Holiday Party 2014

Tonight, members of Fashion Board gathered around for a holly jolly night filled with tacky Christmas sweaters, charitable intent, classic Christmas trivia, and the unveiling of the Fashion Board t-shirts.

First, three members from "Clothed in Hope" (a non-profit organization discovered by former USC student Amy Woodell Bardi), discussed the philanthropic act of providing hope to impoverished women in Zambia by investing in the power of creativity and encouragement. By generating innovative projects for the women in Zambia, "Clothed in Hope" is able to teach the basics of business, independence, and the nature of being crafty in order to sustain economic stability for themselves. Selling everything from shirts to custom-made bracelets, clutches, and headbands from the women of Zambia, the members of "Clothed in Hope" provided a grand selection of products for any Fashion Board members interested in supporting this empowering cause.

After the "Clothed in Hope" presentation, the Executive Board engaged members of Fashion Board in a competitive game of Christmas trivia. Split into four teams, members of Fashion Board were in it to win it, with the prize being a Fashion Board Tervis tumbler. Team 3 dominated the game, thus leading them to receive a tumbler at the end of the night.

"Wrapping" up the holly jolly night, Fashion Board members gathered around for a tacky Christmas sweater photo shoot led by the State newspaper, lined up to receive membership t-shirts, and ended the night checking out "Clothed in Hope" merchandise.

Check out some of our members in their sweaters:

Merry Christmas + Happy Holidays to all, and to all a fashionable night!

Emery Smith
Fashion Board member

Reclaimed Runway 2014: Striving for a Greener Carolina

On November 6, 2014 Sustainable Carolina and Fashion Board at USC held its third annual Reclaimed Runway Fashion Show at USC’s Russell House Ballroom. The event was hosted by Carolina’s recently crowned Homecoming King, Riley Brady who did a spectacular job of keeping the audience entertained and the show on beat. 

The show featured pieces from local and student designers made from not so typical materials: Coke cans, water bottles, magazines, plastic ware, and many other recyclable goods. The reason behind designing pieces with recycled materials rather than the traditional fabrics and such was to bring about awareness for striving for a greener, more sustainable Carolina. The show was a success in showing that recycled materials were good for something and could be transformed into fabulous designs. 

13 models strutted the runway, showcasing the innovative creations of the designers. Each design was unique in its own way and each brought a different flare to the stage. Judges, Jillian Owns, Megan Pinckney and Lindsay Nicole Richardson seemingly had a tough decision deciding the winner of the show.

Upon intermission, the University’s A cappella group, Cockappella, performed a variety of hits including Carolina’s Alma Mater. The group did a splendid job of entertaining the audience with their lively performance.

The show came to a close with the announcing of the winners:

2^nd runner up- Amelia Schuler

1^st runner up- Valeria Salas Guzman, and Francisca Toro Forbes

2014 winner- Katherine Galang

The show turned out be a great success and conveyed a great message in helping to create a more sustainable Carolina. Thank you to all of the Fashion Board members that volunteered and to Sustainable Carolina for allowing us to be apart of the event again. allowing us to be apart of the event again. Head to our Facebook page for photos of all the looks.

Meera Bhonslé

Fashion Board Member

Member of the Week

Hello Fashionistas! As we all get cozy in our seats this school year, Fashion Board is welcoming a new post every week dedicated to our members. Every week, FB will nominate a member that either exceeds in excellence or stands out amongst other members (whether it’s style or doing something awesome). This will be your opportunity to get to know more about our members— and who knows?–– maybe you’ll be our next Member of the Week! So make sure to be on your A-game and show us what you got.

Last month during the FB meeting, five new members were recognized for helping out with New York’s Fashion Week. As we all know, NYFW is one of the best events of the year where top designers display their collections for the upcoming season. These five members had the opportunity to cover NYFW through blog posts, Instagram and Pinterest. Here are the lovely ladies:

Morgan Williams

Fashion Board: Where is your hometown located?

Morgan Williams: I’m from North Augusta, South Carolina.

FB: What year are you?

MW: Freshman

FB: What’s your major?

MW: My major is Fashion Merchandising. 

FB: How long have you been in Fashion Board?

MW: This is my first time being on Fashion Board.

FB: What did you do for Fashion Board?

MW: I covered the USC Fashion Board Instagram page.

FB: What do you want to get out of FB/ looking forward to this year?

MW: I want to learn more about fashion and different styles and I’m looking forward to helping with USC Fashion Week.

FB: What do you want to do after graduating?

MW: I want to move to New York City and find a job in the fashion world. 

FB: Who is your fashion icon?

MW: My ultimate fashion icon is Lauren Conrad.

FB: What’s your signature look?

MW: I always wear a lot of rings when I put an outfit together.

FB: What is a fun fact about you?

MW: A fun fact about me is that I can learn how to do hairstyles relatively quick and I’m always being asked to style my sister and friends’ hair.

Chandler Viox 

Fashion Board: Where is your hometown located?

Chandler Viox: Loveland, OH

FB: What year are you?

CV: Junior

FB: What’s your major?

CV: Public Relations with a minor in retailing

FB: How long have you been in Fashion Board?

CV: I joined this semester!

FB: What did you do for Fashion Board?

CV: I am a contributing blogger for Fashion Board and recently helped cover New York Fashion Week.

FB: What do you want to get out of FB/ looking forward to this year?

CV: I want to continue to get more involved in fashion board to help build my knowledge and experience in the fashion world. 

FB: What do you want to do after graduating?

CV: I want to be involved in fashion based public relations or advertising, I am indifferent if it’s with an agency or in-house at a company!

FB: Who is your fashion icon?

CV: I don’t have one specific fashion icon, but I am definitely inspired by Jessica Stein. (instagram: tuulavintage) She is a "travel and personal style blogger" who I just so happened to stumble upon a couple of months ago. She has amazing travel photos and an even more amazing wardrobe.

FB: What’s your signature look?

CV: My signature look has to be my sunglasses! I always love crazy sunglasses and think they are a great accessory. I bought the fiercest sunglasses from Steve Madden recently; they are round glasses with rainbow reflective lenses. So. Amazing.

FB: What is a fun fact about you?

CV: My fun fact is when I was younger I broke my nose twice…. in the same week. (I have awful luck!)

Rachel Williams

Fashion Board: Where’s your hometown?

Rachel Williams: Mocksville, NC

FB: What year are you?

RW: Sophomore

FB: What’s your major?

RW: Journalism

FB: How long have you been in Fashion Board?

RW: This is my first year!

FB: What did you do for Fashion Board?

RW: I ran the Pinterest page during NYFW.

FB: What do you want to get out of FB/looking forward to this year?

RW: I am so excited to be working with other people who love fashion and the fashion industry. Sometimes my roommate just doesn't understand it :)

FB: What do you want to do after graduating?

RW: I would like to go on to graduate school at the University of the Arts London then hopefully find a job writing for a fashion magazine. 

FB: Who is your ultimate fashion icon?

RW: Eva Chen. I don't know if she would be considered my fashion icon, I just all around love her. Her Instagram is amazing and she shares my obsession with Birkenstocks.


FB: What’s your signature look

(any accessory, shoes or outfit that you just always wear?)

Can't say that I have a signature look, but I would classify my style as classic prep. I'm always inspired by the French and their effortless beauty.

FB: What is a fun fact about you?

RW: I absolutely love to travel and this summer I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Paris, France while taking a course on the history of fashion.

Mckenzie Mack

Fashion Board: Where’s your hometown?

Mckenzie Mack: Irmo, SC

FB: What year are you?

MM: Sophomore

FB: What’s you're major/minor? 

MM: Public Relations with a minor in retail

FB: How long have you been in Fashion Board?

MM: This is my first year!

FB: What did you do for Fashion Board?

MM: Posted my favorite celebrity looks from each day, along with my favorite runway looks on our Facebook page.

FB: What do you want to get out of FB/looking forward to this year?

MM: I want to broaden my knowledge of the fashion world and gain some real life PR experience. You can learn a lot from the girls on board and I intend on getting as involved as I can. 

FB: What do you want to do after graduating?

MM: Work for a Fashion PR firm, preferably People's Revolution. I want to work under the genius mind of Kelly Cutrone.

FB: Who is your ultimate fashion icon?

MM: Is it stupid to say Kylie Jenner? I just love her style, she's never wrong in my eyes. 

FB: What’s your signature look?

MM: Signature looks… hmm, that’s a hard one. I would have to say my signature look is LA boho-chic. I love baggy clothes and a good pair of chucks. But I’m always changing what I like, it all depends on how I’m feeling.  

FB: What is a fun fact about you?

MM: I have a weird obsession with baby squirrels. Don't know where that came from. 

Tresha Mae Pontillo

Fashion Board: Where’s your hometown?

Tresha Mae Pontillo: Beaufort, SC

FB: What year are you?

TP: Senior

FB: What’s you're major/minor? 

TP: Advertising minoring in fashion merchandising and psychology

FB: How long have you been in Fashion Board?

TP: This is actually my first year!

FB: What did you do for Fashion Board?

TP: I wrote recap posts for several days of NYFW on the blog.

FB: What do you want to get out of FB/looking forward to this year?

TP: First and foremost I want to gain more knowledge of the fashion industry. I also want to know the first-hand tips on getting great internships. I look forward to meeting new friends, the puppy dog show (of course!), and helping with USC’s fashion show!

FB: What do you want to do after graduating?

TP: After graduating, I aspire to become a writer for a fashion magazine (anywhere to get my foot in the door) and work my way up as an editor. I’ve always been in love with Glenda Bailey and have been obsessed with following in her footstep as editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar.

FB: Who is your ultimate fashion icon?

TP: My ultimate fashion icon is Jessica Alba. Everywhere she goes, she is dressed for the occasion! I’ve never seen her out without looking her best and it’s phenomenal how she can pull anything off—from haute couture to street style. My second fashion icon is Chloe Moretz, god she’s amazing.

FB: What’s your signature look?

TP: It all changes from time to time. Some could say I’m a chameleon with my style, all depending on my mood. But what I always strive to add into an outfit is a bow: whether it’s jewelry, clothing, or shoes. For my makeup, my signature look is neutral with a hint of blush and liquid eyeliner.   

FB: What is a fun fact about you?

TP: I am engaged and getting married in June! Oh--- and I love musicals!

Have a member in mind that you want to nominate for our next MOTW?

Email alanafuscardo@gmail.com!

Jessica Kiraly: ELLE Magazine

This past summer I had the opportunity to intern at ELLE magazine. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe the experience I had at ELLE. I spent the summer in a closet filled to the brim with designer shoes and handbags, as well as lots of sparkly diamonds. Those diamonds were my area. While the other interns in the closet handled bags and shoes I was the only intern that specifically handled jewelry. I interned directly under the Accessories Editor, Caroline Grosso, who is in charge of the Paris market and the HUGE jewelry market.

Interning solely as the jewelry intern meant I had a lot more responsibility and duties than the other accessory interns. I not only managed all the jewelry samples but I was in charge of filing insurance, tracking expensive packages, and producing carnets (international documents for over-seas shoots). During all of this I was also in charge of making sure every single piece was accounted for. This wasn’t easy when sometimes our shoots, especially September, called for 300+ pieces of jewelry. Other shoots had less jewelry but the value of the pieces were higher. On a normal day I could have anywhere from $100,000 to $2 million worth of jewelry I would have to keep track of. For shoots that had a higher “price tag” we hired guards to oversee jewelry and handle pick ups as well as drop offs. I also got the chance to go on set a few times which was a whole new experience for me. I ended up spending some pretty late nights at the office but in the end it was truly all worth it.

I learned so much about the industry during my time there and made amazing contacts. ELLE was an absolutely amazing place to intern at and the fact that my job was different from the other interns meant I had the chance to stand out and really make an impact with the people I worked with. The people at ELLE ended up becoming my family for the summer and I truly could not have had a better experience.

xx,

Jessica Kiraly

Fashion Board President

Fall Findings

As fall gradually creeps into the Midlands, fashionistas all around are finding ways to tune into their seasonal senses. With that being said, more and more stores are starting to release their much anticipated fall collections. Along with these collections comes a common, neutral color scheme of navy blue, brown, and dark earth tones. But why be neutral when you can add a little slice of life into your outfit as well? In order to achieve this, feel free to throw in a splash of red, orange, etc., in order to give your outfit more personality---especially if you live on a college campus. Fall has arrived and it's time to break out the comfortable flare!

Modeled by: Rebekah Steele

(Freshman, Early Childhood Education)

Photo by: Emery Smith

Cardigan: H&M

Dress: Wish Boutique

Boots: Forever 21

Tights: Loft

Hat: Forever 21

Photo by: Emery Smith

Dress: Target

Rain boots: Hunter

Photo by: Emery Smith

Quarter-sleeve blouse: Loft

Fur vest: Forever 21

Burgundy shorts: Forever 21

Orange necklace: Loft

Boots: Forever 21

Tortoise watch: Target

Tights: Loft

Hat: Forever 21

Modeled by: Emery Smith

(Freshman, Journalism)

Photo by: Rebekah Steele

Cardigan: Forever 21

Blouse: H&M

Pants: Zara

Hat: Forever 21

Wedges: Steve Madden

Style On,

Emery Smith

Fashion Board Member

Teen Vogue #BTSS Trunk Party

Our Teen Vogue Back to School Trunk Party was last night! This was our first member-exclusive event and we had a turn out of over 80 students.

The room was teeming with style and college students eager to swap out clothes and grab a party favor. Teen Vogue generously donated a trunk full of goodies. Delia's clothes, Silver Jean Co. jean jackets, Vera Bradley satchels and wallets, Kate Spade Saturday bags, and beauty tools from our favorites: Maybelline, Revlon, Garnier Fructis, Simple Skincare, Almay Cosmetics and Miss Me Jeans phone cases were provided for students towards the event due to the enormous response on social media. Snacks from Brownie Brittle, Live Love Pop popcorn, Vita Coco Cafe drinks, and Barnana treats were also provided.

Entering Ballroom C in Russell House was thrilling. Not only surveying the ensembles around, as I faded in my own beige garb, but watching students do the same to each other in appreciation for one another’s style. Walls were lined with tables covered in merchandise, candy, and racks overflowing with clothes. Fashion Board even set up a photo booth -with props- for members.

Upon entering, each person was given two tickets: one for a raffle and one for the style swap. Everyone brought in at least one item to hang on the racks, hoping to ‘swap it out’ for something another member brought it. The first ticket was used to draw names towards the closet swap selection, the risky luck-of-the-draw. The second ticket was given back to guests to drop into one of several bags on the table. Each bag sat on top of a jean jacket, sweater, bag of beauty goods, or pair of jeans (all donated by Teen Vogue and sponsors). Winners were randomly selected from each bag and awarded that prize.

It goes without saying that the night was a success. Everyone who came left with a new garment and a token from Teen Vogue. I was lucky enough to grab some Garnier Fructis hair product on my way out to tame my locks from the ever-humid south.

Make sure to check back on Fashion Board's Facebook page for photos from the event.

Did you attend? What was your favorite part?

Ally Soule

Fashion Board member