Maybe you know it, maybe you don’t. And maybe, you don’t care.
Whatever your opinion, Western is one of the most fashionable schools in the country, according to Emma Nicholson. And this is definitely something to take note of, she says.
Nicholson, a fourth-year Foods and Nutrition student at Brescia University College, is an editor and style guru with CollegeFashionista.com, a blog showcasing current and upcoming fashion trends at more than 300 college and university campuses worldwide.
As a style guru, Nicholson reports on what’s fashionable at Western, stopping students on campus and snapping a picture of those she sees dressing with a unique twist to a current trend, as well as those who are deliberately bucking it.
Western’s campus is stylish because of its diversity, Nicholson explains.
“There are a lot of students here from a lot of different countries across the world, from a lot of different cities and (they) come here and bring different trends and styles,” she says.
While the prevalent trend on campus may be that of a ‘hipster,’ Nicholson thinks most students have a unique approach to their wardrobe, styling popular outfits in original ways.
Nicholson, with other style gurus worldwide, spots and highlights students showcasing a sense of fashion, showing others what to wear and how to wear it – keeping in mind a university students’ lifestyle and budget, of course.
Whether or not you have an eye – or concern for – the current trends, it’s important to keep an eye on what you wear and when you wear it, Nicholson explains.
“I think there are occasions you should definitely watch what you wear, such as going to meetings with professors or when you’re going to class,” she says.
Because students are preparing to enter the workforce, it’s good practice to dress appropriately now, she adds.
“Maybe (your looks) are not your biggest priority, and that’s just fine. But there are definitely occasions where you’re making your first impression and it does (count). You do need to look professional and put together at certain times.”
Nicholson, who started working with the site last summer, says her internships as a style guru and editor with the blog are helping prepare her for a career she hopes will involve lifestyle writing about fashion, food and nutrition.
In addition to her coursework, Nicholson spends an average of 10 hours each week editing posts from fellow style gurus, tacking on another three hours writing her own weekly posts on Western’s style.
“I love (doing this) because I learn a lot about what other people wear and ways to style clothes. It’s a good connection with others; I learn a lot and meet good people,” she says.
Nicholson adds she has particularly enjoyed covering events like Toronto’s LG Fashion Week.
“I was definitely a first-timer in the media, compared to those that were covering it for all the top magazines and TV shows,” says Nicholson, who dreams of one day editing a fashion magazine. “Just watching them work was amazing.”
Because she’s gearing up to graduate this spring, Western could use another style guru, Nicholson adds. “I don’t think enough people are aware of (the blog) here. It’s relatively new. And because it’s mostly in the U.S., I don’t think a lot of Canadians are aware,” she says.
Always in fashion
Fashion-conscious students with good writing and photography skills can follow in CollegeFashionista.com style guru and editor Emma Nicholson’s footsteps; they just have to contact the blog’s founder and creative director at apply@collegefashionista.com. “We would love more (gurus) from Western,” Nicholson says.
