Hello, everyone! Welcome to my blog: Trend in the City. I decided to start this blog in order to highlight different city styles and designers. As a college student in the Midwest, my region is often overlooked because of major cities like Paris, Los Angeles, New York, London, etc. getting all of the love on social media, the press, and in magazines. Ever wonder who is setting the trends in your city? This blog is going to be a place to comment on style and trends in cities not usually highlighted in the press. I will occasionally cover cities that are talked about more, like Paris, New York City, etc., but I would really like this space to inspire people interested and with a passion for fashion in different cities to feel like their cities get some love too. Please join me on this endless travel to new places, close and far away, and to highlight the trends in your city.
Fifth Stop: NYC – Day 3, 4, & 5
This post is a continuation of the post, Fifth Stop: NYC – Day 1&2. So, if you have not checked out the first post, make sure to read it before continuing with days 3, 4, and 5!
On day 3, I went to the FIT fashion museum, explored Soho and Chinatown, and went to my first NBA game (the Knicks versus the Pistons) at Madison Square Garden.
On day 4, I explored Brooklyn, and I LOVED it there so much. Although I got lost on the subway quite a few times, it was totally worth it when I finally made it to Williamsburg.
On day 5, we met with the co-founder of Windows Wear to see their exhibit at Berkley College’s Manhattan campus. We also had the incredible opportunity to go to Coach’s NYC headquarters to see how they produce their beautiful leather goods. At the end of the day we flew home from an incredible city back to our own incredible city of Milwaukee.
I would like to thank both my parents and Mount Mary’s Fashion Department for providing me with the opportunity and blessing to travel to NYC with friends and fellow fashion students. It is an experience I learned so much from, and will never forget. It was the perfect end to my nineteenth year, and a beautiful start to my twenties.
I hope you enjoy these photos!
Lots of Love,
Nina
Mini Stop: A Fun Way to Deal with Finals Stress
The second week of December. Finals week. The week I always wonder how I persevere through, even when I have eaten three packages of ramen, cannot remember the last time I slept more than four hours at a time, and am anxiously waiting to see if my grades are as good as they can be.
My best friend, Carlie, and I needed a moment to destress, so what do we do? Watch Netflix? Eat junk food? Use a facial mask? No. We have an impromptu photo shoot.
Carlie photographed all of these lovely shots. This was a way for both of us to go have fun for thirty minutes, and let go of the constant stress both of us have been dealing with due to work, internships, school, finals, volunteering, the holiday season, and much more.
So, this week, if you and your friend are feeling stressed, grab your phone, camera, or polaroid and go take photos. It does not matter if they look great, bad, or somewhere in between, the purpose is to spend quality time with a friend, have some laughs, and to get your mind off of your stress. Also, you might get some pretty cool photos out of it too!
Here are how some of Carlie’s (Instagram: @carliepageo) photos turned out:
How do you destress during finals week? Please leave a comment down below, and let me know!
Happy studying!
Lots of Love,
Nina
Fifth Stop: NYC – Day 1&2
Towards the end of October, I had the incredible opportunity to travel with Mount Mary’s Fashion Department to New York City. If you have not read, Stop 4.5: An Introduction to NYC, make sure to check it out!
The first two days we had the privilege of visiting the Bon Ton offices and Fashion Snoops. Our meetings with both companies made me super encouraged and inspired to continue working hard in my fashion studies. NYC is a fast-paced atmosphere, and so is the fashion industry, so it is important to make sure as a student I am well-rounded in all areas of knowledge about the industry.
Please enjoy NYC through my eyes in these photos:
Make sure to check back tomorrow for the second NYC post.
Lots of Love,
Nina
Stop 4.75: Hippo Campus Concert Outfit
While I am sitting in my dorm room listening to piano covers and procrastinating to study for finals, I thought I would post an outfit of the night for the Hippo Campus concert I went to on November 19th at Turner Hall in Downtown Milwaukee.
If you have not listened to Hippo Campus, you should definitely check them out. I had never heard of them before this past August when I attended Lollapalooza. They were the second show I saw on Thursday, right after Declan McKenna. They definitely have a great vibe to their sound and have easily became a part of many of my playlists. They are also a Midwest band based out of Minneapolis.
Here is the link to their Spotify if you care to give them a listen: Hippo Campus
My favorite songs of theirs include:
- Vines
- South
- Violet
- Buttercup
Now onto the outfit:
- Denim Levi Jacket – (stolen from my tata)
- Black Long Sleeve Shirt – BP Nordstrom
- Lipstick – Rouge Dior in Rose Harper
- Green Skirt – from a shop in Ireland (stolen from my best friend Carlie)
- Gold Hoop Earrings – BP Nordstrom
- Black Scarf – H&M (stolen from my mama)
- Black Tights – Meijer’s
- Small Beaded Purse – (stolen from my mama)
- Black Booties – Urban Outfitters
Watch out for more outfits of the day starting in 2018!
Please share some of your favorite bands and/or jams in the comments below! Would you enjoy playlist posts? Let me know as well!
Happy studying!
Lots of Love,
Nina
Stop 4.5: An Introduction to NYC
I still remember the first time I stepped onto to New York City pavement.
It was April of 2015. I was seventeen, a junior in high school, and a young girl with big dreams of making it to the city one day to work in the fashion industry. Picturing that I was Carrie Bradshaw, I twirled down the streets of Manhattan envisioning a bright future. I am sure everyone else walking down the street was just wondering who the crazy, twirling girl was.
I had plans of attending the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) for college. My dream school to attend. My senior year of high school I worked meticulously on college applications to several schools in New York, but FIT was constantly on my mind.
However, I was still applying to schools in the Midwest.
My counselor, who I owe endless thanks to for the rest of my life, found Mount Mary University through an article written about alum, Donna Rico’s, dress that Michelle Obama wore. He suggested that I apply to Mount Mary and apply for the Caroline Scholars program. A full ride scholarship to college.
I applied, not thinking I would ever receive the scholarship, but I remember the day I received the flowers and phone call that I was one of the six freshmen recipients. I was blown away with appreciation and thankfulness, but a part of me was so torn on the inside.
The day my financial aid reward arrived in the mail in late March from Mount Mary, was the same day my acceptance letter from FIT arrived. The once starry-eyed and twirling girl with dreams of going to NYC for university was suddenly hit with the toughest decision of her life thus far. Accept the scholarship and give up my dreams of studying fashion in NYC at my dream school, or go to my dream school and carry a large financial burden for the rest of my adult life.
I ultimately chose going to Mount Mary University. Looking back now, it was the right decision. Although I have been through a lot both mentally and emotionally with making that decision and constantly wondering if I made the right choice, I always just look around me and I see all the strong, wonderful, encouraging women I am surrounded by, especially my best friends Ashley, Carlie, and Sarah, and then I know that I made the right choice for myself at this point in my life.
Going to NYC always holds a special place in my heart because no matter how busy, how intimidating, or how competitive it all may seem, I always remember that seventeen year old girl who did not care about any of that noise, but rather about the opportunities, diversity, culture, and excitement the city has to offer.
This past October right before my twentieth birthday, I had the opportunity to travel to NYC again with the Fashion Department at Mount Mary. My adventures will be highlighted in the next two posts.
I will also be posting college information for other students seeking to study fashion, and I will go further into my own experiences, triumphs, and failures in high school and thus far through college.
Until then, please enjoy the beauty that NYC has to offer through my photos and personal accounts.
Lots of Love,
Nina
Fourth Stop: Milwaukee Fashion Week (Special Edition) Milwaukee, WI
Makeup & hair for the event!
My lovely friend Sarah and I in the audience.
Posing in front of the Milwaukee Fashion Week backdrop.
Sarah and I taking a snap outside of the Athletic Club.
Finished the night by going to our favorite spot, Bel Air Cantina.
Angela Vang Collection Spring 2017. (Photo Credit: Angela Vang)
Piece from Angela Vang’s Collection. (Photo Credit: Angela Vang)
Piece from Angela Vang’s Collection. (Photo Credit: Angela Vang)
This week I am bringing a special edition of Trend in the City to highlight the amazing time that I had this past Friday at the third annual Milwaukee Fashion Week. This year the event was held at the Milwaukee Athletic Club.
My friend, Sarah, came as my date and we had an incredible time witnessing up and coming designers and models in the Milwaukee area.
There were some Mount Mary alumni in the show, including Angela Vang, and her beautiful and innovative designs that she first premiered at the Mount Mary University CREO Fashion Show in Spring 2017. (I have included images from her collection from the Mount Mary University CREO 2017 Fashion Show). I was lucky enough last spring to walk in her incredible designs and they definitely did not disappoint at this year’s Milwaukee Fashion Week.
Another designer that had just the most beautiful garments was Vic·Tor. Tori Sterr’s collection, in addition to Angela’s, was my favorite of the night. You could tell all the way from the audience that each garment was so beautifully tailored.
If you are a designer in the Chicago/Milwaukee area and would like to be featured at Milwaukee Fashion Week 2018, I would definitely look into applying. All of the information can be found on their website: http://milwaukeefashionweek.com. There are also many opportunities for hairstylists, photographers, makeup artists, models, and journalists.
I love seeing firsthand all of the talent and creative spirit that individuals in Milwaukee have to offer.
Here are links to Angela’s social media:
- Website: http://anvang.wixsite.com/adesigns
- Email: anvang@hotmail.com
- Snapchat: angeeluhh
- Instagram: mua.angelaa
Here are links to Tori’s social media:
- Website: sterrv.wixsite.com/victoraesthetics
- Email: victoraesthetics@gmail.com or sterrv@gmail.com
- Phone: (262) 894-7670
- Facebook: Tori Sterr and Vic·Tor
- Instagram: victoraesthetics
Third Stop: Chicago, IL (Downtown)
Lake Shore Mural
photo credit: @faeseyes (instagram)
Sara posing by the water.
My best friend, Sara, and I enjoying a beautiful and cold day by the Lakefront.
Growing up in Lisle, Illinois, a west suburb of Chicago, I constantly wanted to go downtown. My small and peaceful suburb was great to grow up in, but my heart was always yearning for a more upbeat and exciting environment.
I grew up going downtown quite often with my parents or cousins, but when I began to get older, I took it upon myself to take advantage of the opportunities that my beautiful city has to offer.
The summer before my freshman year of college, I enrolled in a fashion trend forecasting class at Columbia College Chicago as a part of their High School Summer Institute. I wanted to have a preview of what my fashion classes in college would look and feel like. Taking this class was probably one of the most beneficial and important steps I have taken in my educational career. I learned about what the city of Chicago has to offer fashion wise, and what people in different parts of the city are wearing.
I realized that Chicago in its entirety is much too large in highlighting trends because what people are wearing in Downtown Chicago is different from what people are wearing in Pilsen or Wicker Park.
So, to start of part of my Chicago series, I will start with downtown fashion.
When I head downtown on the train, most of the time there is me with my periwinkle Dr. Martens and my blue and white striped t-shirt dress, while surrounded by business men and women all wearing different variations of the same combination of a dress with a statement necklace, or slacks and a collared shirt.
Immediately when you go downtown the sea of business people emerge from their offices and hangout at the trendy food trucks near Union Station. Whereas the youth in downtown all have their own style. I would say the trend for youth in downtown is being an individual. Being your own person makes you interesting, and that is what I tend to find people are most interested in. Every person I see has a different style, and that is the new trend.
I will always wear my periwinkle Dr. Martens with pride when I sit next to the businessman on the train with his earphones in, drinking his Starbucks latte, and looking at his computer screen wishing he never had to see another Excel spreadsheet ever again.
Second Stop: Toronto, ON, Canada
Toronto. Probably my favorite city I have traveled to thus far. The people, atmosphere, food, and city life are all so incredible.
This past March I traveled to Toronto with my aunt and two cousins over spring break. While my friends were traveling to Mexico and Florida in hopes of escaping the frigid Chicago and Wisconsin winters, I decided to head north for a much, much colder winter.
I initially was not sure what to expect of the fashion scene in Toronto because I generally did not hear much about the city in my fashion classes or in the media. However, I was so happily surprised and a bit shocked to see just how much of a fashion-forward and cosmopolitan city that Toronto is.
My first adventure in the fashion scene in Toronto started in the Distillery District. All of the local shops in the area were so urban and aesthetically pleasing. It was a nice bonus that the currency exchange worked in our favor while we were there as well. I remember specifically one shop, Heel Boy, having the most unique styles of shoes. My cousin, Sasa, and I were in there for way too long trying on an array of different styles.
The second day I went to Queen Street. Queen Street is the place to go in Toronto for all of your fashion desires. From Dr. Martens, to small high-end local boutiques, to Canada Goose, it was a fashion major’s dream.
One trend that really stood out was the brand Canada Goose. If you are a Midwesterner like myself, you might think we have it pretty bad in the winter season, but nothing compared to the type of frigid weather I felt while I was in Toronto. I love the winter season, but every time a person wearing a Canada Goose winter coat passed me by, which was a lot, I have to admit I glared at them with envy as I was freezing in my North Face.
Finally, we headed to the Kensington Market. It is a street with colorful and dilapidated homes that have become shops. From vintage clothing, to handmade jewelry, and cozy coffee shops, it is definitely a spot that anyone with a passion for art to visit.
Overall, Toronto has a definite urban feel to it wherever you go. The people there are incredibly kind and welcoming, and also much more adventurous with their styles than the typical Midwesterner. Not to mention, they have a highly prestigious university, Ryerson University, which offers an incredible fashion program.
The moment I passed back to the U.S. border, I wanted to go back to Toronto. I hope to travel back to Toronto many more times in the future, and maybe even apply to Ryerson for my graduate studies.
Just remember, if you are going in the winter season, invest in a Canada Goose. You will thank yourself later.
First Stop: Milwaukee, WI
When I started college in Milwaukee a little over a year ago, I was surprised by the styles that the people here were wearing. I thought that since Milwaukee is only about two hours north of Chicago, that the styles and trends would be quite similar, but they were actually quite different.
Living in Wisconsin for about a year now, I have noticed that most Wisconsinites tend to dress a bit more conservatively than Chicagoans. Whether it be in hem length, color schemes, and/or widespread trends.
Even in the Chicago suburbs, the styles and trends that I am used to wearing were a little bit on the edgier side compared to the suburbs of Milwaukee. I think that the nature of fashion and trends here has a great deal to do with the occupations held in the surrounding areas, and the weather. Many families are farming families that live in nearby areas and are maybe less inclined to be interested in the latest trends, much less splurge on new trends. Whereas in Chicago, where the occupations are in a more urban setting, people are willing to go out and shop more to keep up with trends.
When I walk a few blocks away from my parking meter to my internship on Water Street, I see one common trend: layering. Whether it be a woman walking her dog in a pair of yoga pants, a t-shirt, and a pullover sweatshirt, or another woman wearing high waisted jeans with a v-neck and a chunky sweater, she most definitely is layering.
Layering is a good way to stay warm in cold Wisconsin seasons, but it also a way to look fashionable, while staying a bit more on the conservative side of fashion. I have even found myself layering more often when I go out with my friends here than when I am in Chicago.
I will revisit other areas in Wisconsin soon, and I hope to update you as well on any new Milwaukee-specific trends I uncover.
Until then, layer, eat cheese, sleep, repeat.
Trend in the City 