-knit and fashionable community! It gives me a great sense of belonging.
What do you usually write about, women’s wear, men’s wear, hair, make-up, accessories? Do you have a specific focus?
My column is entitled “Style Advice of the Week.” I focus on specific trendy elements in the ensembles of Fashionistas and Fashionistos that I spot on the streets of Madison. I interpret and break down the trends for our readers and try to tell them how to achieve a similar look.
What do you do to keep yourself updated with current fashion that helps you aid with your writing for CF? Read magazines, blogs, fashion websites? What are your favorites? (examples Style.com, Marie Claire magazine, New York Times style section).
I am obsessed with magazines and always have been. My favorites are Teen Vogue, Vogue, Lucky, Harper’s Bazaar, and Nylon. Blogs are so much easier to relate to though since they showcase real people in their real lives; you can get super useful tips from them! My favorites are CollegeFashionista (duh!), Cupcakes and Cashmere, The Man Repeller, WhoWhatWear, The Sartorialist, The Cherry Blossom Girl, and Atlantic-Pacific. I get a lot of inspiration from Tumblr as well, and I stay current on industry news from Style.com and Twitter.
You cover an array of street style at UW Madison, do other people’s style influence and make your personal evolve? What is your personal style?
My personal style is quirky and eclectic. I love bright colors, sequins, and mixing patterns. Don’t even get me started on leopard print. Sometimes I feel my style is a bit much for Madison, so I would say that being exposed to so much street style and dissecting it weekly in this city has calmed my style down. I appreciate casual simplicity and cool effortlessness now. Jeans and a T-shirt are fine to walk around in! I just can’t stop shaking until I have at least three necklaces, two rings, and a heart purse by my side. It can’t be helped.
If any of our TASA readers wanted to become a CF Style Guru, how can they become one?
A lot of Madison students want to write for CollegeFashionista! Make yourself stand out by bettering your photography and writing skills. Start your own blog and really work at it. Follow @CFashionista on Twitter and join us for our monthly #FashionTalk sessions. Take part in the conversations on our Facebook page. Once you’ve done all that, e-mail your resume to apply@collegefashionista.com, and you’re bound to have a great shot!
