TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. THE PAST BETTER TO HAVE LOVED
THE “IT” GIRLS THROUGH THE AGES MAKEUP IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT
II. THE PRESENT
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL I’LL QUOTE YOU ON THAT
NATURE’S OWN FASHION SHOW
III. THE FUTURE
THE COAST IS CLEAR BRACE YOURSELF
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
All photos, edits, and words were created by Emma Childs.
Childs Play
Time is a Fickle Friend: Realizations about the Past, Present, & Future
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
I
grew up on Vogue. Every glossy page held the promise of magic and dreams coming true. These luxurious magazines were a method of escape for me and enabled for me to see beyond my immediate future. I could envision a life for myself where I could be involved in the world of fashion and maybe, one day, create a product that will give someone else a similar feeling of amazed appreciation. When I was 14, I was fortunate enough to obtain an internship of my own at The Current Quarterly, a fashion magazine dedicated to shopping locally on Cape Cod. Working with Amanda Converse, the editor, truly showed me that a passionate individual cannot be stopped. She has shown and taught me more things than I could possibly fathom and I am so grateful for all the ways I have grown while working for her.
So after years of salivating over Gucci ad campaigns, rewatching The Devil Wears Prada an embarrassing number of times, and working for The Current Quarterly, I felt it was time to quit pushing off a goal of mine. I let go of the belief that the fashion world was meant only for thirty-somethings with years of working at publications in their back pockets and set out to make my own magazine. So with my inspiration from Amanda, the help of the wonderful Abby Fay by my side, and a lot of Photoshop tutorials, Childs Play was born. As a senior in high school, I’ve had a decent amount of time to reflect on years past and dream of the years ahead of me. While at this crucial time in my life, I’ve been able to step back and analyze my life and the abrupt pace it takes. So with reminiscent and hopeful feelings as my inspiration, the theme of time was integrated throughout this magazine. Childs Play explores the emotions from young, innocent love, to justifiable, selfish adolescent behavior, and then finally, to an accepted obscurity in the future. Creating this magazine was a notch off my bucket list and while at times, it did involve a fair amount of crying sessions about how I’ll never be Anna Wintour, it was a wonderful journey. Thank you to everyone who helped mewith this process and I hope you enjoy my documented journey through time.
Emma Childs
I. THE PAST
better to have loved...
I
’ll never forget my first crush. I was four, he was five. His favorite color was pink and he always had animal crackers (the good kind with purple icing and sprinkles on top) to share for snack time. We exchanged giggles over apple juice and I thought he was the man for me. However, it was a short lived infatuation and ended swiftly once I saw his T-Rex impression where he’d shove his hands into his Gap Kids tee shirt, screech, and step on everyone during nap time. I have since moved on from my preschool crush and his name became the first of many on the list of boys who gave me butterflies and sent my heart fluttering. This silly experience introduced me to the magic that arises from young crushes. And while some do indeed end in dinosaur-impression induced heartbreak, the beginning
stages of crushes are a lovely, magical journey. From him, I was able to embark into the treacherous world of crushes and revel in the wondrous and exciting path. And of course, being able to discuss your crush and plan your future together (that includes coordinating your wedding color scheme to his eye color) with your best friend is an equally important part of a crush, perhaps even the best part. This photo shoot represents those initial feelings of heart-throbbing, wonderful, and nerve-wracking love that deserve to be remembered and shared with a trusting friend by your side. Crushes are fun, crushes are painful and they’re a crucial part of growing up. And who knows, maybe a crush might even lead to a happily ever after.
xoxo
The “It”Girls Through the Ages T
he idea of a muse has withstood the test of time. Once meaning a goddess who sparked the works of creative geniuses by infiltrating their minds, the definition has shifted and adapted with the times to fit the ever changing worlds of each media. Ranging from the nameless woman in The Girl With the Pearl Earring to the astonishing fashion icon Kate Moss, each of these women caused a spark of creative development that changed art, fashion, and even society. Abby Fay, AP Art History and Fashion Design teacher at Barnstable High school, notes that inspiration can arise from all over. As well as a diverse teacher, Fay is an artist and has been since a young age. “My father taught me to draw and I discovered a real satisfaction from making something with my hands. I work at it everyday,” Fay said. Fay’s work ranges from landscapes infused with women to self portraits, usually done in either oil or acrylic. “A great example of someone who has many muses was Andy Warhol. Women like Edie Sedgwick, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, all of them embodied his statement of fame and fortune.” These women are credited with helping Warhol narrow in on his pointof-view as an artist and brought out elements in his work that may have remained unexpressed without their interference. “For me personally, I don’t have a specific muse but I love the women that Gustav Klimpt created. They opened a certain door in the world of art history,” Fay stated. As well as Klimt, Fay notes that there is boundless inspiration to be found in Greek goddesses, such as Athena or Aphrodite. “These goddesses were so commonly used because of what they embodied,” Fay
said. “Aphrodite represents love and the tender side of a woman which can then be compared to the strong female presence of Athena.” One famous sculpture that was driven by one of the most powerful muses of all time, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is Venus de Milo. She stands tall on display in the Louvre Museum, her essence a mystery. With a lack of arms and an exact certainty in her creator, everything she represents is an intriguing enigma. Her infusion of grandeur and elegance deems her one of the most well known female sculptures of all time. Not only was the Venus de Milo inspired by a muse, the statue itself became a source of inspiration for many exploratory artists, such as Salvador Dali. His piece Venus de Milo in Drawers features a recreated statue decorated with several drawers and pompoms. The original statue represents the muse’s marvelous ability of transendence and its sure way of continuing the creative cycle. “When I think of a muse, I typically think of a woman –someone that inspires you to create,” Fay added. Fay herself often paints the female form due to its curves and fluidity but notes that when inspired by a woman, it often goes deeper than appearance.“It’s more than what they wear or look like--it’s mainly about the energy they exude.” Fay believes that while looks can ensure the foundations of an idea, it’s the muse’s personality that lets the creativity truly roam and explore. “When a muse is discovered, she is usually a woman doing the right thing. Not necessarily the most popular thing, but the right thing,” Fay added. “She’s a woman going against the grain.”
“ Oh, for a muse of fire that would ascend, The brightest heaven of invention! ” –William Shakespeare
Make Up is What You Make of It O
n picture day in seventh grade, I vividly remember sneaking into my older sister’s room, smudging grey eyeshadow onto my lids and smearing gloss on my lips as stealthily as possible. Makeup wasn’t forbidden in my house but it wasn’t something highly praised for a young girl, either. While the sneaking around might have been half the fun at the time, the act of setting aside some time and doing something for myself made me really fall in love with makeup. Over the years I have dropped the mascara heist procedures and practiced a little more precision in my application but the minutes of decompressing in front of a mirror have remained a constant. Putting makeup on has always been relaxing to me and while I recognize it’s not as crucial as actually putting on pants, it is a vital component of my morning routine. The sacred regimen of making myself up allows for some “me” time where I can mentally prepare for my day ahead. These precious minutes have become so valuable to me that it’s not even about makeup anymore. As a high school senior, my life is filled to the brim with homework, jobs, and activities that can get hectic to the point of combustion. But those minutes in the morning help me center myself and plan for the day ahead. I realize where my priorities are and I know that the perfect cat eye is not a number one necessity, but even just a few minutes of winding down with some mascara makes a major difference in my mental stability. Not only does my psyche benefit from some makeup, my self esteem does as well. I don’t wear makeup as a mask; I don’t wear it for some boy I’m trying to impress-- I wear it simply for my own benefit. I simply feel better when I have some sense of security and makeup acts as that for me. Instead of being consciously aware of a zit and being paranoid that everyone is glaring at the crater on my chin, a
touch of concealer can put me at ease and allow me to focus on what is important. In my early years of high school I felt compelled to wear makeup because I thought that if I didn’t, everyone would notice. I would stand out as naked faced with imperfections and I would be a freshman troll. The anxiety of seeing everyone with no makeup on was so fierce that I would sacrifice 15 minutes everyday to get up and put on a full of face makeup. Not only do I regret missing those possible hours of sleep, I deeply regret using makeup as a crutch in those early years. Instead of finding other ways to sooth my anxiety, I latched onto makeup to hide myself. While that was my initial reason to start wearing makeup, my reasoning now has totally changed. I simply enjoy it. It’s an expression of how I am feeling and it has allowed me to recognize makeup application as a true art form. Makeup should not be a method of obstruction to hide insecurities and to perpetuate a cycle of self-deprecation. It should be a way to recognize and express beauty for each individual, if they even choose to wear it. Makeup should not be a required ritual forced onto young girls to enter womanhood; it should be an optional outlet of expression to help boost and stabilize self esteem instead of shattering ones self image. Girls who wear makeup are not better than those who don’t and vice versa. If you like wearing makeup, good for you. If you don’t, that’s perfectly acceptable and doesn’t make you any less of a girl than someone who does. My makeup time in the morning is about me. I can relax with some foundation and envision my day. I am not hiding. I am not trying to impress anyone. My makeup is entirely about me. Set aside some time for yourself, either with a makeup brush or without, but recognize that some minutes to appreciate yourself are necessary.
II. THE PRESENT
O
nce I turned 13, things changed in ways that my The Care & Keeping of You American Girl Doll book could not prepare me for. My world (which once included my family, friends, and pets on equal levels of importance) shifted towards a sole, controlling force: me. All of a sudden, this external pressure focused in on my identity and forced me to reevaluate my priorities. My problems soon became the biggest, my accomplishments had to be the best, and my future had to be the brightest. With the beginning stages of teenage years, a sense of narcissism can sometimes come dutifully in tow and often times when entering high school, it forces you to think that the sun revolves around you. Adolescence and selfish attitudes are forever linked, as the former ensures a slew of hormones, and when paired with the focus high school puts on oneself, it’s impossible to be completely void of a little egocentrism. And granted, while it’s a distorted way of thinking, it is acceptable when an adolescent.
There is a reason a selfish, angsty stereotype of a teenager exists. I’m realizing now that when in this growing period, it’s perfectly okay to live in a bubble devoted to your own existence because being a teenager should be your only chance to. These years are meant to help you figure yourself out and what better way to do that than to focus on you, only you, and nothing but you. Because once you leave high school, you’ll still be discovering yourself, but in a different context, and with less time to believe your concerns are the only significant ones. Once outside of these high school walls, the weight of others will become noticeably apparent and the space allotted to thinking about yourself will have to shrink in order to make room for all your other responsibilities. With this photo shoot, I tried to keep the thread of subtle vanity throughout, all while considering the perspective of a selfobsessed teenager.
I
I’ll QUOTE YOU ON THAT
first saw the film Dead Poets Society in my seventh grade English class. Not only did I sob uncontrollably and lock myself in my bedroom like a typical dramatic tween who didn’t know how to process emotions, but I couldn’t stop turning over the beautiful dialogue in my mind. The words had such a profound impact on me that I even have one quote taped on my wall, opposite my bed, so I am able to read it every day when I wake up.
Over the years, my quote wall has grown until it now resembles something like a wordsmith’s downward spiral into madness, but I adore every slip of paper that adorns my wall. These copied and cut out words are fragments of myself I’ve found in works of art I’ve encountered. Every time I look at my wall, I’m reminded of how much I’ve grown and I get the same feeling of delight from reading these well written words. With every reread I’m able to observe the physical repre-
“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” These words resonate with me wherever I go and remind me of the more emotional and equally valuable components of our lives. Ever since hearing those words and experiencing the fantastic sense of connection that can develop between someone and well-crafted prose, I’ve had an intense fascination with quotes and their abilities to transcend the book, movie, poem, etc. and stay in your mind, haunting you.
sentation of myself expressed by someone else’s work and when I look at all the empty space around it, I get a sense of joyful curiosity knowing how much more I have to experience on my quest of self-discovery. The next time words reach out and grab a hold of you, remember them, write them down, and then the most wonderful part, relive falling in love with them time and time again.
I wish for you every single time
11:11
Nature's Own Fashion Show
C
onstantly surrounded by nature, it’s impossible not to notice its beauty and all of its sources of potential inspiration. A patch of moss can spark an idea for textures in a collection or a blooming meadow can lead to the basis of a color palette for a runway show. The organic universe around us houses endless possibilities and once these opportunities are observed, they’re impossible to ignore. Liliya Hudyakova, a Russian artist, noticed the impressive correlation between the two and in her show Fashion & Nature, she showcases several designers pieces and their accompanying photograph of their outdoor muse. These pictures spread online and people all over were able to savor Hudyakova’s insightful observations between the two worlds. Examples such as Elie Saab’s ombre ball gowns compared to luminous sunrises, Christian Siriano light blouse next to pale beaches, and Comme des Garçons’ colorful jacket with a pile of Autumn leaves. These pictures draw a clear relationship between fashion and nature that will ultimately open your eyes to the bond
between the two. Instead of runways pieces, I attempted to discover similarities of my own, solely with pieces from my own closet and my everyday world around me. With leather boots, a knit wool sweater, and my Prom dress, I was able to encapsulate these pieces with choice moments I noticed in nature. I hope these pictures will inspire you to notice the connection between the world of fashion and our wondrous environment that is always around us. Nature is full of endless possibilities and in order to appreciate our environment around us, we should value what it has to offer and accept its majestic abilities. Ansel Adams once said, “I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful — an endless prospect of magic and wonder.” So the next time you find yourself on a hike or simply driving by a blooming tree, remember the magic around you and try to forge a connection, whether with fashion or a medium of your own.
III. THE FUTURE
the coast is clear
E
ver since I was in eighth grade, I’ve been envisioning a life for myself outside of high school. A time to break free of my adolescent chains and be able to grow up and into myself. Now that I’m a high school senior and at the time where my fantasy is quickly approaching, I’ve been able to contemplate about how many things are actually out of my control. I can hope for the best and try to plan to the best of my ability, but there’s only so much I can do. We look to the future with uncertainty because there’s no way of knowing the absolute occurrences of these next few years. But boy, do we hope we are doing everything we can to ensure they play out how we want them to. We can study for the SATs, we can apply to colleges with a fitting
acceptance rate, we can check our emails furiously, awaiting a response, but the rest is out of our hands. We are not seers (no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be Professor Trelawney) and there is no way to control what will happen directly to us. With the acceptance of this ambiguity comes a sense of calming maturity. Beside the obvious of what is within our feasible grasp, our future is out of control. There is no absolute way to ever determine the exact happenings of these upcoming years so it’s important to revel in the obscurity and try and have faith that all will work out how it should. In this photo shoot I tried to encapsulate the calming nature that occurs when accepting a lack of control and the serenity that follows with this understanding.
bracrarrace byou race yourself
How I came to terms with my back brace while pursuing fashion
I
found myself chasing a 60 year-old woman who wore nothing but nude Spanx, while I clutched her pair of leggings, pleading, “Rosemary- you have one minute! Please get in line!!” This sounds like a twisted nightmare, but after years of work and struggle, this was exactly where I wanted to be: I was 15 and in charge of organizing a fashion show for a local fashion magazine, The Current Quarterly, where I was an intern. The models, a lively group of senior citizens, had to be continually reminded not to touch the clothing rack because everything was organized as it should be thankyouverymuch. As a young girl lacking confidence, this task felt near impossible. Not only did I think I was too young for the job; I felt I was the farthest possible thing from fashionable. My entry present into angsty adolescence was a contorted spine and endless back pain. My scoliosis twisted my spine into two 25-degree curves and two rotations until it resembled something like a slight backwards “S” (just look to your right to see for yourseld). Without a back brace I would eventually end up as the female Hunchback of Notre Dame. But all I could think about was if I would still be able to wear the Abercrombie jeans that were the latest trend at my middle school. Fashion was what mattered to me and my new back brace put a quick stop to my glamorous goals. Instead of skinny jeans with bedazzled pockets, I donned ultra-stretch Pajama jeans, the only pants that would fit over the boxy bottom of my contraption. For 18 hours a day over the course of 2 ½ years, I couldn’t live the stylish life I longed for. I was stuck in my own Pajama
jean hell and felt like an outcast who did not belong in the fashion industry and never would. How could I, when my brace limited my range of motion to an unflattering Oompa Loompaesque waddle, the farthest possible movement from a catwalk strut? And while I never wanted to be a model, their elegance was an outward sign of their success in the business I desperately wanted to break into. Though I was eventually set free of my brace, I found that my mental constrictions were much harder to lose. Eventually, I was lucky enough to obtain my internship and with my armor off, I feebly headed into the fashion industry battle with nothing but a passion for fashion and too many self-doubts. This was how I found myself behind-the-scenes at an auditorium in a retirement compound surrounded by half-naked golden-agers. Enveloped by chaos and watching Rosemary and all the other bold women strut their stuff, I realized a beautiful fact: they didn’t care what anyone thought. They were confident in themselves and they wanted to be there. And that was all that mattered. It hit me at that moment that being fashionable has nothing to with fashion at all-it’s about confidence. Taking this new attitude with me, I continued to intern at the magazine and gained not only more experience, but slowly and surely more pride as well. I eventually coordinated my own photo shoot. I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and I was ready to work hard to get there. I am doing exactly what I dreamed of, regardless of how twisted the spine in my xrays is. I am living without constraints.
For any questions about the clothes worn in this magazine, please just ask any of these wonderful models. Thanks again for allowing me to put all my years of watching America’s Next Top Model to good use.
Norah Murphy and Sarah Carlon swing around like the little monkeys they are.
Maggie McNulty and Ben Falacci express their love for one another.
(Me), Caroline Dupuy, and Emily Ahearn goof around after nearly falling into the ocean.
-Nathaniel Hawthorne
thank you, thank you, thank you To all the wonderful people who helped me throughout this process–I love you and am so grateful for all that you do.