Style Icon: Berlin Fashion Exchange

Hunter boots, polo shirts, the newest Tory Burch flat or even a classic barbour jacket are the last things you will find in Hannah Deoul’s ’14 closet. The senior, originally from Baltimore, has a style far too unique to blend in with the crowd. Known for her Berlin-style clothing, “Doodles” (as she is referred to by most) breaks the boundaries and sets new limits on what most consider a very homogenous college campus.

Perhaps it’s Deoul’s energy, contagious spirit or overall personality that brightens every room she walks into, but the brightness can also be attributed to her pure confidence and bravery to make statements through her fashion.

“Life is too short to wear boring clothes,” Deoul said. “Confidence is key.”

Deoul’s style can be best described as, “bohemian-chic, funky, and fun.”

Her favorite looks for fall and going into winter include layers, boots and scarves.

“A baggy tee and black leggings. Ugh too good!” Deoul said.

Her look this week included black booties, leather leggings, an oversized ‘LOVE’ knit sweater, jean and cotton jacket and a huge skull scarf. Topped off with a black cross body bag and a patterned headband, the look is completely Berlin chic.

What is most striking to me is her amazing ability to turn everyday clothing  into something entirely original.

Deoul, like many girls at the College, loves to shop at Urban Outfitters.

“I walked into Urban last week and literally loved everything in sight.” Deoul said. Her other favorite go-to spots include LF’s 60 percent off semi-annual sale, Free People and of course “a good thrift store.”

Deoul is very much inspired by Cara Delevingne, specifically for her love of the beanie. Delevingne is a high fashion model that embodies a “free spirited” approach to fashion. She is most frequently seen in vintage outfits that have a rock and roll edge to them.

Her other fashion icons are the Olsen twins, and their ability to go both casual and dressy depending on their attitude every day. Deoul looks to Mary-Kate for a grungy, independent style and Ashley for those “feeling pretty” days.

But these icons only go so far in Deoul’s eyes because she is most heavily influenced by her experience studying in Berlin. Deoul, a German major, spent her junior fall living and studying in the city.

“My style completely elevated after being abroad in Berlin,” she said. “A city with the motto of “sexy but poor,” Berlin is the perfect environment for one to experiment with their hipster and artistic side. Deoul would go thrift store shopping and “up-cycle” every ensemble. Short black boots have become her staple to complete any look.

“My favorite takeaway from Berlin is to radiate confidence, and others will believe it.”

Deoul’s fashion revelations hit her while she was abroad, in an entirely new world, by herself. To this day, Deoul is still taken by her experience in Germany and carries that experience with her in everyday life. Is this the step we all need to take to find our own inner bravura? Going abroad (or really going anywhere new) to a place that inspires us; not only benefits one intellectually, mentally, and spiritually, but also challenges one to find themselves in an art form through which people declare themselves to the world: fashion. The clothes that someone put on their body are an expression of emotion, personality and creativity. They can reveal so much about an individual and provide a canvas that illustrates a person’s past experiences and sometimes disclose where they want to go in the future.

Since fashion is interpreted in millions of different ways all over the globe, it serves as the perfect method to learn about different cultures and to experiment with different philosophies around the planet. Deoul brought Berlin’s style back to Middlebury and left a little bit of Middlebury there. Through this, she is broadening her own horizons as she simultaneously expands others as well.

Fashion and individual style is a way to bring the world closer, to connect groups of people all around the world. If Middlebury hasn’t already convinced you to study abroad, then maybe this will? Take a chance at finding yourself, sharing your flair and collecting a little piece of the world to carry with you for the rest of your life.