We spoke to Shari Lawrence, who you voted as Warwick’s most fashionable student

After a tight competition for first term’s campus style crown, we counted your votes and it’s official – Shari Lawrence faced a resounding win!

We finally sat down with the stylish fresher and wanted to find out more about her relationship with fashion.

When did your interest in fashion begin?

I’ve been into fashion since I was quite young, even though some of my throwbacks beg to differ! I loved watching shows about style and fashion and would spend hours browsing my favourite clothing sites. My interest has definitely evolved as I’ve gotten older. When I got my first part-time job in retail my style developed the most because I could afford to experiment more.

What is your style signature? What makes an outfit a ‘Shari outfit’?

It depends on the occasion. My friends tease me about how my version of ‘casual’ isn’t really that casual, which I do get – I mean, I am normally the one who’s a bit overdressed!

I’d describe my style as sophisticated but with an edge, and usually go for neutral colours. Black, grey, beige, khaki and camel are my go-to. My everyday outfit is typically a good pair of skinny jeans, a trendy top or jacket and heeled boots. One thing I’m always wearing is heels, if I could wear heels to the gym I probably would!

Are there any ‘trends’ that you dislike?

Not that I can think of, but there are trends that aren’t really me, at least based on my current taste. Right now I’m seeing a lot of bold colours, ruffles and floral embroidery in for Spring/Summer 2017 which I would usually shy away from, but I have seen others pull those trends off amazingly. I want to experiment and take more risks though!

What would you say makes a person fashionable?

It depends on the person – I wouldn’t say that you have to necessarily wear all the latest trends to be fashionable. It’s more about knowing what suits and flatters you best, and most importantly wearing what makes you feel comfortable and self-confident.

Does Warwick have a specific style?

On our campus there’s so much diversity in style, especially given the diversity in culture. I love how free we all are to express ourselves. I’m biased but Warwick students are definitely well put together – I’m always complimenting other students. Some treat lectures like a fashion-show (guilty), but most are generally laid back!

Who is your fashion role model and why?

There are loads of fashion bloggers, designers and celebrities whose fashion style I admire, but I don’t have a particular role model per say. I just buy and wear what makes me feel good. One of my greatest fashion icons though is Naomi Campbell, and being voted first term’s most fashionable student makes me feel one step closer to taking her crown!

Is there a fashion icon you think is overrated? 

I like that question – we all enjoy a bit of controversy! I wish I had a good answer but honestly no one comes to mind. I reckon that for anyone to be labelled as a ‘fashion icon’ in the first place must mean that they’ve done something right. It’s a big accomplishment to inspire many people, even if not everybody is a fan.

Do you think clothing can represent a person today or is that a ‘judging a book by its cover’ kind of mentality?

Clothing is definitely a form of self-expression and can be a part of our identity – that’s one thing I love about fashion. I think there’s a difference between that and the idea of your clothing representing you as a person. There are many misconceptions based on how people dress.

If you’re into fashion or your appearance, sometimes you can seem intimidating, vain, or shallow-minded, which is a false impression in many instances. It’s cliché but one of my favourite quotes is: “If the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress?”. I love expressing myself through my look, but believe that our character is ultimately the best representation of ourselves!