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Araleidi Guzman grew up in the Bronx and credits the New York neighborhood with influencing her “anything goes” style.
“It is so welcoming there, you can be literally anyone you would like to be,” she said.
Being in the military, she admits, has brought her tomboy side to the forefront a little bit, but these days she’s become more confident in her personal style, which includes a mix of cool watches, classic black dresses for formal affairs and a relaxed but feminine look for casual days.
DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE
“Comfortable. Anything I feel great in, I will wear. A lot of what we wear, I think, subliminally, we wear to please others. No one wants to be considered weird or out of style, you know? But when those moments arise, 90 percent of the time I will go with my gut and wear what makes me happy. Wearing clothes I like, feeling good, smiling, head held high — that is what fashion is about. Anyone can wear a name brand, but when you feel good in anything you wear, that’s style.”
DRESS UNIFORM
“Something about being simple when dressing up for events makes me happy. My favorite shoes to wear with a little black dress are from Shoedazzle.com. They are red pumps. I think red and black together is really dramatic.”
AT EASE
“Definitely a crop top with a big button-down flannel and torn-up mom jeans. One of my favorite flannel shirts is from American Eagle.”
MUST-HAVE ACCESSORIES
“Watches are my best friend. I love how they can go with any outfit. Both of my favorite watches are Fossil and have a leather band. They’re kind of neutral so they pair with anything.”
PANTS, SHORTS OR SKIRTS?
“Any time I get to show off my legs is a good day, but I love shorts more than anything. I have a pair of white shorts that I wear a lot. They are slightly torn up and have a lot of pockets, which is also great.”
WARDROBE VIPS
“My amazing collections of shoes. My husband, Frankie Guzman, buys most of them for me. I have a pair of black strappy sandals I really like. They are from American Eagle. I love my beige wedges as well because they are plain beige, but the actual strap that goes around your ankle is detailed. We bought them in Florida right before I met Frankie’s family for the first time.”
“Island Lookbook” is a weekly feature of the Star-Advertiser Sunday Magazine that spotlights local trendsetters. Email features@staradvertiser.com.
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