- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, 17-year-old Karlina "Karly" Riggs recently earned a top-15 spot at the 2017 Miss Teen USA national competition on July 29.
An AP and honors student at Chaparral High School, Riggs attended Harvard University's pre-college program this summer, and upon graduation, she plans to pursue pediatric medicine. The Miss Teen Arizona pageant winner's also passionate about civics and history.
“I strongly believe that if my generation is going to be responsible citizens and future leaders of this country, we first need to understand who and what shaped our nation,” Riggs says. “Equally important, we need to understand not only our
New Times recently quizzed Riggs about style, fashion, shopping, and her closet. Here's what she had to say.

How would you describe your sense of style?
At school, I'm casual and comfortable, but when I go out I like to dress edgy, more fashion-forward.
What is your pageant style like?
My pageant style is feminine, classy, and put together.
Who are your fashion inspirations?
Zendaya, Ariana Grande, and Gigi Hadid.
What is your earliest memory of fashion?
My mom dressed me and my twin in matching/coordinating outfits, so I remember people always saying how cute we looked.
What is a trend that you wish would stop?
Strict dress codes in school!
Where do you shop?
Guess, Free People, LF, Yandy, and Nordstrom.
What are your favorite local boutiques?
Glam Squad, Shop Priceless, Pretty Please, Heidi Boutique, and Crush.
What was the last piece you bought?
Baby pink pumps from Guess for my interview outfit for Miss Teen USA.
What are five things that everyone should have in her closet?
A great pair of leggings, cute bralette, pretty romper to throw on when you're in a hurry, baseball hat for bad hair days, and stylish flip-flops.
What's one of the weirdest things in your closet?
A swing.
Anything else you’d like to tell us about your approach to fashion and style?
Choose an outfit because it makes you feel beautiful, then wear it with confidence.
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.