Summer 2013
fashion
16 multipurpose summer satchels
The best bags for the season that adapt to your Points A, B and C
17 avoiding the summer sparkle Banish the “summer sparkle” with these warm weather beauty necessities
26 ethnicity and style
Four members of UW-Madison’s “First Wave” explain their relationship between Madison, race and artistic identity
28 perspectives of madison
Returning to her alma mater for UW Fashion Week, Kate Hogan muses about Madison’s impact on her cosmopolitan life
38 fantasy of fashion
Ostentatious couture shows, profoundly conceptual designs, editorial photo essays - why does it all matter? High fashion is more essential than you think
40 the top 5 trends for fall
Get an early start on fashion’s biggest season with our handy guide
42 growing up badger
Guys, take a look at how to mature your wardrobe to match the hip urban vibes of these Madison nightlife hotspots
48 advice from abroad
Menswear designer Pascal VanLef tells all about following your dreams and living the life you want.
on Kate sunglasses SEE clutch Gap printed dress Milly resin necklace Pono from Twigs
50 the evolution of the fashion blog Track the history of fashion blogging from its formative years to its current status as a powerful influence in contemporary culture
lifestyle summer in madison 8
From festivals and fireworks to music and munchies, we’ve put together a guide to make your summer on the isthmus the best
summer reading list 12
Put down your textbooks and pick up one of these refreshing summer reads.
summer weekend getaways 13 Five weekend trips that won’t break your bank
big city badger 15
How to bring your Madison lifestyle home with you, no matter where you go.
healthy living 18
12 tips and tricks to keep your body healthy and happy this summer
girls 20
Growing up with HBO’s “Girls”
24 hrs with jimmy jellinek 22 How he rescued Playboy: 24 Hours With: Jimmy Jellinek
the myth of monogamy 24 Are you willing to risk heartbreak to get your happy ending?
the hardest farewell 52
Saying goodbye is never easy..so how exactly do you do it?
on Michael shirt and trousers Gap cardigan Banana Republic watch his own
Editor In Chief Publisher Fashion Editor Lifestyle Editor
MIA HANEKAMP JEFF CARTWRIGHT DANIEL JAMESON CORINNE BURGERMEISTER
Fashion Writers
JEN ANDERSON MARLEE KATZ PAIGE SCHULTZ
Contributing Writers
Photography
SAM GARIGLIANO CAROLINE KREUL NICOLE LETTIERE ABIGAIL FISHER MADELINE GILSON MEGHAN STARK MADELAINE BRODY BARBARA GONZALEZ CHLOE KARASKIEWICZ SARAH ROSE SMILEY www.schaharazad.carbonmade.com
Layout
KELLY KASCHNER
Models
KATE HOGAN MICHAEL SHOEN WALKER VAN DIXHORN
Hair & Makeup Courtesy Of Aveda Vici Institute Madison
RYANNE GLEASON, Beauty Director ALIA NOAH, SUNSHINE HERR, STEPHANIE SABATKE
Wisconsin Union Directorate President Pubcom Director Advisor
SARAH MATHEWS HEATHER HEGGEMEIER JIM ROGERS
behind the scenes:
cover shoot
Editors Mia Hanekamp and Daniel Jameson with Photographer Sarah Smiley.
Kate munched on a tomato and three cheese panini and fries from Der Rathskeller while the AVEDA Vici Institute team busily began teasing her hair into a beehive!
We’ve got the shot!
Who Kate Hogan, Staff Features Editor at People.com
Where University of Wisconsin – Madison campus area • Memorial Library • Helen C. White Hall • Main Lounge, Memorial Union • Der Rathskeller, Memorial Union • Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery • Agriculture Hall
COVER CREDITS photographer SARAH ROSE SMILEY fashion editor DANIEL JAMESON fashion assistants JEN ANDERSON, MADDI BRODY beauty director RYANNE GLEASON, AVEDA VICI INSTITUTE MADISON hair + makeup ALIA NOAH, SUNSHINE HERR, STEPHANIE SABATKE All Aveda Vici Institute Madison printed top Diane von Furstenberg from Twigs floral necklace Oscar de la Renta from Rent the Runway
The Day
Kate joined the team bright and early, wearing a cozy Burberry coat to ward off the cold of March. Still bubbling with energy after delivering an incredible talk Thursday night as part of UW Fashion Week 2013, and sitting front row at the #UWFW Finale Fashion Show the night before, Kate dove right into her role as a model.
Letter from the Editor Dear Reader, As a study break for my last set of final exams of my undergraduate career, I’m sitting down to write this letter: the last Letter from the Editor that I will ever write for MODA. It seems like yesterday that my founding staff and I were launching the website in the study lounge of my apartment building over two years ago. Since then, we’ve had tens of thousands of website views, one fabulous print issue, two UW Fashion Weeks, and countless amazing memories I’ll never forget. This issue is dedicated to transitioning into a new life. My staff and I put together a number of pieces showing you what you can achieve once you’ve been forced to put your college life in Madison behind. This issue’s cover star is UW alumna Kate Hogan, the current features editor of People. com. Kate graduated from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, was the president of the Iota chapter of Alpha Phi and now is putting her skills in leadership and journalism to use as she takes the New York City publishing world by storm. Find the story, written by Fashion Editor Daniel Jameson, on page 28. Our men’s style spread in this issue features a couple of my favorite Wisconsin fraternity gentlemen showcasing some locally-available spring style at some nightlife hotspots around the Capitol Square. This piece is dedicated to showing Madison men how your lifestyle can mature along with the rest of you, while ensuring you hang onto that Badger style. Have a drink with us on page 42. The issue also shines a spotlight on a few members of UW’s First Wave program, the University’s multicultural artistic program. Contributing Writer Sam Garigliano reveals how these unique students use their geographically and ethnically diverse backgrounds to bring a breath of creative fresh air to campus, and how they use fashion to further set themselves apart from the monotony of a Midwestern college campus. Check out First Wave on page 26. Playboy Editor in Chief Jimmy Jellinek sat down with one of our fashion writers, Marlee Katz, to describe what it’s like to be the head one of the nation’s most popular print publications. Future journalists of the world, turn to page 22. We’re so proud to leave campus with an issue as great as this one. My staff and I—most notably Jeff, Corinne, Daniel and Kelly— put our hearts and souls into ensuring you are left with a product
of which we are proud, and we, without a doubt, believe we’ve reached our goal. So as summer begins, and the latest graduates move on to pursue their dreams, we say goodbye. It’s been a wild ride. In the immortal words of Elle Woods, “We did it!”
Cheers, Mia, Editor in Chief
Letter from the Publisher Madison, Here we are. Summertime. Madison thrives in the warm weather. Heck, the whole Midwest seems to become a massive playground after months upon months of bitter cold. We really know how to take advantage of this season, and I am pretty sure this issue of MODA represents just that. From our weekend getaways to the best Madison has to offer for some sunshine bliss cover these pages. And let’s not forget the summer style. Each and every piece of clothing in this issue can be found right here in Madison, but I doubt that is a surprise to any of you. The amount of talent in this issue is also insane. From the writers to the photographers to the designers, we have found a top-notch team. A freshman (soon to be sophomore) is our key photographer for Kate’s and the men’s spread. Her name is Sarah Smiley, and I suggest you remember that name. Another huge talent is Kelly Kaschner, she is the woman behind the design of this issue and she has done a magnificent job. Now to take a quick moment, I would also like to give a huge thank you to Mia Hanekamp, MODA’s first editor in chief, and my friend. Without the ingenuity of Mia, MODA would have never grown this far. She is an innovator and a leader, a role model for many and a guaranteed success story. I am so lucky to have worked with her on this for the past two and a half years. As for the fall, MODA will just continue to grow. The staff that will take over are genuinely talented and motivated people. Mia and I have no worries that next year, the issues will be bigger, Fashion Week more grand, and the community that MODA has created will just continue to grow. None of this would be possible without Heather Heggemeier, Jim Rogers and the rest of the Wisconsin Union Directorate. Thank you to all. That’s it for me. I’m off to sip a gin and tonic by the lake.
Jeff Cartwright MODA Publisher
your guide to
Summer in Madison by Corinne Burgermeister, Lifestyle Editor Although UW-Madison students certainly know how to enjoy themselves during the school year, being in Madison over the summer is an entirely new ball game. Time and time again students tell younger ones, if an opportunity to stay in Madison presents itself, they had better take it, because as the weather warms up, so does the city. As the weather warms up, so does the city. Madison is home to a non-stop rush of activities, live music, festivals and other events… if you know where to find them. Don’t think that living on a budget will prevent you from getting the full experience, because most of these events are free. Here are some warm-weather ideas to get you excited for summer on the isthmus.
Concerts on the Square For a city built around such a captivating building, it’s only natural that the Capitol is the central hub for a variety of events. One of summer’s most popular events happens weekly on the corner of King Street. Each Wednesday, Concerts on the Square, led by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, draws a full house (er, lawn) and provides an excellent escape from reality. As the sun goes down a cool summer night, the music, the view and the food carts create a euphoric atmosphere, making this too much for any Badger to pass up. Madisonians flock to the Square armed with picnic baskets and bottles of wine as early as 3 p.m., and by show time, a sea of blankets covers the entire Capitol lawn. For its 30th season, the concert series will include six programs leading with Fairytales & Fables, featuring violinist David Cao on June 26.
Brat Fest The proper way to kick off summer in Madison is by eating a brat. To be more specific, by eating a brat at the World’s Largest Brat Fest held right in our own city. Brat Fest, started in a grocery store parking lot by Tom Metcalfe and his wife, has become a yearly summer tradition and wonderful way to give back to the community. For four days volunteers cook up thousands of brats, hotdogs and veggie dogs on Willow Island, while fairgoers enjoy carnival games, free concerts and a visit from the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile. To date, Brat Fest has raised more than $1 million for local charities, and has served over 3 million brats since its start in 1983. The Memorial Day weekend festival will also host the Budweiser Clydesdales, country singer and former contestant on “The Voice” Gwen Sebastion, a 5K “Bun Run” and a huge fireworks show.
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Rhythm and Booms For a mid-summer event, Madison’s Rhythm and Booms is something to take advantage of. The unique Fourth of July event is one of the community’s favorite activities and can be seen and heard all around the city. The largest day-long event in Wisconsin includes a festival at Warner Park on the near-east side and concludes with a half-hour fireworks show synchronized to music. Popular viewing spots include Warner Park, James Madison Park, University Hill and of course, the Terrace. But wherever you choose to watch, you won’t be alone—the music soundtrack is broadcasted over WOLX, 94.9 FM, allowing everyone to enjoy the show together. Last year’s program culminated with a tribute to Whitney Houston. Tune in on July 3 to see what this year’s program has in store.
The Memorial Union Terrace While enjoying a sunset and a drink at the Terrace is never a bad idea, over the summer the Terrace is home to so much more than that. The Isthmus Jazz Festival kicks off the summer season at the Terrace on May 31 with live jazz performances for two days. As the sun goes down each night, a variety of events take place on the university’s patio including outdoor films, open mic nights and other special performances. Other students enjoy soaking up rays during the day or trying their hand as canoeing and boating.
Henry Vilas Zoo In 1904, the Vilas family gave a large piece of land to the city of Madison, with the intention of making a free park for the community to enjoy. Over 100 years later, their request is still honored. Today the Henry Vilas Zoo remains free of charge, and is home to giraffes, lions and tigers. The zoo is located just off campus, making it a perfect trip for a walk on a sunny afternoon. Behind the zoo is a large grassy park with enough room to organize baseball, soccer or other games. Nearby Vilas Beach, a small beach hidden behind the zoo provides room to toss a Frisbee around, lay out or rent a boat. A variety of events are held at the park over the summer, but no matter what day it is, this is the place to go when looking for some enjoyable time in the sun.
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Mallards Game You don’t have to travel far to see a quality baseball game. In fact, you just need to head to the Duck Pond on Madison’s north side. Since 2001 the Madison Mallards, a collegiate summer baseball team, have given the community quality baseball in their own backyard. A $33 ticket to the Duck Blind guarantees all-you-caneat ballpark favorites like burgers, brats and potato salad, and allyou-can-drink from a variety of 21 beers including Great Dane brews, the Mallard’s Pilsner and sodas. To make the most of your Mallard’s experience, purchase a ticket to the game and take the free shuttle bus from downtown to Warner Park and back. Although the deals seem too good to be true, the Mallards don’t stop there. Nearly every night, visitors will receive a promotional item and coupons to local establishments. The Mallards game is also a great place to celebrate summer with large groups of friends, as there is always plenty of room to enjoy yourselves.
Trails and Bike Paths Over the summer many Madison residents trade in their cars for their bikes. Miles of trails and bike paths spread across the city, leading residents past beautiful scenery downtown and in the Arboretum. On June 2, the city’s bikers, bladers and walkers will take the city by storm, riding along well-known downtown streets in the annual event, Ride the Drive. Many roads are closed to traffic allowing riders to challenge themselves to see how many laps they can make around the downtown route. For those without access to a bike, over 20 B-Cycle stations are set up in the downtown area, for users to rent bikes by the hour. The bike paths are also popular training grounds for runners competing in Madison races. This summer, Madison will host a variety of races including Color Me Rad, the Madison Mini Marathon and it’s Glow Time.
Museums For days that are too rainy or too hot to spend outdoors, an assortment of museums will quench a thirst for adventure. From the Children’s Museum to the Chazen Museum of Art, the Madison museum scene has something for everyone. Many are within walking distance of each other—there are three museums located on the Capitol Square alone! Other top picks include the Historical Museum, Geology Museum and the Mustard Museum in Middelton. If outdoor art is more your style, Art Fair on the Square, a festival of local artists takes place July 13-14.
“Madison, to me, has always been heaven on earth.” -Emil J. Frautschi
Dane County Farmers’ Market No summer in Madison would be complete without a visit to the Farmers’ Market. Each Saturday, hundreds of farmers bring fresh produce to the Capitol Square to share with the Madison community. With more free time in the summer, it’s worth your while to try some of the local produce and to try your hand at creative recipes and meals. The vendors are very knowledgeable of their products and can offer great advice for how to best prepare them. You’ll also be able to find an assortment of food carts, musicians and craft vendors scattered around the Square, providing a fun atmosphere for you while enjoying lunch on the Capitol lawn. Before you head home for the day, wander inside the Capitol and check out the view from the observation deck.
Maxwell Street Days The $200 dress you passed up in March can be yours come summer. Each year on the third weekend of July, nearly every store on State St. opens their doors for Maxwell Street Days. The three day extravaganza brings shoppers from across the state to hunt for the best finds as stores clear out their inventories for the upcoming year. Although the prices and racks of clothing laid out in the street may reflect a rummage sale, Maxwell Street Days does not skimp on quality. Use this as an opportunity to venture into stores you haven’t paid attention to before. There are a few strategies for how to go about shopping Maxwell Street Days. The earlier you go, the more likely you are to find pieces you truly love, and later in the weekend, piles may be picked over, but stores also lower their prices even more. Be on the lookout for special early bird deals at BOP and Urban Outfitters.
Dining The restaurant scene in Madison is always exciting and innovative, but over the summer many locations move their dining room outdoors. Whether you crave a view of the Capitol, a cool breeze, live music or a secluded spot, there is a place for everyone to relax or get some sun during the afternoon and a spot to enjoy a cool evening when the sun goes down. Downtown favorites for people-watching include Diego’s, the Vintage and the Coopers Tavern. Fresco, Samba and Brickhouse BBQ offer a more intimate setting, but also provide great views of the city. Another thing diners look forward to in the summer is Madison’s Restaurant Week, usually held during the last week of July. During restaurant week, popular restaurants offer three course meals at a discounted prices, perfect for any student on a budget. Image courtesy of Madisondining.com
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mODA’s Summer
Reading List
Oh, how will you ever fill those lazy summer days? Whether you’re working or lounging, you should always find time in your day for a good read. We’ve handpicked these five works to add some inspiration, education and entertainment to your downtime this summer. Since you’ve gotten a chance to put down the textbooks, trade in for some of these paperbacks to tug at your heartstrings, encourage lifestyle changes, or introduce you to a literary classic.
by Meghan Stark, Contributing Writer
Tear Jerker: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green has done it again with his most recent young adult novel that transcends the genre in terms of depth and entertainment. In this unconventional and unyieldingly witty story, main character Hazel is a 16-year-old girl living with thyroid cancer. Through her cancer support group, Hazel meets Augustus Waters, a boy in remission who is on a mission to wade through her bitter sarcasm, to change her outlook on life and lead her on an unexpected journey. Be prepared to be cry-laugh yourself through 25 chapters of humor, love, sickness and health.
Self-Help: The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide If you’re looking to do a little bit of purging of both psychological and physical clutter, this selfhelp book is a humorous and effective guide on your way along the path towards “less is more.” While ridding yourself of some of the comfort clutter that we keep around can seem a bit daunting, “The Joy of Less” breaks down tasks into feasible goals, with plenty of motivation along the way. Throughout the book, Francine Jay helps keep in perspective the fact that a minimalist lifestyle can give us the much needed space to restore function and potential in both our homes and our souls.
Fashion Essential: Coco Chanel: an Intimate Life
by Lisa Chaney Now is the time to catch up on your fashion history! Bring this biography down to the beach to delve into the controversial story of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, the woman who revolutionized female fashion to become the twentieth century’s most influential designer. Her rags to riches story, rebellious lifestyle and infamous liaisons are as interesting and exciting as her professional work. Pick up this book to discover the woman behind the legendary label and to find out how she played such a pivotal role in the history of fashion and modern art.
Quick Classic: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
For those with a packed schedule and a need for the instant gratification of a quick read, I recommend you choose this concise classic. Dorian Gray’s legendary tale of debauchery, eternal youth and damnation is a mere 150 pages of poetic narration. Packed with clever banter and existential crisis, Oscar Wilde’s one and only published novel is a philosophical fiction that will have you wondering what you would do if you never aged. If you’re one often captivated by eloquent language and heavy thematic content, then Dorian Gray will be the perfect addition to your book list. 12 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
by Francine Jay
by Madeline Gilson, Contributing Writer
Summer is approaching in Madison and for those of you staying around campus this season, you may start thinking about planning an escape somewhere close by for the weekend. Wisconsin and Illinois offer tons of options for casual trips that can fit any budget or interest. Milwaukee
Distance: 1 hour 25 minutes via I-94 E While we all know Milwaukee, many of us never take advantage of this city, which is just a short car ride or bus ride away. This city is the definitely worth checking out if you enjoy beer or bar hopping. Take time to visit local breweries such as Miller Brewing Factory, Lakefront Brewery, and Water Street Brewery. For nighttime bar options venture over to Water St. the Milwaukee equivalent of State St. in Madison. Sports fans may also enjoy tailgating or catching a game for sporting teams such as the Milwaukee Brewers. Other visiting options include going to the Milwaukee Art Museum, or Henry Mair Festival Park where Summerfest and ethnic festivals are held.
Door County
Distance: 3 hours 30 minutes via US-151 N and US 41 N There are five state parks and 300 miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan making this an ideal spot to relax or enjoy the outdoors. The area boasts many beaches, the most popular being Peninsula State Park, Schoolhouse Beach and Ellison Bluff State National Area. Besides spending the day at the beach, there is also biking canoeing and kayaking, rock climbing and fishing. The possibilities are endless as there is something for everything. When staying in Door County be sure to visit some of the many local hotels and resorts, which have a “summer in the Hampton’s” vibe. Many visitors recommend the Edgewater Resort, the Ashbrooke and Westwood Shores Waterfront Resort as beautiful and relaxing getaways.
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House on the Rock
Distance: Spring Green, Wis. / 1 hour 2 minutes via US-14 W This resort, attraction, and inn can be described as a bizarre journey through fantasyland. Created by artist Alex Jordan in the 1940s, his weekend retreat has morphed into a place for imagination. There is an infinity room (made with 3,264 glass windows), rooms dedicated to themed collections, oversized animal exhibits, as well as the world’s largest indoor carousel. Visitors are able to stay at the resort, which offers restaurants, golf, swimming, and relaxing rooms or suites. House on the Rock is a close destination and unique trip you don’t want to miss this summer.
Devil’s Lake
Distance: 55 minutes via US-12 W Devil’s Lake is a state park known for a place with beautiful land as well as scenic views. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a place to swim, hike, canoe and kayak, hunt, fish or climb. Make the weekend a camping trip by staying on the campgrounds, this option is cheap at $12-37 per night. If you aren’t the type to rough it for a few days, look into a hotel or bed and breakfast in the nearby town of Baraboo. The Best Western Baraboo Inn is ranked highly as a hotel that gives you comfort and service at a reasonable price. For a more intimate vibe try the Inn at Wawanissee Point. Past visitors have described this low-key bed and breakfast as a “true gem” with tentative and sweet hosts. Also see the Willowood Inn for another bed and breakfast option.
Evanston
Distance: 2 hours 30 minutes via I-90 E Right next to Chicago and nestled next to Lake Michigan lies the city of Evanston. This town is mostly known as Home of Northwestern University, but there is so much more offered during a visit! Take a trip to the local beach for some relaxing time in the sun or get some shopping done downtown. The downtown area has the “college town” feel but with popular store brands like Levi Jean Company, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Lululemon, Benefit Cosmetics and many more. Also take advantage of the local thrift shops and businesses. Do not miss The Mexican Shop a privately owned store ran by a couple who travels around the world collecting clothes, jewelry, and more to sell at their shop! This store will be sure to bring you that one-of-a-kind piece you’ve been searching for at a reasonable price. The downtown area also has dozens of restaurants to satisfy any craving. If you’re feeling Chicago style pizza, then head to Lou Malnatis Pizzeria. Looking for a tasty vegetarian meal? Try the Blind Faith Café. From tapas at The Cellar at The Stained Glass to French flavor at Bistro Bordeauz L’Authentique, there are endless possibilities for getting some food. Stay at hotels in Evanston like the Best Western University Plaza or Margarita European Inn, which are both moderately priced. Visitors should also know that there are two CTA purple line stops located in the middle of downtown. This makes it easy to hop on the train and arrive in the heart of Chicago within minutes! 14 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
Big City Badger: Taking Madison Home With You For the Summer by Barbara Gonzalez, Contributing Writer
As a born and bred New York City girl, I never thought leaving Madison to go home for the summer would be something I would dread. However, at the end of my freshmen year, I was so reluctant to leave my new friends, my dorm room and all of the things that had become part of my life. As I packed up all the memories of my first year into suitcases, I reminisced on all of the things I would miss. But the question remained: how could I bring the simple pleasures of Madison and my college life back to the fast-paced streets of Manhattan? Here are a couple tips on how to bring Madison home with you, no matter your destination. Flaunt Your Wisco Spirit on the Street
Invite Friends to Come Visit
Whenever I go home, I can always spot a fellow Coastie wearing a bright red Bucky shirt from a mile away, even on a crowded New York City sidewalk. Being from a city where everyone you come across is judging your clothing, wearing the white Bucky t-shirt from SOAR isn’t going to cut it. However, there are a variety of cute t-shirts made by Victoria’s Secret PINK and Boy Meets Girl that can be found both in the UW bookstore and online on their websites. Pair with some cute distressed shorts and tennis shoes and roam your city with Badger pride.
One of my favorite things to do when I’m at home is to have friends from Wisconsin come out to New York to visit. It’s always fun to introduce a Sconnie to the big city and to bring them to all the touristy things you wouldn’t normally go out of the way to see. Even if your friends from the Midwest can’t come out to play in the concrete jungle, or wherever you’re from, there is always the option of inviting the friends that live nearby. During vacations I always make time to see my fellow Coasties to hang out, catch up and go out to party in the city—Badger style.
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Visit Badger Bars in Your City
Revamp Your Bedroom with Madison Memories
Many times when you go to larger cities, you’ll find a plethora of Badger alumni who have decided to establish their own businesses. Sometimes they decide to recreate the Madison experience utilizing one of the most memorable aspects of college—you guessed it, they bring good ol’ Madison nightlife to the big city. A popular spot in New York, Mad River Bar and Grill, can be found on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. With its two huge Packers and Bucky flags waving proudly right above the sidewalk, you won’t be able to miss this place. While enjoying everything from cheese curds to fishbowls, a visit to this Badger bar will have you feeling like you’re back on campus in no time at all.
Stepping into my bedroom in NYC, I immediately felt like I had entered a time capsule; there were so many memories of high school and the person who I used to be all over my room. Although these were memories that I held close, they didn’t represent who I was anymore. Bring home things that resonate with the new identity you’ve established in Madison. An easy way to do this is by putting up pictures of you and your friends doing all of your favorite Madison staple events, like posing in costumes at Freak Fest or hanging out on State Street and the Terrace. My favorite things to put up were all of the crafts I received from my sorority sisters, especially my paddle!
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multipurpose
summer satchels by Nicole Lettiere, Contributing Writer
Good news, fellow Wisconsinites: summer is here! Time to finally shed our chunky knits and puffy coats in exchange for flowy dresses and strappy sandals, and venture outside to a warm, lush landscape. Whether you spend your free time at the beach, a party or the bars, you need a stylish yet functional bag for carrying your stuff between the season’s varied destinations. Fortunately, beach bags are often-overlooked accessories suited for this very purpose. The perfect option must excel in all summer situations, while protecting your belongings and keeping up with the trends. Check out these three styles ideal for the beach, barbecues or bars!
Sarojini Embroidered Hobo, Anthropologie ($88) Bright, bold colors are extremely popular this summer. The shades on this Anthropologie hobo are happy, vibrant and will surely brighten up any look. I also love how the embroidery differentiates it from other basic styles. In terms of functionality, the cotton of its design means it’s well-equipped for some wear and tear, an essential quality to look for when shopping for summer beach bags.
Santorini Raffia Tote, Michael Kors ($495) Summer 2013 is all about texture. Raffia was seen all over this season’s runways, and looks incredible when used in a bag. I absolutely love the beachy vibe this Michael Kors tote exudes. The simple yet roomy, sleek shape is perfect for those action-packed days when you have to head to a party straight from the beach. Additionally, Raffia’s neutral tone wonderfully grounds almost all other hues, and as such beautifully complements bold colors.
Striped Bag, Steve Mono ($160) Striped bags also make excellent options, as the classic pattern mixes well with a host of different outfits for almost any occasion. Here, the leather handle is a chic detail that dresses up this otherwise simple Steve Mono tote. My favorite aspect of the piece is its unique, nautical vibe. The vertical navy and white stripes are easy to wear, so you never need to worry about your outfit matching. Furthermore, the bag’s cotton blend is ideal for the beach or bars because it is so durable. Spills and sand are no concern since you can wash it whenever it gets dirty! 16 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
AVOIDING THE “SUMMER SPARKLE SYNDROME” by Jen Anderson We all dream of a perfect summer. We dream of indulging in ice cream and gossip magazines while lounging poolside and flirting with a cute lifeguard. It may not be a very realistic dream, but it certainly won’t happen when the “Summer Sparkle Syndrome” sets in. “Sparkle” is a light, friendly term for, well, the unfortunate overproduction of oil and sweat that plagues the wonderful days of summer.
EYES Water-proof Mascaras: • Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof ($5) o Try this great inexpensive alternative! Whoever said you can’t beat the heat in drugstore mascara? • Lancome L’Extreme Waterproof ($27)
HAIR Pool Side Texture Product: • Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray ($25) Dry Shampoo: • Psssssst Instant Dry Shampoo Spray ($6)
Here at MODA, we understand “sparkle” frustrations. This is your one-stop shopping list to ensure you enjoy your summer in the fresh air without suffering from those glistening friends we call oil and sweat. FACE Foundation: • Tarte Smooth Operator Natural Tinted Moisturizer (Lightweight + SPF)* ($36) Finishing Powder: • Touch up veil (transluscent) Bare Minerals ($22)* Finishing Spray: • Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Setting Spray ($29)*
BODY Sweat-Resistant Sunscreen: • L’Oreal Sublime Sun Advanced Sunscreen Crystal Clear Mist ($10) Lotion: • Kiehls Crème de Corps Light Weight Body Lotion ($18)
*These products are Cruelty-Free!
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Food: Almonds
Eating a fistful of almonds before a meal blocks calories and prevents over-eating. Don’t eat more than a fistful though-they are also high in fat! Allergic to nuts? No problem! Try eating an apple. They’re full of fiber, which will help keep you feeling fuller longer!
Drink: Iced Peppermint Tea
Most of us think of peppermint as a flavor reserved for the holiday season but its stomach-shrinking benefits are perfect for bikini season! Peppermint helps your stomach process fat so you can digest high-calorie foods quicker, preventing bloating.
Bonus: Planking
ABS
Sneak in three 30-second planks before you step into the shower after a hot day. This way you’ll get a mini-ab workout in and only have to shower once!
by Caroline Kreul, Contributing Writer
SKIN
Food: Tomatoes
This juicy fruit contains collagen-building vitamin C, beta-carotene and lycopene, a plant chemical that may help reduce damage from the sun’s rays. Lycopene is also found in watermelon and pink grapefruit, so if you aren’t a tomato fan, you have options!
Drink: Water
This might seem like a no-brainer but it’s extremely important that you, and your skin, stay hydrated during the summer heat! If plain water’s too boring, add some lemon or cucumber to your drink to add a low-cal zing to your drink.
Bonus: Sunscreen, Sunscreen and SUNSCREEN. This simple yet important practice will protect your skin from harmful UV rays and prevent wrinkles later in life. Don’t forget your face and lips, too!
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Food: Bananas
Summer heat can leave hair dried out and breakable. Combat the heat simply by eating a banana a day! Bananas contain the mineral silica, which helps make hair thicker, stronger and more durable.
Drink: Smoothie made with Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is high in vitamin B5 which improves follicle health. Throw a cup of Greek yogurt and your favorite fruits into a blender for a refreshing and healthy pick-me-up!
Bonus: Yogurt Hair Mask
HAIR
For a homemade moisturizing treatment, combine ¼ cup plain organic yogurt, ¼ cup mayonnaise and 1 beaten egg white in a bowl. Massage the treatment into wet hair and cover with a shower cap. After 30 minutes, wash your hair with cold water and a mild shampoo. Your hair will be left silky and manageable, even after it’s dried out from days in the sun!
The school year has come to a close and thus begins the time of sunglasses, short-shorts and tan lines. With the weather heating up, the sun beating down and hemlines getting significantly shorter, it’s only natural to want to look your best. Here are a few tips that will keep you looking, and feeling, healthy all summer long!
ARMS & LEGS
Food: Lean meats and veggies
There are a million different recipes that take the standard chicken-and-vegetable meal to a whole new level! Try marinating pieces of chicken and vegetables like onions, peppers and eggplant in a mix of honey and soy sauce before skuring them and throwing them on the grill. This Asian-inspired kabob is perfect for a summer night!
Drink: Yogurt & Berry Smoothie
Blend together low-fat yogurt, fresh berries and ice for the perfect post-workout drink. Not only will it help your muscles recover from a good workout, but also who wouldn’t want a delicious smoothie on a hot summer day?
Bonus: Yoga
Hot yoga has become an increasingly popular practice-and for good reason! Doing yoga in warm temperatures increases flexibility and stimulates the metabolism so you are burning calories quicker both during and after your workout. So grab a mat, head to your porch and get your zen on!
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Girls By Abigail Fisher
Being lost is different from succeeding or failing. Success and failure are never surprises. Once you arrive at the top or the bottom, you know how you got there. You can precisely map the choices you make that lead you to your parents’ basement or a townhouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. But being lost is different. The very definition of being lost implies that you can’t see how you arrived or how you should proceed. It’s terrifying because you can only perceive your disorientation after it’s too late. I’m lost. Somewhere within the last few years of my life I realized I had no idea where I was headed, no idea what I wanted, no idea who I was. But while most 20-somethings are lost, the problem is that no one ever told us it was going to be okay. No one told us that floundering through college, aimlessly wandering, clutching at air surrounded by gut-wrenching anxiety was something other people experienced. I’m not talking about a romanticized Jack Kerouac novel where a drug addiction and a road trip jolts you out of perpetually musing on your own irrelevance. I’m talking about an entire stage of life where you’re thrown between comfort and adulthood and no one told you the rules. No adult seemed to remember what we were talking about. No director or writer was creating characters we could identify with, until Lena Dunham. Lena Dunham has helped me and innumerable others feel like we aren’t alone in the abyss that is uncertainty. She is currently working on the third season of her hit HBO show, “Girls.” “Girls” is written, produced and starred in by Dunham and has won two Golden Globes, one for Dunham’s performance and the other for best television show- comedy or musical. The 26 year old has recently signed a new pilot with HBO and if that wasn’t enough, has reportedly signed a $3.7 million dollar book deal. The immense, youthful fan base indicated the show is speaking to what the French are calling the “floating generation.” The New York Times article “Young, Educated and Jobless in France”
by Steven Erlanger details the trend of overeducated college graduates who are unable to find work in the declining job market, thereby “floating” without steady employment. The show’s four main characters, Hannah Horvath (Dunham), Shoshanna Shapiro (Zosia Mamet), Jessa Johansson (Jumima Kirke) and Marnie Michaels (Allison Williams) all embody the struggles current 20-somethings are enduring throughout the world, in a way that only someone who had been through the same trials could portray. In the pilot episode, Hannah’s parents tell her that they will no longer be supporting her financially. This leads to an epic tantrum that only a 20-something could throw. She quits her unpaid internship, tries opium pods and ends up passed out in her parents’ hotel room. The hilarity that ensues as Hannah attempts to support herself with the help of her roommate and best friend Marnie creates an easily relatable storyline to anyone who has ever been at a dead-end job, trying to work out the details of adult life very quickly. The painfully realistic way in which “Girls” captures what it feels like to be thrown on your ass, speaks directly to the “floating generation” of liberal arts majors trying to find their place in the world. Hannah, Marnie, Shoshanna and Jessa are all unique characters with relatable personalities. These four strong female stars lead to the classic “Sex and the City” question, are you a Hannah, a Marnie, a Shoshanna or Jessa? Dunham nods to the expected comparison by featuring a large Sex and the City poster in Shoshanna’s room, which lends itself to an awkward dialogue with the painfully hip Jessa who, to Shosh’s horror, has never heard of Carrie Bradshaw. The great thing about “Girls” is that you can find yourself in each one of the characters. Their weird and often shocking love lives somehow ring painfully true. You find yourself thinking how you’ve been in the exact same predicament as Marnie, with her overly affectionate, sickeningly doting boyfriend Charlie. Or Hannah with Adam, the boy that ignores her until the exact moment she stops wanting him. Don’t be afraid of the frequently nudity either. “Girls” reveals the gritty truth about bad sex, body image and a woman’s right to eat a cupcake in her bathtub naked. “Girls” recently wrapped up its second season, but still airs on HBO every Sunday at 9/8 p.m. central. This show should be mandatory for anyone who has ever been lost along the way or just feels like they’re losing their grip. Season two’s tagline, “Almost getting it kind of together” could not be more apt. I’m not advocating that “Girls” is some sort of how-to guide for finding yourself; there are way too many hard drugs for that (the episode where Hannah tries crack is one of my favorites). It’s more like a glimpse into the shared experiences of 20-somethings. There are moments of embarrassment, heartbreak and self-destruction that are universal. “Girls” just keeps getting better as the characters grow and viewers experience more of their complexities. Season two is off to a great start, and the renewal of season three promises a long and healthy life for this fantastic show. I tend to agree with Hannah when she declares, “I think I might be the voice of my generation…or a least a voice of a generation.”
by Abigail Fisher, Contributing Writer
the man who rescued playboy
as told to Marlee Katz
24 hrs with Jimmy JelLinek
As a magazine editor, time is your enemy. Like the old saying about Saturday Night Live, “You don’t go on because show is ready, you go on because it’s 11:30.” The same is true in any magazine cycle. There are only so many days before the magazine must be shipped to the printer. Unlike the instant gratification of the Internet, you just don’t hit ‘return’ and your words magically appear on www.INEEDFUCKINGATTENTION.COM. No. You need a staff of many, and we produce 12 issues a year, so it works like this: Right now, it’s January 10th, which you wanted to know because I live in Los Angeles, and Angelenos wear long underwear when it’s 50 degrees. But alas, it’s winter. Anyway, we are working on our April issue, which is weird in itself, constantly being three months ahead. It’s like being in a literary time machine where you try and predict the future, albeit, of very mundane things like what sort of Japanese denim people will want to wear and what Honey Boo Boo will be saying in whatever Hillbilly Exploitation Programming they put on television. Beyond that, we have all the long-form journalism. At any one time, we literally have dozens of people in the field all over the world. At this moment, there is a writer in Mongolia writing a piece on a dinosaur bone theft ring [and] a writer in Mexico chasing a story on Los Zetas, the most brutal of the Mexican drug cartels. There is the fiction from TC Boyle, Chuck Palahniuk and Don Winslow, and the various service pieces and fashion
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shoots. That also leaves all the pictorials, the Playmates, the celebrity shoots and the still life photography. This amounts to hundreds of pictures and hundreds of thousands of words. All of it must be compressed and squeezed and packaged into an issue. It must flow and pace and make sense, each article complementing another. Not too much of one thing or another. It’s a gut thing, but when it’s right you know have it. Once we have figured all of this out, the actual production of the magazine must begin. While technology has advanced the production process to something humane (we don’t use typesetters anymore), every single page of the magazine, after it’s been laid out by an art director, must be read by the editor of the piece, a fact checker, copy editor, the managing editor and ultimately myself. Three times. By the end of the month, after enough chiseling, editing [and] cutting, and the inevitable last minute problem-pieces come in, working with celebrities is a nightmare. They are notoriously unreliable, insecure, in need of constant attention [and] often don’t show up. That must be accounted for as well, but in the end, when it’s 11:30 and deadline hits, we have a completed issue that is ready to be shipped to the printer where two million copies are printed and sent around the country. With this in mind, no two days are alike. It starts around 6 a.m. when my children wake up with a flurry of activity and energy, needing
breakfast or the assemblage of trucks and dinosaurs. By 8 a.m., after seven outfit changes, my seven-year-old daughter is ready to be driven to school. I drop her off, and then begin my half-hour commute from Venice to Beverly Hills where our world headquarters is located. Because we deal with New York, where our advertisers and many of our writers [are located], I already have 100 emails and five calls to return, which I tend to [return] while navigating traffic and attempting not to commit vehicular manslaughter. I arrive around 9 a.m. and turn on my computer and answer more emails before the rest of the editors, art directors, copy editors and production team arrive around 10 a.m. Editors stay up late working (and inevitably drinking), so accommodations must be made. At noon, we have our daily production meeting on what needs to get accomplished that day. From there, the editors get to work soliciting articles, editing and planning future pieces based on assignments for future issues that I’ve planned out. For the next few hours, I could be negotiating a complex celebrity deal to get a willing starlet to appear on the cover. [Then, I will be] going over the budget, figuring out where we can reduce cost or sometimes just [reading] an article submitted by an editor. This is the most gratifying part of the day, the actual work, reading and looking at all the work my fantastic team has created. Around 1pm I grab a sandwich and eat it at my desk while answering more emails. Unfortunately, the fantasy of a Mad Menesque three-hour, four-martini lunch is a fallacy. Deadlines are too tight and there is too much work. So my humble sandwich is as glamorous as it gets. Around 3pm, I’ll meet with various editors to see the progress of various assignments and troubleshooting problems. My day basically consists of making hundreds of decisions. They key is to not necessarily make the right decision, but to simply make a decision so people can continue moving forward, working towards the goal of getting the issue to press. If they are the wrong decisions, hopefully I have the time to fix them, but you never catch them all. And Murphy’s Law says that the things you don’t think about are the problems that will later bite you in the ass.
sometimes not so great. But like I said, we don’t finish because it’s perfect, we finish because it’s deadline, and sometimes that leads to very late nights. On one recent double issue, because of a series of editorial and technical setbacks, we were up for 72 straight hours trying to get the issue to the printer on time. At times like this, you enter a twilight zone where there is no day or night, just the constant business of editing and shipping pages. But days like that are rarities if we’re organized. But being a live editorial environment they happen, constantly and everybody must be prepared. That said, on most days I’m out of the office by 8pm and home by 8:30, in time to say goodnight to my children and eat dinner with my wife. That said, there are also a myriad of after work “meetings” that involve copious amounts of alcohol or a mandatory party at the Mansion where time disappears and 8:30pm can turn into 3:30 a.m. But that’s just part of the job. And when my head hits the pillow, I know that I did everything I could to make the magazine better, keep my staff happy and get towards our goal of getting the magazine to press. Then before you know [it], it’s 6 a.m. and it starts all over again, day after day, week after week, year after year. We never stop. And this magazine has been in constant production for 60 years without a single day of downtime. It’s a tremendous legacy and one we try and honor everyday, but it can take its toll. That said, it’s the only life I know.
All the while I’m on ten different news sites looking for ideas, new stories and keeping pace with the news cycle while simultaneously liaising with our legal department to go over contracts, looking over new photography, reading pitches from writers and editors and a million other things I can’t think of at this moment. By 6pm, people are hitting their stride, working on headlines, subheads, decks and various display copy. I generally am focused on the cover, crafting cover lines, or “sells,” to go on the cover. At the same time I’m on the phone with our advertising department figuring out ways to garner new business without sacrificing the integrity of the editorial. Some days it can be dizzying, frustrating and exhausting. Other days it can be exhilarating. If it’s late summer and fall, we’re working on our holiday issues (which are double issues), and we’re crashing through hundreds of pages in a matter of weeks. All of it great,
Summer 2013 | modamadison.com | 23
by Chloe Karaskiewicz, Contributing Writer
We have all heard the statistics: five of your ten favorite fairytale couples rode off into the sunset and landed in splitsville. We all know someone, probably many someones, who have been touched by divorce—directly or indirectly—and while we may know that many relationships don’t work out, we don’t often hear how many of those unhappy endings result from infidelity. Over fifty percent of men and women admit to extra-pair affairs in any relationship with 41 percent of marriages including infidelity—sexual or emotional— from one or both spouses. Moreover, 74 percent of men and 63 percent of women report they would engage in extra-pair activity if they knew they would not get caught. With these numbers in mind, is it fair to say that humans are monogamous? This phenomenon has been debated by anthropologists, social psychologists and biologists alike, taking into account the cultural ideals and evolutionary backgrounds of our ancestors and animal predecessors. Our primate cousins, such as the chimpanzees and bonobos—with whom we share 98 percent 24 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
of our genetic code—live in polygamous groups and are among the most promiscuous of primates, with bonobos using brief sexual interactions to forge bonds and resolve conflicts among members of the same and opposite sexes. After further evolution our take on sexual relationships remained quite similar with archeological and anthropological evidence from early societies indicating more polygyny. The promiscuous nature of ancient humans then vanished into the lore of ancient Greek symposiums, dances of Bacchae, and harems of the Orient with the arrival of Christianity and monogamous ideals. The Western World has since been ruled by these values and they have been so long imposed on other societies and ingrained into our lives that we now know almost nothing else. The stereotype of the philandering man is deeply rooted in historical happenstance because with power, came promiscuity. Kings were famous for their mistresses and their stories are well documented throughout the ages from Henri II and Diane de
Poitiers in France, to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in England. But the arrival of individual financial independence after the monarchies were overthrown and replaced with varying forms of democracy created an environment in which even women began to venture outside the home. With newfound power and independence, the working woman began exhibiting affair behavior to a degree that had been previously thought to be exclusively male. The influx of females into the employment sphere also sparked the “office romance” phenomenon, lending the possibility to affairs found in the workplace.
have to be emotionally distanced from our partners, negating the argument in support of monogamous commitment and love. We can’t have it all; at the end of the day we have to choose. Our survival instincts are one with our polygynous past: advising against attachment and telling us to leave the “deny thy father and forsake thy name” love of intrepid but tragic Romeo to literature and film. We dream as children of the life we’ll have and it never occurs to us that the proportion of rom com happy endings in the real world is dropping, or that the relationships we were promised by Disney just don’t exist.
History points to a more promiscuous past than a primarily monogamous culture might care to admit and the great amount of infidelity in monogamous relationships by animals and humans alike has led many professionals to postulate that true monogamy, as a rule, does not really exist. So, are we even supposed to be monogamous?
But just because it’s not our nature, doesn’t mean it’s not real.
And frankly, the answer is no. Instead, we fight our nature with culturally imposed traditions every day and push these values even harder with novels, films, paintings, of great and everlasting love. Maybe if we accepted extra-pair affairs as normal, we could keep the love we guard so defiantly and embrace our tendencies toward multiple partners, but jealousy is older than time: it could never work. To this end, we would
And maybe that’s the best part about monogamy: that despite the odds and the evidence, we’re still willing to bet on the relationship. That despite the failures we see around us—from our parents, friends, families, and even ourselves—we continue to place this magical, glittering trust in the next partner and the next relationship. We’re not survivalists anymore: with our odds, this is a bad idea. But we do it anyway because we’ve decided that this is what we want. So yes, love might be a fairy tale, and monogamy might be only a social construct, but we all want the happy ending. And we’re willing to risk heartbreak to get it.
the intersection of ethnicity and style If you go to UW-Madison, there is a high statistical likelihood you identify as white. According to the Office of the Registrar, of the 42,820 students enrolled in the university during the 2012 fall semester, 31,044 are listed as “Caucasian.” Additionally, around 58 percent of students are homegrown, raised in a state where 88 percent of the population also identifies as white, and as such most students are likely to have had very little exposure to backgrounds and cultures different from their own. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Not at all. But one could hazard a guess that any UW-Madison student who doesn’t fill in the “Caucasian” bubble on school forms, like 72 percent of the university’s population, is likely to feel at least slightly out of place. The same goes for a white student who comes from a mostly white area in attending a predominately black or Latino university. Apart from ethnicity, the university is not exactly known as a haven for creative types. While there may be a bustling arts program and an art museum that’s actually pretty cool, those with art-related majors don’t even come close to cracking the top five most frequently earned degrees. In any given lecture hall or house party you’re 26 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
more likely to rub elbows with a future medical student than a painter. It’s undeniable that UW-Madison has an unspoken reputation for hosting a rather homogenous student population, one that could be generously described as a mayonnaise sandwich on white bread. That may not seem obvious or important to some, but it’s certainly true. The uniform nature of the student body spreads across its ethnicity, economic class and geographic location, and is, interestingly, often represented in the way its members dress. But that’s not to say there aren’t those who break the mold. Like everything, there are exceptions to the rule. If you haven’t heard of UW-Madison’s First Wave program, its website describes it as “a cutting-edge multicultural artistic program” where students “live, study and create together in a close-knit, dynamic campus community.” It prides itself on being the “first university program in the country centered on urban arts, spoken word and hip-hop culture.” In addition to the reality that many of the First Wave members wouldn’t be categorized similarly with a majority of UW-Madison students in the U.S. census,
by Sam Garigliano, Contributing Writer their heritage or where they come from isn’t the only thing that sets them apart. Since they are attending UW-Madison based on their exceptional flare for creativity, their personal style and clothing choices are sometimes the reason they stand out. Niko Tumamak is a senior drawing major from Chicago. He produces his own line of clothes, called INKRED, and got his start in First Wave as a breakdancer. Niko absolutely sees his personal style choice as a statement, and something that is deeply related to his ethnicity. “I feel like Asian people are afraid to express themselves in a way that might cause controversy or confrontation. So I feel like I have to dress up a little wilder, maybe tilt my hat a little more, or wear the best shoes I have. I have to stand out. It’s not about me being tough or trying to be an example, it’s really about me being an artist.” Choosing to stand out hasn’t been as easy as one might think, as Niko has faced resistance to his style even within a department typically thought of as a stronghold for defying convention. “I’m an art major with all these little hipsters running around, saying ‘You can’t
possibly be avant garde’, or ‘You can’t possibly have those tastes because you wear a fitted hat or wear [Air] Jordans.’ They’re telling me ‘You can’t possibly be on our level because you have some sort of infatuation with pop culture and you’re not underground enough.’” To complicate things further, Niko’s decision to attend UW-Madison also didn’t come without raised eyebrows from people at home, either. “Me getting a scholarship for breakdancing hit the hood like, ‘Are you fucking serious? You’re going to school to impress all these white people and be a sellout?’” Gretchen Carjaval is a freshman from Union City, Calif. She was chosen for First Wave through her accomplishments in spoken word, and creates and sells a variety of earrings. Gretchen also sees a huge importance in making a statement
through her fashion choices, recognizing how they connect with her identity. “I don’t look like I’m from here. And I like that. Because if I looked like I belong here, I would be mad at myself. The girls here rock sweats, Wisconsin gear, big-ass North Faces or leggings and Uggs. And that’s definitely not what I wear.” The racial makeup of those who buy her earrings on campus is another testament to the influences of Gretchen’s personal style. “Most of the people that buy them from me are women of color, and I think that’s because women of color are more inclined to be more bold, but that’s just my personal opinion. I feel like they’re more down to wear big hoops that are covered in intricate patterns and lace.” Michael Penn II is a sophomore journalism major from the DMV (D.C.,
Maryland, Virginia) area, and raps under the name CRASHprez. He often performs locally, and recently dropped an EP in the spring of 2013, titled “masters&martys.” To him, fashion is allotted too much power over his passion, music. “Fashion plays so much into rap shit it’s ridiculous. Music and fashion wise, it’s like 80 percent image. If it’s all image, how do you even care about the craft? And when racial associations are attached to certain fashion styles, it can be frustrating wearing what he wants to wear. “I was always wondering, what does dressing black or dressing white look like? Even when I bought these Chuck [Taylors], my dad was wondering why I didn’t want the J[ordan]’s or the Air Max on the wall. There are so many divisions and they’re so deep rooted that you have to be cognizant of it. It’s so touchy man, really touchy.” continued on page 54
photographer SARAH ROSE SMILEY fashion editor DANIEL JAMESON fashion assistants JEN ANDERSON, MADDI BRODY beauty director RYANNE GLEASON, AVEDA VICI INSTITUTE MADISON hair + makeup ALIA NOAH, SUNSHINE HERR, STEPHANIE SABATKE; ALL AVEDA VICI INSTITUTE MADISON
printed sweatshirt Prabal Gurung for Target sunglasses Ray-Ban feathered clutch ASOS jeans Dakota Collective bracelet 31st & Broadway from Bop
perspectives of madison As the Staff Features Editor at People.com, Kate Hogan – a proud Badger alum born and bred in the Midwest – reflects on how her experiences in her favorite Wisconsin city have shaped her glamorous life since. by Daniel Jameson, Fashion Editor
It’s a cold, rainy Friday morning in March when Kate Hogan walks into our well-lit conference room in Union South, a rosy smile accompanying her dewy, Burberry-clad frame. “Sorry I’m running a bit late!” she says. “We were just relishing a fantastic breakfast at Mickies Dairy Bar.” Indulging in old favorites is totally understandable. At 30, Kate, the staff features editor at People.com, has lived away from Madison for nearly a decade after graduating from the university in 2005. “It’s always a pleasure coming back,” she muses. “I definitely miss the city.” Kate is a Midwestern girl through and through. Born and raised in Park Ridge, Ill., the home of Hillary Clinton, she fondly remembers the town as a great place to grow up as a kid. Friendly and suburban, though a mere twenty minute drive to nearby Chicago, Kate recalls cherished memories of the city, “like going downtown for field trips to the Art Institute, or my parents taking us to see Broadway shows for birthdays, or a special dinner out, or going to Water Tower Mall to shop.” With early experiences rooted in the Midwest, it’s no surprise that schools in the region comprised the majority of her college application list when graduating from Maine South High School. “I applied to seven schools,” she explains. “Iowa, Indiana, Madison, Michigan, Brown, Georgetown and Notre Dame.” At first thinking she wanted the small, beautiful traditional campus environments found at Brown, Georgetown or Notre Dame, her thoughts and plans changed when her list of acceptances included Iowa, Indiana and Madison. Thankfully, she already had a strong connection to Madison: her mother’s parents, both alumni of the university’s undergraduate programs and Law School, brought the family up to the city for trips throughout Kate’s childhood. “We used to come most years for football games, driving up for the day, going to the Rathskeller to get a brat, and hanging out. I have pictures of me with Bucky when I was probably seven, in my little Wisconsin sweatshirt.” Needless to say, when it came time to make a final decision, the choice was easy. A couple times during our conversation, the eco-conscious lights in the newly renovated room flick off, and I have to leap out of my chair with a few clumsy jumping jacks to trigger their motion sensors. Kate laughs at my antics, and mentions how different the old building was when she arrived at SOAR, working with advisors and an archaic selection system in crafting her first semester schedule. “We selected our classes by phone,” she explains, “using this huge catalog you had to finger through to find the four-digit code for every class…which you’d punch into the phone – a standard phone, mind you, not a cell.” Kate spent her freshman year figuring out what she wanted 30 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
to do beyond the rigors of academics. A trained flautist, vocalist and pianist, she auditioned for and was offered a scholarship to play piano with the Wisconsin Singers, a nonprofit student organization that produces Broadway-caliber revue shows. However, after a conversation with her parents, she made the tough decision to decline the offer, worried of the time commitment with such long rehearsal schedules. In the end, though, she’s glad she “just ended up being here as a freshman and not running around the country.” Her main social commitment arrived soon with her immersion into the Greek system as a new member of the Iota chapter of Alpha Phi, the same sorority her grandmother belonged to when she was a student at Madison. “She and my grandfather actually got married there, back during the war … their story is so romantic. I knew I wanted to go Greek.” The decision proved to be one of the greatest she made in college. “My best girlfriends in the world are from Alpha Phi, and they’re now mostly in New York, so I see them very regularly. We’ve all been to each other’s weddings and, you know, are emailing everyday.” Kate’s love of Greek life developed through her various experiences with the system, including her direction of Humorology shows for two years, her time as president of the Alpha Phi house and her stint as the Community Service Chair for the Panhellenic Association, where she planned “Trick or Treat with the Greeks” and other charitable events. She also narrowed her academic focus to writing and reporting as she progressed through her undergraduate years, having originally planned to go into the business school. “I had this weird dream of wanting to be a record company executive one day,” Kate says with a grin. After surviving the “nightmare” of classes like accounting and economics, she made the switch to journalism – but not after an initial rejection from the J-School. “When I didn’t get in on my first try, I went to talk to the counselor in charge, and asked what I could do to change my application-- that was my sophomore year. And she said, ‘Get an internship! Get some clips, brush up your cover letter.’ So I did that the next semester and got in.” Those internships became fundamental in guiding Kate towards her current profession. Working a semester at NBC15 helped her decide she didn’t want to pursue a career in television, while positions at the Sun Prairie Star and Madison Magazine solidified her love of editorial journalism. Her inspiration, then, to concentrate on what Time Inc.
mix-media blazer rag & bone silk blouse Equipment satchel Marc Jacobs Collection from Twigs floral jeans Club Monaco ring 31st & Broadway from Bop heels her own
graphic dress Helmut Lang from Rent the Runway quilted iPad case Marc Jacobs Collection from Twigs glasses SEE
calls the “Style and Entertainment group” of journalism, came from the attractive glamour of the subject. “I grew up reading People,” she says. “My Dad is a dentist and I would go into his waiting room at work and finger through the magazine when I was little…I think People was always a dream of mine – I didn’t think it would ever come true, necessarily, and I didn’t know how to get there in the start – but it was kind of like that alluring idea of writing about these famous people and their beauty and their fashion and their gowns and all that.” Towards the end of her time as an undergraduate, Kate’s experiences profoundly shaped her changing perspective of Madison. By engaging in more specific classes like J417, and the production of Curb magazine (the result of a semesterlong magazine production course), she discovered she was actually learning life skills that would assist her in getting a job, “as opposed to slugging through calculus and just hoping for a passing grade.” Specific opportunities, like interviewing then-Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle at the Captiol with her J335 reporting class, demonstrated Madison’s desire to foster productive interactions between students and the city. All together, Kate’s experiences at the university – from pragmatic academics and engaging internships to a socially rewarding Greek life – helped her develop “a greater appreciation for people in the city and the school.” 32 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
Living again at home with her parents the first year after graduation came as a sudden change from the life she led while at school in Madison. “You gain all this independence, and you graduate thinking you’re ready for the world, and then all of a sudden you’re living with your parents, eating dinner with them five nights a week.” The adjustment wasn’t without its tensions: Kate recalls times when she’d “get a call at 2:30 a.m. if I was out with friends downtown asking ‘Where are you? Why aren’t you home?’ When you’re [in college] you can stay out and do whatever, and then all of a sudden your parents are calling you while you’re at a bar in downtown Chicago with your friends and it’s kind of embarrassing, and infuriating.” But she survived, and notes, looking back with love, that her parents only meant well. Unfortunately, her job prospects – beyond an internship with publishing house Modern Luxury – looked grim, which was frustrating as Chicago was where she originally intended to be upon graduation. “My whole family was there,” she notes, “and I’m really close with my high school friends still and they were all there, and so I hadn’t really considered New York very much.” However, with so few magazines in Chicago and the constant reply of “You need more experience!” from the Chicago Tribune each time she bothered them, Kate soon “came to the realization that Chicago wasn’t going to work out, as much as I wanted it to.” But even New York began to look questionable as her various trips out for interviews yielded no offers. It was then, she says, that she sat down with her parents and devised a new plan: with their support, she would move to New York on a four-month “trial period,” further acclimating herself to the city while devoting her time to finding a full-time job. If she couldn’t find one by then, she’d have to move back home and try again later. And so, in the summer of 2006, Kate packed up her life and moved out to the East Coast. Just two weeks before the end of her “trial period,” in the middle of October, Kate landed her first job in New York as an editorial associate with hospitality magazine group Morris Visitor Publications, where she wrote, market edited and fact-checked for IN New York and WHERE magazines.
We used to come up ... for football games ... and [go to] the Rathskeller to get a brat. ... I have pictures of me with Bucky when I was probably seven, in my little Wisconsin sweatshirt.
maxi dress Sachin + Babi from Rent the Runway earrings and cuff Swarovski heels Ann Taylor
boucle jacket Smythe leather shell Tibi from Twigs cuff Kenneth Jay Lane from Rent the Runway ring 31st & Broadway from Bop pen Swarovski
graphic dress Tibi from Twigs tote ALDO
The new position, which officially settled her in the city, still didn’t shake Kate’s perceptions of home. “I thought I would probably move back to Chicago,” she says with a smile. “When I moved to New York I told everyone, ‘Oh, two years max – I’m just going to get some experience, then come back.’ I knew I could go home at any time, that maybe I’d work at these magazines for a year or two and then go back and get a job at Time Out Chicago, so I don’t think I felt like I had to leave any of that behind yet, or that it was even fading in the rear-view mirror because I was pretty set on going back.” That vision only partially came true, of course – after two years at Morris Visitor Publications, she moved to People. com, fulfilling her childhood dream of working for the brand. She’s been rising up the masthead there ever since, including a few years as the site’s style news editor, where she covered all things beauty and fashion while interviewing the likes of Carrie Underwood, Derek Jeter, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Lopez. Today, as the staff features editor managing a small team, she contributes to major People franchises such as ‘World’s Most Beautiful’ and ‘Sexiest Man Alive,’ and covers awards shows ranging from the Grammys to the Academy Awards. Between her job and long-term relationship, she finds herself happily busy in a bustling metropolis. So how does she view Chicago and the Midwest now, having lived in New York City for seven years? Would she return, if given the career opportunity? “It’s really hard to say, honestly, at this point,” Kate muses. “I go back and forth. Every time I go home I miss it a little bit more.” She pauses. “But I don’t know if People opened a branch in Chicago if I’d go. New York is where everything happens right now. There are premieres there, Fashion Week, an event happening every night where all the publicists are, and it’s where a lot of companies are headquartered.” Thinking, she adds, “Sometimes I wonder if leaving before ten years would be seen as giving up. Or I think about, when I’m 50, telling my kids someday, ‘Oh yeah, I lived in New York for X amount of years,’ and they’ll be like, ‘Well why didn’t you choose to live there longer?’” But Kate says New York is where she needs to be, “to have the access to the things I have access to.” She describes her love of the creativity that flows among her coworkers through their collaborations, of walking out into Rockefeller Center after work every day and knowing there are 8 million people around the city that form overlapping neighborhoods, one on top of the other yet each with its own distinct attitude. “So I don’t know,” she quips. “There are days when I hate New York and all I want to do is move back to Chicago, but then the fall comes and you’re walking downtown just thinking about how beautiful it is and of the cool melting pot of so many different and amazing people, and there’s just some
kind of weird energy that keeps you there. It’s a love/hate relationships, but more love lately, I guess.” Still, Kate thinks of the Midwest often, especially of her years in Madison and the beloved elements of the city that make it so unique. “I loved football games, for sure. I had tickets all four years,” she remembers fondly. Kate recounts having to wait in line at the Kohl Center starting the Wednesday before each game to exchange vouchers for ticketed seat assignments. “We had a huge night game against Ohio State my junior year, and some of the fraternity guys we were friends with had sent their pledges… with a couch to start camping out. We all had to pull shifts, so two of my girlfriends and I signed up for a nighttime shift one night, spending 4 p.m. to midnight on this couch in front of the Kohl Center…and some of the guys would bring us hot chocolate and we did homework.” To cement a truly unforgettable experience, “we had awesome seats, we won and we all rushed the field. It was a crazy memory.” She also remembers taking windsurfing and sailing classes through Hoofers at the Union during a summer spent in Madison, “something you really can’t do in New York – there you do NOT want to go in the water!” It’s the ability to do anything you want in Madison, Kate declares, that makes it one-of-a-kind. Of course New York offers much of the same flexibility of options, if not more. Kate raves most about the food choices, saying “You could live in New York forever and eat out forever and always be at a different restaurant.” And between innumerable events and the city’s countless parks and amazing museums, “You don’t have an excuse to be bored in New York at all.” The pace of a city that never sleeps – of a place where one always sees people out doing things, even when heading to the airport at 4 a.m.– is the energy that drives her. “When I first moved there it was like people walked faster than me and you get off the subway and have to know where to go or you’re going to get knocked out of the way. In the beginning you are kind of feeding off it.” But even that has evolved for her over the years: what was once staying out with friends until midnight on a Tuesday has become, say, “meeting a publicist for breakfast at some very cool restaurant I’ve never been to, or a power lunch that’s just full of other people meeting each other or talking about business. You’re seeing that more grown-up side of New York, where there are ideas forming and bonds being built. The energy’s all there, it’s just at the bars or at the restaurants or at the movie or at the musical or at the art installation or something like that, so you’re seeing all those different facets, all the creativity.”
"So two of my girlfriends and I signed up for a nighttime shift one night, spending 4 p.m. to midnight on this couch in front of the Kohl Center
Which is, of course, when all is said and done, just another ever-changing perspective. Summer 2013 | modamadison.com | 37
“What’s the big deal? It’s not like it matters. They’re just clothes.” In the midst of a typical conversation between a fashionista and a not-so-fashion-obsessed individual, this phrase is dreadfully common. As a polite woman I usually try to mask my distaste, but I must be blunt: you could stab me in the heart with a 7-inch stiletto and that would be less painful than hearing those words. Seriously people, give us fashionistas a break. Instead, try to see le monde de la mode through the rose-colored lens of those who dwell in the fashion industry, because for us, fashion is not just clothes – it is so much more. When viewing new runway collections throughout fashion month, we see inspiration, innovation and, most of all, artistic vision. These elements awaken our passion and arouse butterflies of excitement. They are the aspects of fashion that distinguish it as an art form and give it purpose beyond beautiful textiles and shallow materiality. Like an artist’s canvas, the catwalk is a place for designers to establish their vision and express their fashionable fantasies unto the world. Each design in their collection is like a brushstroke in a
great painting, all working together to create an exceptional work of art. Unfortunately, non-natives of the fashion world tend to share a perspective of high fashion that is a little less poetic. Just as some do not understand the abstract paintings of Pablo Picasso or the significance of the Mona Lisa, the average individual may not appreciate the dark grandeur of Chanel’s Spring 2013 haute couture collection or the ingenious creations of Alexander McQueen. Thus, when viewing a designer’s new line, one often sees an onslaught of ridiculous price tags, cranky-looking, emaciated models and ugly, un-wearable clothing. That point of view, I believe, is limited, demeaning and lacking in substance. As Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the streets; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live and what is happening.” The meaning of fashion reaches far beyond the outfit you chose to wear around campus today or the shoes you decided to try on at a department store last weekend. Rather,
by Paige Schultz, Fashion Writer stitched into each design is a story, an expression of culture, sociological trends and current relations in our society. This is how one can begin to understand the significance of high fashion and the ways in which it is represented. Speaking in sociological terms, people have long expressed themselves through the way they dress. To reference the cliché concept of “don’t judge a book by its cover,” we often form impressions of people based on these external presentations. While many argue this is a shallow practice, it is truthfully a reflection of how society views fashion and the individual. Therefore, clothes are not just clothes – they are an encapsulation of one’s identity, personality and mood. Fashion is and always has been our way of communicating to others who we are and what we’re about, and in today’s ever-increasingly complex, globalized world, it has developed into one of the primary means of relation. In understanding the significance of runway fashion, these sociological concepts are useful for discussing designer collections. Presenting their lines season after season is not
merely an exercise in artistic expression or the presentation of a fantasy – it’s much more. Just as the individual presents himself or herself through attire, fashion designers encapsulate the happenings of society through the atmosphere of the ensembles in their collections. It has been said that at any given instant, one can understand what is happening in the world just by looking at current fashion trends. Whether we’re in times of political turmoil and economic hardship or periods of growth and prosperity, fashion reflects more than the individual or the designer – it is an emotional snapshot of culture at a certain moment in history. Thus, as a representation of society, fashion is above all an art form that captures how people feel individually and collectively. To demonstrate this, we have publications like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle and even this very magazine profiling the root of fashion as culture. Whether on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, all of these media outlets strive to capture the essence of design and translate it into something relevant to our daily lives. continued on page 54
Forget having poise and class, fall fashion is in the mood to kick some…well you get the picture. For the upcoming fall 2013 season, punk-inspired trends ruled the runway giving designer’s collections a sexy edge. Thus, when considering the necessities you’ll need for fall, don’t be afraid to be a little bit daring. Leather separates, dark red lipstick, hardwareinspired jewelry.
a little something with edge
military must-haves
by Paige Schultz
the top 5 trends to invest in for fall by Paige Schultz, Fashion Writer
Yes, you read that headline right. It may only be summer, but fashion is always at least one season ahead. So to keep you as on your toes like the fashionistas of the world, we’ve given you a little fall fashion food for thought. Below you will find a breakdown of trends and fall necessities to keep in mind as the summer months wind down. Because let’s be honest; when the new semester begins your wardrobe should be the last thing that you stress about. Seriously, it’s summer and in the words of college students everywhere – “ain’t nobody got time for that.”
40 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
Fall fashion always has a way of diverting back to the military-inspired look. With a very all-American, back-to-the-basics mentality, pieces such as a classic utility coat, a stellar pair of combat boots and neutral colored separates allow one to have a little much-needed versatility in their wardrobe. For a fresh take on this archetypal fall trend, try a military jacket structured in a unique way such as Prabal Gurung’s peplum version. The mix of old and new is truly worthy of the highest badge of honor – fashionably speaking, of course.
oversized outerwear As the leaves start to change and the breeze begins to cool, refrain from reaching for your classic trench coat and try one of fall 2013’s oversized-yet-structured options on for size. Though they may appear slightly unflattering due to their large silhouette, oversized jackets had an undeniable presence on the runways this season. Thus, if you find yourself searching for a new, trendier jacket come fall, think of your outerwear in a larger context. Cozy and chic, these coats will make you want to bundle up.
patterned pieces
Though many tend to shy away from head-to-toe print, designers did not seem to be hesitant in presenting this trend in their fall 2013 collections. Statement-worthy – yes; campus-appropriate – perhaps not. Instead of donning an all-over graphic ensemble, make it a point to channel patterns into one part of your ensemble. To do the trend justice, incorporate a simple printed blazer, pair of pants, or blouse into your wardrobe. No matter how subtly you choose to wear it, you’ll be sure to make a statement.
androgynous accents
Suitlike separates, oxfords, boxy silhouettes and portfolio clutches. This season, it’s time to take a little fashion advice from your boyfriend and man-up in terms of style. On your fall must-have list, be sure to include a fantastic blazer, a pair of flats that aren’t of the ballet type (like oxfords for example), and wellfitted trousers and don’t be afraid to mix them with feminine pieces for a charming juxtaposition.
Growing Up Badger
photographer SARAH ROSE SMILEY fashion editor DANIEL JAMESON fashion assistants MARLEE KATZ, PAIGE SCHULTZ beauty director, hair + makeup RYANNE GLEASON, AVEDA VICI INSTITUTE MADISON
It’s no wonder the 1978 flick Animal House is considered one of the best college films of all time. I mean, let’s be honest, these four (or seven) years sometimes do seem like one big toga party. But what happens after graduation when college men are forced to trade in their red and white for a suit and tie? A few of Langdon’s finest are here looking dapper while holding onto a little bit of that ‘once a Badger, always a Badger’ mentality. After all, even though your postgrad style may need an upgrade, college never has to be truly over. (“Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!”) Because you can take the boy out of Madison, but you can never take Madison out of the boy. by Mia Hanekamp, Editor in Chief
on Walker blazer Banana Republic shirt and jeans Gap on Michael shirt and trousers Gap glasses SEE
on Michael polo, trousers and hat Gap bead bracelets ALDO
on Walker tee and blazer Gap trousers Banana Republic sunglasses Burberry
on Michael polo and jeans Gap blazer Banana Republic glasses SEE iPhone case his own on Walker sweater, shirt and jeans Gap bead bracelets ALDO iPhone case his own
tee and trousers Gap glasses SEE bead bracelets ALDO socks and shoes his own
Advice from Abroad: A Parisian Couturier weighs in on the pressure to succeed and following your dreams
by Chloe Karaskiewicz
In a conversation slightly reminiscent of a musical number from Tangled, menswear designer Pascal VanLef sat down with me to talk about breaking into the fashion industry, following your dreams, and living life. It takes an intrepid soul to become an artist, to commit yourself to the probability that you will live a good deal of your life making money off of everything but your art. Most people, talented artists included, have heard a parent, friend or academic advisor pull out the realism, probabilities and the “sad, hard truth,” so when I talked to Pascal, I expected to hear the same thing: how he was lucky, the exception to the rule. Instead, Pascal tells me how a thirteen year old with a sewing machine became a young man working and studying in France and Italy before interning for the likes of Alberta Ferretti and Galliano. And then, when he realized that was not quite what he wanted, he had the courage to leave, to uproot his career to form a place and name for himself. And then he was on his own, designing, sketching, sewing, showing – a veritable one-man wonder with his own collection and label. So when I ask about the reality of working in the industry, he is honest but optimistic. It is hard, he says. You will always have to work. But if this is your dream, nothing else matters. If this is your dream, you will do it. If this is your dream, it is yours and no one can take that away from you. And, try as they might, no one can impart their dream on you. Pascal says adamantly: you have to find your own dream; you don’t want to live someone else’s. You can’t be happy like that. It might seem like a fairly simple concept, this committing to your own dream idea, but in an age where many legal adults remain dependent pseudo-adults long into their twenties, the influence of others is ever present. We grow up knowing the jobs of our parents and family members, blinding us to careers outside the box and rendering us empty handed in our search for a calling. While we try vainly to commit to a subject, a major, a job, we unintentionally remain closedminded to the world of opportunities. The world is a scary place, and it’s scarier still when you find yourself broke and in debt after college with a degree you realize you can’t use. But maybe that desperation is our best ally. The perpetual fear and the knowledge that failure is not an option
may actually drive us to take more chances, pursue opportunities we never considered, and maybe even succeed. Pascal tells me it’s a good thing everyone doesn’t have the same dream – the world wouldn’t be as interesting if a thousand people wanted the exact same thing out of life. He tells me about the movement of the individual through time and the constant evolution in what we want. For some people, there are a lot of jobs that fall into boxes, discrete categories with a treasure map charted out by all the people who went before. But there are also the careers and directions that take us through labyrinthine twists and turns; those that bore holes in existing boxes or create a new place all together. Though the United States is considered an individualist society, we have a tendency to restrict creativity and pass it off as a phase or hobby. The norms of the society in which we were raised shape us profoundly and unconsciously, either stifling or supporting our interests. To guard your dream, it needs to be discovered for yourself, without the influence of the world – a practice Pascal maintains is highly introspective and meditative. Sometimes you have to stop what you’re doing and ask yourself: “what is my dream?” he says. “Am I living the life I want, or am I just living?” The routine is tempting, and it’s safe. The days pass and you do what you have to do: you eat, you sleep, you “read” that hundred pages your professor assigned, and it’s all ok. But is it fulfilling? Probably not. Pascal describes it as a reflective process: every now and then we just need to check up on ourselves, make sure we’re still where we want to be, headed toward something we want to achieve. He recounts a moment several years ago while working as a menswear designer, creating shows and full collections every season, when he revisited his aspirations and realized that he had ventured astray. Explaining the grindstone of scrapping a collection every season, Pascal recounts his desire to build on a creative process rather than tear it apart time and time again. He retired from the show business of fashion and puts out several new garments each season, building on, and as modifications to, his collective body of work. This gives him a more exclusive edge and allows him to expertly handcraft each piece as well as branch out into
Other peoples’ dreams for you are nice, but they’re not yours. It takes a lot of courage to admit you want to go down the road less traveled.
48 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
custom pieces. This idea may seem a little self-involved, being that it includes more exclusivity and higher priced pieces, but when you talk with someone like Pascal, you feel that it’s more about the art than anything else. He recounts the anxiety that his work would not take flight, but also his commitment to his work and his aspirations. It is the dream that far outweighs anything that could hold us back. We come from the land of the dream, the land of Gatsby and immigrants, the idea that re-invention and self-invention
are distinct possibilities, real, attainable goals. But sometimes we forget the thing we want the most because it may not make the most money and it may not pay the bills. Our practicality gets in the way. So why can’t we turn this practical voice into a friend and ally? Follow your dream intelligently with drive, internal power, and the refusal to take setbacks as rejections. It requires commitment and dedication, and it will be a battle. But you will have the opportunity to do what you love and to love what you do. And that is the dream.
2006 Twitter
the evolution of the fashion blog
2004 Bryan Grey Yambao Bryanboy
by Marlee Katz 2005 Scott Schuman The Sartorialist The fashion blogging phenomenon of today initially stemmed from Bill Cunningham’s street style series, first published in 1978. In the early 2000s, websites like Open Diary allowed people to make personal, daily posts in a web blog format –what we now know as a blog. In 2002, the first fashion blogs emerged on the unrestrained and infinite World Wide Web. Kathryn Finney, inspired by her expensive years at Yale University, created one of the first fashion blogs to make it big, The Budget Fashionista, a fashion blog for real women, and was later invited to New York Fashion Week in September 2003. In the same year, the one and only Bryan Grey Yambao joined the blogging world, posting stories about his weight loss goals, shopping endeavors and distaste for a fake Prada and Louis Vuitton pieces. Then in 2004, he became known as Bryanboy, now a well-known phenomenon in the fashion blogosphere. Glam Media, a company with over 4,000 lifestyle websites and blogs including Glam.com, was founded in 2004. Glam.com was one of the first umbrella blogging networks that packaged brand advertising with digital content. From its launch, Glam focused on premium brands like Chanel and Gucci, and continually sought out and attracted many of the world’s top brands. In February 2004, the photo-sharing community Flickr emerged, enhancing blogs and allowing them to grow in popularity. In 2005, Julie Fredrickson created the fashion blogging network, Coutorture, which developed into an online publication, community and blog network with over 200 selected fashion, beauty, accessory and street wear blogs. Later, in September 2005, The Sartorialist launched as creator Scott Schuman began blogging street style images, the whole idea evolving from a series of photographs he took of stylish men in New
York’s Fulton fish market. Schuman’s goal, described as “the idea of creating a two-way dialogue about the world of fashion and its relationship to daily life,” significantly changed the way people regard fashion photography. His site allows followers the ability to comment on photos and have a two-way conversation with the blogger. Canadian photographer Tommy Ton began his blog, Jak and Jill, in 2005. Focusing on the minute details and ornate qualities of garments, Ton changed the way street style was shot, shooting only in landscape. In 2006, The Fug Girls, Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, started writing for New York Magazine, creating the lovely headline “Go Fug Yourself.” As one of the most prominent celebrity fashion blogs, the Fug Girls devote their posts to the latest celebrity gossip. In March 2006, Susanna Lau, a London native, launched her blog, Style Bubble, with a focus on talent and discovering the best unknown designers out there. Garance Doré, who grew up in Corsica, an island on the Mediterranean Sea started her eponymous blog in June of 2006 as a fun way to share her illustrations. The biggest game-changer of 2006 was the emergence of the micro-blogging community, Twitter, which allowed users to publish and receive short status posts via the Web and smartphones. Bloggers now had the ability to instantaneously update their followers regarding their most recent posts and ventures. In 2006, Julie Fredrickson of Coutorture ambushes and gets a brief interview with the notorious Anna Wintour at New York Fashion Week, signifying the growing impact of fashion bloggers in the industry. In 2006 Lisa and Brian Sugar formed Sugar Publishing, Inc.
2011 Derek Blasberg Mr. Blasberg
2008 Rumi Neely Fashion Toast
2007 Jennine Tamm The Independent Fashion Bloggers
2010 Kim France Girls of a Certain Age
2009 IFB IFB Annual Conference
Combining fashion and lifestyle, Sugar Publishing presented “The biggest moments, the hottest trends and the best tips in entertainment, fashion, beauty, fitness and food, and the ability to shop for it all, in one place.” In 2007, Sugar Publishing announced it had acquired Coutorture. In September 2007, Jennine Tamm of The Coveted founded the Independent Fashion Bloggers (IFB). With helpful articles and the goal of networking fashion bloggers, the IFB developed into one of the most successful fashion blogging communities. On March 31, 2008, at the tender age of 11, Tavi Gevinson began writing Style Rookie, with posts and pictures of her quirky, piecedtogether ensembles. In 2012, Tavi Gevinson brought Style Rookie to the next level by developing it into Rookie Mag, a larger site geared toward young teenage women. In 2008, Rumi Neely, a blogger of Japanese, Scottish and Dutch descent, launched her blog, Fashion Toast. Combined with a separate eBay shop called “Treasure Chest Vintage,” the site quickly garnered thousands of regular viewers. In April of 2009, she was featured on CNN Money, explaining how her blogging had turned into a business where she was getting 35,000 hits a day. In September of 2009 the IFB hosted its first blogger panel, which evolved into the IFB Annual Conference. Also in 2009, Dolce & Gabbana made headlines at Milan Fashion Week by seating fashion bloggers Bryan Boy and Tommy Ton among Vogue’s Anna Wintour, Sally Singer and Hamish Bowles, Vanity Fair’s Michael Roberts and the International Herald Tribune’s Suzy Menkes, in front row seats traditionally reserved for influential editors and A-list celebrities. In 2009, the Federal Trade Commission published regulations
2010 Leandra Medine The Man Repeller
for bloggers with concern for endorsements and testimonials in advertising. The law legitimized fashion blogging as a business. In February 2009, Julie Sarinina launched her blog, Sincerely, Jules, with daily images of her effortlessly tailored looks. Ben Trovato also launched as one of the most successful fashion photography blogs in 2009, showcasing the work of new and upcoming fashion photographers. In September of 2010, Kim France, the founding editor of Lucky magazine, left the print world to start her own blog, Girls of a Certain Age, at the age of 48. In 2010, Leandra Medine, while studying journalism at The New School, launched her blog, The Man Repeller, which was instantly noteworthy for her enthusiastic embrace of the harem pant and the act of “repelling” the opposite sex with statement-making fashion. In 2012, Medine experimented with guest writers to help expand her content and develop her blog into larger website, which she described as a mixture between Vogue and Jezebel. Recently, fashion journalist and editor at Harper’s Bazaar Derek Blasberg started his own blog, Mr. Blasberg. In 2011, Now Manifest linked the world’s most renowned bloggers, Anna Dello Russo, Bryan Boy, Fashion Toast, Industrie Magazine, Mr. Blasberg and Style by Kling, in a modern, enlightening and stylish platform. Nick Axelrod, fashion news editor at Elle magazine, left in 2012 for a position to help cultivate the beauty blog, Into the Gloss. Looking ahead for 2013, we turn to Anna Dello Russo, Hypebeast, Advanced Style and Cupcakes and Cashmere for the latest and greatest fashion blogging material. As a result, we see that fashion is no longer just for the highbrow society – fashion blogging has transformed the industry, giving everyone from the working woman to the college graduate the opportunity find inspiration from others and express themselves with a new media.
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The Hardest Farewell . by Hester Prynne
I’ve spent the past couple hours listening to incredibly emotional 8track playlists so I finally feel like I’m ready to address one of my all-time least favorite things - the farewell column. This is going to be mushy, but this is going to be raw and real. I have a hard time conveying the sorrow and heartbreak that comes with saying goodbye to all of my great loves but I know there is catharsis hidden somewhere in crying at my keyboard.
I’ve written elsewhere about my struggles with goodbyes; however, since I’m your dear old Hester, I won’t delve into where. Suffice to say that I am absolute garbage at saying goodbyes. I can sit through many life tragedies and be strong without shedding a tear. When I have to say goodbye – whether it be to friends, a boyfriend, or a loved one – I can’t keep my shit together at all. I sob, but not the endearing kind of sobbing. It’s hiccup-sobbing where you forget to breathe for the duration of your cryfest. I am a complete mess and make it very difficult for others to help me because I am so distressed. Take high school graduation for example – there is not a single framed picture of me from that event because I was crying so hard the whole time, I look all swollen and miserable in all the photographic evidence. I cannot do it. There are many great loves that are parting from my life, or better, all of our lives in the near future and I am going to say the one thing everyone feels but no one is supposed to say: I am terrified. Petrified. Shaking in my oxfords. I can’t stand the idea of uncertainty and of standing the brink of proper grownupdom. I don’t want to leave, I don’t feel ready to go and I have low-grade panic attacks even thinking about it. There are two great loves that will be miserable to part with – the friends we have deeply loved and the significant others we have pieced into our lives. I can’t really cope with the idea of separating myself by cities, states and even countries from my university family. It became very real when one of my soul sisters asked nonchalantly what day I was graduating. Upon my answer, she candidly said that she was leaving that day for the summer. Realistically, this means I won’t see her again until our adult lives allow our paths to cross again. I excused myself and straight up cried in my bathroom, really dramatically, clutching the sink. I couldn’t imagine it all happening in only so many weeks. As I am writing this, we have 6 weeks of college left. That is absolutely horrifying. By the time you are reading this, we will have 16 days left of college. That is even worse. I have met the most amazing, life-changing people in the course of the last four years and I cannot bear to come home to an empty studio apartment in god-knows-where after years of my last name being screamed across the house when I come home by all of my roommates. Of course, they are only a text or call away, 52 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
but what do we do when we can’t cuddle in our best friends’ bed the morning after an embarrassing mistake? Who will hold my hand when I have to take Plan B in the bathroom at Brats because I was unwilling to miss a night out because a condom malfunctioned? Who’s car will I jump in when the girls need emergency McDonald’s because class just seemed too difficult to go to? Everything I’ve grown to know for the past four years of my life, every routine and every inside joke will change dynamic and I am not prepared to find new ways to quote Kristin Wiig in the workplace.
Everyone can think of that core group of soul-companions that you’ve somehow dragged into your lives throughout college. The ones who you swear you speak in another language to. The ones whose mothers text you directly just to see how your job hunt is going. The ones who you know, despite never having imagined a wedding, will automatically be the ones slamming shots before you go down the aisle. Although these are people who match you completely and will never leave your metaphorical side, what happens when they aren’t there to embrace you when you are collapsing? What happens when you can’t be there to hold their shoulders steady while they cry? Who is the person who does that next? Perhaps even more depressing are all the wonderful people who you’ve met and love but you know, against all well-wishing, will fade from your peripheral in the coming years. They have always been in pictures, on the fringe of jokes, and just outside the scope of conversation, but they have been ever-present. We experienced it before when we left high school, watching your co-captain on gymnastics fade slightly out of your view except when Nastia Liukin didn’t qualify for the Olympics. They are the ones you always meant to text on Thursday but didn’t remember to until Sunday. Then suddenly, they aren’t there anymore. And you will want to text them and say you were thinking about them, but it feels inorganic and awkward. Having to do that again is awful and will make your goodbye even worse because there is a hollow dynamic that is completely unavoidable. Our completely honest intentions are flawed and we can’t escape it. And then there are the mostly fantastic and wonderful, yet sometimes crazy and hurtful men that have shaped the college experience just as much as the friends I’ve spent my life around. Girls: as much as we ignore it, these guys really do leave their mark, whether it’s fond or feared. Over the past four years, we have defined and redefined our sexual identities. From the random dance floor make outs in musky frat basements freshman year to the sloppy PDR (Pizza Di Roma) late dates after sneaking into Logan’s. From flirtatious glances over the beer pong table on game day to the Australian who was just passing through Bali that bought you curry even though it was 10am. From your first love through your first heartbreak, and the hundreds that follow.
We learned that it may only take a moment to be smitten and we figured out that sometimes our friends are much more than that. We learned that there are some days when you can’t take your eyes off every stranger that passes by and there are other days when you can’t seem to turn your mojo back on. All in a fleeting half-decade, we learned deep love, infatuation, and bittersweet loss. Imagine for a second where you stood romantically on this day in 2009. For all I knew, my then-boyfriend was going to be my husband. The childlike wonder of early love fades but the naivety of chance only grows and matures. I still let my mind wander into the what-if territory of a new guy, and then his imprint is left even deeper, regardless of the time spent together. The significance of the people we truly care for in college shapes how we address relationships in the alleged “adult” world. Because of these invaluable lessons that were bestowed upon us by the respect, love and even disrespect of these men, we will be forever indebted to them and them to us. And so many facets of the romantic world that we know will change. Your friends won’t all immediately understand all of the social circles entangled in your new beau. You won’t awkwardly bump into all your past hook-ups at the bar or on your way to class. And suddenly, there will be an assumption that spending a day in bed with Asian Kitchen and Netflix does not constitute a connection and can only occur once your relationship is established. Bar-time meet-ups will become happy hour cocktail dates. Am I ready for that? Am I ready to meet someone that doesn’t know how goofy and stupid and, as one man-friend posed it, “peculiar” I am? I can’t imagine not seeing these crazy, wild and ridiculous boys again. You know the ones I am talking about. The one I made out with a million and one times, only because he made me so angry I knew no other response. The one that I gushed about to my parents but knew I could never introduce to my dad. The one that made me cry, lose weight, and feel like a total but ultimately taught me how to be independently happy. The one I had a crush on from the first time I made offcolor jokes about his quaffed hair at the Bayou three years ago who just recently remembered who I was. None of these people will cross my path again, even though I’m only just starting to figure out the formula to all this madness. Now, it’ll be about discerning between the white collared grown-ups who are just as screwed as I am. And, as serious as this all is, what about
xo, .
the fact that thus far everyone was neatly placed in a structured 4-year age bracket? I can’t tell the difference between 27-year-old mature pocket squares from 42-year-old boyish scruff; I am so, so screwed. Recently, I received a message from my roommate about the pending split-up of our group. She was torn between being so happy for our various successes, but so scared of us going away. She exclaimed that we would obviously, undoubtedly keep in contact, but it would be so different and that hurt her to fathom. In a succinct little blue box on my iPhone, she gave me the most heartwarming and heart-hurting vindication that I am not crazy in how jumbled I am at this crossroad. And that’s what made me realize – it’s totally okay for me to be sentimental. It’s ok for me to cry weekly, even daily. This is really hard. And our generation, the floating educated youth, is in a really tough position with post-graduate decisions. The opportunities are far and few between, making it harder to stay near to each other. When we’ve spent four long, challenging years molding ourselves into our own community, it is absolutely gutting to see that effort torn apart in a weekend of commencements. Leaving high school, we were still naïve and childish, thinking, “Well, whoever I don’t talk to next year clearly wasn’t a good friend.” Leaving college, we know better what the intentions of our peers are. We know how deep the love we have experienced is. We know how important every interaction has been. We want to be in touch with everyone who has changed our path. And I know, despite my best efforts, there will come a day soon that I don’t have a connection to those I feel totally in sync to right now. That means the struggle is not to fight against the change but accept the fact that you can’t stop all of it from happening. John Mayer sang, “So scared of getting older – I’m only good at being young.” That’s what we have mastered at this point. We are so good at being students, being social, being safely reckless. So what I implore all of you now is to remember how to be good at being young always. It doesn’t matter the business casual apparel you will wear or the cool big city you’re moving to – never forget to remain forever young in life and in love, as this is the most important lesson we’ve learned so far.
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And, to steal a note from “Scrubs,” I love you all and there is nothing you can do about it.
Hester .
The Intersection of Ethnicity and Style, pg 27 But fashion choices are sometimes irrelevant when it comes to feeling out of place, especially in Madison. “When I go to an all-black school for a while you feel like the other world doesn’t exist. Here, it’s like, ‘Wow, I don’t see a lot of me in this lecture hall anywhere.’ ‘Wow, I’m the only one of a few me’s on this floor.’ ‘Wow, there are only five or six me’s in this building.’ It’s ridiculous, man.” Ashlyn Elizabeth is a junior from West Coniva, Calif., majoring in languages and cultures of Asia. She produces a clothing line/ on-campus arts collective called Zenxyth, and performs spoken word. Her inspiration for creativity and clothing comes from multi-faceted sources.
Here it's like 'Wow, I don't see a lot of me in this lecture hall anywhere.' 'Wow, I'm the only one of a few me's on this floor.' 'Wow, there are only five or six of me's in this building. “I was really into the symbolism of ancient civilizations, like Egyptian hieroglyphics. A lot of my inspiration came from Horus and Isis. One thing [my mother] showed me was how Filipinos used to tattoo their whole bodies with different designs, so I’m really interested in that right now. I draw inspiration from a bunch of different cultures.” But limiting oneself to a categorical box based on race or culture isn’t something Ashlyn wants to do. In fact, it’s the opposite. “[I’m] tired of hearing on campus about diversity initiatives, people of color allies and all those terminologies. When I’m at an open mic, there are people of different ethnicities, backgrounds and beliefs that go up on stage and share something. You feel something from their poem regardless of what they represent. And that art form is something that binds us all. It’s about knowing yourself and learning from others.” As I sit in the library finishing this article next to Niko, who 54 | modamadison.com | Summer 2013
is busy writing a paper for Asian history, and Michael, who is studying French, both occasionally stop to talk with several different people. Those they talk to represent a number of races, including white. Neither of the two lives in a world where everything is non-white vs. white. The main collaborators in their major creative projects, Niko’s dance performance and Michael’s EP, are white. I’m white, and they treat me and talk to me like they would anybody else, regardless of race. For many people, talking about race is like figuratively beating a long-dead horse with nervous ambivalence, taking care to not whack it too hard lest it somehow become un-dead. It’s been the subject of conversation a million times, and when someone brings it up they can expect to be accused of ignorance, naivety or “preachiness.” However, as is true with any topic, the healthiest way to approach the discussion is openly, and in a way that acknowledges differences in skin color, geographic origin and personal style. Unfortunately, despite its importance in symbolizing identity, fashion is what often gets in the way of even starting the conversation. But that doesn’t mean many First Wavers haven’t managed to feel at home here. After saying she didn’t look like she belonged in Madison, Gretchen added this: “That doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t belong here, because I think Madison is a very forward thinking place. Belonging is a sense or a feeling, not something you wear.”
Fantasy of Fashion, pg 39 For example, Vogue is often referred to as the bible of fashion, epitomizing how the form can both inspire and emulate a multitude of ideas. Introducing each editorial section is the Point of View, in which editors outline their vision of fashion’s cultural impact over the past month. This inspiration is then channeled through high fashion photography and major articles that capture every part of our society – all through what many causally deem “just clothes.” So you see, fashion is not just about the clothing we wear; more importantly, it’s a dialogue about what those clothes represent. On any given day, the designs featured in editorials, runway collections or even an individual’s ensemble reflect something much greater than their composite materials. Fashion has been and always will be a method of storytelling. It is a way to capture the individual, society and world at large in a beauty that turns the ordinary of our every day into an extraordinary fantasy.
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