Featured Friday!- Gabriela

Hello, my lovely readers! I would love to introduce you to our feature of the week, Gabriela of Collections (go check out her blog!) I had the pleasure of interviewing this amazingly fashionable woman, and she is absolutely cool! Let's see what she has to say:

Current Location:

I live in New York City, fashion central. I've actually lived in NY my whole life. During a summer in high school I toured Barcelona and Holland playing tennis. I then returned to live again in Barcelona during a summer at college. Love Barcelona, it's absolutely beautiful. Everyone dresses so unique there... it's awesome. 

Tell us a little about yourself: (This could be your age, your University, a few hobbies, etc.)

I am 22. I did a million and one internships in the fashion industry during college but, unfortunately, was unable to find a job once out of school. I now work as an administrative assistant at a hedgefund, trying to figure out what the next step in my life is. The plus to all of this is that I work in Soho which is freaking awesome. People are dressed to the T down here and all the shops are around so I get to peruse my favorite stores during lunch. I attended Barnard College in NYC which was awesome. There's no better place to go to college than NYC. My friends and I had many an adventure in this city.  I have a live in photographer (aka my BF) who takes pictures of me even though he himself is not into photography at all. That's what I call love hahah. When I go home to my parents house my dad takes over the responsibility. He, on the other hand, likes to play around with the camera. In all honesty the camera's actually his, I just "borrowed" it for an unspecified amount of time :) 

Tell us about your blog:

My blog is called Collections and it's basically a place where I joke about my life and obsess over clothes and accessories. I originally intended the blog to be a continuation of my thesis. I had done a photography project documenting the materialism of the fashion industry by taking individual pictures of everything I owned at the time. My plan for the blog was to continue taking pictures of what I was purchasing, however, over the past few months, the goal of the blog has changed significantly. It's really a place where I just have fun and make fun of myself in the most loving way possible. It's my way of staying connected to the fashion world. 

What is your definition of cool?

I think that you know when someone is cool by the confidence they exude when they walk down the street. Being cool just means you know how to rock whatever you want. And that no one's opinion can sway you. You love what you love and no one can tell you any different. 

How do  you fit this definition? What makes you cool?

I dress for myself and not anyone else. I always have. I grew up in Long Island where the normal uniform is Northface sweaters, Hard Tail pants, and Birkenstocks. I'd always come to school looking different, dressed in something funky...decked out in my mom's 70's jewelry. I got made fun of a lot, not in a mean spirited way just in a "hey you're different then us type of way". I never let that effect me, I dress like I do because I like it. That's how I continue to permeate cool hahah. And now I make fun of myself, I mean I am a tad ridiculous at times, so its just tons of fun. It's a good quality to be able to laugh at yourself. 

Who inspires you to be cool? ( A celebrity, yourself, your readers, etc)

Ahhhhh what a great question. My inspiration definitely comes from my favorite stylish celebs and fashion icons: Alexa Chung, Lauren Conrad, Taylor Tomasi Hill, Jenna Lyon, Joanna Hillman, and let me not forget Emma Watson, OMG I love that girl. If anyone exudes confidence/coolness it's these women. 

If your life could have a theme song, what would it be?

Wow, I'm going to have to think of this one.... hmmm.... probably "You Only Get What You Give" by the New Radicals. I love the constant theme in it of not giving up. And it feels like a song I could just dance in the street to. 

Anything else?

I think that the most important thing for anyone, but specifically for women, is to always be confident in yourself. To be secure enough to joke about yourself and feel good in your own skin is a wonderful thing, it's literally the definition of being cool. Who cares what size you are, the fashion world may preach that to be cool and stylish is to be a stick, but in reality the coolest and most stylish people are always those women and men (no matter what the size) who rock what they wear because they feel confident in it. They're not just wearing something because everyone else is, they're wearing it because they love it. Come check out my love for fashion at: www.fashionablecollections.blogspot.com 

Make sure that you check out her blog! Want to be featured? Email me at bree.l.law@gmail.com!