Campus Catwalk: UMW Fashion

By SARAH KELLY

In the wake of New York fashion week, students have been gracing campus walk every day in an effort to showcase their personal style. The mild September weather provides students with the final opportunity to have fun with summer trends before the regalia of North Face fleeces sets in along with the cold. Taking full advantage of this opportunity is sophomore Nia Bentall.

Bendtall played with this summer’s denim shirt trend; she bought hers at Pac-Sun and tailored it herself. She pairs her shirt with Topshop jeans with a subtle flower print. Her braided Oxfords, a gift from her boyfriend, were a vintage find on Etsy. Her simple ponytail is accented by pinned-back bangs, a nod to the fall 2011 runways.

When asked to describe her look, she said, “I was trying to be a little more casual than I usually am.”

Bentall’s sense of style emanates in part from living overseas. “I used to live in England and my family is British,” said Bentall. “Over there, it’s more formal, people get more dressed up for everyday occasions, so I think I am more formal sort of than an average student. I wear dresses a lot, I like heels, I try to be different, I use statement pieces, I like mixing patterns and using block colors a lot.”

Among her favorite designers are Ana Sui and Missoni.

“I love Missoni because of the range they just released at Target,” Bentall said.

Bentall’s well-balanced sense of personal style demonstrates both the ability of an individual to be unique in their appearance while also reflecting what is going on in the fashion world.

When asked to describe what fashion means to her, Bentall said, “Fashion to me is a way of controlling the first impression that people have of you. It’s a way to present yourself without necessarily having to use any words.”

The importance of style has recently come to the forefront of the entertainment media, as it does every September. Last week’s New York fashion week brought out the best of young designers for the upcoming spring 2012 season.

There was little drama seen on the ready-to-wear runways, designers stepped away from exaggerated pieces and towards a middle ground of functional yet playful collections.

The focus was on the elements of structure, line and texture that are central to well thought out design. Some of the most notable collections were from relatively new designers that are now established in the fashion world. Phillip Lim focused on texture and line.

Proenza Schouler’s pieces showed at attention to fit and saturated oranges and teals. Ralph Lauren’s use of pale pinks and robin’s egg blue added a sense of romance to classic looks. Thematically, these collections created an idea of fun and simplicity that will undoubtedly impact style on campus this spring.

Image courtesy of Sarah Kelly/Bullet