What are you wearing?
I’m wearing my mom’s trench coat, a blue and white striped dress from H&M, brown tights and brown oxfords, from Target. I wanted the J. Crew oxfords but they were $200, and these were $12, so I kind of figured they were a better bargain.
What about your jewelry?
I got my watch in Switzerland. This is a spoon ring; it’s my grandma’s.?My mom got me this cuff from a little vintage shop in Puerto Rico. ?My necklace was a gift from my parents. And my earrings were also my grandmother’s.
You’re quite the traveler.
I do love to travel. I spent the summer in Madrid. I took a class there through (the College), “Culture and Society in Spain.” I’m going to grad school in London. One of my favorite things about traveling is seeing other styles and what’s trendy in other cities.
What are some of the differences you notice between the styles here and the styles abroad?
In most European cities, especially in London, people go further with their fashion. I feel like most people are kind of reserved here.
Do you feel that the area in which we live constricts your style?
Sometimes I feel a little weird with some of the things I wear. Even with this outfit today. It also has a lot to do with my hair.?I noticed that when I first had this short hair, people looked at me because they weren’t used to it.
Why did you cut your hair?
At the end of my sophomore year in college, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to go through four months of chemotherapy. In my junior year, I had to wear a wig because I lost all of my hair. It started growing back around Thanksgiving of that year, but I wasn’t comfortable enough to take the wig off until the beginning of March.
What enabled you to make the decision to go without the wig?
It got to the point where I wasn’t comfortable with the wig anymore, but I was too nervous to take it off. I was so worried about what people would think of my appearance. And then I decided, who really cares what anyone else thinks, as long as I’m comfortable. I also got to see my hair at every length, which was fun. I’m so happy I took the wig off.
How has cancer changed your style?
In general, I have become a lot more comfortable with myself. In a weird way, it’s given me a lot more confidence than I had in the past, so I’ve been able to take a lot more risks with my clothes and my style.
