fall/winter 2016
contributors Amanda Ba Victoria Campa Augusta Chapman Seb Choe Kea de Buretel Hannah Eyob Alexandra Gluckman Benjamin Goldsmith Marina Hansen Clara Hirsch Mojdeh Kamaly Francesca Levethan Miya Lee Ally Lozada Morgan Maccherone Akua Obeng-Akrofi Liz Poppiti Paloma Raines Olivia Rodrigues David Sierra Rebecca Siqueiros Charlotte Spritz Aaliyah Triumph Caroline Wallis Alexandra Warrick Stacey Yu
additional thanks to Denise Boneta Barnard Visual Arts Department Barnard Student Life Vanessa Chadehumbe Lou Clinton-Celini Channing Corbett Degen Alexa Fleet Frankie Shop Kosta Karakashyan Sophie Ishak Ciara Keane Peche Lingerie Victoria Martinez Kimberly McDonald Maddie Molot RASK Debora Spar Ella Tieze
masthead Editor-in-Chief Anisa Tavangar Logistics Director Kaeli Streeter Photo Director Phoebe Jones Fashion Director Sloane A. Gustafson Features Director Paris Parker-Loan Copy Chief Jacquelyn Klein Design Director Rebecca Siqueiros Co-Blog Director Alyssa Gengos Co-Blog Director Marie Li
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letter from the editor When we first conceived “ability to be” as the theme for this issue, I had no idea how relevant this concept would become a few months later. It seems like ability, personal authenticity, and the right to exist in certain spaces has defined the final months of 2016, culminating in the election of Donald Trump and the re-routing of the Dakota Access Pipeline.These two events are entirely different, championed by different ends of social and political spectrums, but stand for an overall desire to “be”. I came up with this phrase after reading “A Seat with Us: A Conversation Between Solange Knowles, Mrs. Tina Lawson, & Judnick Mayard” published on Saint Heron in September, but the idea first emerged over the summer. Sloane, Hoot’s Fashion Director, and I were discussing the silence of the fashion community about Black Lives Matter after the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in July. We noticed that our Instagram feeds, both overwhelmed by fashion editors, publications, designers, etc., were largely devoid of the issue. On social media, model Hari Nef (CC ‘15) called this out, noting how so many industry figures immediately sprang up in support of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting but barely any of those people, who so eagerly posted images of rainbow flags and other symbols of support for Orlando, boldly and similarly backed Black Lives Matter. Sloane and I tried to unpack this, considering how a largely white industry can better address and increase awareness of issues impacting people of color. Hoot is a small-scale college fashion magazine, but I think it would be dishonest to the sentiments of the editorial board, and the student community that we aim to serve, if we stay silent on matters of belonging and empowerment. We try to use our platforms— the magazine, blog, and social media— as spaces for students to discourse on justice. Addressing the “ability to be” in fashion shoots is not an easy thing, and we struggled with making sure that each shoot was equally visually beautiful and conceptually relevant. In the end, I am proud of how we were able to represent the relationship between gender, sexuality, race, mental illness and being. On another note, thank you to Harper’s Bazaar for naming Hoot one of “the rising feminist magazines you need to start reading.” We are thrilled to be part of the digital feminist media movement. Another huge thank you and round of applause for the Hoot editorial board who produced our first edition of Holler this semester, a new mini-mag companion to Hoot that we will release at the midpoint of each semester. Enjoy and see you in 2017!
Anisa Tavangar
ebb and flux ph otogr aph er, dir ec tor Phoebe Jones stylist, m akeu p Anisa Tavangar mod el Liz Poppiti select c lo th in g Fr ankie Shop
operandi ph otogr aph er Caroli ne Wallis makeu p an d dir e c to r Anisa Tavangar mod el Mojdeh Kamaly assistant M o r gan M acch e ro n e
solace in solitude writer Ally Lozada
Perhaps the most important thing I have gained in my first semester of college is the ability to do things by myself. I’m not talking about things like doing laundry or even making appointments on the phone (“adulting!”). Something as simple as going on a walk by myself, having a meal by myself, or attending an event by myself used to seem daunting, if not just plain sad. While solitude and loneliness can look the same from the outside, I’ve realized that it’s completely up to me to decide what I feel. My actions are valid, even if they’re not shared with anyone else. In true New York style, I no longer have qualms about heading out alone to grab coffee, run errands, or attend a performance. Somehow it all becomes easier while wearing a really cool outfit. Starting school this semester felt like having my life suddenly shook up and then set back down again. All I could do was wait for the dust to settle. When every aspect of my life at home dropped away, I wasn’t sure who I was anymore. Everything had changed: my relationships, friendships, surroundings, and lifestyle. In getting through transitional periods and adjusting to completely new circumstances, I’ve learned to be both active and passive. It just takes time, as I’ve heard from countless adults in whom I’ve confided. You just have to wait it out, something inherently passive and, to me, pretty frustrating. Despite the impatience I have had for the seemingly endless cycle of weeks and emotional ups and downs, I’ve finally realized the obvious: getting used to new things takes time. Feeling at home here, however, also took active participation on my part. I forced myself out of my comfort zone to go to club meetings, get a job, speak to people, ask for what I want, and wear what I want. I’ve found that even the toughest day can be brightened by wearing things that just make me feel good. I can remind myself of who I am through deliberate clothing choices, and am able to feel like myself again. The square-neck cropped sweater tank my best friend gave me and then wanted back. My favorite lip color, a sweet, rose-scented balm. My mom’s floral shirt that she wore when she was in college, studying abroad in Italy. My favorite pair of jeans that fit just right, one belt loop ripped off, and in a valiant attempt by my roommate, sewed back on. The black ankle boots with just enough heel that I bought during my first week in New York City. These are pieces of people and reminders of home that carry stories and bring comfort, while also reflecting change and growth. In a sense, my clothes are my armor. Wearing them makes me invincible and gives me the ability to do anything on my own. First semester has been an intense learning curve, most of it outside of the classroom. At first I was completely lost and questioning myself at every turn. Fashion has helped me emerge from that confusion, and I have regained the most important ability of all— the ability to be okay with myself, to be enough for myself, and to move forward.
tbd paper route ph otogr aph e r, dir e c to r Victor ia Campa s tylist Char lotte Spr itz makeu p Fr ancesca Levethan model Akua directo r, s tyObenglis t HootAkrofi Editor ial Board cloth in g Degen illu str a to r Amanda Ba mod el Seb Choe
Se b “we ar s ” a vintage Chane l c ho ke r and Mar ni wid e -le g tro us e r s . O p p o s ite : Se b “we ar s ” an A le x and e r Mc Q ue e n blo us e and Ve r s ac e p ants .
Se b “we ar s ” a Ds q uare d 2 r ibb e d t ur tle ne c k, P ro e nza Sc ho ule r d re s s , and Bale nc iaga q uilte d jac ke t. O p p o s ite : Se b “we ar s ” a Guc c i c o at, Br and o n Max we ll flare d p ants , A c ne Stud io s glas s e s , and an He r mè s hat.
S eb “wea r s ” a Thom B row n e ja cket an d Ce lin e leat h e r b o ot s . O p p osite: S e b “we ar s ” a MP M a s s i m o P iombo Jac ke t an d B alm a i n p a n t s .
the essential art boy listicle writer Olivia Rodrigues
The fashion forward man has GQ, but where can the men on the margins of society turn for aesthetic advice? I’m talking about the men who might not be bulging to the brim with muscle and hair. Those who are different, who you can’t just “get”? I’m talking about the men who surround us everyday, and yet have no outlet which caters to them. New York Artboy, this is for you. Sitting outside by yourself, the presentation of your corporeal self appears more and more perplexing. How to shroud and swath these limbs that really, at the end of the day, only serve to carry around that scruffy (yet refined) revolutionary noggin of yours? The following key items should ease the isolation and hyper-masculinity that consume you. iconic white sneakers. Please don’t ask what brand. If you have to ask, you aren’t fit to continue on with this listicle. These sneakers work best when unwashed; the rubber sole should be worn down until you can feel the street grit between your toes and the living, pulsing, city beneath your feet. Wow. New York City. We did it, guys. what your mom bought from Kohl’s in 2005. Nostalgia, nostalgia, nostalgia. Simply take the years you’ve lived in New York City, multiply that by four, subtract that from 2000, then replace that number with 1977, and you’ve got the old New York City you’ve been missing. Returning to your old clothing is a perfect way to achieve an authentic Normcore look. It’s also a nod to your knowledge of vaporwave and virtual art. Your mom knows best, but you know better than to turn her prudent c l o t h i n g choices into a statement on ironic consumerism. the pocket trick. than an item always be your pockets like, “Wow, was in here.” from China Xanax, this will more effective way remaining chill has yet media involved, the Pocket
This trick is more of a mindset itself. The Pocket Trick is simple: sure to carry at least one thing in that you can pull out later and be what. Haha. I had no idea this Be it a daytime receipt Chalet or a quarter bar of establish yourself as the Alpha Soft Boy. A of promoting one’s personal brand while still to be discovered. And with absolutely no social Trick is really the best of all worlds.
a mesh face mask. This both conceals and reveals. Sexy, mysterious, upsetting, this mask has it all. What better way to extend your privilege than to wear a threatening mask out to Ghetto Gothic? Walking through Greenpoint at 4 a.m., no one will stop or fear you. They’ll just think, now there goes someone who knows his critical theory. Follow these guidelines and people will know exactly who you are and what you think of Zombie Formalism. Good luck!
fighting meta
ph otogr aph er, dir ec tor Victor ia Campa stylist Char lotte Spr itz makeu p Fr ancesca Levethan mod el Akua Obeng- Akrofi select c lo th in g Degen
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dress code ph otogr aph er Clar a Hir sch stylist, dir ec to r Sloane A. Gustafson mod els Augusta Chapson, Hannah Eyob makeu p Augusta Chapman assistant Paloma Raines
clothing by Peche LInger ie , RASK
gender in a vulnerable fashion writer David Sierra Expression is the larger phenomena which fashion fits into. Each day we express ourselves through hair style, clothing, makeup, scent, and even body language. Expression is important both in the personal and the relational senses because it allows us to present to the world a physical manifestation of how we wish to be perceived and understood by others. However, trouble comes when others judge, categorize, and label us as a result of our expression. Through our expressions of fashion individuals are relegated into categories—in or out, modest or ostentatious, masculine or feminine, etc. These categories, though, are not as stable or consistent as we’d like to think them to be. It is at this site—where we understand categories as static and monolithic—that violence occurs, especially for transgender and gender nonconforming people. For myself fashion is deeply personal because it is integral to my transfemme experience and translates to a certain vulnerability. From my expression people make judgements and project unto to me their own narratives. No article of clothing or hair style or perfume scent or body type is inherently gendered. Rather, society has constructed associations and assignments to these things and the projection of those assignments unto certain bodies makes this world a more dangerous place to live. On runways and shop floors gender neutrality and gender non-conformity are aestheticized for a certain class of people—often financially secure, white, able-bodied, and skinny—while brands and labels make profit. Right now, queer and transgender vulnerability is reduced to aesthetics that are consumed and capitalized on by the fashion industry in a way that, while it may seem like progress, is simply another form of fetishization and marginalization. Fashion is a particular vulnerability for me because it is part of my identity, my art, and my resistance. Fashion is integral to my existence. Going to my closet and looking for an outfit that will simultaneously be truthful to the way I wish to express myself that day and keep me safe isn’t always easy. However, in a world that would rather see me and the people I care for struggling, erased, or dead, fashion allows me to find at least a moment of imagination and inspiration. Through fashion I can find some inspiration for a world that is liberated from the idea that there must be static or monolithic norms surrounding expression and a world in which expression is not judged or categorized, simply appreciated and uplifted.
identity in a vulnerable fashion writer Marina Hansen As I mature, I am slowly discovering my identity, parts of which include gender, sexuality, and academic interests. Strangely, the part of my developing self that takes up the most of my mental space is my personal clothing style. Gender identity and sexuality, woman, queer, are non-entities in comparison. Before college at my New England boarding school, I moved through a world with very defined gender norms where straying from the preppy girly style conventions was social heresy. I still sometimes return to this world when visiting friends, family, and places from my past. It is during these visits where the collision of my personal style, my past, and society’s conventions comes to a crux. Despite my strong identification with womanhood, presenting as feminine makes me feel deeply uncomfortable for reasons I cannot explain. I like wearing makeup and looking good, but I feel the most like myself when I am wearing men’s clothing. I rarely stray from my uniform of track pants, sneakers, a long shirt, an oversized bomber jacket, and a baseball cap. I settled into this style early this past summer and have never felt more at ease with my appearance. But from the other people in my life, even those who come from extremely liberal worlds, I have received a constant barrage of comments and critiques. “Are you really wearing sweatpants to the club?” “Can you please just wear heels?” “Do you want to borrow a shirt?” “Can you shave your armpits?” “Why are you wearing boxers?” It is almost like we have two options: identify as a man and present like a man, or identity as a woman and present like a woman with no wiggle room in between. As soon as we identify as women, it suddenly becomes inappropriate to decide against wearing heels to formal events despite the fact that men are allowed and expected to wear flat shoes. Why am I considered “dressed down” when I wear pants, which are the standard uniform for men at occasions of all levels of formality? As a result of these social norms, “fancy” events mean I either have to feel alienated from my body by wearing a dress and heels, or shirk the norms and shock the public with my outfit choices. When did clothing choices become so intrinsically connected with judgments of respectability and morality? Another phenomenon I have discovered along the way is the tendency for men’s clothing to be cheaper and, in my opinion, way cooler. Hypebeast is my Bible and I wear so much adidas that I have been asked on multiple occasions if they sponsor me. Women’s clothing is always trying too hard to be sexy, with its see-through fabrics and tapered waists - these days, it is even difficult to find women’s sneakers that don’t have unnecessary “feminine” touches. I like feeling sexy and I like showing skin, but I feel the most sexy in oversized clothing that looks cool. This seems to be a difficult concept for people to grasp. Thankfully, the rise of athleisure in the fashion world provides a space where elements of my style could be considered “nice” clothes. I am looking forward to seeing where these trends take us.
consciousness: the new cool? writer Aaliyah Triumph illustrator Victoria Martinez As fashion changes, it seems that what is culturally “cool” evolves with it. Think back to the cool girls of the 2000s; the manipulative and self-involved characters like Blair Waldor f, the carefree and casual girls like Serena van der Woodsen, or even Rory Gilmore, who maintained composure and concealed her emotions until she was in an appropriate location. Gone are the days in which the girls who seemed to have every thing together (and without even breaking a sweat!) reigned as the queens of cool. Today, we venerate people who are empathetic; people whom we recognize and love for their imper fections and suppor t of others. We do not have queen bees anymore (because we believe that we are all equally flawed and, conversely, equally per fect), but if we did they would be Paris Geller and Lisa Simpson--characters who are unapologetically conscious, empathetic, and themselves. The fashion industry seems to be sticking its hand in the pot of positivity and consciousness, but how genuine is there interest actually? When you visit websites such as Ref inery29 and Man Repeller, you’ll f ind at least as many, probably more, ar ticles about issues such as mental and sexual health or politics as you will about fashion itself. Man Repeller, which claims to address topics that you are curious about (style, feminism, culture, beauty, and careers to name a few) in a way that you would talk to friends (smar t but humorously), invites users to “be yourselves with us” and often hosts themed weeks dedicated to mental health or feminism. The website’s creator, Leandra Medine, does not wear makeup and writes about her decision and the reaction of others candidly. Recent ar ticles have addressed dealing with the stigma of a mental disorder in a new relationship and bir th control in light of the election. Similarly, Ref inery29 has become a vocal advocate of sexual health and reproductive rights. At 29Rooms, its annual “ar t and fashion funhouse,” the company teamed with Planned Parenthood to spread knowledge of sex--by, for example, giving out condoms in cute packages in a sexthemed room--and to procure donations for the organization. Individuals within the industry have become even more vocal than websites. Adwoa Aboah, a British model, speaks candidly of her experiences with addiction and depression to provide others with a platform to “openly share their experiences and feelings in a safe and trusting environment.” Her website and video series “Gurls Talk ” explores all aspects of feminism, such as the “Free the Nipple” campaign and often overlooked issues such as sex work and stripping. Instagram star Eileen Kelly (@killerandasweethang) has used her aesthetic appeal to attract viewers to her website Killerandasweethang.com, which offers extensive advice on sexual issues such as IUDs and oral sex. In an inter view with Coveteur, Kelly says that she talks “about things millennials need to learn about in a really chill atmosphere. But it is educational, and we put out the right facts and statistics. We’re working with Planned Parenthood and some clinics in New York City.” The emphasis that Kelly
places on “chill” is integral to the success of websites such as hers and Aboah’s, as well as Refinery29 and Man Repeller. These are places young people can turn to and not be lectured or admonished; they give the facts-- straight-up and with an ere of cool similar to that of your friend’s older sister. This all-accepting approach to consumers and audiences has even been taken on by brands. Glossier adver tises their products as “beauty in real life” and claims to “celebrate real girls, in real life.” Their products are not the heavy foundations that line our mothers’ vanities. Many of their products are skincare related, and the few makeup products sold are of the “barely-there” sor t. Glossier intentionally invokes
a nostalgia to pre-pubescent days, in which makeup was a fun toy. They have built up their social media presence to spread this image and even express it in their simple yet “cool” packaging of products. Glossier even boasts that it “is distilled from years of recommendations from the coolest girls on the planet.” The brand seems to sell you an acceptance of yourself and an appreciation of your f laws. The relationship between social conscious and the fashion industry is like the “chicken or the egg” conundrum. Was this appreciation for real life and involvement brought on by the cries of we millennials begging for realistic representation? Was this a trend that the industry subconsciously created and marketed to us? Regardless, the current culture of consciousness is def initely well-needed and accepted. Young people are more knowledgeable of a range of issues such as sex and international politics. Moreover, we have no tolerance for any thing less than what we think we deser ve. If this is just another trend, social consciousness will once again become something for CNN and textbooks. But if the culture of consciousness continues regardless of fashion trends, our generation will become power ful, wise, and most impor tantly, caring, in a world that may seem devoid of hope.
inside my haus ph otogr aph er Anna Rekow directo r Alexandr a War r ick stylist Sloane A. Gustafson makeu p Anisa Tavangar mod el Miya Lee
This is what it’s like getting dressed in the fog of mental illness.You lace up your boots. You pile on your fur. Fake it ‘til you make it, you whisper to yourself. You can hide a churning stomach under a sheath dress; you can swaddle yourself in hot pinks and canary yellows while your mind is grey.
Fashion can be a cocoon, a carousel, an open door— but it can’t quell your mind. You cancel your plans; you hang up the party dress; you close your eyes. All the while, one should never underestimate the power of fashion as a tool to heal a heart. — Alexandra Warrick