I love my knits and dark colors. This is how I do leather, black and a Friday night.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Colorado State Fashion Student Living in New York City
New York City. It’s hard to believe I made the 1,800-mile move.
To give you a little background on me: I am the past photo editor for the Collegian, majoring in apparel and merchandising. I have left my perfect college life to live my “dream life” in Manhattan for a full-time, school-credited fashion internship.
Let me say it again –– school-credited –– meaning I am not getting paid to work full time, and I’m living in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Since I get a small sum for writing this, I agreed to share my fabulous, broke, shoe-obsessed city life with all of you: my sincerely missed CSU peers.
After living here for almost three weeks, I realized a few things: $500 only lasts about one week –– I can’t go out of my apartment without passing at least five Starbucks and countless H&Ms. And lastly, I am a complete new-comer.
As I realize how pitiful my life is compared to all the fabulous people here, it is also expanding into a new, interesting, unpredictable and hopefully someday successful, life. Don’t worry, I’m not delirious –– a successful day for me is not falling down the subway stairs in my heeled boots, which are a towering three inches. Yes, this happens to me.
The best solution to this fear of heights is wearing sneakers, but this is New York; there’s too much fabulous competition here. Being in fashion, you have to define yourself with a style, attitude and purpose as to why you put yourself through the hours, tears and disappointments that surround the fashion industry.
My long-term goal, besides not looking like a tourist and only falling occasionally, is succeeding. Yes, this is a broad goal, but I like to live my life with room to grow.
Psychologically speaking, my life is pretty undefined right now –– it can literally go in 100 different directions after my 12-week internship is finished.
And to give you a little perspective of my physical life: my female roommate has to cut through my petite 8 foot by 10 foot room to get to our bathroom.
In reality, I don’t mind the cramped quarters, and I’ve found new inspirations: the MET, a new gym for $20 a month, and walking into a bar alone and meeting a group of 45-year-old women who befriended me –– who would have thought that NYC would be neighborly?
One major plus about living here is definitely the shopping, although, like any true shopaholic, I have major spending limitations. For example, I bought boots that were originally $200 for $85, but then realized I had no more budget for food for the rest of the week –– major success in my mind, but lets be real, I chose shoes over food.
I guess that’s one diet plan.
I could have returned them, but my heart said the six-block walk to Nordstrom Rack would just make me change my mind (again). Plus, it was raining that day.
(the boots)
After my first week and spending my first month’s budget, I realized this is not good.
I have put myself into retail lock-down and have restricted myself to exclusive window shopping. This works perfectly, since I intern with a women’s wear designer and get to look, touch and smell all the new merchandise on a daily basis. Yes, I said smell.
What can I say –– I like my designer clothes.
My small contribution as a student intern is hard to take seriously. My professional skills have been placed in a much more competitive arena here, but at least I make a contribution. It’s a start, and I’m living in NYC, which is pretty fabulous.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the life I’ve been waiting for, rats in the subway and all.
I have even come up with a game when I’m bored waiting for the subway: I count as many live rats I can see down on the tracks. My record is three. I’ll let you know when I beat my high score, which will probably be by my next column.
It’s a brave new world. Wish me luck.
Erin Eastburn is a senior apparel and merchandising major who is currently interning for Tory Burch in New York City.
To give you a little background on me: I am the past photo editor for the Collegian, majoring in apparel and merchandising. I have left my perfect college life to live my “dream life” in Manhattan for a full-time, school-credited fashion internship.
Let me say it again –– school-credited –– meaning I am not getting paid to work full time, and I’m living in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Since I get a small sum for writing this, I agreed to share my fabulous, broke, shoe-obsessed city life with all of you: my sincerely missed CSU peers.
After living here for almost three weeks, I realized a few things: $500 only lasts about one week –– I can’t go out of my apartment without passing at least five Starbucks and countless H&Ms. And lastly, I am a complete new-comer.
As I realize how pitiful my life is compared to all the fabulous people here, it is also expanding into a new, interesting, unpredictable and hopefully someday successful, life. Don’t worry, I’m not delirious –– a successful day for me is not falling down the subway stairs in my heeled boots, which are a towering three inches. Yes, this happens to me.
The best solution to this fear of heights is wearing sneakers, but this is New York; there’s too much fabulous competition here. Being in fashion, you have to define yourself with a style, attitude and purpose as to why you put yourself through the hours, tears and disappointments that surround the fashion industry.
My long-term goal, besides not looking like a tourist and only falling occasionally, is succeeding. Yes, this is a broad goal, but I like to live my life with room to grow.
Psychologically speaking, my life is pretty undefined right now –– it can literally go in 100 different directions after my 12-week internship is finished.
And to give you a little perspective of my physical life: my female roommate has to cut through my petite 8 foot by 10 foot room to get to our bathroom.
In reality, I don’t mind the cramped quarters, and I’ve found new inspirations: the MET, a new gym for $20 a month, and walking into a bar alone and meeting a group of 45-year-old women who befriended me –– who would have thought that NYC would be neighborly?
One major plus about living here is definitely the shopping, although, like any true shopaholic, I have major spending limitations. For example, I bought boots that were originally $200 for $85, but then realized I had no more budget for food for the rest of the week –– major success in my mind, but lets be real, I chose shoes over food.
I guess that’s one diet plan.
I could have returned them, but my heart said the six-block walk to Nordstrom Rack would just make me change my mind (again). Plus, it was raining that day.
After my first week and spending my first month’s budget, I realized this is not good.
I have put myself into retail lock-down and have restricted myself to exclusive window shopping. This works perfectly, since I intern with a women’s wear designer and get to look, touch and smell all the new merchandise on a daily basis. Yes, I said smell.
What can I say –– I like my designer clothes.
My small contribution as a student intern is hard to take seriously. My professional skills have been placed in a much more competitive arena here, but at least I make a contribution. It’s a start, and I’m living in NYC, which is pretty fabulous.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the life I’ve been waiting for, rats in the subway and all.
I have even come up with a game when I’m bored waiting for the subway: I count as many live rats I can see down on the tracks. My record is three. I’ll let you know when I beat my high score, which will probably be by my next column.
It’s a brave new world. Wish me luck.
Erin Eastburn is a senior apparel and merchandising major who is currently interning for Tory Burch in New York City.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Spring Over Here
Sadly, we have a few more months of winter... But with fashion week coming up in less than a month, I've started to think about how I'm going to make a statement this spring.
Here are some ad campaigns that are influencing my style this spring.
Hugo Boss: I'm mainly inspired by this one cause she's pimpin'!
Chanel: Sheer flowing skirts - purely romantic
Roberto Cavalli: BLUE BLUE BLUE!
Mulberry: Anyone who knows me understands my obsession with neutrals. This season I would love to add some light pink and yellows with my nudes!
Givenchy: Texture much? Any who, I'm digging it! (plus those shoes are pure sex)
Armani: Classic lines and silhouettes. Python could add a little edge too... which is needed in NY!
Here are some ad campaigns that are influencing my style this spring.
Hugo Boss: I'm mainly inspired by this one cause she's pimpin'!
Chanel: Sheer flowing skirts - purely romantic
Roberto Cavalli: BLUE BLUE BLUE!
Mulberry: Anyone who knows me understands my obsession with neutrals. This season I would love to add some light pink and yellows with my nudes!
Givenchy: Texture much? Any who, I'm digging it! (plus those shoes are pure sex)
Armani: Classic lines and silhouettes. Python could add a little edge too... which is needed in NY!
Inspiration: Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotya
When you first hear this song you don't understand. Keep listening and you will become like me - obsessed!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Woodchuck Hard Cider & NYC
Currently I’m sitting in Starbucks feeling like a complete
poser. Though in reality, I don’t have a desk in my apartment, and when I try
to work on my bed I fall asleep. So I had to come here!
New York is a place where I feel at my best. I feel most
inspired in cities and, unlike the popular belief about women, I’m not
directionally challenged. So this new environment doesn’t scare me.
I like it here
because if you smile you have the possibility of making a friend. I have a very
charming smile, if I may say so myself (gag).
I’m no knockout beauty, I consider myself around average. Because
of this, I get people with my smile. I make friends with my smile. And in a
city where most people are in too much of a hurry to smile, it gets you
places!
If you’re strong enough to live in a city, can handle the
weirdo’s, can ignore the catcalls while passing construction workers, move now!
Plus I could use more Colo. friends.
I moved out here January 7th, 2012. I start my
internship January 16th, 2012.
My first week here, being that I had no plans, I made goals for myself. These were connecting with friends and maybe finding a man friend (I had more - but these were my priorities - desperate? maybe).
So far I have connected with a few friends, but no such luck
finding any male friends; besides one gay male that is a friend of my female
neighbor – I’m not counting him cause we didn’t exchange names.
Working in the fashion industry I have discovered some of my
greatest fears. One is failing. I don’t like to think about this cause I don’t
fail – I’m too competitive, too driven and too awesome to fail (this is what I
like to tell myself).
My second fear is being lonely. For the past year and … well,
year and a half I have been in a monogamous, open or off-and-on relationship. This combination was mostly with one
man.
That being said, I have come accustomed to having affection,
praise and love in my life.
One could say you’re parents give you affection, praise and
love. These people have never been in a relationship where the man adores you. Having a man do
this for you makes everything, no matter how good or bad your day was, okay.
Plus it makes you feel special, pretty, and did I mention special (gag, again)?
But coming here, I have discovered reality. My friend Molly
from CSU would be proud.
As good as relationships can seem and as scary as loneliness
may appear, it makes you stronger, grow and rely on yourself more. And really,
you only have yourself at the end of the day.
And even though it sucks to come home to an empty bed, a gal
sometimes has to throw on her coat, run down to the corner store, and buy
herself a drink – my drink of choice last night was Woodchuck Hard Cider.
Cheers!
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