Mary Helen Guastello

Senior's individualistic attitude drives her into the fashion world as she sets off to New York City for college.

BY LILY COIT REPORTER

Even in the standard Sion uniform, senior Mary Helen Guastello makes a statement. With her hair tied in a high messy bun, her classic Adidas Stan Smith sneakers, which she plans on wearing under her graduation dress, and a large brown leather bag, she stands out amongst the rest.

Guastello’s individualistic philosophy began with her mother, Betsy Guastello, a powerful female force in her life who taught her the importance of being herself.

“She is a determined young woman, passionate and spirited who has always remained true to herself, and that sometimes is not an easy road to follow during the school years when peer pressure can be a bit overwhelming,” Betsy said.

Guastello’s mother became the basis of support for all her endeavors and would introduce her to the industry that she would later pursue: the world of fashion.

Guastello was just 11 years old when her mother wanted her to watch a documentary called “The September Issue” which follows editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour, in the production of the legendary fashion magazine. But it wasn’t Wintour who caught the attention of a young Guastello. It was creative director at large of Vogue, Grace Coddington.

“She really is the one who did it for me. I just saw her and said, ‘That’s what I want to be, that’s what I want to do,’” Guastello said. “I want to be able to have that power in such a tedious industry.”

To make her mark, Guastello values individual style. She references a quote from designer and businesswoman, Rachel Zoe: “Style is a way to say who you are without speaking.”

Guastello claims she is a rather shy person and is a people pleaser who enjoys staying in the background. But when she saw that quote for the first time, it struck a chord with her.

“That quote changed me as a person, and it made me look at what I want to do and who I want to be,” Guastello said. “[It helped me say to myself] ‘This is who I am, I’m going to wear what I want to wear, and I’m going to do what I want to do, and I can’t worry about what other people think of me.’”

Guastello’s style developed as she created a personal style that she loved and felt was her own. She fell into the cycle of wearing the typical, trendy things everyone else was wearing in middle school and then suddenly stopped, thinking that this wasn’t who she was or what she wanted.

“You can wear whatever you want because you are your own person,” Guastello said.

Guastello tested the industry she fell in love with last summer interning for entrepreneur and CEO of the website StyleCaster, Ari Goldberg. She landed this internship through her friend Gaby Azorsky, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Guastello managed this on her laptop, skyping occasionally with Goldberg to be updated on new tasks. She assisted in itineraries and personal information as well as the creation of new apps such as “Selfkie” and “Globalist.”

“To have a little bit of experience has just been an opportunity of a lifetime and I’ve learned so much before even being exposed to what [the fashion industry] actually is,” Guastello said.

Next year, she will take her selfdescribed classic but edgy style to FIT. According to Guastello, about 75 percent of the students who get accepted are transfer students, meaning the chance of acceptance directly from high school is incredibly slim.

But Guastello’s unabashedly exuberant personality and eye for fashion got her into FIT’s class of 2019 where she will be studying at the Baker School of Business, majoring in fashion merchandise marketing. Guastello will embark on a new journey this fall in New York City in an industry where it is critical to be different from the rest. “At the end of the day you have to tell yourself you are your own being,” Guastello said. “You get to decide who you are and you can’t let other people tell you what to do.”

Olivia Garrison

University of Missouri Freshman year memory? The Vera Bradley Bag. Funniest pink slip? Ms. Selle gave me a pink slip once for talking during Mass and I still feel bad about it because she is the sweetest. Favorite senior year memory? Royals winning the World Series.

Tatum Gibbar

University of Kansas Funniest pink slip? Lamp gave me a pink slip for one ankle showing. Song that sums up Sion? “Never Forget You” by Zara. Finals horror story? Freshman year I was so stressed out for my first final that I got ready in my sleep and fell down the stairs.

Emmie Gragg

University of Alabama What teacher would you take with you? Paul Buckley Kramschuster. Favorite place at Sion? The men’s locker room to use Mid and Lamp’s mini fridge. Song that sums up Sion? “Catholic Schoolgirls Rule” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Devon Graham

DePaul University Song that sums up Sion? “Food Glorious Food” by Ice Age the Meltdown. Freshman year memory? Completing the Presidential Challenge so that I didn’t have to run in the last cardio day of the year. Favorite senior year memory? Kathleen Watz coming back to Sion.

Mary Helen Guastello

Fashion Institute of Technology Song that sums up Sion? “Independent Woman” by Destiny’s Child. What teacher would you take with you? JCam because she makes awesome mixtapes. Best outfit for a Sion event? Kelly Osbourne. I had the lavender hair. The tattoos. Everything.

Kristina Hagedorn

University of Kansas Freshman year memory? Never going to class. What teacher would you take with you? Wall, I enjoy her humor. Song that sums up Sion? “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Favorite senior year memory? Senior breakfast in parking lot.

Abby Hamilton

University of Kansas Best outfit for a Sion event? Once I dressed up as Wolverine and people thought I was a member of Mumford and Sons. Song that sums up Sion? “Lipgloss” by Lil Mama. Freshman year memory? Taking selfies on the shared school laptops.

Madison Heide

University of Notre Dame What teacher would you take with you? Pil, so we can play dodgeball. Favorite place at Sion? Couch in Long’s room because naps. Favorite senior year memory? STA/Sion basketball games. Finals horror story? Finals week is a horror story.

Sarah Faye Helton

University of Kansas Freshman year memory? Definitely beanie week. It gave me a sense of the Sion traditions and from that point on I knew I’d love going to school here. What teacher would you take with you? I’d take Mrs. Dreas with me because who wouldn’t want to take Mrs. Dreas to college?

Jordan Hermes

Texas Christian University Favorite senior memory? Finally winning every school event. Best outfit for Sion event? I painted myself blue for Greece. Funniest pink slip? Anything from Lamp. Song that sums up Sion? “Sanctuary” by Pino. Favorite place at Sion? Journalism lab.

Caroline Hodes

University of Arizona Freshman year memory? Accidentally hitting Abby Jurgeson in the head with a chair giving her a concussion. Favorite place at Sion? The art room because art class always brightens my day and I can be messy. Favorite senior year memory? Going to Ethiopia for my senior service project.

Emma Holland

Texas Christian University What teacher would you take with you? Wall because she knows what I can and can’t do and will push me to do my best work. Song that sums up Sion? “We’re All in This Together” by High School Musical. Freshman year memory? Masions and how I was the only one who talked.

Madeline Hollenbeck

University of Arkansas Freshman year memory? I took selfies on the school laptop in art class and a senior found them and posted them on Twitter. Favorite senior year memory? My favorite memory is every day when Hilge yells at me to take off my sweatshirt.

Selena Hunter

University of Missouri Freshman year memory? Blue and White, what a time to be alive. Funniest pink slip? I’ve only gotten one pink slip for having my dance team bag in the south six ... under a bench. Favorite place at Sion? Anywhere my best friend is because we bring the party everywhere we go.

Rebecca Jacobs

University of Colorado Boulder Finals horror story? Showed up 30 minutes late to my English final freshman year because I thought it started at 8:30. What teacher would you take with you? Kram because his intellectual intelligence would be very helpful. Major? Engineering.

Lisbeth Juarez-Lopez Union College

What teacher would you take with you? Señora LaFaver because she is so amazing and funny. Finals horror story? I woke up 10 minutes before a final one morning. Thank God I live three minutes from Sion. Song that sums up Sion? “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper.

Abby Jurgeson

University of Missouri Finals horror story? Anna Lillis crying her way out of the Spanish final. What teacher would you take with you? Long: she’s my momma. Funniest pink slip? Bathroom pink slip from Lamp: we got in a fight about Missouri State School Bathroom Laws, I won the fight.

Maddie Kahl

Miami University Freshman year memory? I don’t want to remember freshman year. Funniest pink slip? “Excessively talking.” I think that describes who I am pretty well. Song that sums up Sion? The school song because we all just hum along until we get to the end.