Caring about dress and style: A decade later, a graduate of STU reminisces on her experience there.

“On the surface, Chapple appears composed.” This quote is from a 2014 article titled “Passion for Fashion” in The Aquinian, which profiles Emma Chapple, a St. Thomas University alumni. She was in her second year and had a lot of obligations, including her employment at College Hill Social Club, running the STU Her Campus chapter, and coping with the issues of her chronic disease.

Nearly a decade later, Chapple admits she was not as collected as she looked to be back then. She tells me, “I think that just getting older and figuring out what’s actually important to you is a big thing.”

Chapple has always placed a high value on writing. She has been blogging since middle school, and as a journalism student at STU, she was urged to keep a blog to help create her writing portfolio.

This inspired Chapple to establish the Her Campus chapter at STU, a female-focused university magazine with chapters across North America, which she oversaw as the first in Atlantic Canada.

“I am really proud of what we did, even though it didn’t last very long,” she told me. “I would love for somebody to pick it back up, but it is a lot of work.”

Juggling responsibilities such as uploading magazine content, coordinating with Her Campus headquarters, and organizing campus events, Chapple admitted to often feeling overwhelmed during her university years.

“I was just getting tired of trying to keep up this image of being this person who can do it all, who doesn’t have any problems,” she said.

Chapple currently lives in Toronto and works as a lawyer. Despite the rigorous nature of her career, she has learnt to prioritize her mental and physical health. Part of this is participating in things she likes, such as attending the Toronto International Film Festival and writing on her current blog, “Elevate With Emma,” which she began in May.

“Elevate With Emma” focuses on fashion, particularly for women like Chapple who work in the legal field and dress professionally. In a male-dominated industry, she saw a lack of individuality in professional attire. Her site seeks to bring a sense of personality to courtroom clothing.

“You need to be able to add your own personal style to it, or else you’re not going to feel confident,” she told me. “You’re going to feel like you’re dressing up in an old person’s outfit.”

Chapple is keen about infusing individuality into her professional clothing. Suits do not have to be boring and uninspired.

“Just because you’re working this job doesn’t mean you have to lose your own sense of style.”

Her “passion for fashion” stems from her youth and her love of dolls, especially the popular Barbie and the lesser-known British doll, Sindy. Chapple, who was born in the United Kingdom, has a sentimental relationship to Sindy, which caused her to be included in a Wall Street Journal piece.

In addition to her Wall Street Journal interview, Chapple has met actress Julia Fox, recognized for her work in “Uncut Gems.” Chapple dressed up as Fox for Halloween and wrote about her adventures on her blog.

“It’s been quite a week,” she stated in her blog entry.

Chapple’s blog provides not only as a style guide, but also as an outlet for her enthusiasm. While she hopes it will eventually become a source of money, she is pleased to retain it as a pastime. Her ultimate objective is to continue finding delight in her blog, which hasn’t always been the case.

“I started doing this again because I felt really inspired to do it. And I don’t want to lose that.”