GET the look for less and be inspired by the wardrobe of our favourite on-screen heroines who have all struggled with university in one way or another. Natalie Ng has more.
Personal style is all about expressing a part of your personality and university is often the place where most people finally come into their own and discover what they are made of.
Unlike in high school, where you’re less likely to be judged for what you wear, everyone else outside of it is struggling with their own identities and academic lives.
But deciding what to wear to university doesn’t have to be a chore!
It may seem like thinking of what to wear can take up time that you can’t afford to lose in the mornings when you’re rushing to class, but once you get hold of your personal style, you should not be running into any of those “I have nothing to wear” moments!
And where better to fashion your own taste in personal style than to refer to the style icons of the screen! Here are four great heroines with totally unique personal styles to be inspired by and how you can get their look for less!
Beca (Pitch Perfect)
Pitch Perfect (2012) is one of the best comedies in recent years, and it also doubles as a university, female buddy, competition, romantic comedy AND musical film.
The film follows Beca Mitchell (Anna Kendrick), a “too cool for school” (literally) freshman who wants to run off to LA and become a DJ but is instead forced by her dad to attend university. In her struggle to fit in, she joins her university’s all-female a capella singing group, the Barden Bellas.
The Barden Bellas are comprised of a whole bunch of girls from very diverse backgrounds and personalities so everyone has a unique personal style. Beca is the edgy one with her alternative taste in music and frosty attitude, but she has a softer side to her personality and her style reflects that.
Tartan is part of the punk uniform, so of course Beca would have a tartan mini skirt, paired together with a dark smokey eye and lots of black accessories.
Cheap Monday double layer vest, $45, ASOS | Pea jacket with military detail, $148, ASOS | Tartan mini skirt, $42, Missguided | Double hoop wrap earrings, $17, Topshop | Leather bracelet, $12, Urban Outfitters | Metallic smokey eye shadow palette, $14.95, Sportsgirl
Anna (Like Crazy)
Recent Best Actress Oscar nominee Felicity Jones is Anna, a British exchange student in Los Angeles in the film Like Crazy (2011). The film is about her all-consuming romance and tumultuous long-distance relationship with American Jacob (Anton Yelchin), after the two are separated by visa laws.
International students will no doubt relate immediately to the struggle of being in a long-distance relationship, but at least you can look cute while pining over your other half.
Anna’s style is very comfortable and effortless, with touches of bohemian in it. She almost always has a bunch of layered pendants or her parka on. Urban Outfitters offers a range of layered pendants, and this vintage surplus jacket is the way to go if you favour the laid back personality of Anna’s look.
Esprit peasant blouse, $68, ASOS | Charms layering necklace, $24, Urban Outfitters | Blue printed floral skirt, $9, Sheinside | BDG suede crossbody bag in grey, $49, Urban Outfitters | Vintage surplus jacket, $79, Urban Outfitters
Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)
Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). A sartorial and television icon. Her wardrobe practically is its own character on everyone’s favourite guilty pleasure show, Gossip Girl (2007-2013).
She singlehandedly spawned a whole range of trends when her character burst on screen, from preppy blazers, colourful coats, tights in every colour and pattern imaginable, and of course, embellished headbands, because what would Queen B be without her crown?
Blair’s style is feminine, classic and luxurious, as she takes her cues from Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, and isn’t afraid of colour. Channel your inner Blair with this adorable yellow coat from Sheinside and always remember your jeweled headband.
Yellow wool coat with bow detail, $42, Sheinside | Pale pink lace dress with collar detail $67, Chicwish | Gipsy flower net lace look tights, $14.50, ASOS | Jeweled headband, $24, Urban Outfitters | T-bar low heels in pink, $82, Modcloth | Color block messenger bag, $50, Missguided
Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)
Elle Woods’ father told her, “Law school is for people who are boring and ugly and serious”. Well, Elle sure showed everyone otherwise.
Legally Blonde (2001), follows Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) who attends Harvard Law School in an attempt to win her boyfriend back but ultimately discovers she is stronger and smarter than she ever thought she could be.
Elle’s wardrobe is very, very pink, because pink is her power colour and she is at her strongest and most powerful when she wears pink. If pink is your power colour, go crazy and wear as many pink items as you can.
If not, tone things down with this grey collared jumper from Choies the way Elle does when she attempts to look like a “serious lawyer” but still maintains her adorable style.
Gray jumper with contrast collar, $45.80, Choies | Pink midi pleated skater skirt, $34, Choies | Pale pink contrast collar bodycon dress, $35, Sheinside | Rimmel London Kate lipstick in 28, $12, ASOS | Pink woollen coat with bow detail, $70, Shechic | Minkpink sunglasses in Wild Raspberry, $39.95, Just Sunnies