Kirsten Trelenberg, a rising senior at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, is one of AKIRA’s Campus Representatives. Here, she gives us the inside scoop on her school’s style by way of two personal interviews with MSU fashionistas (and Akira fans!).

Students at Michigan State University have the opportunity to do most of their shopping in the MSU “downtown” area. Grand River, a very small fashion district located right across from campus, features mainstream clothing stores like Urban Outfitters & American Apparel and a couple of boutiques like Mad Eagle and The Refinery. Since our huge college town has such a limited selection of clothing stores, online shopping is a big deal for students who don’t like to look like everyone else. I decided to interview a couple of MSU students to see what their view on AKIRA Chicago is!

NAME: Emily Jacobson
AGE: 22
COLLEGE: Michigan State University Alumni ’10
MAJOR: Marketing, International Business

Emily is pictured in various pieces from AKIRA.

1) Define Chicago fashion.

Chicago is a smorgasbord when it comes to fashion. Everyone is incredibly unique in his or her attire.

2) What would you say your style is?

My style is always chic and classy with a little edge. I love the classic LBD, animal prints, costume jewelry, high-wasted skirts and (of course) a stylish pair of 4-inch platform heels.

3) What did you think of the AKIRA boutique when you first visited it?

I loved how a lot of the apparel was sorted by colors. It makes the store look so vibrant and it’s easier to find an outfit. Overall, the store looked posh and I knew I would be coming back for more!

4) What makes AKIRA different from other boutiques you have shopped at?

You can find something at AKIRA for every occasion and price range! It is my go-to boutique for my New Year’s Eve, birthday and Lollapalooza outfits. I also always find cute rompers, purses and everyday dresses there.

5) What are your favorite pieces from AKIRA?

Dresses, for sure! If it were up to me, I would wear a different AKIRA dress every day of the year. I love how they have every different color, print and fit imaginable.

6) What makes you a loyal AKIRA customer?

I love the people who work at AKIRA; they always pick out the best outfits for me and are so fun. AKIRA also has great discounts during your birthday month, and I love the hole-punch reward card. The glamorous parties and fashion shows that AKIRA always has are a blast too! Mainly, though, I just cannot get enough of AKIRA’s fashionable clothing and accessories.

NAME: Klaudia Jakubiak
Age: 21
COLLEGE: Michigan State University
MAJOR: Human Resources

Klaudia is pictured in various pieces from AKIRA.

1) Define fashion at Michigan State University.

Fashion at Michigan State University is definitely vibrant and trendy. But it’s also very laidback (it’s a college campus, after all).

2) What would you say your style is?

I consider my style to be trendy yet girly. I love to add a great pair of heels to every outfit I wear!

3) Have you ever heard about AKIRA, located in Chicago?

Yes, I’ve heard a lot of great things about AKIRA! Many of my friends told me about this boutique, so when I went to Chicago I made sure to check out AKIRA.

4) Have you ever shopped at AKIRA?

Yes, the last time I visited Chicago I went to AKIRA for the first time.

5) What did you think of AKIRA when you first visited it?

I was amazed at the selection and different styles of clothing they offer. Everything was extremely unique and I found exactly what I was looking for. Also, the employees were super friendly and offered great customer service.

6) What is your must-have item from AKIRA?

Well, that’s a hard question because I want everything! But I fell in love with a pair of silver studded wedges designed by Jeffrey Campbell (editor’s note: they’re called the Tick & are pictured above). They were so different and eye-catching, and you can definitely make a statement with those.

6) What makes AKIRA different from other boutiques you have shopped at?

I think what stood out the most to me was the array of dresses. Everything was color-coordinated, which made it super easy to find the color of dress I was looking for. Also, most boutiques I shop at don’t provide such great customer service. I was impressed when the stylist gave me her opinion on my selections and showed me all her favorites throughout the store because it gave me more ideas for outfits.

7) Will you continue to shop at AKIRA?

Yes, I will definitely continue shopping at AKIRA. Since I live in Michigan I don’t have the opportunity to shop there as much as I’d like, so I plan on shopping online at shopakira.com to stay on top of the latest fashion trends at AKIRA.

There was a point in time at which I would’ve never—and I mean NEVER—taken style tips from Nicole Richie. I’m sure you know the Nicole Richie to which I’m referring, but just in case, here’s some visual evidence of her cringeworthy former self:

For years, her look represented the perfectly awkward storm of poor fit, too-tan skin and mismatched accessories. Then, in a flash, Nicole revamped her image and bowled over Hollywood with a swan-like fashion metamorphosis. Her quirky-chic ensembles made the weekly style pages with astounding regularity, impressing fans and naysayers alike.

Alas, her personal life wasn’t quite as put-together as her new-and-improved wardrobe; she endured an all-too-public up-and-down battle with her weight and got busted for driving under the influence in late 2006 (believe it or not, she’s still attending court-mandated driver’s education classes for the offense).

Shortly after her arrest, however, Nicole cleaned up her act, channeling her energy into a stable long-term relationship with Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden. This relationship resulted not only in the birth of two little ones–could her life get any more picket-fence?—but also in the formation of a non-profit called the Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation.

Nicole’s newfound calm soon manifested itself in her career. Half a year after the birth of her daughter Harlow, she parlayed her reputation for boho-chic street style into an appropriately-named vintage-inspired jewelry line called House of Harlow 1960.

This collaboration struck the perfect balance between high and low, earning serious industry cred from the involvement of storied jeweler Pascal Mouawad and accolades from trend-obsessed bargain hunters. (After all, most of the collection tops out at $100—as Nicole says, “I like things to be eclectic and comfortable.”)

As of this week, AKIRA shoppers can get their hands on HOH goods online (can’t you just hear the collective squeal of excitement echoing around Chicagoland?).

It’s difficult to winnow down offerings that are already so spot-on, but if I had to pick favorites I would choose the following:

1. The Peacock Statement Ring, featured in the new AKIRA lookbook picture above: There’s nothing prettier than a real peacock’s splayed plumage—but this enameled version comes pretty darn close. I would pair this with a whimsically-printed blue dress and gold wedges—it’s strong enough to make an outfit pop.
2. The Gold Locket: I’ll admit that I’m a total sucker for any and all lockets—there’s just something so charming and antique-y about them—but you don’t have to share my level of obsession in order to love this piece. It’s sizeable without bordering on the obnoxious, and could work with a button-down and jeans or a silky maxi.

1. The Hatter Company’s Leather Buckle Hat, $19.90 - This natty tan fedora certainly makes a style statement, but its classic leather strap keeps it from looking overdone. Plus, you’ll only be slapping down a Jackson for this sucker–could the price point be any more reasonable?

2. AKIRA’s Beaded Neck Chiffon Top, $36.90 - This blousy tank draws attention to the universally-appealing clavicle area and features a peekaboo cutout back. It’s the perfect transition piece: skimpy enough for summer but dressy enough for fall.

3. Qupid’s Lacee Heel, $46.90 - These booties walk the line between edgy and girly–they would work just as well with a blousy top and dark jeans as they would with a banded skirt and structured top.

4. AKIRA’s Gathered Jersey Dress, $38.90 - Are you picking up on my current ardor for black? I’ve been wearing a few too many floral tube dresses lately–it’s time for some clean lines and monochromatic colors.

1. Julie Christie’s ice-queen chic in the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago. Christie’s already-otherworldly beauty is accented wonderfully throughout by jewel-toned dresses, chunky sweaters and generous layers of fur. No one has ever looked better traipsing through barren landscapes in below-zero temps.

2. The searing green and aged luxury of this abandoned Cuban mansion. I love that its backstory will forever remain in the realm of the imagination.

3. Blogger Karla DeRass‘ fearless approach to style. Who else would’ve thought to wrap a sash around one’s breasts and call it a day? Plus, her short haircut makes normally-inconspicuous details–diamond earrings, a vintage necklace, a peekaboo tattoo–take front stage.

4. Stewart Shining’s bright, sun-dappled shot of Devon Aoki lounging on a couch. This is how we all want to look on a dog-day afternoon: refreshed, breezy and elegantly rumpled.

5. Belgian artist Ben Heine’s half-drawn, half-photographed compositions. He’s been heating up the blogosphere with his Surrealist- and pop art-inspired work.

Kaylah Mathis, a rising senior at Ohio Northern University in Ada, OH, is one of AKIRA’s Campus Representatives. Here, she gives us the inside scoop on fashion on her campus.

The only thing that surrounds us Klondikes at Ohio Northern University is cornfields, cows and a whole lot of room for creativity. ONU style alternates between fashion-forward and comfort-oriented, depending on the occasion. Students step out in their finest when they go out on the town, but when they’re headed to class, they pull on sweatpants, hoodies and athleticwear. For the majority of the student body, Sunday casual extends into the schoolweek; only sorority girls dress up on Mondays. ONU wardrobes also vary according to academic major. For example, the musical theater students are more colorful and daring with their clothing selections, while the business students are more conservative.

Ohio Northern’s mascot is Klondike the polar bear, and the weather in Ada is not unlike that in said animal’s arctic habitat. Almost 90% of the female student body keep warm during the winter with a pair of UGG boots, a North Face and a matching hat, glove and scarf set.

As soon as it starts to get warm outside, ONU’s campus comes to life. Dresses, polos and shorts are all must-haves during the spring. People begin to rep their Greek letters and spend a lot more time outside on their Vera Bradley blankets. Whether students are out sunbathing, waiting for their next class to start with their friends or taking a midday jog, they have many opportunities to express their personalities through their clothes.

Although ONU is located in middle-of-nowhere Ohio, its student body is composed of people of many different cultures. Frequent fashion and talent shows featuring traditional saris, crepe-cooking demonstrations and African hymn performances give these students a chance to share their cultures with everyone else at school.

Once 5 PM on Friday rolls around, it’s the beginning of the weekend (AKA time to party hardy). As far as fashion, anything goes! The girls on campus love to look feminine with a touch of edge, while the guys just like to be comfortable.

Let’s not forget formals. When you’re in high school, you think your last chance to get dressed up is prom. Wrong! At school we have formals for almost all the major sororities and fraternities. These events take you back to that special day when you wanted to be best-dressed and have everyone compliment you on that fierce dress or banging shoes. And it doesn’t hurt to have a little eye candy on your arm while you’re strutting your stuff, either!

So whether you’re on your way to the semester’s hottest party dressed to impress, lounging around waiting for your next class to start, or biking around campus, you’ll never skip a beat on the dance that I like to call the ONU Fashion Shuffle!