Campus Couture: KP, Quinnipiac

[While everyone is fabulous in their own right, we thought we should celebrate the campus fashionistas of the world for their continued excellence in not looking like a hot mess for class. So, we started stalking those girls on campus (like Kayla at Lakehead!) to get a few pics and get some tips on their personal style.

By Arielle

And maybe a restraining order or two.

But it’s worth it to highlight fresh, unique wardrobe choices that show personality and the courage to wear what you believe in. You know someone who's got great style? Think the world needs to see what she can do?  Send us an email with some photos and she could be the next fashionista celebrated right here.]

College is a wonderful place. It is pretty much the last four years where you can be completely irresponsible and (kind of) get away with it. It is a place where 11 AM is considered early, and where throwing on sweatshirts, pajama pants and Ugg boots (every day) is completely acceptable… and expected. This is why when someone actually has jeans on, I take notice. Which is how I noticed Kerstein, who’s mostly known as KP around campus.

It was time for me to get a “little sister” in my sorority, and I knew the girl I was looking for had to be stylish (it runs in our family.) And along came KP. When she wasn’t wearing sorority letters, she was rocking some seriously edgy outfits, always accompanied by studded belts and funky vests. She even managed to make a backwards baseball cap look chic (when it was raining and she wanted to protect her hair)!

While KP can often be seen sporting super risky looks, I would never say she has one particular style. She can be rocker and edgy, classical and feminine, or comfortable and laid back – all depending on the day. But no matter the heavy watch she has around her wrist or the trendy boots she’s walking in, her best accessory is without a doubt her personality and her confidence, the two most important parts of any fashionista.

Name: Kerstein Perez
Year: Junior
Program: Broadcast journalism

1)Describe your personal style:
Blair Waldorf meets Gwen Stefani. Classy but a little badass, put together… but not too put together.

2) Complete this sentence: I can’t leave my house without…
The real answer is my Blackberry, but since it’s about my style, it would be my silver mirrored aviator sunglasses…no matter what the weather.

3) What is your favorite store to shop at?
Urban Outfitters.

4) Who or what is the biggest influence on your style?
Where I grew up influences my laid-back fashion choices, like ripped jeans and plain white tees. When I went to high school I was sent to a private prep school for girls, which is a different universe from my neighborhood. I like to think this is where my gravitation towards button-ups and blazers began. Though the collision of these worlds really defined my style, my mother’s fashion insight helped as well. She worked for the Gianfranco Ferre store on Madison Avenue (RIP, this venue is now closed) when I was very young. Growing up, playing on the floor of the store exposed me to appreciate clean lines of dress shirts, tailored dresses, and the simplistic elegance of fabrics and colors.

5) What is your favorite trend, past or present?
It’s a tie between the little black dress and a well worn cardigan.

On KP:
Jeans: American Eagle
Boots: Qupid
Shirt: Forever 21
Blazer:H&M
Necklace: Urban Outfitters
Watch: Swatch