MISSKOUTURE

It all started in the Summer of 2019 — I got accepted into the PINK Campus Rep program right before the start of my junior year in college. And let me tell you... my excitement then was a huge understatement. 

At a glance, the Victoria's Secret PINK Campus Rep program offers college students the unique and transformative opportunity to represent Victoria's Secret PINK on campus and on social media. As a campus rep, you spread brand awareness, create social media content for campaigns, host events, engage in exciting projects, and build a community directly on campus. When I discovered this program in my sophomore year of college, I was so set on applying to become a rep because the program incorporated many of the things I'm passionate about like fashion, content creation, and social media marketing. So, it was such a surreal moment to have that dream that I was so set on finally come to fruition. 

That Summer, before PINK Brand Certification, I had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with PINK to shoot various marketing campaigns with a few of the other campus reps and PINK models in New York City. From early morning call times, to modeling different looks, it was so exciting to see some of the things captured that day come to life on display in stores and online. The experience was so unreal and fun to be a part of.

Soon after, I was on a plane to Columbus, Ohio for PINK Campus Rep Brand Certification. Victoria's Secret PINK flew out all the campus reps for a three-day trip in Columbus, Ohio to learn all about the program and our responsibilities as reps! As soon as we arrived at the hotel, we were met with some members of the PINK team and lots of welcome goodies. After arrivals, we kicked off day one of the brand certification trip with a keynote from PINK's SVP of Marketing and a personal video message from PINK's CEO. The remainder of the day consisted of many photo ops, resume-building activities, and more opportunities to get connected with some of the other reps before dinner. Later that evening, at the hotel, we had a wellness program with PINK and Poppy Jamie, the founder of Happy Not Perfect. The program was packed with activities from a tarot card reading booth and candle making to getting our nails done and creating personalized bracelets with Ryan Porter, and it doesn't even end there. PINK buses were also parked right outside the hotel where even more PINK goodies (gift cards to shop included!) and free Kombucha drinks awaited us. 

Now, moving on to day two of certification — Executives from Victoria's Secret PINK, Devonne Badelt, the COO of The Mayfair Group, and PINK Rep Alumni led a 'GRL PWR' panel. We were involved in a variety of master sessions, social media boot camps, and career discussions throughout the day to learn more about the PINK brand and our responsibilities. We also had a fun partner photoshoot where we styled a PINK item of our choice and got pictures taken with our co-reps for the VS PINK website. By the end of the day, we were on our way to the L Brands office for the graduation ceremony! We received a certificate for brand certification, a pink graduation cap for the ceremony, and a voucher to pick up a couple more freebies on the PINK buses. After we graduated, all the reps had the opportunity to get free items while shopping in the PINK buses, hang out with all the other reps, dance, grab food from food trucks outside, decorate our graduation caps, roller skate (yes, there was a rink in the office!!), and take tons of photos with all the cute inflatables and props. 

On the final day of certification, we went to Victoria's Secret PINK headquarters where we received more goodies and engaged in another panel with PINK executives and PINK Rep Alumni. We later split up into focus groups that were so engaging and informative. Later, that afternoon, we had a PINK Picnic at headquarters and it was so great. Highlights from the picnic included the cutest set of puppies, fun photo ops around every corner, food trucks, a dreamy setup, a calligraphy booth to create a personalized desk nameplate, and I got connected with the absolute best group of girls by the end of the trip. Needless to say, PINK spoiled us like crazy and we learned so much over the course of this trip. That certification trip was also one of the best ways to meet all the reps in person and we fostered new friendships with each other, before the school year started. Check out the highlights from our brand certification trip on the PINK YouTube channel here.

During my first year as a campus rep, myself and many other PINK Reps were at the forefront of highlighting the message of girl power and working to empower many other young women on our campuses! Throughout this experience, it has been amazing to promote the message of girl power in a consistent effort to uplift all young women and cultivate a community directly on campus. I've gained incredible hands-on experience and strengthened skills in social media marketing, content creation, styling, brand marketing, and networking. While simultaneously developing skills in event planning, community building, and leadership in the process. On-campus, my co-rep and I were responsible for the conceptualization and execution of creative on-campus events and social initiatives. This included product giveaways, content curation for various campaigns, and consistent social media marketing through our school-specific PINK social accounts @pinkubuffalo. 

We also managed a PINK campus team directly on campus to bring initiatives & events to life for students at UB. From capturing content at photoshoots and preparation for events to graphic design and marketing among their peers, our girls help us do it all. All in an effort to elevate PINK's presence on campus and support their mission of empowering young women. Additionally, PINK has proven time and time again how much they value their campus reps, and the feedback we had about the brand, which helps shape our experience in a healthy way.

One of my favorite campaigns to support was the GRL PWR Project. Back in February 2020, my co-rep and I launched a takeover series titled, 'Girl Chat' over on our Instagram. The VS PINK GRL PWR Project was a campaign designed to support amazing young women and their passion projects that aimed to empower women and promote change in their communities. Our 'Girl Chat' series was created in collaboration with past GRL PWR Project winners who discussed their experiences and how they were able to power their dreams through the campaign. My co-rep and I got recognized for all the work we put into supporting the GRL PWR Project and were rewarded with neon signs that we got to customize! PINK Reps get incentives for performing well on initiatives and projects, and can even win a chance to go on fun incentive trips, which is seriously such a dream! You can check out some of the past incentive trips reps have taken with PINK on the PINK YouTube channel, like this one here created by my girl Sarita. 

Style challenges and social content requests were another part of the program that I loved. Occasionally, some reps would get offered mini-content opportunities or projects for new PINK product launches. From TikToks and an Instagram Story Takeover with PINK to photoshoots and styling new products, the content creation opportunities I've been a part of have been so fun and rewarding. Keep scrolling to take a look at some of my favorites!

Now, as a senior, this is now my second year as a PINK Rep! I'm so grateful to have shared this experience so far with my amazing co-rep Janice. 

This year is such a different one due to the pandemic. Now, the focus has shifted to building a community online and our events are held on a virtual scale. This has only continued to help us, reps, harness our social media marketing and outreach skills because we rely on them to perform our best when keeping our audience engaged in the digital space. As of right now, our first semester was a great one; but, I'm looking forward to doing bigger and better things with Janice in the next one! This has honestly been a life-changing opportunity for me, I've made so many great friendships through this position and it's been a major catalyst in my personal, professional, and creative development over the past couple of years. 

All that being said, PINK Campus Rep Applications opened up this January! If you haven't already applied, I definitely encourage you to. Trust me — being a part of this program is truly the experience of a lifetime, you don't want to pass up on the opportunity. Apply here today: https://recruiting.pinkcampusrep.com/apply. If you have any questions, comment below, or message me on Instagram. I'm more than happy to help! 

The Capsule Wardrobe - It's the perfect way to not only simplify your closet and your life but, also smoothly transition your wardrobe into a new season.

Gold jewelry pieces are the best approach to bringing any look together in an elevated and chic way when styling. Layering jewelry is a unique way to take on a different approach when styling and simple contemporary jewelry pieces are a classic way to start. I love styling and layering my everyday jewelry pieces together. My favorites are necklaces, anything gold, and a lot of different ring and earring combinations that I love to work with when styling. I have a good mix of things I love to style on a day-to-day basis. And, recently when layering my rings, one of my favorite pieces to layer has been the Frank Darling Billie NO. 2 Five Stone Band in Yellow Gold. This contemporary-styled jewelry piece is such a chic addition to my jewelry collection! It's a stackable ring that I've worn with a lot of my other rings for that perfect layered look.

"Versatility, comfort, durability, — women face so many challenges with their engagement rings. Life is different today, and we wanted to design a collection that's made for modern women," says Kegan Fisher, the co-founder of Frank Darling, a fine jewelry brand redefining the shopping experience for people looking for their dream rings. I also had the opportunity to try out the FrankDarling Try At Home Kit which offers a sustainable and highly personalized shopping experience from the comfort of your home. The FrankDarling Try At Home Kit allows you to browse the collection online and select four styles you'd like to try on at home for a week. This is a great way for you to test out the prospective ring styles before you hone in on the perfect one and make it yours.

"Yes, the rings are elegant, clean, and sculptural, but we spent twice as much effort on finger feel. Lower profile designs, smooth bezels, and stackable bands define our collection. They're bold, timeless, and contemporary pieces made for the modern women." - Kegan Fisher

I've always been a fan of feminine delicate pieces especially when it comes to rings. And lately, I've been wearing the gold Billie NO. 2 Band and at this point, I can't imagine accessorizing without it. It's really a classic piece of jewelry with a clean and elegant look, like many Frank Darling pieces, and I can't get enough. If you're looking to try these fabulous FrankDarling pieces, head over to the website to shop the collections.

A Classic Trench

Now that we're making our way into peak layering season, trench coats are a must-have. These pieces are a staple everyone needs in their closets for the ever-changing weather this season brings us. Trench coats are tried-and-true elevated basics that can be worn over any of your looks this Fall and keep you looking stylish on the go.

A Statement Bag

A chic go-to bag can last you all season long! It's all about finding something that fits your personal style and needs. I have a couple of neutral bags in different styles that I adore, and even better? They can be paired with any outfit!

But, if you're looking to snag the It Bag of the season...chunky chain strap bags are where it's at. These bags were already spotted making their debut this August all over the city streets of Copenhagen during Copenhagen Fashion Week. There is an endless selection of styles for every kind of bag lover in terms of silhouette, color, and price point. This is a statement piece you'll definitely want to have on your arm this season.

Have you started building your fall wardrobe? Drop a comment below and let me know what essential pieces you have in your closet!

So much of my style is natural and versatile...

So what are your thoughts on the 'milkmaid' trend? Do you see yourself rocking a milkmaid top this summer? Drop a comment and let me know how you plan on styling this trend!