Senior year means big things on the horizon for me. I’ve been doing a lot of growing up and changing over the past few years as I prepare to enter the adult world. We all know that there are some things you wear to work and others you don’t, but the issue runs deeper than that, especially for someone who loves fashion. Do we have to set our styles and give up edgy looks in order to be adults? Most fashion is, in some sense, a phase; trends cycle and new things influence us, so maybe my love of all things studded will fade as I “grow up” and become more adult, but for now, during my transition out of college, I’m enjoying the ability to play both sides of the field.
Rock-and-roll and hipsterism are significant forces with people our age. Fashion is having a major rock moment, with studs and leather all over the place. Throw in Rachel Zoe and her bohemian style (or Bobo—bohemian bourgeois) and you get one of my favorite looks: layers and layers of t-shirts, sweaters, scarves, jewelry, destroyed denim, heavy boots, and studs.
On the other hand, there are other looks I like that are more sophisticated. Plain pieces thrown together create something fantastic: skinny pants, a sweater, a belt and flats et voilà, instant chic.
I love both hipster and sophisticated styles equally. For the summer I wished Rachel Zoe would come buy me a closet full of flowy caftans and vintage jewelry. Then last year, things changed. More and more sophisticated looks filled my inspiration folders; piles of jewelry became excessive so I started opting for sleeker, more adult pieces when shopping. (I’m still in search of a perfect pair of black skinny trousers à la Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face.)
I still love the edgier look, but part of me thinks I should dress more like an adult—though, really, I’m still a student. It’s that awkward in-between stage. I want to act and feel grown up, but I like being able to have fun as a young adult.
Some things must come to an end, I suppose; unless you’re a super model or an actual rock star, showing up to work in cut-offs is rarely okay, so that won’t last much longer. But my mom (yes, my mother) has a pretty awesome bag I’m just dying for her to pass on—it’s soft black leather with a discreet row of pyramid studs at the top. Wonderful. It’s possible to sneak some rock hardware into a work wardrobe, so hopefully that will slake my thirst for some edge in the coming, older years.
We all know the cliché that college is the time to find ourselves, and it’s definitely true in almost all senses. Although my liberal arts education hasn’t exactly narrowed down my career choices yet, maybe this coming year will help me figure out my own balanced personal style.
Figure out Kathleen at ksimone@ georgetownvoice.com.
