ÊTRE VOLUME X: ANSWERS

ANSWER

VOLUME X 2022-2023

ÊTRE IS FRENCH FOR THE VERB “TO BE”. THE CONJUGATION OF THIS WOULD BE, “I AM, WE ARE, SHE IS” ETC. ÊTRE IS LITERALLY DEFINING. WITH THIS MAGAZINE, WE ASPIRE TO DEFINE WHAT FASHION IS REALLY ABOUT. WHICH, IRONICALLY, HAS NO LIMITS OR DEFINITE STANDARDS. THE LIMITS ARE INFINITE TO WHAT YOU CAN BE AND HOW YOU CHOOSE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF THROUGH FASHION.

WE, AS HUMANS, ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER. SO MUCH IS UNKNOWN TO US IN THIS LIFE. WE HOPE TO BRING YOU SOME ANSWERS IN THIS YEAR’S ISSUE. EACH SHOOT WAS INSPIRED AND IMAGINED WITH PASSION AND CREATIVITY. THE CONCEPTS RANGE IN DEPTH, BUT ALL SERVE TO BRING YOU TRUTH. THIS VOLUME AIMS TO UNCOVER NEW TERRITORY AND MEANING.

We proudly present to you Volume 10 of Être:

ANSWER.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

MEET THE TEAM

LETTERS

WHAT IS SWEATER WEATHER?

WHAT MAKES A FACE?

HOW DO I TELL HIM I LOVE HIM?

WHERE DID WE MEET AGAIN?

WHAT’S MY COLOR?

DO YOU HAVE THE ANSWER?

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING AT?

WHAT MAKES YOU GROW?

WHO ARE WE?

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MEET THE TEAM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CARSON MILLER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

HANNAH SMITH

ART DIRECTOR

JILL HORNER

CREATIVE TEAM:

MICHELLE DASCHBACH

CATE SIMMONS

SUSANNAH CASE

FASHION EDITOR

MEG KARNER

STYLIST TEAM:

KATEY KEMP

ELIZABETH HUTSON

LARA UNDERWOOD

MADEE LINK

CONTENT EDITOR

HEIDI BOOT

WRITING TEAM:

PAYTON BROWN

CAMILLE BULLOCK

KATIE GARCIA

STORI ENDT

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

SYDNEE DURHAM

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM:

GRAYSON HENRY

ZORRIA SANDERS

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

MICHELLE DASCHBACH

PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM:

CORINNE ELLINGTON

HARPER EVERS

SCAN TO KEEP UP WITH US!

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

As I reflect on my past four years at Mississippi State, I think about how many versions of myself I’ve gotten to know over the years. The version of myself that didn’t know how to make friends. The version of me that couldn’t stand up for herself. The version of me that had no idea how she was even going to decide on a major in the next four years. The version of myself that had wins, and the one that had losses. Over the past four years, I’ve had the opportunity to meet myself again and again. But through all these versions of me, there has been one constant in college I could count on: Fashion Board.

It was the one thing I knew was a perfect fit for me before I ever stepped foot on campus. Before I ever declared Fashion Merchandising as a major. Before I ever even had a friend at this school, I knew I would love Fashion Board. And boy, has she loved me right back. Now, I have new versions of myself that I can look back on and thank for all their help over the years. The version that knew she could add more creativity to the backstage committee. The version that ran for V.P. of Communications sophomore year just to help out exec. The version that wrote passionately on the Être staff for three beautiful years. The version that almost didn’t run for president because she knew the shoes she would have to fill were massive. All of these versions of me have Fashion Board to thank for my growth. Fashion Board is beauty. It is captivation. It is creativity. It is passion. I’ve always tried my best to express to people just how much Fashion Board means to me, but the truth is, I could never put into words what all this organization has done for me. It is a timeless yet modern organization that refuses to be ignored or outperformed.

Fashion Board is constantly reinventing itself, and I have no doubt that this newest edition of Être will continue to raise the bar for us as creatives for years to come. Keep reimagining. Keep producing. Keep your passions alive. And treat each version of Fashion Board with even more grace than you gave the last one. She is ever-changing, ever-reliable, and ever-glorious. Fashion Board is the family I never knew I needed, but one I’m so thankful I found. Continue to be there for each other and love this family well. Fashion Board will always be there to love you right back.

All my love and admiration,

Sadie Ogletree

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Getting to spend my final year of college doing what I love has been the most fun experience. I have cherished every weekend photoshoot and Tuesday night meeting these past 2 semesters. Being Editor in Chief of this year’s magazine has truly been my greatest pleasure in college. This organization has changed my life. It has brought me the best friends and memories.

All the credit for this magazine goes to this team made up of stylists, writers, graphic designers, photographers, and social media managers. When creating and structuring our team this year, I expressed my desire for collaboration, openness, and transparency. This team delivered on every aspect. They worked hard, stayed true to what they believed in and came together to create something truly special. It has been an honor leading a group of such incredibly talented individuals. They continue to inspire me, and will always be a part of me. Thank you to my team for letting me serve you.

I love you Être & Fashion Board. Thank you for giving me a creative outlet and an opportunity to share my ideas.

Much love,

Carson Miller

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S LETTER

I have been a part of this magazine since my freshman year. The love that I hold for it goes beyond anything else. I remember my first photoshoot that I ran as a little baby etre stylist. I was terrified. Literally shaking in my, to-die-for stilettohigh, gray boots. I wanted to impress everyone there, but I knew practically nothing. I got to the venue and immediately melted into my GO mindset. I was running the photoshoot like I’d been leading photoshoots for decades. It all just—fit. I knew I found my place when everyone there was patient and kind throughout the process. This is something I have taken into account as I have grown into a leader within this organization. It has fueled my intention for future endeavors, and I can only hope to leave as much of an impact on Être as it has and will continue to have on me.

We have worked hard to put something out there that we can be proud of. It goes without saying that this year’s magazine has done just that. We have made a magazine that is the epitome of our team’s collaborative and creative efforts. Striving to make something that represents our staff is something I can only hope to continue to do for years to come. I am grateful to have another year under my belt and I look forward to the issues in the future. They always say great minds think alike; I like to say that even better ones think differently and come together to make something unforgettable. To another unforgettable issue!

With lots of love, Hannah Smith

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ART DIRECTOR’S LETTER

In life, it is beyond important to find a creative outlet and surround yourself with a community that motivates you. This is my second year as Art Director for Être, and I am so proud to be a part of this outstanding team. With my position, countless hours go into transcribing the content created by the stylists, writers, and photographers into a cohesive visual design of the magazine you’re reading now. Etre has allowed me the opportunity to create and design freely and without stress, which is something I am beyond grateful for.

The creative team never fails to blow my mind with each graphic and spread submission, and the amount of talent they have is genuinely so impressive. From Michelle Daschbach’s incorporation of film techniques, to Susannah Case’s design concept of the torn paper, to Cate Simmon’s artistic concepts, the whole creative team contributes to the overall style and output of the final print of the magazine. I may hold some bias, however, Être Vol. X stands for itself as being a truly monumental issue. I’m looking forward to continuing my creative journey with the Être team for another year.

Wishing the best,

Jill Horner

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WHAT IS SWEATER WEATHER?

“A relationship between two people is like knitting a sweater.”

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Ahandmade sweater represents care, patience, and most of all, love. To make a sweater you need yarn— dozens of threads carefully spun together to create a bigger and stronger thread— as well as a knitter— a person who has dedicated many hours to perfecting this craft. Each thread of yarn is carefully knit into a specific place following a pattern, meaning much focus is dedicated to the sweater to ensure that each stitch is placed correctly. There must not be any loose ends left within, as this leaves the sweater compromised and at risk of falling apart. After the sweater is completed, there are rules you must follow in order to properly care for that sweater such as: folding your sweater to keep it from stretching and hand-washing them carefully. This ensures that your sweater will last while keeping the initial integrity intact.

A relationship between two people is like knitting a sweater. When the two people come together, it is as if two entities have collided to create something new, the yarn. If these threads are compatible, you are able to produce a ball of yarn. Taking this new ball of yarn, you must dedicate a lot of time to the crafting of the sweater, to following a pattern, and to ensuring that there are no mistakes within. Most importantly, when wear begins to show, extra attention to proper care is essential.

If you are unable to care for your sweater it will fall apart, even from the most miniscule mistake, as will a relationship.

The bond a sweater creates is unlike any other. A sweater is a piece of intimacy given from one to another. It represents time, love, and complexity. Without those components, a sweater is nothing. Without those components, a relationship is nothing.

With the proper care, your sweater will provide you with an intimate, warm bond that will last a lifetime.

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“WHEN THE TWO PEOPLE COME TOGETHER, IT IS AS IF TWO ENTITIES HAVE COLLIDED TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW.”

Styled by: Lara Underwood and Douglas Turner Photographed by: Michelle Daschbach Written by: Camille Bullock Models: Sydney Denton and Quincy Campbell

WHAT MAKES A FACE?

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Eight different emotions are displayed on Robert Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions: anger, anticipation, joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, and disgust. Out of these eight primary feelings, four of them hold the most prevalence and stand out the loudest.

Anger is the chaotic red color of my flushed face on a cold winter morning. No other emotion can linger and strengthen like rage can. It is a powerful tool that breeds action and courage. Anger is the inactive volcano that erupts without warning.

Joy is the first warm cup of coffee I drink every day. It is the light of the morning sun that seeps through my window. It is a variable emotion that can be felt in different ways and at different aptitudes. Joy can be found in both the little coincidences and the grandiose surprises scattered along the journey.

Sadness is the catalyst for melancholic creation and contemplation. A glimpse of this blue reaction can be found in an image of smeared mascara and puffy eyes. It symbolizes the black cloud on an overcast day and the rain that pours down to no end.

Fear is the sound of my beating heart during a slasher film. It is the future I dream to have, but the steps I lack to actualize this. It speaks for all of the moves I did not make and the opportunities that moved on without me.

An experience with these four emotions is inevitable. You just have to wake up each day to find out which one will be knocking at your door.

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“ANGER IS THE INACTIVE VOLCANO THAT ERUPTS WITHOUT WARNING.”

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Styled by: Meg Karner Photographed by: Anniston Warrick Written by: Payton Brown Model: Karam Kaur Makeup by: Ariel Hayes

HOW DO I TELL HIM I LOVE HIM?

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Styled by: Madee Link Photographed by: Michelle Daschbach Written by: Payton Brown Model: Addie Glass Makeup by: Myia Sawyer

It is in the darkest hours that I find myself thinking of a vibrant and lively soul such as you. It is in the first breath of morning that I find myself remembering the way you made me feel invincible, bold, and outspoken.

The way you made everything feel infinite. The way I felt like I could conquer every fear, every doubt, every insecurity after catching a glimpse of your small smile in the sunlight.

I would face every fear as long as you stood within arm’s length. I would ride the Goliath at Six Flags. I would stand on glass floors in large skyscrapers. I would skydive, cliff jump, or swim in the deepest parts of the ocean. I would do it all for the chance to sit next to you.

How do I tell you about the way your presence extinguishes my fire and swallows me whole?

How do I tell you how you pique my curiosity enough for me to care about how you prefer your coffee in the morning? Is it with sugar, cream, or do you prefer it as black as the night sky? The same one I sit under thinking about how it would feel to look at you and have you reciprocate the same passion that lingers within me.

How do I tell you I love you?

Maybe I’ll tell you while we sit on a balcony overlooking St. Charles. Maybe it’ll be at your favorite hole-in-the-wall beignet shop across town. Maybe it’ll be after I’ve dragged you along with me to my favorite karaoke bar on Bourbon. You’ll hate it and find it “touristy” and laugh once I step on stage and sing offkey to a Bon Jovi classic. But maybe… once we step outside, surrounded by crowds of gaudy people with cheap beads, you’ll ask me to follow you to your favorite bench in Jackson Square.

We’ll sit and you’ll tell me how you enjoy looking at the art in the Square on a sunny day. I’ll tell you how I love your art and find your creativity refreshing. After a long slew of sentences and pointless banter, maybe I’ll finally look at you in all of your timeless stature. Maybe I’ll bashfully smile and look at the ground before whispering those three heavy words under my breath.

Maybe you’ll hear me and acknowledge my bravery. Perhaps you’ll even smile and reply with what I wish.

Maybe you won’t.

Either way, I’ll acknowledge that love can be lethal, and accept that I am a martyr.

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WHERE DID WE MEET AGAIN?

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WHERE DID WE MEET AGAIN?

Where did we meet again? Have I seen you before? Didn’t we speak last night?

As I am trying to remember, my mind is drawing a blank. Isn’t that funny? Because we actually revealed so much to each other in those few short moments we spent escaping the noise from outside. We discussed everything from where you got your shoes to your aspirations in life. You want to be a clinical psychologist, and I told you I want to work with animals. We were like long-lost childhood friends. You insisted we would hang out again and meet up the following week for coffee, but I never even learned your name. Our conversation seemed to last for hours, and it was comforting. A connection that feels once in a lifetime.

But then my friends pulled me into the stall as I said, “I’ll meet you out there.” The whole time I’m telling my friends how cool you were and how they would love you. We finish up, and I take a look in the mirror. Have I looked like this the whole night? I touch up my lipstick and fix my smudged eyeliner, ready to go back out there. I lead my friends out of the bathroom, repeating that they have to meet you. We push through the crowd as I’m looking for your familiar face. I can’t find you. And I won’t for the rest of the night. I’m having fun with my friends, but I can’t help but think of the friend I may have lost in you. I guess I’ll never get to borrow your shoes, and you’ll never figure out how I did on the exam I said I was so nervous for.

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Of course, I don’t immediately remember all of this. This night is only remembered in bits and pieces, like a light flickering on and off. Over the next few days, glimpses of this night come back to me, resurfacing the ease I felt with you.

But naturally, at this moment, we have already walked by each other. No eye contact made, no smile exchanged, nothing. Do you even recognize me? This familiar unfamiliarity is where we now stand. I know so much about you but nothing at all, and you, the same about me. Will we ever speak again? Maybe we will someday acknowledge that we met before, but starting a conversation is so difficult without courage coursing through my veins. Or maybe we will see each other out again and pick up right where we left off. I want to. Because I already miss you, whoever “you” may be.

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Styled by: Elizabeth Hutson Photographed by: Michelle Daschbach Writen by: Katie Garcia Models: Lucy Gerard, Braelyn Clark, and Cari Rhett Venue: BoardTown Pizza and Pints

WHAT’S MY COLOR?

What is my color? Everyone wonders what their color is, what color they look best in, what color matches their skin tone best, which color makes their eyes pop. When the real question is what color represents them best. What color does the world see them as?

What color do you identify with? Are you full of life and bursting with energy; you might be orange. Insightful and creative; you might be blue. Loud and boisterous; red might be your color. These qualities are present in both the color and yourself. Each precisely placed in order to create a balanced formula. The formula that makes up you, that makes up each color, that makes up the world around us.

After the silver screen turned dark, the world turned to color. A world of despair given innovation. The people were able to create their own reality with each aspect being linked back to the formula. The formula that makes up each and every individual that makes up each and every color. Through the use of this, the population was able to create a more personal connection to the world around them. Behind every face is a color and behind that color is an identity. Woven within each layer of color lies passions and emotions. An untold story waiting to be shared. A story immersed in feeling, captivating its audience.

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Styled by: Corinne Ellington Photographed by: Corinne Ellington Written by: Camille Bullock Model: Grace Mixon Makeup by: Jennilynn Hall

DO YOU HAVE

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THE ANSWER?

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Dear Answer,

I woke up today still searching for you. I’ve looked for you in companionship and romance. I have sifted through every diminutive, fleeting second of my day and the entirety of every prolonged hour of my restless night in hopes of finally finding you. But yet… with no success.

Remember when we were inseparable, in the days when everything was seemingly easy, simple, and obvious? Yet you left me without a second glance. You left when I needed you most. Everyone, allof-a-sudden, had too many questions, and I looked to where you always stood but was blindsided by your absence.

“What’s your favorite color?” “What are you like?” “Do you want to stay with your mother or father?” “What’s wrong with me?” “Are you okay?” “How do I move on?” “It’s time. Are you ready?” “Why is this happening?” “What if I had done things differently?” “Who are you?”

Every question is a hurtful reminder— the pierce of a blade into my heart with no end in sight— that you are withdrawn. You aren’t truly gone, no. I can feel your presence like a phantom haunting my every quivering breath. You are like the faint scent of my childhood, faded but present. It’s as if I can reach out my hand, and you’ll materialize beneath my touch.

Oh, how I wish you would. The solace I would find in you would make all these years without you but a memory. Questions like “What is your truth?” would be entirely too easy to understand. I would know where my life is going and who I want to spend it with. Being interrogated by family members over Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be unbearable. Decisions would be uncomplicated and effortless– how life once was.

Please come back to me.

Sincerely, Still Searching

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WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?

ARE YOU OKAY?

WHO ARE YOU?

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

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EVERYONE, ALL-OF-A-SUDDEN, HAD TOO MANY QUESTIONS, AND I LOOKED TO WHERE YOU ALWAYS STOOD BUT WAS BLINDSIDED BY YOUR ABSENCE.

EVERYONE, ALL-OF-A-SUDDEN, HAD TOO MANY QUESTIONS, AND I LOOKED

SINCERELY, STILL SEARCHING

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Styled by: Carson Miller Photographed by: Michelle Daschbach Written by: Heidi Boot Models: Jordan Carter, Amaya Sanders, Emma Rose Ragland, Mia Patridge

WHODO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

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Mom doesn’t like your blue eyeliner and dad doesn’t approve of the career you want to pursue.

Who do you think you are?

Aunt Linda thinks your dress is too short and Grandma can’t understand why you haven’t brought home a nice boy yet.

Who do you think you are?

Professor Pretentious seems to think your sole reason for being is to do work for his class and Kinsleigh from high school doesn’t get why you don’t want to bring kids into this world.

Who do you think you are?

You were a nice kid once, respectful and kind, with so much potential. But now?

“Your music’s too vulgar.”

Who do you think you are?

“Maybe you should skip dessert.”

Who do you think you are?

“You should be starting a family by now.”

Who do you think you are?

“You’ll never make any money doing that.”

Who do you think you are?

“Boys don’t like loud girls.”

Who do you think you are?

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WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Styled by: Hannah Smith

Photographed by: Michelle Daschbach

Written by: Stori Endt

Models: Brennan Parker, Malana Shettles

Makeup by: Hali Hollman

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WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING AT?

What does it mean to look? Does it mean to look in between the couch cushions for the remote? To look for your size in the clearance shoe section? To look for a familiar face in a room full of strangers? To look for the speckles of goodness when reflecting on a bad day? Although the literal definition of the word “look” may not hold any deeper meaning to most, “looking” is something we all find ourselves doing. Looking for a community where you belong. Looking for the perfect pair of earrings to go with your cocktail dress. Looking for the good in someone who has given you every reason not to. Looking for Easter eggs with your siblings when you were six. Looking at the red traffic light in the middle of the night in your deserted hometown. What you find yourself looking at and for, literally and figuratively, has a direct effect on who you are and who you will become.

What are you looking at?

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“WHAT YOU FIND YOURSELF LOOKING AT AND FOR, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, HAS A DIRECT EFFECT ON WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU WILL BECOME.”

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Styled by: Katey Kemp Photographed by: Corbin Jones Written by: Stori Endt Models: Ansley Clark, Charlie Koehn, Makedra McCoy, Shivangi Nakoom

When you look up “what makes you grow” online, you will end up with a slew of science-based answers congested with medical terminology. However, these answers focus on the tangible evidence of growth: the physical.

But how do you grow internally? What forces this certain growth? What makes you who you were always meant to be?

Is it the ever-present changing of the seasons? Is it due to the seemingly, unavoidable hardships in life? Could it be the disappointment of a lackluster evening or the joy found in the open air of an ethereal spring day? Maybe growth manifests in the feeling you get driving down backroads when your favorite childhood song starts to play or the wave of emotion when it ends. Can you find it in the rush you feel when you finally leave your hometown for the big city and the unease you are faced with in unknown territory?

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Maybe it’s sipping champagne out of plastic cups while walking down 16th Avenue, mapping out our plans for world domination. It most definitely is the release of giggles in the most inappropriate times, the ones that get us through the day. It’s breaking down barriers, fighting for change, and winning. Having our work, our dedication, noticed for even one minuscule second. The awe-inspiring view of a tumultuous landscape yearning to be conquered.

What makes a person grow? What is it that can cause someone to change, bloom and completely reshape their life?

The answer is simple: you’ll decide. You’ll decide what stops you in your tracks or what catapults you to your purpose. You’ll decide what counts as ongoing bad luck or what sparks a catalyst for change.

You’ll decide if it’s an impending defeat or a victory impatiently waiting for you to claim it. Your intention, your reasoning, your purpose is what drives you.

So, what makes you grow? I guess you’ll find out.

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Styled by: Lara Underwood Photographed by: Harper Evers Written by: Heidi Boot Models: Taylor Gibson, Ayana Barnes, Hailey Hansen Makeup by: Hali Hollman