When glancing at the “Look of the Week” article, one would not normally expect to find a sales-rack-loving, thrift-store-shopping, personal seamstress like Cassie Coravos ’11. Coravos is not afraid of stepping out of the box, and her goal isn’t to follow today’s trends. She has a natural flair for combining both current and vintage trends. When asked to describe her style, Coravos responded, “Eclectic. I guess it’s like a mix of non-expensive items—part vintage, some things I make, sometimes things I buy at the 75%-off rack with my grandmother, thrift shops, Marshall’s. My fashion changes a lot. It’s never one thing for too long. It’s unique.” Coravos’ look is based off of a collection of simple items with many layers to accessorize and add complexity. “I throw on some plain clothes and then wear a scarf. I have to wear a scarf every day. It’s a necessity. I put on a colorful scarf to accessorize any outfit.” But what makes Coravos’ wardrobe so truly outstanding? This fun, lively Greek girl makes many of her own things. “I’ve been sewing forever basically. I don’t always make that much stuff, because usually what I make, other people see and ask for, so I don’t end up wearing most of it. But I make simple things like skirts. I made a suede jacket a few years ago—like a business suit type jacket, so that was probably the most intense thing I’ve ever made.” Making her own clothes seems like it would take a lot of effort, but this fashionista actually does not spend that much time on her wardrobe. “It really doesn’t take me long [to dress]. My look is more a throw-on some basic items. 5-10 minutes. Occasionally I put a lot of thought into what I wear, but usually I don’t.” So is Coravos’ look comfortable or simply just fashionable? Her answer: “Comfortably fashionable. There’s no need to choose just one.” Coravos maintains this balance with looks like her sandal-leg warmer combo. She is a huge fan of strappy sandals both in the summer and the winter, but she still manages to keep herself comfortable and warm by layering with fun scarves and accessories like leg warmers. “If there is more than 3 feet of snow, I wear boots [instead of sandals]. But I keep myself warm with leg warmers and scarves and hats.” Coravos still has her share of favorites. She said, “My favorite item is a red coat right now, and my new bag—it’s probably the most expensive thing I own. It’s a hand-painted, leather, one-of-a-kind bright-flowered bag.” Coravos also loves skirts as nice alternatives to the usual jeans. So where does this vintage fashionista get her inspiration? Well, her look is completely original with the slight help of one very important person in her life. “I get a lot of my jewelry from my grandmother, and a lot of the fabrics I use are from her too… a lot of the stuff I have comes from her.” Coravos’ effortless but stylish wardrobe gets the best of both worlds. What are some ways one can emulate Coravos’ look? “[Wear] neutral colors more than bright. Black is my favorite—everybody who’s Greek wears a ton of black. But I like black with a splash of something else,” Coravos said. With some neutral colors, a splash of brightness, a scarf, and leg warmers—Coravos’ personal favorite—Coravos’ look comes easily. Though one may not be capable of making clothes, have no fear—Coravos is also a big fan of Forever 21, Marshall’s, and vintage items from thrift shops. So to all girls—keep on the look-out for vintage sales and grandmother’s jewelry to get a sassy, sophisticated, and all-original look like Cassie Coravos.
