Armour Magzine Summer 2014 by Armour Magazine

armourmag.tumblr.com SUMMER 2014

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life. To do away with fashion would be like doing away with civilization.

Bill Cunningham

MONOCHROMATIC One color is all you need

PERSONAL STYLE

On Frida, artistic endeavors, and love of bugs

18 STYLES & SPACES Light, found treasures and musical memorabilia

CUT IT OUT Experimentation in patten play

LA FATTORIA Field study

CLIMATRON

Plants and the prints that match

Editors-in-Chief Neha Nair Lily Sullivan Editors Charlotte Jones Grant Phillips Priyanka Reddy Director of Layout Becca Shuman Director of Photography Bonner Williams Directors of Blog Leah Nordman Stefani Rey Carla Steppan Director of Social Media Paulina Gallagher

Editorial Photographer Hannah Blumer Contributing Photographers Alex DeRosa Justin Ho Raissa Xie Layout Team Ali Dulman Jessie Hyman Deborah Koh Jacqueline Pifer Tori Sgarro

Contributors Amanda Bass Tayler Geiger Alexa Greene Merill Hollander Lillian Lee Aviva Mann Haley Moore Taylor Ohman Genevieve Pecsok Olivia Pineda Camil Sanchez Palumbo Ella Young Founders Jacob Lenard Felicia Podberesky Chantal Strasburger

Summer 2014 is here and we could not be more thrilled. Armour is doing big things this season. With four full-fledged editorials, we definitely pushed the limits of both time and wardrobe supply. But there were to many good concepts that it wouldn’t have made sense to not pursue them immediately. The emergence of above-60degree weather encouraged us to explore frontiers that have never graced the pages of Armour before. Setting was everything for these photo shoots. Matching style to environment was our main priority in Botanical Shoot 36, La Fattoria 28, and Monochromatic (page X). The tropical oasis that is the Climatron served as the perfect showcase for the bold floral prints in the Botanical Shoot. Monochromatic documents Armour’s chameleon-esque efforts to become one with various colored walls

around the city. La Fattoria attempts to capture a style that is as serene and organic as the countryside. Oh, and did we mention there was a horse involved in this photo shoot? Not sure if this is an appropriate pace for this interjection, but it definitely needed to be stated. In putting together this issue, we have learned that the scope of Armour’s possible endeavors is limitless, which is also a reflection of style in general. The varied range of tastes and input gathered among staff members resulted in quite an experimental issue. Experimenting with fashion – with colors, patterns, silhouettes, and textures – is, after all, the best way to cultivate a personal sense of style.

Brace yourselves, my beloved Armour readers: things are about to get sappy. For my final issue as editor-in-chief, I have to say that working on this publication has truly been a rewarding experience. I’ve gotten a chance to work with some of the most creative students on campus and have come to learn just how vibrant the style culture at Wash U is. To me, Armour is a device to bring this culture to the surface. As much as I will miss downloading images to my “Armour inspiration” folder and stalking street style around campus, I know that I will be one of those alums that hoards issues of Armour and likes every single photo posted on the Instagram. This magazine has been a vital creative outlet for me in college, and I only hope to find something in the real world that leaves me half as fulfilled as Armour has. Meanwhile, I know Armour is in good hands and I can’t wait to see what’s in store. Peace, love, Armour, Neha

Look Ma, I Can Be French Too On World-Class Fashion and Why the French Aren’t That Perfect

by camil sanchez-palumbo

I’ve spent the past four months wandering the streets of Toulouse in the South of France, studying how to fool people into thinking I’m French, taking mental notes on style, and spraying myself with a few too many free samples of perfume. Though my time here so far has been awe-inspiring all the same, believe it or not I’m unconvinced that French fashion is the be-all and end-all. Let me clarify: I’m often struck by the “put-togetherness” of the French in their daily attire, and I’d probably offer a large sum of money to anyone who can figure out what gene makes them so attractive, but I have to seriously question the notion that they’ve mastered all things fashion-related. Sure, America’s history of fanny packs

and fuzzy North Faces doesn’t make for the most impressive track record (apologies to any fleece-lovers out there), but I promise the French have style clichés too. Instead of the typical puffy black winter coats, they wear puffy blue Pyrenex jackets with fur hoods. Instead of salt-stained Ugg booties, they wear Nike dunks or Adidas rivals. You might think brand-name obsession only takes place in the States (I know I did) and you’d be wrong. French girls all sport the same Vanessa Bruno sequin totes dangling effortlessly off the arm, and who knew French guys would fanboy over zip-up knit sweaters. Looking the part, or rather looking a part of, is without a doubt just as important here as it is across the ocean, and I’ve witnessed a sea of leather jackets to prove it. Of course I can’t honestly go without giving the French some credit—I’ve found many style traits to appreciate. For one, I love that shapes are more unisex here. Though I was thrown off at first by the unspoken no-leggings policy, I’ve come to realize that French fashion prefers the silent confidence of nicely-fitting jeans to the U.S.’s more over-sexualized spandex get-ups. Bodycon what? I’m calling score 1 for feminism. Above all, I admire that the majority of people I see strolling

down Toulouse’s or even Paris’ streets take noticeable time to put together their look for the day. All buttons are in place and outfits have accents that match. That being said, not being able to wear sweatpants outside of the house on the weekend will eventually be my downfall. I could recite all the ways to dress like a French person (“all black everything,” “the French love scarves,” “blah blah chic blah blah”), but I don’t seem much use in romanticizing French ways. Chanel is cool and all, but after half a semester here I’m just wondering where my thrift stores are at. So yes, the French dress a certain way and, yes, Zara is cheaper here, but what about our own style? I think it’s worthy of note that Americans dress with the idea of individualism in mind. Why else would that guy in class wear a Hawaiian shirt, or that girl walking through the DUC flaunt prints that probably shouldn’t go together? In the States, creativity is loud and uniqueness is beauty. We don’t always get it right, but hey, we’ve got character too. So let’s forget those tall tales about French fashion and what’s à la mode because it’s not about who does it better—all I know is that the French do it differently, in their own way, and that’s cool too.

Unexpected Fashion Jobs written and illustrated by amanda bass

Obsessed with all things fashion, but not artsy enough to roll with the Sam Fox fashion design majors? Don’t fret. There are plenty of other roads that lead to fashion. (We can’t all be Coco Chanel, you know!) Instead, we’re breaking down the coolest, alternative careers in the fashion industry – no sewing machine required.

Marketing/Pricing/Accounting/ Anything Else They Teach You In The B-School These jobs may not sound as riveting as some of the others on our list, but, if you’re into business, logic, and math, we can’t think of a more fun way to apply your skills. Even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, every major fashion company has business related departments. You can be surrounded by fashion every day without ever flexing your right brain. Trend Analysis/Forecasting Are you the fashion clairvoyant of your friend group? Trend forecasting could be the job for you. Trend forecasting firms predict what will be in style for seasons, or even years into the future. The fashion industry relies on these firms to get the step up on future trends related to color, silhouette, prints, etc.

Fashion Blogging So you love shopping, keeping up with trends and have some lucky person willing to take your picture everyday? Blogging is the easiest way to break into the fashion industry – no job experience, no relocating to NYC, and no LinkedIn connections required. Simply go to one of the oodles of blog sites and start uploading! We can’t promise instant fame, but, hey, you never know.

Personal Shopper As a personal shopper, you get to shop, while never spending a penny of your own money. And the best part? You get PAID to do it. Most high-end department stores have personal shoppers on staff to help clients by appointment, or you can freelance and become more like a personal shopper/stylist combo.

Visual Merchandising The visual merchandiser is the person responsible for store displays and store layout. That includes everything from strategically figuring out the placement of garments, shelving, creating store color stories, and, of course, window displays to entice the potential customer to come in and shop – all of which serve to maximize sales.

Retail Buying Department stores and other merchandisers have to get the clothes to sell somehow! Enter the retail buyer: a position that requires visits to showrooms, runway shows, and trade shows. Free trip to Mercedes Benz Fashion week? Yes, please.

Textile Sourcing/Fabric Research & Development Working in textiles lets you do that every single day. Fabric sourcing is a field that specializes in finding or helping to develop textiles to work for a clothing line’s upcoming collection. This includes everything from working with the print department to develop the perfect print to venturing to South East Asia to find beautifully embroidered textiles to inspire next season’s collection.

y M n o n o i ct e e l l y t S Ref l a n o Pers

“Fashion is just wearable art.”

by: ella young I like to imagine myself as a six-yearold American Frida Kahlo. Frida, ever since my mum introduced me to the vibrant, Mexican, feminist artist in grade school, has been a personal role model and fashion icon. Her strong sense of self as a woman and an artist are inspirational alone, without even considering the incredible amount of adversity she faced. She led a creative, unique life with such vibrancy, reflected in her passionate relationships, paintings, and wardrobe. The colors, patterns, layers, flowers, and jewelry! Oh, I wish I had access to such dresses and earrings! I love Frida for her vibrant colors and the flowers in her hair. I admire how she incorporated ethnic Mexican prints and styles into her style of dress. Growing up in Los Angeles and learning Spanish since the age of seven, I have a soft spot for the vibrancy of Hispanic culture. While occasionally I’ll don Milagros earrings or fresh flowers piled atop my hair, I would love to add a bit more of Frida to my style.

I appreciate Frida for her artwork as well. My own art and practice certainly influence the way I dress, be it altering and painting on clothes or making my own clothes (ex: dress made out of stuffed animals, ilet 50s summer dress, bustier covered with googly eyes). Fashion is just wearable art. In a similar sense, makeup is like painting your face. I love to wear wild makeup, especially bright colored eyeliner. Cyan is my go to color for the Twiggy adapted eyelash lines I commonly pencils on.

I say Frida because I love her and I wish my style could be synonymous with hers (her embrace of culture, her strength, her talent as an artist, and, of course, her fashion sense), but in heart I’m still the young girl who loved digging through the costume boxes in my living room closet. Needless to say, my outfit styling and fashion shows began at a very young age. Dressing up is pure joy. It’s as simple as that. When I throw a striped sweater over a floral collared shirt and button up a pair of green velvet pants, I know it will be a good day. Bright, fun, playful. Dressing up is about looking silly and having fun. I just hope people on the street who see me find the fun in it too and leave with a quizative but pleasant smile. The most “Ella” outfit is one with lots of patterns and colors, achieved via layering, and funky jewelry.

The second Urban Dictionary definition sums it up pretty well: “adj. a style that involves combining strange items, e.g., wearing dogtags, a tiara, knee-high purple boots, and large sunglasses all at the same time. Ex: adj. Wow, that skirt is so Ella!” How I dress or who I am today could not be without my biggest influence and role model, my mother. A fashionista back then and now, she provided me with nearly everything in my closet. Whether they were hers originally or thrift store finds, she has an eye for the quirky and classically fashionable. She is the reason I appreciate and want to pursue fashion. She taught me the importance of fitting my body type and always dressing well. She is a big fan of vintage fashion and has shopped in thrift stores her whole life. I too draw influence from past decades and am particularly in love with 1950s dresses, with their fitted waist and full skirts. Like mother, like daughter, I love fashion because of her.

Sarah Quattrocchi, 501 N. Compton Avenue

Sammi Pitz, 501 Leonard Avenue

MONOCHROMATIC Photography by Hannah Blumer

Tyler McManus, 3266 Olive Street

Rosie Hough, 3100 Washington Avenue

Tyler McManus, 3320 Locust Street

Return to Retro The Revival of Film Photography By Taylor Ohman

If you walk into any Urban Outfitters you will most likely find one of the wall displays filled from floor to ceiling with small, brightly designed cameras. These little gadgets have no shiny touch screens or zoom lenses, but believe me: they are making a big comeback. Thanks to companies like Lomography and the Impossible Project, a community of “film loyalists” has formed within the younger generation to lead the movement. I, unashamedly, am one of them. ‘Why film?’ you may ask, when the world of technology has recently produced such advanced and impressive cameras. As the modern popularity of film cameras proves, it is no longer just about high definition and pixel count. Instead, a greater emphasis has been placed on the photographic process.

As our generation’s undying need to document every moment of life grows, people are searching for unique and creative ways to do so. The appearance of film photography, with its saturated colors and grain texture, sets it apart from the “mainstream” digital look, while the wide variety of cameras and film types allow even the most amateur photographers to capture moments in an artistic and imaginative way (more than an Instagram filter can!). Furthermore, film cameras are inexpensive, durable, and do not even need to be charged, making them the perfect accessory to bring to that music festival or picnic in forest park. So whether you are a retro lover with a record player in your room and a closet filled with high waisted bathing suits and cat eye sunglasses or you are a modern-day techy, put down your iPhone camera and take a part in the revival because film is definitely back!

Styles & Spaces Photography and Interview by Paulina Gallagher

brian benton

American Culture Studies Major with minors in Writing and Art History

What is your favorite place to find home furnishings? I really like getting things used, so Goodwill or random antique and thrift stores on or around Cherokee. I’m also a big fan of just finding things. The TV I found when someone was throwing it out and then I hollowed it out and made it a bookshelf. What is the most important aspect of creating a space? I think it’s important to make sure that what you have is comfortable and livable and is actually a place you want to be in, not a place to just show off what you have. Having good light is really important, making sure it’s bright. Lots of places for people to sit when they come over. Photos of your family and things that make you happy. Something that feels like a home. What piece best represents your “self?” I really like the random collection of things that are on my bookcase. I have my music, my cameras, my skates at the

bottom… All these things that I really like and these different facets of myself that have all come together because of the bookcase. That’s where where all my favorite things are.

I’m at a show almost every week, which is crazy, and I try to get them whenever I can. I have around 40 now. It’s a cool souvenier that’s more individualized to the specific show than a t-shirt might be.

Skates? Yeah! I started figure skating when I was 6 and competed until junior year of high school, then I got injured as a junior and phased out a bit. I still skate a little bit but not as much as I want to. I went to Junior Nationals in 2008, and then in 2010, the final year I competed, I went to Sectionals, which is the qualifying competition for Nationals. Not many people know that I skate… it just doesn’t usually come up in conversation.

What are you listening to right now? I have been listening to the new album by a band called The War On Drugs a lot. They sound kind of like if Arcade Fire was led by Bruce Springsteen. St. Vincent’s new album is really good, and then recently I really like Jagwar Ma, Mø, Joywave and a band called Thumpers.

It seems like you really like music...do you ever get t-shirts from concerts? Not really, because I try to get setlists as a momento instead. I started the collection of setlists when I was a junior in high school when I got my first one, which was one from a Kate Nash concert. She signed it which was cool.

If you had infinite money and could redo your space what would you do? Part of what I like about my apartment is since I didn’t spend a ton of money to furnish it, I feel okay swapping things out. If you were to come to my apartment 5 months ago, I would have had a lot of things that have been replaced. Maybe ill find a chair that’s falling apart and I’ll bring it home, and if I find a better chair, I’ll just replace it. I don’t think I’d buy one thing if I had infinite money, I would just slowly acquire more things.

summer embroidery

Embroidery will never go out of style, as it can “seamlessly” be incorporated into every season’s chicest looks. Don’t worry; you won’t be seeing your grandmother’s embroidered quilts walking the streets this summer. Picture instead brightly colored geometric embroidery with gilded highlights – it’s all the rage this spring and summer. Lightweight and lively, the trend is perfect for embracing the incoming summer mentality. This year, Valentino takes the trend head-on (literally –even gilded headbands!) with his Ready-to-Wear spring 2014 collection. It is riddled with beautiful threading and gold accents. The embroidery TUSBZT GSPN UIF DPNNPOMZ TFFO mPSBM QBUUFSOT BOE instead, the collection incorporates abstract, geometric patterns that give off a sort of Mexican vibe. Turquoise, coral, red and gold weave themselves throughout Valentino’s elaborate patterns and into this summer. These striking looks require close attention to detail, while at the same time giving off an effortless, ethnic vibe. What better way to take on this summer than with a loud, expensive-look-

ing statement that still makes you look relaxed? Other designers, such as J Mendel and Stephan Caras, released collections with similar looks, proving that the trend will be big this summer. Both Mendel and Caras incorporated embroidery into their haute couture lines to accent their gowns. Valentino’s spring 2013 Haute Couture DPMMFDUJPO TUBSUFE UIF USFOE XJUI mPSBM QBUUFSOT UIBU transitioned into the geometric pieces found in his latest collection. Designers are also accenting their embroidery with beading to enhance the patterns. This trend elevates the design and makes it dressier, able to be worn from day to night. Worn with white or other QBMF TIBEFT JU DSFBUFT UIF QFSGFDU PVUlU GPS XBSN temperatures and summer nights. Writers: Genevieve Pecsok and Alexa Greene Photographer: Raissa Xie Models: Marilla Havens and Sondra Anton

Television and fashion have a symbi-

(girls)

otic relationship, the two simultaneously developing new trends and new elements to each character. For years, Sex and the City has been a leading show in fashion—Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) brought the Manolo Blahnik into almost every modern woman’s vocabulary. In Sex and the City, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha each possess a signature style, ranging from eccentric and hyper-sexualized, to timeless and modest. More recently, however, a new sartorial front-runner in television has replaced Sex and the City. GIRLS, Written, and produced by Lena Dunham has earned newfound critical acclaim and media attention. With characters nearly half the age of Sex and the City’s, the four young women on GIRLS live in Brooklyn and navigate life during the years just out of college. They

experience love, heartbreak, new employment opportunities, lack of employment and everything in between. The four characters’, Hannah, Marnie, Shoshana, and Jessa each exhibit a distinct style that adds to their character and mirror the quirky aspects of their personalities—the fashion often times adding comedic effect to the show (as seen in Hannah’s mesh yellow tank top and fruit print crop-top in the cocaine episode or Marnie’s plastic dress). The show is one of the most relatable for young women today; none of the characters have perfect bodies, nor are they able to afford name-brand garments. This relatability allows viewers find a piece of themselves in each of the characters and are thus able to identify with their sense of fashion as well. The three seasons have shown the dynamic nature of the characters and the ever-changing nature of their fashion choices. Hannah’s style is characterized by funny prints, drop-waist dresses, “shorteralls” (short overalls), rompers, homely leath-

er bags, and worn oxford shoes. It is debatable if she even owns a bra. Hannah will try anything once no matter how it looks on her body. Her un-manicured look lends itself to thrift-storefinds or Urban Outfitters-esq casual-wear. Marnie’s is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Hannah. She is polished and preppy, wearing high-neckline tailored dresses and skimmer flats. Interesting to note, when Marnie is down, she dresses the part. Her Ann Taylor suit combos become relaxed-fit boyfriend Jcrew jeans and a slouchy striped boatneck T-shirt. Shoshana’s wardrobe is characterized by “glam” and feminine pieces. Her big earrings and ridiculous hair-dos, bright colors and body-conscious silhouettes are almost as bold as she is. Jessa is European bohemian. Think Free People goes abroad. She’s always sporting a Maxi, kimono-style dress with strappy sandals. Flowy and sheer pieces, layered necklaces, rings on every finger, and tattoos complete her effortless look. By: Aviva Mann

cut it out PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BONNER WILLIAMS MODELS: Eden Halperin & Patrick Buggy

Summer Days, Summer Nights Need a fresh but sexy summer look? Interested in the latest orange lip trend, but not sure how to wear it? This look pairs soft sexy eyes with an on-trend gradient orange lip, making it a great look for this summer.

Begin by applying a light layer of BB or CC cream (Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream) all over the skin for a light, dewy finish. Conceal any imperfections as needed (Marc Jacobs Re(Marc)able Full Coverage Concealer in Alive), and set with a light dusting of finishing powder over the T-zone (Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light). Fill in the brows, creating a soft, fuller brow with a nice taper at the ends (Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow in Ash). Apply a soft pink satin eyeshadow all over the lids (Estee Lauder eyeshadow Shade 47 Nude Fresco). Use a light shimmering taupe color to lightly define the crease area (Estee Lauder eyeshadow Shade 35 Hot Cinnamon). Using an angled eyeliner brush, use a dark brown eyeshadow to thinly line the eyes. Curl the lashes and apply two coats of a lash lengthening waterproof mascara (Fairydrops Waterproof Mascara). Use the Clinique Bottom Lash mascara to separate and define the lower lashes.

Day

Take a bright orange lip stain (Etude House Flash Color Pop Lip Tint in #2 Sunny Pop) and using a lip brush, saturate the color in the

NIGHT

center of the lips, gently brushing the color to a light gradient effect towards the outer edge of the lips. Emphasize this gradient by lightly tapping a bit of concealer to soften the edges of the lips. Finish off the look by applying a pretty coral and orange blush (Benefit’s Coralsta and Tarte Amazonian Clay 24 Hour Blush in Tipsy), and adding a light sheen of highlighter on the high points of the face (theBalm’s Mary Lou Manizer highlighter). Slightly contour the face with a matte medium bronzer, and dust the bronzer lightly all over the skin for a lovely summery glow (Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer). Want to amp up this look for nighttime? Take the same dark brown eyeshadow and thicken the eyeliner, bringing the color into the inner corners of the eyes for sexier eyes and winging the liner outwards. Add another coat of mascara, and you’re ready for the night.

By Lilian Lee Photography by Justin Ho Modeled by Jennifer Hua

heavy footwear, light weather by tayler geiger

Functional spirals into fashionable, given enough time.

Tech fabrics, military parkas, camouflage, wool socks— hell, even the ubiquitous blue jean was designed for a specific utilitarian purpose, but is now a wardrobe necessity. Functional wear transcends fashion barriers. In other words, don’t be surprised if you find a badass bomber jacket in your grandpa’s attic; don’t be ashamed to shop at Bass Pro every once in a while. Boots are that bit of functional wear you might not even think of as such. Everyone wears them, there are so many kinds, and duh, all shoes are functional. They protect your feet! But boots are sturdier than most shoes and typically cover at least your ankle, if not the whole lower leg. They’re usually made of leather, or some equally tough material. They are made to last, to be warm, blah blah blah. You know what boots are for because you own some, and you should probably own more despite the fact that Summer is coming—whether the St. Louis weather wants it to or not. Boots will help you weather the remaining Spring nastiness, and then keep you looking good as you stroll on into Summer. Typical Spring fashion is bright and open. White jeans, a neutral polo with an interesting texture, and a pair of tasseled loafers say Clean, Vibrant, Warm, Winter-is-over-let-mebe-light-and-joyous-and-notin-a-coat. And this is a widely applicable message for people in springtime. At least, in the sense that we want spring to be clean and vibrant and warm. As we know—us St. Louis weather victims sloshing and shivering through our long “Spring”— the season of rejuvenation isn’t always refreshing. Spring style is a long trek into Summer, that wonderful time when we get to keep the same clean look but dump our heavy jackets and wool socks. Which means, that Spring and Summer styles are really similar. Colors come out in full force, along with lightweight fabrics and playful patterns.

But that transition from Spring to Summer, especially here in St. Louis, can sometimes last longer than we want. This is where the boots come in. Wearing no-show socks, 6” shorts, a polo, and loafers looks disingenuous when the sky is covered in clouds, even if it is warm. Such an outfit says “I am unaware of my surroundings and dress myself based on the day on the calendar.” Instead, pair your cherry heritage work boots with some subdued-khaki chinos and a light sweater. When it gets too warm for that, go for a punky look with black combat boots, skinny jeans, and a simple t-shirt. You’ll be surprised how versatile your supposed fall/winter footwear can be. Always remember that what you wear is a first impression not limited to how your outfit looks put together; you are also in a relationship to your environment. There’s a reason certain styles get mapped onto particular seasons—there are good reasons to sport the traditional spring trends. It’s warmer, the trends are fun, and comfort is key. But there are also good reasons to flex these norms, and the transition into summer is a time with a lot of room for flexing. Wear boots in spring because they’re your favorite pair of shoes, and they look good, and they say “I know St. Louis better than you do.” Wear them in the summer because they make people double-take, because they communicate a sense of awareness few people are brave enough to cultivate. And let this serve as a starting point for reconsidering what your wardrobe can do— what is a spring jacket? Or a summer shirt? Why can’t you wear pastels in the fall? Or subdued darks in the summer? You probably can. The statements you make will be bold, but fashion should be as much about taking risks as it is about following rules. Work boots, shorts, and a sloppy button-up? Well, sure! Some days, that’s the most fitting way to dress. But you’ll never know that if you don’t get to experimenting. Read Tayler’s full article at armourmag.tumblr.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: BONNER WILLIAMS MODELS: Cliodhna Dill & Ariel Frankel

mongst the haphazardly folded, Crayola-colored apparel that characterized the outfits of my elementary school years, few items were as beloved as my Old Navy overalls. Indeed, there were few garments that could beat the large side pockets, perfect for stowing interesting rocks, caterpillars, and other school jungle gym treasures, or the convenience of the snap-on shoulder buckles, which withstood the wear and tear of even the most precarious of recess adventures. While overalls and jumpsuits remain a playground favorite, they have since become a runway and acelebrity approved wardrobe staple in recent years, manufactured in a variety of different cuts and fabrics to work as an alternative outfit for a

P u g n i suit l l a r e v o m i n e d e h t e v i t a n r e t l a t i u s p m u j d an LIV BY O

INE IA P

AND 4TH : O T O

BLEE

KER

night out. Denim overalls are often negatively associated with looking “fresh off the farm;” indeed pairing overalls with rain boots and a sweatshirt would most unfortunately achieve this style slipup. However, rolling up the cuffs, slipping on a pair of flats, and throwing on a cute t-shirt can, thankfully, easily avoid this aesthetic catastrophe. On warmer days, the classic overall can be traded for the “shortall,” a summery take on the original using shorts in place of pants.

Overalls’ more daring cousin, jumpsuits, is a celebrity favorite as the alternative to the typical cocktail dress, and the grown-up version of the kids’ romper. They’re an easy piece to throw on for an evening look accentuated by a pair of heels and a clutch. Also, given their unique, uniform quality, they help to lengthen the silhouette, emphasizing long legs and torso. Indeed, there is a minimalistic elegance that accompanies the monochromatic jumpsuit, an article of clothing that truly speaks for itself. A few weeks ago, Elizabeth Moss posed sporting a pair of overalls – and nothing else – for the cover of New York Magazine. It is this fresh revival of a previously outdated ‘90’s trend that has brought this once ubiquitous denim favorite to the forefront of people’s minds and closets, transforming the garment originally created on the basis of utility into a veritable, head-turning fashion statement.

photography by: Paulina Gallagher

SPECS APPEAL nothing screams summer more than a great pair of sunnies. whether theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re simple or statement, throw some shade this season. 35

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: LEAH NORDMAN MODELS: Evie Josephson & Luke Summerlin

The

Resurgence of the Undercut

written and illustrated by charlotte jones

I saw it once a couple years back on the trendy kid who had just gotten back from his trip to Italy. I couldn’t help but notice. No one could. Amidst skater boy shag, lacrosse bro “lettuce” and all-American crew cuts, a new species had emerged. It was Euro, it was stylish. It was the undercut. Impeccably close to the sides, the crown of his head was topped with the perfect amount of sculpted hair, inches long and with style to spare. This first boy was unique to me for a time. But in reality the floodgates had already opened for the emergence and resurgence of the fabulous undercut. After he cut his hair, it was if an unspoken code spread throughout circles of the most daring individuals. And it was everywhere. The undercut began to be adopted by people of all hair colors and textures. Brunettes, blondes, straight, and curly all managed to pull it off. Yet when and from whom is the undercut resurging? Yes, you might have guessed it, trends do repeat themselves every couple decades and to pinpoint the undercut’s début we have to turn to the legend himself, David Bowie.

Bowie brought the undercut to the forefront of pop culture but in a specific strain: that of punk, metal, and Goth styles. The haircut held significant weight in its being a symbol of rebellion and nonconformity in the 1970s and 80s yet lost popularity until the late 2000s. Today however, multitudes of celebrities have brought back the undercut, ranging from Justin Bieber to Rihanna. The red carpet is riddled with versions of the new style appearing on men, on women, and on toddlers (literally not a joke, check out Pinterest). Yet while the undercut is now being prophesied and exalted as the haircut of the year, it has yet to reach the same mainstream level as other dos have done in the past. Articles on how to give yourself a “Faux undercut” are currently circulating multiple blogs, magazines and websites while actually shaving one’s head seems to be limited to the higher echelons of celebrity. Few people want to risk the inevitable awkwardness of growing the shaved portion out to normal lengths. Perhaps it is this reluctance that has maintained the undercut’s “cool,” for its reality is just a little too much to ask of the average person.

So until the day that locks are consistently falling to the salon floor and the undercut is so mainstream that long hair is the new rebellious trend – you will always be able to turn my head with the perfect ratio of shaved to styled.