I am constantly walking around campus checking out everyone’s outfits. I find college campuses to be fashion runways full of models. Do not get me wrong, it is a struggle waking up in the morning and putting on something that makes a statement, let alone getting dressed in the first place.

There is so little time in a day and not enough time to do it. Students at Allegheny go from class to office hours to the gym to the library to do homework to eat somewhere in between. There are many days that you do not get to see your room from the time we wake up in the morning to the time we go to bed.

This means that you need to pack for the whole day when you leave your room in the morning. This may also mean that you need to wear active wear all day in order to dress for what you plan to accomplish.

Some students dress comfortable and sporty; then there are those who dress super trendy everyday. I appreciate those who create their own style. They take some fashionable pieces and create an outfit that may consist of three different trendy pieces. I know that some people are afraid to take risks when it comes to fashion especially in small town, U.S.A.

My advice is to take the risk and roll with it.  Create your own look by having staple pieces. Figure out what your style is and build upon that. If you like neutral colors and simple pieces, maybe add some random, colorful pieces of jewelry to the outfit, get outside your comfort zone.

Kassandra Kyriakis, ’17, communication arts major with a focus in production, always looks put-together. While Kyriakis does not have one individual fashion icon she turns to for advice, she does look at the fashion industry for tips and inspiration.

Kyriakis does, however, have two favorite stores. She said her go-to’s are Express and Forever 21, both places she can find inexpensive, trendy and simple pieces to dress up or down.

“[My go-to outfit] is a cut-off hoodie, leggings, high socks [accent socks] and Docs,” Kyriakis said. “These shoes, I think, they go with everything.”

Docs have become super popular on and off of campus. I see people wearing them all of the time with any style of outfit. I think that they are an awesome staple piece to any outfit.

On the other hand, some women find jewelry to be a must for every outfit, while others like to keep it simple and leave the bling at home. For the longest time, mixing silver and gold jewelry was a fashion faux pas.

Now, gold jewelry is becoming more and more popular. Mixing silver and gold jewelry is not a fashion sin anymore. Kyriakis admits that she absolutely loves her gold jewelry.

I see many women wearing their gold Alex and Ani bangles with some silver Alex and Ani bangles. I love that look.

Do not be afraid to wear an outfit that may not look like something that came out of a magazine. Take some different pieces from magazines and mix and match them so that you create your own sense of style. Fashion is all about taking risks so have fun with it.