In Her Campus’ series Closet Check, we’re getting a look inside the closet of a college student and learning all about how they put together their favorite outfits. In this piece, we talk to Sydney Flaherty, a junior at Emerson College, who is currently focusing on her accessories.
Name: Sydney Flaherty, 20
Year: Junior
School: Emerson College
Where do you live? On campus in a dorm
These responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
The Closet Check
My closet itself is very small, so my favorite thing about my closet is probably the clothes I fill it with. I try really hard to keep it organized, keeping my sweaters and jeans in separate drawers and utilizing a hanging organizer. To make use of the small spaces I have, I also decided to use my jewelry as decor. I keep bracelets and rings in cute dishes on my desk and hung up my necklaces on my wall. This way, in giving myself easy access to these accessories, I’m also making my room cuter!
I also rearrange my closet based on the season, so the clothes in my hanging organizer differ depending on how warm or cold the temperature is around that time of year.
Creating The Fits
My first step is always checking the weather. However, most of the time, I already have an idea of what I want to wear regardless. I usually start by choosing my pants, depending on the style (if they’re low-rise, patterned, etc.). Then, I select my top. If it’s particularly cold that day, I’ll usually add an over-layer for my walk to class. The final step of my routine is choosing out some jewelry. This semester I’ve been trying to be more mindful about my accessories, so this step is super important!
What I’d Wear To: The Last Class Of The Semester
Here I am wearing my favorite skirt, probably ever. I thrifted it, but the brand is Faded Glory. I love the wash and its middle slit. I paired that with a white sweater that I may or may not have stolen from my mom. Unfortunately, the tag does not have a brand, so where it’s from is a mystery. The last day of school, for me, is always an opportunity to leave with a bang, so I try to wear all of my favorite pieces. For shoes, I’m wearing a Skechers brown leather oxford shoe, as I feel like it goes with the denim in the skirt. And for accessories, I’ve been trying to get more into jewelry — here, I’m wearing a blue beaded necklace my friend made for me.
What I’d Wear To: An Off-Campus Holiday Party
TBH, I’m not usually a dress-to-theme type of person, but I tried my best here! I thrifted these corduroys almost a year ago, but the brand is Jag. I love the flare at the bottom and the slightly low-waisted fit. On top, I’m wearing a red graphic tank that gives me lots of Y2K vibes. The brand is called kiwi, but I thrifted this, too. Because it’s winter, I had to add a white cardigan from Chaps. I’m hoping the red and white colors make this outfit kind of holiday-themed. I paired this with a brown shoulder bag I thrifted that has literally zero tags. When I go to parties, I always need a bag or pockets — so this accessory was a must. Puma Palermos are my everyday shoes — I love them for their pop of color and how comfortable they are.
What I’d Wear On: Christmas Day With Family
In my family, Christmas Day is a super relaxing, lazy day. So here, I’m wearing a pretty casual outfit. On top is one of my favorite sweaters — I thrifted it a few years ago and for some reason, I always wear it around the holidays. The brand is Resilio Sport. My jeans are from BDG, but I bought them on sale at Nordstrom Rack (one of my proudest moments). As for shoes, I’m wearing my go-tos: Puma Palermos.
What I’d Wear On: New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is the only winter event where I will entirely disregard the weather, as you can see. I’m wearing a black mini skirt I thrifted from the brand Cooperative — I love it’s little cut-outs, and wear this to pretty much every GNO I attend. I thrifted the shirt, too — it has no tags, so I’m unsure about the brand. I’m big on the off-the-shoulder trend and I love this shirt’s wide and asymmetrical neckline. I’m also wearing a thin gold choker that I got at an antiques store to brighten up the look just a little bit. Finally, if you couldn’t tell already, I don’t have that many shoes in my dorm — so I’m re-wearing my Skechers.