Many American families have been hit by hard financial times in recent years, and being fashionable in these times can be tough. Welcome to the “Recessionista Era,” where fashionable young women are using entrepreneurial skills and killer instincts to not only purchase high style items on the cheap, but start their own designer lines as well.

The base definition of recessionista refers to a fashion forward person who is able to dress fashionably, looking like a million bucks even when her bank account balance is far from it. Magazines praise this movement. And with an ability to edit a look and look for budget alternatives, you can make your wardrobe dollars go a long way.

One recessionista, Sherina Porter, has taken the economic downturn and used it as a creative outlet for her t-shirt line, Zulaa, which is currently in the works. Porter is a West Coast native with a family history deeply entrenched in the industry of apparel. The line itself is named after Porter’s great-grandmother, who was a seamstress in Louisiana for many years.

“Since she designed dresses and clothes for her family and employer, I thought the name was golden,” Porter said.

With the current goal of obtaining a fashion design degree, this fashionista makes sure to keep in touch with culture, drawing several design references from art pieces and media.

Despite her young age, Porter already has a solid background in the fashion industry after working for an extended period with Neiman Marcus, where she got to work with high-end designer clothing pieces as well as getting a backstage view of the inner workings of the business.

Among her many designer favorites is Balmain, a fashion house that has recently had a makeover, with a new head designer and style direction. “I love how Balmain is not only amazing, but it gives so much attitude. It screams ‘Don’t mess with me,’” which is an attitude that Porter hopes to convey in her own pieces.

The line will be comprised of quality tees with an everyday functionality to them, featuring text and graphics anywhere from stilettos to cupcakes. The price point of these tees falls between $40 and $120. While this may seem a little costly for students, Porter gave assurance that the quality of the fabric and detailing more than makes up for the cost.

Using social media technology that people can’t seem to get enough of has been a big step for her line. She uses a blog site called No Wire Hangers (nowirehangersblog.com) and Twitter (twitter.com/N0WireHangers, with a zero in the word “no”) to get feedback and inspiration for the mood boards and sketches she creates.

Porter is planning to release the line in January 2011, and will have it available not only online but in choice boutiques as well. Keep an eye out for Porter and the Zulaa line, as soon the designer will be moving to the East Coast to expand her line.

By: Stephanie Tipple

Stay updated by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.