Bright Young Thing Wear-a-thon, Jessica Valenzuela
AUTHOR Eliza Starbuck
BRIGHT YOUNG THING Jessica Valenzuela
This is Jessica Valensuela. She’s a digital media maven and a kite boarder. Whoa… and she’s taking on her own wear-a-thon challenge. We wanted to know a little bit more about her before she set out on her adventure in the little black dress.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I’m from the Philippines, then I studied in Chicago and finally moved to NYC. I’ve been here for 5 years now.
WHY ARE YOU TAKING ON A WEAR-A-THON? I think it’s a really cool idea, I was drawn to the creativity that it allows on a daily basis, and I liked the challenge of looking at what I already have rather than looking for things to buy. I think sustainable fashion is the new way of being. And I wanted to see if I could actually do it.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE? Mixing classics with current color and styles that I’m feeling. I like quality fabrics and that’s really important in my closet. To me, fashion and style are two different things, and I think the people in NYC have amazing style; the east village, the lower east side, brooklyn, the people on the streets are so cool. I’ve never been a frilly, ruffly sort, but I like to dress up. I think also being into outdoor sports and being someone who is really active influences my style. I strive to be stylish but still comfortable.
WHAT’S YOUR NORMAL SUMMER STYLE ROUTINE? I love dressing up, so I dress up what ever I’m doing. There have been summers where I was really into boots and wore boots all summer. I found summer boots! And I’ll wear summer dresses. You’ll never see me in boring shorts and a tee shirt without accessories or a cute little jacket to make it look put together. It’s the details that make the difference.
WHERE HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOUR WARDROBE’S PRIZE ACCESSORIES? One of my favorite items is a silk scarf I’ve had for 15 years. And I have pieces that I’ve found in little boutiques in Dumbo and East Village.
HOW DO YOU PLAN ON SPENDING THIS SUMMER? I have a 30 day wear-a-thon, I’ll be kite boarding in the Bay Area, trying to improve my skills and strength because it takes a lot of skill to be good at. I’m also learning how to sail, and I’m continuing to work on Mavin Digital, and working on expanding the platform for Justkiteit.
HOW LONG IS YOUR WEAR-A-THON GOING TO BE? 30 days. I’m starting today, on Bastille Day!
