Carly Miller

The first face of POISEfashion.

Between her straight As, long-term boyfriend, job at Brennens, and membership to Chi Omega and honors fraternity Alpha Lamda Delta, 19-year-old Carly Miller still manages to live up Ohio University's top Party school reputation with confidence and class.  Read on to find out why we feel sophomore, Interior Architecture major, Carly Miller, deserves POISE fashion status.  Take a few notes, and who knows, you could be next!

POISE: POISE fashion is a new fashion outlet for the young women of OU based on class, sophistication, personal style and radiant self-confidence.  What was your reaction to being chosen as our first ever Cover-girl?
Carly:  It was a total shock.  I was really excited and flattered to be thought of for the first POISE girl. It means a lot to know that people hold me with such high regards.

POISE: So, how does it feel to know that you inspire your friends and family?
Carly:  Again, it's so flattering to know that the people that matter the most to me- the people I love unconditionally - consider me an inspiration. It makes me feel good to know I' ve touched the people I care about.  If only they knew the feeling was reciprocal.

POISE: Who inspires you?
Carly:  My parents.  They both worked so hard to build a life together when they were young.  My dad worked to pay his way through college, and my mom sacrificed the college experience in order to go straight into the work force, so she could help build their income and start a family.  Once they had my brother, then me, and finally my younger sister, they made sure we had lots of love and the things they couldn't have when they were growing up.  My mom finally went to college to get her bachelors, and then masters, in teaching, while still taking care of us and our dad.  Knowing that both of them sacrificed so much to make sure we were happy, makes me strive to make them proud. I appreciate everything they' ve done for me and will never be grateful enough.

POISE: What was it like having stylists do your hair and makeup, and fuss over you during your photo shoot?
Carly:  It was fabulous! I had a blast!  I’ve never done a photos shoot before, so it was fun to hear everybody's ideas and opinions.

POISE: It must have felt like you were a real model - do you consider yourself more of an up-town girl, or the girl-next-door?
Carly:  Any of my friends will tell you that I'm the typical Girl-Next-Door, but that doesn't mean that I'm afraid to be an Up-Town-Girl, once in a while, too - the photos will show you that.

POISE: So, how would you define your style?
Carly:  Mostly sophisticated and up to date, but occasionally I like to go out of my box and wear something I usually wouldn't.

POISE: Do you have a fashion fetish?
Carly:  I love accessories, especially when I can mix and match them.  But, I am definitely most obsessed with purses.  My fetish started when I was a little girl.  I loved to carry around a purse - even if it was a Barbie purse.  I just love the different styles, designers, and colors.  I probably have about 40 purses total.

POISE: What are the top 5 pieces you live in?
Carly:  Gauchos, my fleece, my Sauconys, Express jeans, and any T-shirt.

POISE: What's something you absolutely cannot live without?
Carly:  My camera. I take so many pictures, it's crazy! I take it everywhere, no joke. And my cell phone. - it's scary that I've become so dependant on it; especially because I honestly don't know what to do if I didn’t have it.

POISE: What's been the hardest thing you've had to deal with when coming to OU? How did you cope?
Carly:  Trying to juggle my time between Chi Omega, work, school, Matt, and my social life is always a constant battle.  There is always something going on, but I have learned that I can’t be everywhere all the time; I can't do everything.  I've learned to prioritize and stay organized.

POISE: I've seen you numerous times kicking butt at PING. What's your workout schedule like? How do you feel about dieting?
Carly:  I try to go to ping at least 3 times a week, but I like to try to go 5 times.  I think it's important to keep your body healthy by exercising and eating right.  It helps me to relieve stress, actually.

POISE: Wow, from the outside looking in, you seem flawless.  Do you struggle with anything?
Carly:  Yeah, I get very distracted when I am trying to do work and there are a lot of people around or a lot of noise.  I have to read in complete silence and I can’t study or complete anything with the T.V. on or other background noise. 

POISE: Finally, you're starting to sound like a real girl.  Do you have any pet-peeves?
Carly:  I can't stand when people are smoking, in a bar/restaurant, walking in front of you, etc. and they blow smoke in your face.  I get so irritated, but I usually just ask them if they can blow their smoke somewhere else - away from me.

POISE: You live with three of your best friends - do they ever get under your skin? How do you keep the peace?
Carly:  We really haven’t had any problems, but we all came to the agreement that if one of us has a problem, we' ll just be up-front and honest about what' s bothering us.  Then, we aren’t hiding anything from one another and we can resolve the problem right away.

POISE: It sounds like you're pretty level headed - any advice as to how to handle a sticky situation?  Have you had any particularly embarrassing or bad moments while in college? How did you deal?
Carly: I've found that just playing it off like it doesn’t bother you at all works best.  I remember my freshman year, I was with a big group of my friends at an apartment party.  As we were leaving, we passed a big group of upper class-men guys going up the stairs. Just as they were going by, I slipped and fell all the way down the stairway.  I was so embarrassed, but one of the guys helped me up and I just laughed it off with my friends and acted like it didn’t embarrass me at all, even though I was really mortified.

POISE: How do you feel about OU's # 2 party school reputation?
Carly:  I don’t mind OU having that reputation because it’s mostly based off of our crazy Halloween party. We have fun at OU and still get a great education.

POISE: Being a college-girl has numerous negative connotations - no thanks to Easy E and their infamous song “College Girls are Easy.”  What do you think girls our age need to do to nip this stereotype in the bud?
Carly:  I think that many college girls- especially incoming Freshman - feel they need to dress a certain way, and act a certain way to get college guys’ attention, when they do, guys start to think they are “easy” and find it hard to take them seriously.  Girls our age need to stop doing things for other people; if they'd embrace their individuality and act like their true selves people would naturally want to get to know them.

POISE:  Not only do you have to kick that stereotype to the curb, but you have to deal with being a blonde-sorority-girl, as well.  What have you done to make people change their views about what it means to be young, blonde and socially active?
Carly:  Well, being active with Chi Omega, Alpha Lambda Delta, and school work lets others know how dedicated I am and how truly driven young women can be.

POISE: Looking back to that heinous Easy E song, do you think college girls are easy?  What's your stance of casual sex, and how do you think it reflects young women as a whole?
Carly:  Sadly enough, some girls are easy, but I wouldn’t really stereotype that all college girls are easy.  As for casual sex, it's on the rise, and I think it's horrible.  Eventually, no matter what people are willing to admit, it messes with emotions and someone always ends up getting hurt in the long run.  When young women give into the idea that sex isn't meaningful, I feel like they' re allowing themselves to be judged, and treated as objects.  I think if you respect yourself as a women, you can hold out for the right guy - and make that guy prove himself worthy, as well.

POISE: Have your views on love and marriage changed at all since being adapting to an independent college lifestyle?
Carly: Well, I have been dating my boyfriend, Matt, for 1 ½ years and I didn't truly know what love was until I met him; he's changed my life for the better.  All of my views changed, because I finally realize what love is really about. It's unreal how wonderful it feels to find someone so compatible with you that you want to be with them every minute; someone you care about so deeply you can’t stop thinking about them. Matt's helped me to realize that you can't go looking for love - it has it's way of finding you when you're least expecting.  I have also come to realize that, at this point in our lives, it's important to meet as many people as possible, but only commit to the people you can see yourself marrying. 

POISE: What's your idea of a happy ending?
Carly: Having a happy and loving family. As far as my career goes, I know I want to go into something with Commercial design, like designing stores and restaurants, or something along those lines.  Interior Architecture is very diverse, so I may decide to do something different once I actually start interning.

POISE: When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up? How and why has it changed?
Carly:  I wanted to be the doctor that dealt with babies, because I loved babies, but I realized science is neither my best nor my favorite subject.  I also realized how much I enjoy design, so I decided I want to be some kind of Interior Designer.

POISE: Are you a full-color dreamer? What about day-dreams - are you a dreamer or a doer?
Carly:  I have big dreams, but when I get an idea in my head, I have to pursue it.  I'm more of a doer than a dreamer.  I like to get things done.

POISE: Is there anything you've dreamt about that you absolutely have to get done before you die?
Carly:  I' ve always wanted to go overseas, but I hope to do that next year by studying abroad.  Before I die, though, I want to go sky-diving.  I just think it would be an awesome experience, and probably the biggest rush I’ll ever get.

POISE: You have excellent self-confidence - something girls today either lack or confuse with arrogance. What do you love most about your body? Do you have any compliments you're particularly proud of?
Carly:  I love my green eyes, and my long eye-lashes (I get them from my dad).  I'm complimented on my height a lot, but a girl once told me she wished she had my legs and I was super thrilled because it's not something I hear very often.

POISE: What are your feelings on plastic surgery?
Carly:  I think it depends on the situation of the person. For example, if they're in an accident or it's critical to their health, I can understand, but if it just to fix something they don’t like about themselves, I don't think it's okay.  People should learn to respect their bodies more.

POISE: Finally, what advice can you give to the young ladies reading this, wondering how to define their own style and identity?
Carly:  It's fun to find and read about new and hot trends, but it's important to take those ideas and create your own. Defining your own style is fun and exciting - don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new.  Wear something that's uniquely you - even if you think others may not like it.

Do you think you or someone you know has what it takes to be the next face of POISE fashion? Nominate yourself, or a friend by sending an email to poisefashion@ohio.edu, subject "POISE fashionista." Tell us why you, or your great galpal deserves POISE status and you may just be hearing from us!