Effortless Style

Red Light off: Nervously I tapped the shoulder of a fashion intriguing third year. Before switching on the red-circled record button, I explained my project and we instantly began gabbing about blogs and her desire to cut her bangs short like Bettie Page. I knew I had the right girl, she even informed me about the website Bloglovin, a site which organizes a person’s favorite fashion blogs into one giant news feed... After class ended our interview began...

Shirt $2, Jeans from Forever21, Bracelet from Olvera street in LA, Calculator watch from Walmart $20, Snake ring from Downtown LA, favorite ring inscribed “I promise to count my blessings,” from Fern's on 2nd street, Hindu prayer shawl from Cost Plus, Forever21 earrings, Platforms for $20, & Dad's belt

Red Light on: Justine David, a psychology major and sociology minor, loves thrift shopping. The Long Beach native dresses according to her mood. She describes her style as being a mix of Boho with a taste of 70’s inspired favorites such as bell-bottoms, fur, and platforms. Although she digs the laid back qualities of hippie chic, David also has an edgy side styling hardware punk, all black, studs, and lots of leather.

“A lot of people like to be comfortable, but I feel comfortable in platforms…so” David said. If walking up the various hilly parts of CSULB gets too difficult, she simply switches out her shoes. She believes style should be effortless and fun, “If you’re not having fun then you’re not doing it right.” David collects most of her great finds at swapmeets and vintage shops, her favorites include Off Melrose, and American Wasteland. She’s not anti-mall but believes shopping elsewhere has a greater opportunity for finding “rad” or self-expressive treasures.

She admires model and fashionista, Agyness Deyn and model and designer Erin Wasson. She enjoys the Olsens’ fashion sense but says “I feel like their very New York posh, that I can’t keep up with.” Her favorite “can’t live without piece” in her closet is a black leather jacket from the 80’s. The jacket includes the words “God Bless America” and a drawing of an eagle. She purchased it for $10 but invested $100 of her own blood and sweat studding its lapels, pockets, and adding 1-inch spikes upon the shoulders. David says all the hard work was worth it but also says you probably won’t catch her wearing it at school or you might find a student thinking, “Why is she wearing that!?”

Ask David about what her Fashion don’ts are, and she’ll tell you a couple things that urk her. First off the list are people on campus who wear pajamas to school. “Put some jeans on, no one wants to see your dirty stains, or faded Homer Simpson pjs,” And you men, don’t let her catch you with sandals. “I don’t want to see your crusty feet, put some socks on.” All joking aside, David believes a person should wear whatever he or she feels good in, even if people judge his or her appearance. “At the end of the day you answer to yourself,” She says, “if you feel comfortable with who you are, than that’s the best thing.”


Photos/Written by: Alexis Sparks