The season of Winter Carnival is upon us. The white blanket of snow left over from December storms still covers the Quad and a strong, cold breeze blows around the Chapel. Despite this bitter cold, first-year Sarah Wainshal never fails in dressing to impress.

Her plum Anthropologie sweater tops a black skirt from a San Francisco thrift store, cinched together by a wide black belt. Her black Timberland boots and Modcloth leggings make this outfit winter acceptable and totally chic.

Even in her younger years, Wainshal always had a love for fashion. Her mother would dress her in frilly dresses and bows throughout preschool. This Batesie was so fond of her attire that she refused to finger-paint in fear of messing up her outfit.

During her transitions into both middle school and high school, Wainshal began to realize, “that the real purpose of one’s clothing isn’t to impress other people, although it definitely doesn’t hurt, but more to make you feel more confident and happy with yourself.”

This attitude continues to be Wainshal’s reasoning behind her fashion choices today. A strong believer in the phrase, “If you look good, you’ll feel good,” she feels that if she is proud of what she’s wearing, her confidence will be projected to others.

Wainshal would describe her fashion as a bit more formal than her peers. Much of her wardrobe consists of skirts and dresses that emanate the vintage feel of the 50s and 60s. She appreciates how clothing from this time period balances a sense of both class and flirtatiousness. Because Wainshal enjoys dressing in such an intriguing way, the outfits simply fall into place without much effort.

Wainshal loves combining cowboy boots, her fashion must-have, with skinny jeans or dresses. She believes that with a pair of boots, an outfit can be easily dressed up or down to suit any occasion.

This Bobcat’s idol for fashion how-to is Hollywood celebrity Jessica Chastain. Wainshal looks up to Chastain for her effortless clean-cut outfits with a touch of vintage embellishment.

As for local inspiration, Wainshal feels that her hometown of Westport, Connecticut does not influence her fashion choices at all. People either go for an edgy or preppy look to their clothing,

making Wainshal definitely one out of the ordinary. “However,” she says, “our proximity to New York City allowed me to be exposed to all sorts of different styles which allowed me to find one that I felt fit my personality.”

You can find this Batesie splurging at Anthropologie and Free People or surfing through the endless pages of vintage dresses on Modcloth.com.

Looking into the future, Wainshal believes that for the most part her style will stay the same. “Obviously, some of the younger-looking outfits I have will need to be retired, but a lot of the kinds of clothing I like can be worn by different age groups,” she states.

So catch Sarah Wainshal strutting her vintage style down the Alumni Walk runway, at a choir concert, and taking center stage at the Theater Department’s upcoming production of The Swaggering Damsel.