I dressed like a fashion blogger for a week and it wasn’t that hard

There comes a time in the year when all the #streetstyle posts on my Instagram feed become too much. Every nonchalant diva on the streets of New York, London, Milan and Paris seems to not have a care in the world as they stroll around in shorts, strappy sandals and bare shoulders during the regrettable autumn temperatures.

They pause, they check the unlocked screens of their phones, they get a hundred ‘candid’ shots taken of them, as they seem not to notice any photographer or any incoming traffic.

So while street style stars and bloggers swear by these combinations, I decided to put some of the most popular styles to the test. In the darkness of my room, I went deep into Pinterest and #OOTD hashtags, with a Red Bull can in hand. I chose a few trends which I could replicate with my existing wardrobe and begged my photographer friend to follow me around campus and Leam for the week as I practiced my best #streetstyle pouts.

Monday – The cami top and t-shirt combo

I started off with one of the most predominant trends of the moment. What ended up being the most comfortable look was also my least favourite. Even if the t-shirt had been a better looking loose jersey one, the feedback would have stayed the same. Two of my closest friends forced a polite smile when I posed in front of them, one bravely said “you’re going out in that?” and a male friend blurted “why the hell are you wearing two tops?”

There was one vague “oh yeah, I’ve seen this around a lot” and the jury’s still out on whether or not it was a positive comment. As the first day ended, I felt like my visionary outlook was evidently lost on my mortal friends. Tough crowd.

Tuesday – The double denim look

Have I ever gone near WBS? No. I’m a film student, so I bear the cross of having to walk all the way to a side of campus that no one even knows exists. But if you’re going to copy a street style icon, you also need the swanky background for it and that’s why I took a detour on my way to lectures and settled in front of WBS. I swung my bag around, pouted a little, checked my phone and pretended like I wasn’t stood in front of a photographer with a backpack full of equipment and a giant DSLR.

Even though this outfit made me look like I was waiting for daddy to send one of the cars to pick me up, the outfit was fun and 90s kids will be partially happy to have this trend back. I may have received a few questioning stares in the Social Sciences Cafe, but I was a woman on a mission – a mission to make denim great again.

I ordered a non fat skinny latte with no whip but it still wasn’t skinny enough

Wednesday – The pencil skirt and oversized jumper

By this point, I realised there was one thing I was seriously missing. The Instagram exposure. What’s the point of street style if it doesn’t come in the shape of a hashtag? So I headed straight for the only reality that really matters – social media and the glorious, the supreme #ootd. It was arguably one of the more popular posts I’ve ever made.

Would I wear this look on a regular basis? Most likely. No one seemed too surprised by this look but I may or may not have been mistaken for a parent on an open day. What do you mean you wouldn’t wear a pencil skirt to your son’s campus tour, Karen? I also don’t recommend taking a clutch to uni. Who would’ve thought?

‘Dress chilled, we’re just going into Satchwell’s later.’

Thursday – The men’s shirt worn in an entirely illogical way

I take it back. This was the worst look of the lot. Maybe if I had gone for a much bigger shirt and a different fabric it would have at least looked quirky. As it was, I walked around looking like a Greek tragedy. Or like I’d just walked out of a frat house at 10 in the morning, the tequila effects still in full swing.

Needless to say, I stayed as far from central campus as possible. One of the many bloggers trying this look wrote: “many of you might be thinking OMG I want that shirt!“. The truth is, madame, nobody wants this shirt.

We called this ‘A Cry for Help Outside of Westwood’

Friday – Black and white minimal

Shorts, sandals and November don’t normally mix, but who is the street style queen to care about minor things like these? So I ignored the many others sporting parkas, pretended like my toes weren’t on the verge of frostbite and frowned because are you even a real street style star if you look remotely happy with your fabulous life?

As I posed for a few completely spontaneous shots, I had no real scenario to warrant me wearing this on a regular day. I went with the believable excuse that there was a fashion a show I had to get to instead of my seminar as Leam’s clearly the capital of fashion. This time, the only memorable feedback was a lovely lady in Leamington who shook her head at my bare legs.

Doesn’t everyone lean against a wall like James Dean while waiting for the bus?

By Saturday, I was on an ibuprofen and soup diet, because I got a cold wearing these ridiculous outfits while it was freezing outside. Any gains from said little experiment? A lot of stares around campus and a few creepy Instagram followers. They might be bots, but beggars can’t be choosers. Every style star has to start somewhere.

Photography by Archie Guinchard and Lexi Edwards @Spotted Mug Productions