Meet Jess Fleisch, a junior, Studio Art major, from New Jersey, and the Queen of effortless boho style. Known for rocking wild curls and eclectic ensembles, Jess strikes a balance between bohemian and modern. In hopes of revealing the secret to her killer sense of style, I sat down with Jess to discuss everything from “lardigans” to Aladdin pants.

Define your wardrobe aesthetic.

“I really treat putting on clothes in the morning as an art. I think that how you dress… you’re a walking piece of art. It’s really cool if you decorate yourself accordingly.”
How have you cultivated your wardrobe?

“Most of my stuff is from thrift stores and Free People. Most of my clothes are just things that I’ve stolen from friends, and half of my clothes are gone for the exact same reason. There’s always something in everyone’s closet. You can take anything and make it weird.”

How has living around the world influenced your style?

“I spent a lot of time in Israel and they have these big, cheap, Aladdin pants. Some of them are just cotton, they’re not even that exciting, but they’re fantastic, because it’s a skirt and pants and airy, but also really cool. I lived on a farm (in Israel) and there is a recycling center, it’s like a clothing swap. People come and drop off their old clothes, and you can just take (clothes) and leave something or do whatever you want.”

Are you influenced by certain time periods?

“I like the styles from the 60s and 70s. The color, the bellbottoms, and I have the hair for it (laughs). I also really like the 90s, the choker is the best thing that’s happened to me lately…”

What is it like being a studio art major?

“I only just declared last semester, but I’ve taken sculpture, ceramics, drawing and an independent study in sculptural ceramics. (Fashion) is a place where I feel really comfortable being radical. It’s not as easy for me to express myself in clay, as it is in clothes.”

Do you want to go into the fashion industry?

“I’ve always thought about it, but while I love it so much, I really don’t like a lot of what the industry represents. I really hate how materialistic it is. I think there’s a way of being expressive with limited things. I’m not into all that consuming and that what you had last season isn’t good enough. It’s just not true.”

What are your wardrobe staples?

“Ripped black jeans, bell bottoms, a long cardigan. A lardigan, I call it. It’s fantastic and I wear it with everything. And always black, a great black top, black dress, and black jeans. You’re good to go.”

Best piece of fashion advice?

“Always think you can pull it off, because then you can.”