Friday Fashion Pulse

Friday, April 19 — Comfortable or classy, loose or fitted, bright or dark — there is a galaxy of choices when it comes to picking an outfit. Indecisiveness is an issue that fashionistas face when nothing feels quite right and sometimes the answer is everything. Ashley Goolsby, an aspiring photographer from Lansing, breaks fashion editing rules in all the right ways.

“Less is more” is usually a safe mantra to follow when putting an outfit together, but Goolsby found fashion forward alternatives that discard this ideology. The standout piece of her ensemble is a $22 faux leather and sweatshirt jacket from Forever 21. On paper leather and sweats sound like an ‘80s movie wardrobe mistake, but the images demonstrate the opposite. This week’s trendsetter demonstrates how chic and casual can exist in harmony.

“When I photograph, I need to be comfortable, but I don’t want to sacrifice style for it,” said Goolsby. Pairing the standout jacket with a strong pattern is risky, but she manages it while staying true to her style goals. The $14 top from Target has a busy design, but the flattering cut and the matching color scheme creates cohesion in her ensemble.

Goolsby allows the upper half of her outfit to be the star of the show by completing her look with dark slacks from DEBS ($10.99) and black boots from Payless ($59.99). The casual motif of her upper half is juxtaposed by the sleekness of the lower half, although it is subdued the fitted pants and dress boots complement the laid back look of her top.

Goolsby is a testament that when different ideas collide, harmony can still reign.