The Ram Runway: Rain, Rain, Please Stay!

What’s the most wanted rainy day accessory, you ask? Rain boots, of course! A variety of bright patterns and colors add some fun to these gloomy days; two designers in particular seem to have captivated the feet of fashionistas everywhere.

                 

Steve Madden is a legendary shoe designer-let’s face it, we all own about a million pairs of his shoes- and has created a chic rain boot that allows street walkers to splash fashionably through the puddles. His rain boot, called the Tsunami comes in four different colors. But aside from the conventional all-around rubber material, he's incorporated a fun zipper on the very back that travels from the top of the boot to the back of the ankle. The zipper gives this rain boot the edge needed to shake off the overcast weather.

                 

Though Madden truly has an eye for design, the most popular rain boot seen on campus is that of the Hunter design. The Hunter boot logo shines through the rain with its bold black print on a white background, bordered in a thick red. These boots come in so many colors, a wide array of which can be seen on the style-conscious students on campus. Not only are they offered in the standard rainbow colors, but they even venture off the bow, mixing two colors together and making a lighter version or a darker version. Hunter boots are even available in metallic silver, a color that allows for a fashionista to sparkle even if the sun is not.

Rachel Roseneck, a freshman at Rose Hill, stays cozy and safe from the rain in a pair of black leggings and a black zip-up rain coat. Her Hunter rain boots add a splash of unique color to her ensemble. The boots she's wearing are a mix of coral pink and brown, which is a new warm color, notable for fall. This color stays within the preset color palette of fall fashion; it incorporates the new trend of pastels as well as bright colors, to give style finders the best of both worlds. Rachel ensemble is a perfect example of how to dress up when you feel like dressing down. Dressing up doesn’t always have to mean putting on your best. Sometimes, it may just mean adding to an outfit specific piece that brightens the clouds on a rainy day.

Briana Rotello is a sophomore at Fordham Campus, Rose Hill. She grew up in Rockville, Maryland and attended Wootton High School. She had always pictured herself living in New York City, and after she found Fordham University, she was able to put her dreams into action.

She picked Fordham University for both its academic integrity, strong focus on writing, and its location. She is planning on majoring in Communications. Briana aspires to be a fashion journalist after college and appreciates all the learning opportunities offered to her in the great city of New York. She is ecstatic to experience more of the fashion world, and to learn more about the art of writing.

The Maroon Man: Looking Cool, Keeping Warm

Walking along the paths of Fordham, one sees students scrambling to class, professors holding conversations, black squirrels, and many different styles. Walking along the Freeman side of Eddies I spotted a young man with killer style. He is this week’s Maroon Man. 

Nicos, from San Francisco, California, nailed a preppy and laid back look with a soft blue button down, stone khakis, and the symbol of all things prep, Sperry’s. Socks with Sperry’s, to many, are a cardinal sin no matter the time of year. So as we quickly approach the bitter cold of a New York winter how can we keep this laid back look for the changing season? It’s simple. Layer.

Layering is the key to keeping symbols of summer fashionable even in the colder months. This can be achieved with sweaters, coats, and cords, which can simply be added to the look and are appropriate for winter. For Nicos, there is no need to change out of this great button down. Just roll down the sleeves and throw a cashmere or wool V-neck sweater. If it’s really cold, a shawl collar cardigan could also work. Polo Ralph Lauren has some great options. A cardigan would work best only because it doesn’t entirely cover the shirt, but either are a great option when it comes to bundling up.

To transition this look into the much colder months, try swapping khakis for a pair of cords. Since khakis are made of cotton, they are very light and airy. They’re perfect for summer, but not too practical for winter. Corduroys are made for cold weather because the thicker stitching lets less air in, so you stay toasty and warm. Try looking for a fun color other than brown or gray to spice up your look. These Henna cords by Rockin’ Sartorial are a great option.

With these tips, Nicos can stay comfortable when November rolls around. He can still sport  his key summer pieces and not lose the essence of this stylish look.

Joe Coscia is a sophomore at Fordham College Rose Hill studying Communications and minoring in Business Administration.  He is originally from Pennsylvania and is thrilled for his second year with Fashion For Philanthropy.  He also can't wait to help Fordham's guys stay stylish with budget friendly finds and splurges.  Dress Well, Live Smart Fordham!

The Ram Runway: The Bold Use of Accessories

For this weeks Ram Runway, the spotlight was on a fashionista who loved to accent her ensemble. She used accessories to turn a rather simple outfit, into something interesting and unique. The use of accessories is truly what makes or breaks an outfit. Through there use,  fashionistas are able to put their own personal spin on basic items. Accessories include any type of jewelry, hats, scarves, bags, shoes, watches, sunglasses, hair pieces and anything else that enhances an outfit. I personally love accent pieces, because utilizing them is a prime way to truly reveal a fashion personality. Anybody can put together a cute outfit, but personalizing the look with accessories is what really shows the true colors of a fashionista.

This week's fashionista used accessories to complement her basic, yet chic look. With black skinny jeans, an oversized white tee with pockets and an Urban Outfitters dark blue navy jacket, this fashionista proved that stand out pieces are needed to really make an outfit stand out. This fashionista found these amazing tan suede booties at Urban Outfitters and told me they were going to be her go-to shoe this fall. A neutral colored, suede, tie-up bootie is a shoe that can virtually go with anything and should be a closet staple this fall. Neutrals go with everything and are an updated, brighter basic than dark black. Do not get me wrong, black will always be the basis of my closet, but I like how this fashionista complemented her black jeans with neutral heels to make them pop.

Also, the gold pendent necklace, which this fashionista wears everyday, is a simple yet spunky way to jazz up a basic neckline and simple tee. Her tortoise shell Michael Kors watch was my favorite accessory she displayed; I am obsessed with oversized mens-inspired watches. The watch really stood out on her plain wrist, making it a wonderful statement piece. In the fall and especially winter, hats are a must have. Not only are they useful in keeping us warm, they act as lifesavers when we wake up and know it's going to be one of those days. You can hide behind them and camouflage bad hair, or like this Fashionista did, use them as a cute accessory. Last but not least, the blue army jacket was the piece that really tied together this whole ensemble. The pockets and buttons acted almost as accessories on their own.

This fashionista did an amazing job at turning a basic outfit into a fashionable fall ensemble just by using fun and personalized accent pieces. She proved that accessorizing is the best way to standout and display your own unique spin on an outfit. 

Alex Casolaro is currently a sophomore at Fordham University and is a Communications and Media Studies major. Alex is completely enticed with the fashion world and living in New York City has only inspired her more to pursue a career in the fashion industry. She is greatly influenced by photographing and documenting street style and keeping tabs on the happenings of the fashion industry locally and globally. Check out some of her posts at fordhamffp.blogspot.com.

XOXO, The Editors

Hey Everyone,

It’s your Editors, Patricia and Andrea, here! We just wanted to say hello, and welcome to the blog. As you will all start to see, there are going to be a lot of new and exciting things happening this year in respect to the Fashion for Philanthropy blog. First of all, as you can probably see, we have changed the design (doesn’t it look great?) - Next are all of the new columns that we have added! This means lots of new student bloggers, so please check in with the blog weekly to support your peers.

Our new columns will consist of men’s and women’s fashion around campus - ‘The Maroon Man’ and ‘The Ram Runway.’ Then there will be the ‘Intern Diaries’ column, which will focus on the experience that a current student is having at their internship. Next is ‘Featured Articles;’ this section is filled with various opinions and experiences that members of the club have had with fashion and philanthropic activities. The ‘Opportunities’ column is where we will post internship, job and volunteer opportunities that we hear about (please e-mail us if you know of any and would like to share with others). The last two columns are ‘XOXO,’ which will consist of letters and updates from the Editors, and ‘Couture for the College Girl’ which focuses on finding expensive designer pieces for a college student’s budget.

Along with new additions to the blog, Fashion for Philanthropy is extremely excited for all of the activities that we have planned for this year. Please be sure to come to our weekly meetings on Thursdays in Dealy 201 at 5:30 PM. (Note: This upcoming Thursday 10/20 is our Members’ Mixer. Even if you have not attended a meeting yet you are still welcome to join!)

Feel free to e-mail us at fashionforphilanthropy@gmail.com or fordhamffpblog@gmail.com if you ever have a comment or question.