Mirage Issue 07: Plastic

Issue 7 | Spring 2021

The PLASTIC Issue

Editor-in-Chief Olivia Gianettino

President & Co-Editor Kasey Lettrich

Assistant Designer Hunter Neel

Team Manager Adam Payne

Special thanks to

Creators

WVU Student Media Coalition Emily Kennel David Malecki Mountain State Thrifts Nicole Andino, cover girl Madison Alexander

Anusha Singh Hunter Bennett Alex Holsclaw Kaeli Riccotili Maggie Stewart Nataya Bartlett Lauren Farnsworth Libby Cohen Kaitlyn McClung Madison Hess Sydney Keener Tory Webb-Johnson Caleb McClung Elisa Contreras Emily Kennel David Malecki

Models

Kasey Lettrich Anusha Singh Caleb McClung Sophia Flower Carly Upright Lila Perroots Mary Lally Jalen McCrary Joseph Zecevic Seth Seebaugh Alexandra Holsclaw Nicole Andino

Managing Editor Savanna Shriver

Managing Editor & Designer Annika Godwin

Head of Photography Joseph Lucey

Graduate Advisor Kristen Uppercue

by

MIRAGE

24

The big bag decision: A guide to reusable shopping bags

46 18

11

38 44

IDOLLizing Bratz: Discussing the impact and controversy of the dolls we grew up with

25

The price of plastic: How have disposable products effected the environment during COVID-19?

letter from the

When COVID-19 came to campus, we were not sure how it was going to affect our organization. Last semester, Mirage worked remotely and produced a series of shorter issues that challenged my team members and I. The process was new and exciting, but this semester, we decided it was time to go back to our old ways and finally create another full issue. The theme “Plastic” evoked a serious creative spark in the Mirage team, and whether it was the colorful idea of plastic or because we were just eager to get back to work, the article pitches and unique visuals came super naturally.

Mirage Issue 7: Plastic captures such a wide range of concepts. It is fun. It is smart. It is youthful and bright and hopefully stands as a reminder to not take yourself too seriously. We hope you can enjoy looking through this body of work as much as we enjoyed making it.

xoxo, Olivia Gianettino

Plastic Hearts- Miley Cyrus Hello Kitty- Slayyyter What’s Inside a Girl?- The Cramps Space Girl- Francis Forever Furniture- Maude Latour Plastic Doll- Lady Gaga Pretty- Coco & Clair Clair, Okthxbb Fake Plastic Trees- Radiohead Brain Soup- Nasty Cherry I Saw an Angel- Puzzle Listen here.

A deep dive into written by Annika Godwin

Depop, an international hub for selling secondhand clothes and

accessories, has turned into a place for customers to be scammed and exploited for the sake of being “trendy.”

Depop was founded in 2011, but in recent years has become a force in culture amongst Gen Z. The app and website has provided teens with the opportunity to thrift from the comfort of their homes.

Here’s how it works: Sellers post photos of items they’re selling, designate a price the seller deems appropriate and then sellers and customers can negotiate and communicate about items through a chat feature.

As innocent as it seems, the infamous “Depop girlies” have been dominating the culture and completely shifting the environment of the app. Instead of pricing these clothing items, which are secondhand, appropriately, the Depop girlies have taken it upon themselves to resell “rare” and “vintage” items with exorbitant and misguided prices.

Brandy Melville is one of the most sought-after brands on Depop.

Depop girlies will often label any item from the brand as “rare” and set the price at way higher than any market value, even for a limited edition item. While some of the styles Brandy Melville offers are limited and no longer in circulation at their stores or website, most of the pieces on Depop being labeled as “rare” are simply a way to guise customers into paying way more than what it’s worth.

For example, one seller is reselling this “super rare” pink cheetah Belle tank for $150. You can currently buy it on the Brandy Melville website for $20.

The Rosa sweatpants are also highly sought-after in the color pink.

One seller has been offered an extremely high $400 for a pair, but you can directly buy it from the Brandy Melville website right now for $32.

Sometimes, it isn’t even about the brand or the label; if clothes are being tagged as “y2k” or “vintage,” they’re likely to come with a higher price tag as well. In theory, there shouldn’t be a problem with that—clothes in older styles aren’t as common and would be worth more than something you can pick up in a store today. The problem comes when the Depop girlies lie about pieces of clothing being vintage.

These “rare,” “BRAND NEW with tags,” Juicy Couture sweatpants are being sold for €109. TikTok user @megorow called them out for ripping people off after purchasing the exact same pair at TK Maxx (Europe’s TJ Maxx) for €16.

Another way the Depop girlies have tricked customers is selling baby and children’s clothes and passing it off as petite adult clothes.

By ripping out tags and not disclosing the actual labeled size, many users get away with disguising their items as just tight and cropped.

And of course, they continue to charge a ridiculous amount for a child’s piece of clothing that they most likely purchased for under $5 at the thrift store.

One user sells the “coolest cropped” [children’s] sweater for $60.

There are plenty of users on Depop who resell ethically, but the resellers who have taken advantage of, overcharged and deceived their customers have completely changed the culture of Depop. A place that was once a way for the younger generation to start a side hustle of their own has turned into a toxic, overpriced environment that negates the point of reselling secondhand items.

super rare brandy melville belle tank rare brandy rosa sweatpants <3

~vintage~ cropped teddy sweater

rare vintage juicy couture trackpants

$150

$60

€109.99

Buy

$150

Buy

Buy

Buy

Favoring Film:

the resurgence of film photography written by Sydney Keener

I

n a digital world where someone can grab their phone from their pocket and take a higher-quality photo than a professional in the ‘90s, one age-old medium in photography has prevailed: film. Film photography has miraculously stood the test of time, outlasting records, cassettes, CDs and most other relics from its own era. But why? Photographic technology has progressed far past the need for film, and yet, it hasn’t gone away. Whether it’s the nostalgic feeling of taking photos the old-fashioned way or the aesthetically pleasing low quality, something about film has charmed a generation that never should have experienced it.

There was a time— not so long ago— when film photography was the industry standard. Before digital cameras, people didn’t have a choice which medium they used to create photos. There was no easier option if you were in a time crunch; photographers had to meter every photo, take test polaroids before taking the real shot, and spend hours in the lab or darkroom developing their photos afterwards. It wasn’t easy by any means, and it surely wasn’t quick. This explains why the majority of people interested in film nowadays are part of a younger generation who didn’t have to go through this process. They were raised on digital cameras and smartphones, getting immediate results.

The immediacy of the younger generation is a major reason many of them have become interested in working with film rather than digital cameras. Being raised in a fast-paced world where you can get any information you want in a second can sometimes get overwhelming. Keeping up with social media trends and the constant influx of content exhausts many people, so they crave the ability to slow down that film photography offers.

In 2017, Kendall Jenner went on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and mentioned her love for film, and even brought out her own favorite film camera. The next day, the demand for that camera shot up so high that it more than doubled in price, going from $450 to around $900. Around this time, the film photography scene was slowly starting to grow, and this hyper-public exposure only accelerated this growth.

Though the entire industry didn’t explode overnight, this example shows how much the internet can influence the popularity of things. Trends spread because people see something they like on social media, and it’s easily replicable, so they try it themselves. And that is exactly how it happened for film. People see these photos that are so different from the perfect digital photos they’re so used to seeing, and people collectively decided it was cool. A whole generation decided that film photography seemed fun and the results were cool, and so became the resurgence of film.

There are a lot of reasons why young people have gravitated towards film photography-- the ability to slow down, the tangible nature, the nostalgia and the vintage aesthetic are all commonly referenced. There’s a novelty newness to it, since this generation wasn’t around when it was the status quo, but it also holds onto that tinge of nostalgia because it’s this forgotten medium that has somehow stood the test of time.

The aesthetic is one of the biggest reasons people gravitate toward film though. It has a very distinct style that is so different from the perfect recreations of reality that digital cameras offer. Though companies are making new film cameras, the goal is not to increase the photo quality to the point of digital cameras. It is more so to recreate the experience of the older style. The blown-out highlights and ultra-dark shadows along with the graininess brings the photographer back to that era. It encourages a lot more experimentation than digital photography because it takes away the pressure to be perfect. Film will never capture the essence of reality, so it feels easier to experiment artistically with film, as if that’s its purpose.

But making these images isn’t always easy. There are instant film cameras, most commonly made by Fujifilm and Polaroid, but with more traditional film cameras, the process isn’t quite so simple. This can be something that some people rejoice in, however. The process of getting your film sent to the lab or processing it yourself in the darkroom can be exciting. Having to wait and put effort into creating these photos before you even get to see what they look like is a crucial part of the appeal for some. It allows them to break away from the immediacy of today’s world and really slow down and focus on the moment. The limiting factor of film is also important to some. You only get a certain amount of shots on each roll of film, so you have to be careful about what you photograph and really think about what you’re doing.

No matter the reason for getting interested in it, film photography offers the photographers a way to escape the high-speed world we live in. It will likely never be as popular as it was in its heyday, but it definitely isn’t going away either. Its popularity has wavered— and will again— but as long as there is something to photograph, film photography will probably never truly die.

You Can’t SIT WITH US photographed by David Malecki

Sex Education: Not Just A Regency Era Problem How the hit Netflix show Bridgerton highlights the major problem in the American school systems.

Trigger Warning: This article mentions sexual assault and rape. written by Kaitlyn McClung

I

t is no secret that the U.S. struggles when it comes to math and science education, but what about sex education? Sex education is something that is not often talked about and is often considered taboo. When it comes to television, the lack of education clearly mirrors itself in our favorite shows and movies. This has become extremely apparent in everyone’s newest obsession: Bridgerton.

What is Bridgerton?

“Bridgerton” is this year’s hottest new Netflix series. The series is based on Julia Quinn’s best-selling novels, “Bridgerton.”

The show and book are set in the Regency era of London high society. The show follows one of the wealthiest and socially influential families, the Bridgertons. The family consists of eight siblings and their widowed mother. It also incorporates a high society scandal sheet, written by the infamous Lady Whistledown. Lady Whistledown seems to know everything about everyone, even when they try their best to hide it. This scandal sheet proves to spell trouble for the Bridgertons.

The show begins as it follows the main character, Daphne Bridgerton. She has become one of the most sought-after women in Regency London’s marriage market. With her father passed, the eldest brother, Antony, must take on the responsibility of approving suitors for Daphne. As Antony begins to skim down the possible suitors for Daphne, she begins to lose hope.

This is when she begins her scheme with the unattainable Duke of Hastings. Their scheme begins to grow into much more than a way to save both their reputations from Lady Whistledown. Later on in the series, they both begin to fall in love; however, this is where the problems arise when it comes to sex education. Daphne’s ultimate goal was to be a mother, but she was never taught anything about sex, how it works or how to get pregnant.

The Duke of Hastings, however, did not want an heir to his family fortune. This leads to Daphne deciding to take what she wants. Let it be known that every time they had sex, Simon always asked for consent. Daphne took advantage of the situation and raped Simon. He did not want children and took preventative measures to ensure that. She, however, did not respect his wishes. This is one of the many issues that circulate around this show and rear its head in our society today.

How does this relate to our society, in our time?

“Bridgerton” is not the only TV show that displays the disappointing lack of education. In the show “Game of Thrones” and the iconic movie, “Gone with the Wind,” they use the “no means yes” troppe. This is when the female originally denies the sexual advances of the male protagonist and then is worn down by the many advances until she says yes. This also raises into question the use of rape as a plot device. Many shows like “Game of Thrones” and “Bridgerton” use rape as a way to push the plot of the female protagonist along.

This raises so many relevant questions about the American school system. It is not out of the ordinary to find someone who is not educated in sex. However, they do not deserve to be ostracized. They are not at fault; our school system failed them.

All sex education laws and requirements are made at the state and local levels. There is no federal involvement in this topic.

Only 29 states have mandatory sex education courses, but that does not mean it is of good quality. According to Planned Parenthood, “Fewer than half of high schools and only a fifth of middle schools are teaching the sexual health topics that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers ‘essential’ for healthy young people.” This is extremely alarming and unacceptable.

With sex education’s requirements being decided at state and local levels, they decide whether or not schools should discuss birth control, how much to stress abstinence and LGBTQ+ experiences and consent. For example, only 15 states require the information to be medically accurate. However, only 18 states require that educators speak about birth control.

The Lack of LGBTQ+ Sex Education Sadly, the idea of LGBTQ+ sex education is releatively new.

Only 9 states require to have discussions about LGBTQ+ identities and inclusive and affirming relationships. With many religions like Christianity, having a severe and coercion like hold and influence on government officials, it is extremely difficult for LGBTQ+ to seek refuge, let alone a proper sex education. This is shown through states like Oklahoma which has a law that requires the state’s health department and local schools to provide educational materials to the public that “clearly and consistently teach that abortion kills a living human being.” With that being said, 7 southern states prohibit sex educators from answering questions about LGBTQ+ sex education. This shows how prevalent the stigmatization of LGBTQ+ truly is, even in our boundary-pushing generation.

CONSENT Consent is one of the biggest problems shown in TV shows today. “Bridgerton” highlights the fact that this can happen to men too. Often, when one thinks of sexual assault, they assume it happened to a woman. However, women are not the only ones who suffer at the hands of the lack of education. The fact is, Daphne raped Simon. He would use the “pull out method” to prevent Daphne’s pregnancy. However, one time when she was in control, she completely disregarded his wishes. Simon repeatedly told her to stop and even attempted to push her off, but it was too late.

This is a prime example of using rape as a plot device. This decision has lasting effects on their relationship that shows through multiple episodes. Towards the end of the show, this issue is pretty much swept under the rug.

Consent being swept under the rug is not a new concept. It seems as though in reality and in TV, there is no complete understanding of consent. Let’s get one thing clear: coercion is NOT consent. Once someone says no, that should be the end of the conversation however, mostly that is not the case.

“Approximately 1 in 6 women and 1 in 10 men reported experiencing sexual coercion in their lifetime.”

How Can We Improve?

The sad reality is, sex education still has a long way to go. Proper, medically accurate sex education is vital for American youth. Without proper education, navigating sex is completely left up to teens themselves. One thing teens immediately turn to is media and television. As Bridgerton and other shows have demonstrated, media is not showing proper sex education. Now, some may say that it is not television’s job to educate teens on sex, however, this could not be further from the truth. This also brings up problems in American culture. The media conveys an America that further promotes the sexist agenda. It shows inappropriate tropes against women; one that shows if a man tries hard enough, he will end up with the girl. We are taught this from an extremely young age, like those Disney princess movies our parents loved us to watch.

One may ask, how can I help? I am just one person. Well, it all begins with one person. Call your state officials. Continuously “bug” them about sex education. The more calls they receive, the more the subject will be put at the forefront of their mind.

When it comes to television, social media is your best friend. Nowadays, it is hard to find a show that does not have Twitter or Instagram. With that being said, tag those shows, comment on their posts. Pose those uncomfortable questions.

Make yourself heard.

Where Are

All The

Big Boys? written and curated by Adam Payne photographed by Joseph Lucey

“Personally my experience has always been kind of a negative one. To this day, walking into a mall I feel fed up with store after store not having a single pair of pants that I’d want that were anywhere close to my size. And in turn, I’ve had to spend a lot of time and effort into finding clothes that not only fit, but make me feel confident.

Plus, I find that for a lot of bigger guys, that feeling confident in your look is hard, especially with a real lack of representation in the media that isn’t the butt of a joke.”

- Joseph Zecevic

I

n the last decade alone, the fashion industry has modeled numerous strides in terms of body diversity, with editorial spreads boasting about and catwalks bubbling with plus-sized women like never before. Models like Tess Holiday, stars like Lizzo, and of course, superstar Ashley Graham have become household names as they ushered in an upsurge of modeling opportunities for bigger ladies—only matching the simultaneous advances in diversity in other respects of the female fashion world. We are still worlds away from experiencing a representation of bodies in the media that reflect totally realistic beauty standards, but the industry is undeniably strutting in the right direction.

Yet this progress, while still ever-growing, seems to leave out one crucial demographic in its wake. Where the hell are all the big boys?

Not only is extended size clothing the most difficult to find brands for in big & tall men, but the positive depiction of these bodies in fashion remains increasingly rare. Despite making up a sizable chunk of the American male population, brawny men receive a shred of the already minimal opportunities allotted to standard male models and pretty much all women. Men can’t walk into a mall and find their version of Torrid or Lane Bryant, and they’d be lucky to find a single rack with clothes both flattering and fashionable.

And media representation in these changing years hasn’t been much better. An extensive scouring of the internet for these scarce shoots reveals that nearly every single one features a familiar bearded face, Zach Miko, and a recycling of two or three other men at random. While Miko is undeniably handsome, and confidently models his, as Twitter would call it, “dad bod,” the deeper issue that remains is exactly that: he looks like a dad.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, [We love dads!] by continuing to dress brawny men in neutral color palettes, flannels, and blank tees, the bridge between brawny men and high fashion remains miles long.

When more brands have moments like Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty viral big boy briefs breakthrough, and less moments like… me trying on a XXL from Abercrombie & Fitch and it being tighter than an Old Navy medium, then the industry truly can’t know change.

So, without brawny men being granted the accessibility to wear clothes that break the boundaries of the bland, runways and magazines will never represent the oodles of untapped opportunities male bodies diversifying the industry offers.

Everyday the industry inches closer to these changes, but it is only when the big boys take the overt initiative to defy expectations and dress against the mediocre standards they have been dealt that the fashion world can finally flip.

“There is such pressure to feel ‘desirable’ as a plus-sized man, and our fashion doesn’t help. Most big and tall sections are simplified to dress shirts that are oversized, polos and blue jeans. I don’t think we are represented because of the idea that if a man is bigger, he isn’t working out, if he isn’t working out then he doesn’t care about his appearance, and therefore has no need to buy clothes within trending, fashionable, or experimental styles.”

- Jalen McCrary

“I’ve found myself caught in sort of a limbo multiple times when it comes to finding new clothes or keeping up with fashion trends. I’ve never really had a certain fashion style because it’s hard to find brands that nail how their clothes fit on big guys. Being an athlete throughout school, I always just wore sweats or shorts with hoodies because not only are they comfortable, they’re one of the only things that I’ve always known will fit me no matter what brand it was. Even today, it’s rare to see me not wearing gym shorts and a hoodie with my Crocs because I’ve never really felt confident enough to wear anything besides that.”

- Seth Seebaugh

Nipping and Tucking

The Truth About Plastic Surgery written by Lauren Farnsworth

Over the years we have seen different body types go in and out of style. Social media,

magazines and television have played a major role in influencing what body types are “trending”. They push an unrealistic beauty standard that isn’t always achievable naturally. Since the rise of social media many people have looked at celebrities and influencers for their selective surgeries and have copied their looks.

Celebrities like The Weeknd, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears have all undergone plastic surgery. The problem with this is that they aren’t always upfront and only post what they want you to see. This can lead to people who watch them feel insecure about their appearance. This is also why it’s progressively becoming more popular for women and men to seek out ways to enhance their appearance.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the top five cosmetic surgical procedures in 2019 were breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping and facelifts. Social media has influenced these procedures with many influencers and celebrities like Dianna Agron, Barbra Streisand and Kris Jenner doing this.

Undergoing plastic surgery isn’t necessarily a bad thing to boost your confidence and self-esteem. However, you should keep in mind that you are beautiful the way you are. When you look at these women on posters or online it’s not always real. People struggle with body image issues every day.

According to a study done in Spain over lockdown, women aged from 14-24 reported being dissatisfied by their body image after looking at different media platforms. Kids from the ages of 8-18 experience at least 7.5 hours a day looking at some form of media. Being exposed to this kind of media all the time causes a great deal of pressure on people to appear a certain way to their peers.

Adults should be able to make the decision if they want to alter their appearance. However, they should be mindful of how that can affect the younger generation’s view of themselves. If an adult decides to undergo surgery they should always be upfront and honest about the fact that they altered their appearance.

You should be informed on your decision when deciding whether or not to undergo surgery.

Have realistic expectations when going into something so life changing and be patient with the recovery process. Be sure to ask your doctor questions about the procedure and know the risks associated with it.

The Price of Plastic

Highlighting the effects of single-use products during COVID-19 written by Hunter Neel

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has impacted all aspects of our

lives, social, economic and environmental. When we walk down the street or drive through the suburbs, we can see disposable masks everywhere, whether they have just been discarded or slowly decomposing for the past year. While most of the information about COVID-19 is quantifiable, the mass influx of single-use plastics such as disposable masks, gloves, take-out containers, etc., is still unknown. At first glance, COVID-19 seems to be unintentionally aiding in the United Nations sustainability objectives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, outdoor air pollution and noise pollution (1). However, this comes at the cost of increasing indoor air pollution and increased consumption of single-use plastics, including PPE. One of the main characters in this influx of single-use plastic is medical waste. Major metropolitan areas, particularly those with either large hospitals, a large number of hospitals, or both, are consuming these single-use plastics tenfold. There is an estimated monthly use of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves needed to protect citizens worldwide (1). While this PPE is necessary to protect people from COVID-19, the estimates could be higher than initially thought. For example, in Catalonia, Spain, there was a reported increment of 350% regarding medical waste (1). Additionally, various municipalities are disposing and managing the waste in an unsatisfactory manner furthering the ramifications of COVID-19.

COVID-19 has created a demand for single-use plastics in supermarkets as well. The concerns of contamination and spread have led to an estimated increase of plastic 40% for the packaging of goods.

Sources 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7430241/ 2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021004485

However, it has been found that COVID-19 viral particles “are more viable and stable for 2–3 days on plastics and stainless-steel surfaces than on cardboard, wood, banknotes, and copper-” (2). Many states, including Massachusetts and New Hampshire, introduced reusable bag bans in stores to prevent and further cross-contamination (1). While this ban limits the number of cross-contamination workers and consumers may encounter, it ultimately halts all the work done in prior years to combat single-use plastics.

Nations across the world could have never anticipated the sheer devastation and expansive timeline of COVID-19. As mentioned before, we are beginning to see some of the environmental issues of COVID-19 and specifically the management of plastic waste.

However, these issues cannot be solved by individuals alone; it will take government and dynamic management strategies to counteract the environmental damages of COVID-19. There is a beam of light in this whole situation, “there is an opportunity to rebuild new industries that can innovate new reusable or non-plastic PPEs“ that not only combats COVID-19 single-use plastics but any future single-use plastics (2). Unfortunately, the data is lacking, but we can only estimate what the foreseeable future will look like; with that being said, it is not entirely impossible to make a change today. Looking into the future, we can hopefully see the rise in more sustainable practices.

While vaccines continue to roll out and life begins to feel a little more normal, we must keep up the fight against single-use plastic. If you are able: start using reusable grocery bags, request that your takeout does not include plastic utensils, and ultimately shop less (and trust me, that’s easier said than done especially being inside for all this time). Being mindful and thoughtful as we integrate into a new normal is critical to combat these new issues we will be facing. But remember to not be so hard on yourself because, at the end of the day, no one could have known what the past year had in store.

Defining an Identity:

The History of Hip-Hop in Morgantown written by Hunter Bennett

Since 1999, hip-hop has been the most popular music genre across the world. As the industry has grown, so has access to the tools to create music. It is far from rare to encounter somebody who is pursuing a music career. The Internet has fostered an environment which allows for nearly everybody to have the ability to create art and distribute it to fans. Hip-hop music and culture is something almost entirely synonymous with big cities, but with the rise of platforms like Bandcamp and Soundcloud, the gate has opened for people without industry connections to build a following and grow their careers. It is no surprise that hip-hop music exists at a place like West Virginia University, but it may surprise the reader just how far back the history of the hip-hop community in this college town goes.

The story of hip-hop in Morgantown, WV is one of people in unlikely places coming together to create art and chase success. It is the story of two brothers starting a record label in 1999, a high school senior creating a Mountaineer themed remix of Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” a DJ with a vision and an ever-growing array of talent.

When one looks at the hip-hop industry, artists usually emerge from the hearts of cities across the United States. Not often is West Virginia mentioned on The Breakfast Club. Yet, in the middle of Appalachia, lies Morgantown, WV with an established scene showing a variety of impressive talent.

To tell the story of hip-hop in Morgantown, one must go back to 1999. Rap music and culture has been a part of the college scene since it first became popular. But it was in 1999 that two brothers took a leap and started Soundvizion, an independent record label operated on High Street. Eric “Monstalung’’ Jordan and his brother Lionel “6 ‘6 240” Jordan helped to establish a presence for hip-hop in Morgantown. If you ever listened to a WVU Football Game on the radio in the 2000s, you may have heard songs like 6’6 240’s “WV Clap” or one of several iterations of “Gold N’ Blue.” Eric Jordan’s YouTube channel, MONSTALUNG SOUNDVIZION, has amassed over 1.4 million views since it was created in 2006. The label would go on to include a number of artists based in the region like Ace Beanz, Johnny Harmonic, A Breezy, 304 Reconz and QUIE. Their network of artists spanned across West Virginia. In “Dub V’s Finest Pt. 2,” rappers from across the state came together for a 9-minute posse track.

The Jordans’ legacy continues to this day. In addition to music, they established the Norman Jordan African American Arts & Heritage Academy, named after their father. The Soundvizion Crew produced a Facebook page and video series titled “I Love Morgantown WV.” Soundvizion showed that hip-hop can exist and thrive in an unlikely place. The college environment acts as a breeding ground for new talent. The internet and social media have allowed for a generation of aspiring artists to have access to the tools that were once only available in professional studio spaces.

A discussion of hip-hop in Morgantown is incomplete without mentioning DJ Yemi. Yemi, who has been a disc jockey in Morgantown for nearly a decade, has personally witnessed how the music scene has evolved. “I think the biggest change is how music is distributed. Earlier, music studios used to be almost exclusively in bigger cities. It was harder to get to a studio. Now, in the 21st Century, it is much easier to record and upload music. If I wanted to, I could record a song and have it uploaded today,” said Yemi.

As his career grew from doing gigs at parties to doing shows at venues, he noticed an open avenue for artists to grow through doing live shows. His vision began with Unsigned Hype, an event where artists from around the area had the chance to perform in local nightclubs. After seeing success from these shows, Yemi set sights on something bigger. “The whole idea behind YemiPalooza is to get big time artists performing with Morgantown artists. So, the Morgantown artists can get a spotlight when the big time artists come in,” said Yemi.

“It has helped people see that there are artists here. People might not know about them, but they are here grinding and doing their thing.”

In regards to YemiPalooza, a music festival he had put on annually since 2017, Yemi said, “With our demographic, you don’t get the Pittsburgh or Atlanta shows going on every week.

Fallfest is the only chance to see someone big. Last time, Gucci Mane performed. Let’s put Ghandiii or Adam Yokum with Gucci.

I figured we should give local artists an opportunity to shine with big artists. That was the whole idea.”

DJ Yemi points out that not only is there a large pool of talent, but the artists in Morgantown have the numbers to prove it.

He said, “What ends up happening here. There’s a mindset that this isn’t Atlanta, or a place with a big time area for rappers.

People don’t believe the magnitude of what these rappers are doing. It is really good, but you don’t believe it until you see it.

When you see the numbers these artists do, it’s impressive.

You might hear that a local rapper is releasing a new song and not thinking much of it, but on Spotify that artist is almost at 1,000,000 plays.”

Morgantown, WV isn’t usually on the list of tour locations for really big names. DJ Yemi believes it can be.

“For my booking process, I don’t look at the huge artists. What I try to do is, especially with my DJ background, I try to get artists I see projection-wise. I see that they’re gonna be big. Jack Harlow now isn’t Jack Harlow a year ago. But, I saw what he was gonna be then. I watch YouTube, listen to a lot of music, and keep up with the trends. The process is connecting with them early. I try to show them I’m a real person, and that I understand their grind and hustle. I’m trying to bring them to a new market, and Morgantown, WV, is a great market,” said Yemi.

Like those who came before, DJ Yemi is among a crowd that sees great potential in Morgantown. Even beyond hip-hop, venues like 123 Pleasant St are excellent attractions for artists looking to play cheaper shows in the greater Pittsburgh area.

DJ Yemi, along with local artist Ghandiii, both acknowledge how listeners in Morgantown often bring the music back to their hometowns. “A lot of people don’t understand it. There’s a lot of people here that are not from here. Whenever they hear something, they take it to their area and spread it more.

Although it’s a ‘small’ area, there’s a lot of big potential here. A lot of my listeners are from New York, and that is all from people in Morgantown sharing music with friends and family back home,” said Ghandiii.

Yemi feels confident about the future of hip hop music in Morgantown. “I think the future is bright. Live shows are what’s gonna keep it going. That’s what brings people from out of state here. It’s gonna help the businesses. It’ll help the schools. And, it’s gonna help the artists. It’s gonna help everything,” said Yemi.

“Morgantown is in the middle of a lot of things. Cumberland, MD, is an hour away. Pittsburgh is an hour away. Ohio is literally like an hour away. There’s a lot of pockets where people come from and see what the music is like. We can do real quality live shows. We can do bands, singers, rappers, whatever it is. If we do more live music, I think that is what will grow the scene.

The talent is here. We could do amazing shows with just the artists here, but we bring in more people from these other regions by bringing in these artists for more live shows,” said Yemi.

In the current scene, listeners will find a diverse group of up-and-coming artists. There’s no doubt every student at WVU knows an artist in some capacity, be it their friend on SoundCloud, a local concert, or other social media.

With music production being more accessible than ever, it takes a lot to stand out. Anderson Small, who built a large following at WVU for his hip hop dance videos, recognizes the amount of work artists put into their passion.“It definitely is a school full of broke college students. But that allows us to dig deep with creativity. Being that we don’t have insane resources it allows us to find out how to become creative in all aspects of our lives.

Hustle begins to spark then you see great outcomes from it,” Anderson said.

Since 1999, we’ve witnessed an impressive catalogue of hip-hop music that came out of Morgantown, WV. The music scene in Morgantown is something that is always evolving. New artists are always emerging and more connections are being made. West Virginia’s music scene is rarely talked about beyond Country and Bluegrass. With the advent of social media and a greater access to the tools needed to create music, artists have been slowly carving a hip-hop identity for the state. Even beyond this article, there are so many more talented artists in this area.

And this scene is only going to grow bigger. When live shows begin to return, there is no doubt that Morgantown will continue to make a name for itself in the world of hip-hop, impressing fans with the talent and creativity of its artists.

Tackling a TikTok Star: Inside the mind of @TinyJewishGirl written by Annika Godwin

on the haters Although TikTok is not necessarily known for friendly commenters, the users in @tinyjewishgirl’s comment section are particularly ruthless. One user (@mirandawildcats0) wrote, “That looks like [an outfit] a homeless person would have.”

Another (@ranems) wrote, “You’re so cute but you can’t expect us to lie to you and say it looks good.”

Despite Perlmutter’s demeanor about her fashion being overwhelmingly fun and positive rather than condescending or pushy, the comments go beyond constructive criticism and rather are largely unwarranted.

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he fashion community on TikTok has evolved into a polarizing sector, and NYU student Clara Perlmutter knows this better than anyone.

Perlmutter, whose username on the social media site is @tinyjewishgirl, shows off her unique fashion sense to her 400 thousand followers and consistently racks up hundreds of thousands— sometimes even millions— of views as well as tons of hate comments.

Many of the negative comments even go past just Perlmutter’s fashion sense. Users are unafraid to comment on her body hair, specifically her armpit and stomach hair, downcasting her femininity and womanhood. Despite all the negativity Perlmutter receives, she is not scared to combat the cyberbullies and stand up for herself.

on why she dresses the way she does

on her style Perlmutter’s style could be described as eccentric, campy or even tacky to some. Many of her outfits are a culmination of every early 2000s trend smashed together, including but not limited to low-rise pants, jelly shoes, monokinis and mini skirts. She never shies away from bold colors, funky patterns and chunky jewelry.

Statement pieces are Perlmutter’s go-to’s, like her embroidered and bejeweled jeans and her controversial bright yellow Nikes.

In a video titled “why i dress the way i do!” on Oct. 19, Perlmutter describes why she continues to dress for herself rather than following current fashion trends. In high school, Perlmutter struggled with bullies and a Bipolar diagnosis, leading to hospitalization for suicidal thoughts. After she recovered, Perlmutter “started celebrating life through self expression.” Her journey began with dying her hair pink and from there, she continued to find her authentic self through fashion.

“Wear what makes you happy, and I promise that confidence will inspire other people to do the same,” Perlmutter said.

photographed by Emily Kennel edited by Olivia Gianettino

Making The

Manicure

written by Kasey Lettrich

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’ve been getting acrylic nails since I was in 9th grade, but sometimes I pause to think about how strange it is that I pay money once a month to have my fingernails made longer with plastic and powder. To me, fake nails feel like a trend that a century from now people will think is so odd, like the bustle dresses of the 1800s. So, why are acrylic nails so popular? And, where does this trend come from? Did it start in the early 2000s or has it been around for decades?

I’m here to offer you a little history lesson on this trend that began in a peculiar way and hit the mainstream several decades ago.

The Early Years Fake nails have been around since 600 BC in China’s Chou Dynasty and were considered a symbol of wealth. Aside from the cultures that saw fake nails as a status marker, everyday manicures did not involve fake nails. It wasn’t until the 1930s that these fake nails became the acrylic manicures that we know today. And, they weren’t created by anyone in cosmetology. A 1930s dentist, Maxwell Lappe, started putting dental acrylic on patients to stop them from biting their nails.

Frederick Slack, a dentist in 1957, broke his nail and decided to experiment with dental acrylics and chemicals to cover his broken nail. Yes, that’s right, a dentist. A few years later another dentist, Stuart Nordstrom, created the liquid and powder system that we use today.

The 1970s It wasn’t until the 1970s that the practice of acrylic nails became mainstream. With this practice came the rapid growth of nail salons across the country. According to Allure, “In 1976, American Jeff Pink created one of the most well-known manicures for busy Hollywood starlets: The French Manicure.” Greta Garbo, a Swedish-American actress, popularized the longer acrylic nails. Finally, the 1970s gave the public access to the fashionable nails of the Hollywood stars and the product itself has changed little since this time aside from a bit of chemical adjustment to make it less harmful.

Today After the 1970s and the rapid expansion of nail salons, acrylic nails grew in popularity. According to Statista, in 2019 alone, artificial nails and accessories increased in sales by 17.5%. According to the same website, the global artificial nails market is predicted to register a growth rate of 4.5% from 2019 to 2024, and it will reach $1.2 billion.

So, to answer the question of why we wear these plastic nails, it was inspired by the Hollywood stars of the 60s and 70s and came about through dentistry. Now, we get to wear intricate designs and nails as long as we want to dress up our hands.

Next time you go to the dentist, be sure to thank them for creating this alluring fashion trend.

Plarn. written by Savanna Shriver

What it is: PLastic + yARN, plarn, is material made from repurposed shopping bags.

It can be used to knit, crochet or weave sleeping mats, clothing and reusable bags.

There are tutorials on YouTube and TikTok where you can learn how to make plarn and what you can do with it. Pinterest also has great “paper” tutorials and inspo pictures.

There’s some debate over whether or not you can only use regular plastic bags from the store or if you can use larger plastic bags and plastic you receive items in the mail in. It’s a little trickier to work with bigger pieces, but I’ve found no difference once it’s all woven together.

How you can use it: Mats for people who are homeless or for camping. These are great because they provide a sleeping surface that is soft, waterproof and insulating. They can also double as a blanket for warmth and very lightweight.

Why you should start using it: It saves single-use plastic from ending up in landfills, looks badass and is completely waterproof. It’s also very versatile because you can customize the thickness of the string by cutting it into thicker or thinner strips and you can pick your color pallet by using multi-colored bags or just brown bags, for example. You can also color the bags with a sharpie to “dye” the “yarn” which makes for a cooler look! Not to mention, there is essentially no cost involved, so it’s free.

Budding

Bimbofication: The reclamation of the word “Bimbo” written by Maggie Stewart

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he word “bimbo” was popularized as a slang term in the 1920s to mean “ditzy” and that someone “gets by on their looks”. It was first published by The American Magazine, saying, “Nothing but the most heroic measures will save the poor bimbo.” It was derived from the Italian word “bambino” which meant a foolish or inconsequential man. Irving Berlin also put out a song around this time titled “My Little Bimbo Down on the Bimbo Isle”. The word was also used to describe women who would perform in Burlesque shows in the 1920s, and Jack Conway of Vanity Fair is said to have been credited with popularizing the word.

It fizzled out until the 1980s when it regained traction when political journalists started heavily running and covering sex scandals and would often label the female in the situation a “bimbo”. So much so that 1987 was labeled “The Year of the Bimbo”. Controversies surrounding popular political figures such as Oliver North (the Iran Contra Affair), Senator Gary Hart and Jim Bakker (a popular tv preacher) and their respective bimbo’s, Fawn Hall, Donna Rice and Tammy Faye Bakker were some of the most talked about scandals of this time. As well as Jessica Hahn creating the archetype for bimbos of that era on The Howard Stern Show, starring in music videos and posing for Playboy. Recently the word has come back into circulation, but in a completely different way.

So many women identify with the clothing, platforms and behavior of the new age bimbo that it has swept the nation with millions of videos labeled #bimbo. The popular user @ChrissyChlapecka has had much success and is the leading creator in these types of videos. She paved the way for countless other women to hop on these trends. Lots of girls resonate with the idea of using their femininity in a positive way that makes them feel good and furthers the movement.

“Turning ‘bimbo’ into a mouthpiece for popular social and political issues as well as breaking down stereotypes is one of the many things Gen Z has used the popular app TikTok to achieve.”

TikTok teens decided that they’d had enough of the ditzy, blonde bimbo stereotype and reclaimed the word for themselves. They have created trends surrounding the most basic form of the stereotype. Dressing up in their generally pink, revealing outfits and talking especially slow. Often over explaining and dumbing things down, running into doors and other stereotypical dumb girl behavior, as well as speaking on being associated with left-wing issues and ideologies. These trends were created to showcase the nuances of the word and all that it represents.

Chlapecka often correlates the “bimbo movement” with being a radical leftist and can be quoted in her videos saying such things like “bimbo’s are pro sex work, pro black lives matter, pro lgbtq+, and pro choice,” and “remember, we always step on Trump supporters.” She also often hashtags her videos #ihatecapitalism. This new age bimbo is now not just a dumb, ditzy girl, but a woman who uses her looks and charms to further the issues and policies of the American political system.

Chlapecka and so many others used the stereotypes of a word so often used in a negative connotation and rebranded it to be the voice of a generation.

Turning ‘bimbo’ into a mouthpiece for popular social and political issues as well as breaking down stereotypes is one of the many things Gen Z has used the popular app TikTok to achieve. Wearing frilly clothes, outlandish makeup and acting dumb as a commentary on oppression and suffrage is the latest tactic used by, what I would call, Gen Z’s attempt at furthering the Women’s Rights Movement. Taking these stereotypes so often used against them and not only reclaiming them, but using them to spread awareness, is such a powerful message. Broadcasting that “if that’s all you think we’re good for, then that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Gen Z has broken the mold in many ways when it comes to being involved in political change. They have made it a new norm to speak out and vocalize injustices/get involved where you want to see change. We saw this in the 60s and the 70s with the protest movement, but it has globalized with the invention of the internet and has taken off with the invention of TikTok which has become the platform for the new age bimbo to raise its voice. Women all over the world have used it as a creative and effective outlet to raise awareness and spread their message and to create a widespread knowledge of the budding bimbofication of the new generation.

Chunky and Funky written by Madison Hess

The life of plastic rings

Since the world of fashion has started changing

drastically due to the virus, people are ready for exciting trends and more pizazz. Although stacked silver or gold rings are always a classic, we need bigger and better, more color and fun! Let’s talk trends on the newly seen chunky, plastic, bold rings that just might add a spot of fun to your look.

Now that the ’90s are back in fashion, this includes everything chunky and colorful. The brightly-colored accessory started its debut in the celebrity world of style.

For instance, YouTuber Emma Chamberlain and supermodel Bella Hadid are seen rocking this new trend all over social media. The maximalist rings seem to have a handmade or plastic look to them that makes them unique. In the arts, maximalism is seen as a reaction against minimalism. More is more and this aesthetic is reflected in how this generation has taken on jewelry in general. The rings are made out of resin or sometimes clay, giving them a homemade look. Recent popular designs show added jewels, beads or mixing colors together. If those don’t fit your fancy, there are also chunky rings that come in different shapes. The rings may look huge, but it

seems that no one finds them uncomfortable. It’s almost like an internal ring pop. Just like the ones you would wear as a kid hanging out by the pool, and you could feel your bright red cherry ring weighing down your finger. It always made me feel older and made my hand gestures way more dramatic.

Why is the trend occurring now? Since the pandemic, everyone has been looking for interesting ways to style themselves. Recent forecasting shows that any colorful ‘60s-2000s trend is on the rise. Back in the 60s, women wore something called cocktail rings as a symbol of rebellion and independence. These rings would draw attention to the fact that they were drinking pricy alcoholic beverages. They were often worn on the hand opposite of the wedding band and were covered in color and shine. If you happen to wear one of these bold rings while sipping a cocktail, raise a glass to the 1960s. After all, the people are tired of plain and simple, these rings are the easiest way to spice up your jewelry box and to bring some excitement to your fingers.

Madison Alexander Talks Creating Earrings with Mirage’s Madison Hess

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hat is your name, major and where are you from?

My name is Madison Alexander. I’m from Troy, Pennsylvania. I’m a sophomore in the Interactive Design for Media program.

How did you get started with your earring making?

It started as a joke mostly. My freshman year roommate bought the tiny plastic babies you use for baby showers and I thought, “these would make funny earrings.” So, I ordered all of the supplies I needed and got to it.

What are they made out of/how do you make them?

Usually they’re made out of whatever I have around, or whatever I can find for free or very cheap. I make them by getting a paperclip hot, then pushing a hole into my material. I then either super glue an eye hook into the hole or use a jump ring, depending on the thickness of the material and the placement. After that, I add jump rings until I get the desired length and fasten the earring hook.

Do you follow color trends or make them however you want?

I usually make them as the ideas pop into my head.

What is your inspo for your designs? Are you inspired by anyone in particular?

Honestly, the inspiration for my designs is usually humor and shock value. I like making a statement with my earrings. I have been inspired a lot by the TikTok user @peachpitplanet. She always has interesting earrings and I have taken inspiration from her many times.

What are your favorite shapes/designs to make?

I really like making something out of nothing. I find things that I would have thrown out normally and turn them into something to wear. One of my favorite earrings I have made is a set of utensils from the Tower’s Dining hall take-out boxes. I always felt guilty getting my meals to-go because of the single use plastic that came along with it, so I made a pair of fork and knife earrings with the single use silverware.

Do you plan on having more designs or having a future business in making funky earrings?

I’ve definitely thought about selling on campus through an Instagram page or maybe even a Depop page, but I haven’t taken that leap yet. I have made earrings for some friends and it’s always so exciting seeing someone wear your art.

Have you tried experimenting with different mediums?

I have tried using shrinky dink plastic! That’s pretty fun because the possibilities are unlimited.

I have been wanting to get into polymer clay, but I haven’t found the time yet.

What’s your favorite part about making these earrings?

My favorite thing about making earrings is definitely wearing them. They take an outfit to the next level and I love the statement that comes along with the absurdity of some of my pieces.

Final thoughts or comments on being a creator?

One of the best things you can do is start creating for yourself. Since starting to make these earrings, I have felt a lot more confident in my process and creative thinking.

Anything you want to tell people who are thinking about creating pieces or designs?

Go for it! The worst thing you can do is fail and that will only help you grow as a person and an artist.

Is It Fashion or Are They Just Skinny? written by Tory Webb-Johnson

Scrolling through Pinterest, Instagram or really any

socialmedia app, we are confronted with images of goddesses and models whose bodies seem to be carved from stone. Their clothes never fail to fit them perfectly, and their style always seems so effortlessly chic. Meanwhile back in the real world, we mortals spend our mornings changing back into our comfort clothes because we just do not have the confidence to wear that special outfit we’ve been thinking about. We talk about the jeans we save in our closet for when we lose that 10 pounds or save outfit inspirations to our “outfit’s I’ll wear when I’m skinny” Pinterest boards. But who says good style is reserved for those below a certain size?

A great many TikTok creators would certainly echo that sentiment. On TikTok, the rise of body positivity trends and creators has become a welcome change in the world of social media. For those of us on the “fashion-side” of the app, you may have seen trends dedicated to exploring fashion for mid to plus-size women. Within these trends, many even begin to question whether certain style trends and popular outfits are even stylish at all. A perfect example of this is a trend often referred to as “Is it a fit or is she just skinny?,” in which users attempt to recreate outfits from Pinterest on mid to plus-size bodies. The goal is to discover whether the outfit can be worn on any body and has actual style or if the body of the Pinterest model is the only thing that makes the outfit appealing. The trend appears to have originated from the creator @sanrizzle and has since been picked up by many other users on the app.

Similarly, many mid to plus-size creators have been doing “realistic clothing hauls,” where they try on trending clothing items from popular retail stores to see if they look good on all bodies. I remember when I first downloaded the app, these were some of the first creators I chose to follow.

Creators, like @remibader and @loganraehill, aim to show people how good these items can look on anybody, criticize companies whose sizes may not be inclusive enough, and generally prove to their followers that anybody can look good in the latest trends.

These trends have raised an important question within fashion, how much is our perception of style influenced by the industry-standard body that has been pushed onto us.

The favored body type seems to go in and out of style much the same as the favored style of jeans. Since the 1980s, the fashion industry has crafted its “ideal body type”—tall and skinny. From the runway to retail, it can be found in every corner of the industry.

A great deal of professionals and scholars have thought about and investigated the relationship between the body and fashion. For me, the two are connected in their role of forming parts of our identity. They are both a part of how we project ourselves to the outside world. Marketing, and now social media, has taught us that the two are linked. If we want to have good style, we have to have a specific body.

If we don’t have a certain body, then we cannot have good style. However, this is a mindset we must quickly unlearn and it seems our society is slowly attempting to do so.

These TikTok trends and creators are participating in, what I would refer to as, a fashion revolution in the age of social media. For as long as social media has been around, we have seen it be dominated by a narrative pushing for unrealistic body standards, especially in fashion. We have watched as our society has gained an exponentially gre ater sense of poor body image and as fashion has become categorized as an exclusive club. While it has its issues, TikTok appears to be the first social media platform that has begun to embrace body diversity in fashion on a much larger scale. Mid to plus-size TikTok creators are starting to take fashion and expression back into the hands of the public, helping to redefine fashion as a form of self-expression where anyone is welcome to participate.

Every body is beautiful in its own way and there will always be clothes out there that can show that. In the end, fashion is not just for the size 0s of the world. Everyone can and should feel free to participate in trends and explore self-expression with fashion.

How Global Artists are Raising Awareness of Plastic Pollution written by Anusha Singh

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here is more between the coast of California and Japan than just blue ocean. In fact, in the area that would be smooth sailing, about 1000 miles off the California coastline, exists a swirling vortex of trash. This gyrating, all consuming vortex was dubbed The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and covers over 1.6 million square kilometers, or an area that is twice the size of Texas and three times the size of the entire country of France. In fact, many marine biologists and sailors refer to it simply as a huge “island” of trash because the plastic waste doesn’t just float on top, but actually spans to meters below the ocean surface. Unfortunately, the trash vortex is responsible for the death of over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals each year, as well as many other species, but humans are responsible for creation of the massive trash vortex itself. Over 5 to 13 million tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans each year (oceanconservacy.org). So much so, that plastic waste is everywhere -- from the oceans, to the beaches, to even our own drinking water. Luckily, there are many people, artists and scientists alike, all dedicated to the cause of reducing plastic pollution.

Charles Moore discovered the Patch in 1997 and continues to raise awareness through his own environmental organization, the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. He claimed that “humanity’s plastic footprint is probably more dangerous than its carbon footprint.” Like Charles Moore there are hundreds of oceanographers, climatologists and scientists working towards reducing plastic pollution in the ocean and cleaning up the five garbage patches that plague our oceans. Standing along these scientists, there are hundreds of artists working towards educating the public and increasing awareness of the negative effects of plastic waste on the environment.

Art has always been used as a medium for political and social activism, and with climate change and the plastic pandemic on younger people’s minds, it’s no surprise that artists are starting to look at plastic waste in a new way and creating incredible, huge works of art that are not only beautiful, but also serve as a stark reminder of the impact of our waste on the planet and its inhabitants, inspiring us to rethink our own consumption.

A New York artist, activist and geography professor, Dr. Max Liboiron, has created a series of “Sea Globes.” Dr. Liboiron explains that “these sea globes are a representation of the waterfront environment in New York City today, with plastic from the Hudson River in south Brooklyn, and rocks made of bituminous coal from in a landfill that closed in the 1930s at Deadhorse Bay, which now resides underwater at high tide.”

Dr. Max Liboiron, Sea Globes, Globes the New York City WaterFront Taking into account the massive loss of all ocean life, another artist, Alvaro Soler Arpa, works with the Plastic Pollution Coalition and uses animal bones and toxic waste in her massive art installations in Barcelona, Spain. Her work is jarring, as one realizes that a majority of sea creatures consume and ingest the plastic waste that humans dump in the ocean.

One can’t help but think of Alvaro’s inspiration, the hundreds of beached whales that regularly wash up on coastal town shores, with their mouths wide open, spilling out and holding over 220 pounds of plastic waste.

Alvaro Arpa, Vida Toxica, Alvaro Arpa In Bristol, England there are two larger-than-life whales depicted swimming in an ocean, sponsored by Artists Project Earth and designed by Sue Lipscombe.

These humongous whales are made completely out of 100,000 single use plastic bottles collected from the Bristol 10k and Bath Half Marathon and represent the beauty and fragility of our oceans and the increasing human threats that they face.

Cod Steak, Sue Lipscombe, Bristol Whales in Millenium Square, Square, United Kingdom

Pozzi, Parrot Fish and Shark Larger than Life Installations, Bandon, Oregon

Jana Cruder and Matthew LaPenta want to influence consumer behavior and make people think twice about their plastic use, so they created large-scale 3D plastic renderings of disposable plastics called “Natural Plasticity.”

Using large sheets of plastic, they replicate the single-use plastic cups that are thrown away and littered daily on a massive scale. By placing the installations in urban spaces like public parks, the artists are able to stimulate conversation and make passerbys give a second thought to tossing that cup in a recycling bin rather than on the side of the street.

Last but not least is Angela Haseltine Pozzi, founder of the Washed Ashore Project. Her love for the ocean and passion project with Washed Ashore and volunteer ocean cleanup groups has led to the processing and clean up of tons of plastic pollution from beaches all along the American West Coast. The recycled plastic has then been used to create huge, monumental art that opens viewer eyes to the global marine crisis as they step closer to the colorful creations and realize they are made up entirely of plastic debris found washed ashore on beaches.

These incredibly talented global artists are raising awareness of the crisis that is plastic pollution, while providing pretty solutions to the ugly problem. By incorporating plastic into works of art for other people to admire, they are helping to decrease the amount of plastic waste contaminating the oceans and killing its wildlife, while giving the audience a way to deeply contemplate the human system of waste. In sharing these artists’ works with you, I ask that you take a moment to reflect on the work itself, and ask yourself what you can do to make a difference. How can you creatively work to protect the oceans and all the wonderful creatures living in them? More importantly, how can you create your own little positive impact in the fight against plastic pollution?

iDOLLizing Bratz written by Nataya Bartlett

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ratz is an American fashion doll and merchandise brand that gained popularity after its release in 2001. The original dolls featured four main characters—a Caucasian doll named Cloe, an African American doll named Sasha, a Latinx doll named Yasmin and an Asian doll named Jade. Bratz did not stop at dolls. Their line expanded to video games, movies, clothes and even albums.

Bratz dolls were unlike anything seen before in the toy market. There was no individual Bratz doll that was the star of the show. They were sold as a group of friends with different traits that were all equally valued and showed a group of girls that appreciated each other. Bratz also had an impactful role with representation in the media. Kids who weren’t white finally saw a doll like them that was popular and wasn’t just an accessory to Barbie. The Bratz cast were made up of 75% of ethnic minorities, showing that everyone could have a “passion for fashion. ”These unique dolls quickly caught the attention of many consumers. During its peak, Bratz made over $800 million in sales according to Forbes.

However, being so unique meant that Bratz had to suffer its share in controversy.

Bratz were vastly different from what toy producers were making up to that point. Girls had the usual toys to play with: babydolls, Polly Pockets and the ever-popular Barbie. Their big heads, heavy use of makeup, diversity and unique fashion differentiated them from Barbie’s predominantly blonde hair, blue-eyed and slim appearance.

Bratz dolls’ striking appearance worried many parents. Moms feared that Bratz dolls were too sexualized and promoted promiscuity. They thought that their girls would start wearing heavy makeup and inappropriate clothing.

Bratz also suffered from a nasty and lengthy legal dispute between its parent company MGA Entertainment and Mattel over rights. This caused the line to make many hiatuses, causing their line to suffer. These factors made Bratz quietly disappear from the shelves, and left in our memories.

Up until now, that is.

With the popularity of Y2K fashion resurfacing, Bratz unsurprisingly found their way back in popularity. Rather than being the topic of controversy, they were the blueprint and inspiration to many. Bratz had always followed closely with pop culture trends. With low rise jeans, arched eyebrows, baby dolls tees, glimmer eyeshadow, tiny sunglasses and even tinier handbags, Bratz scream Y2K aesthetic.

People aren’t just looking to Bratz for fashion inspiration. Countless now turn to Bratz for their ideal body. During their time, Bratz dolls’ big lips and small noses were seen as shocking and scandalous. But now, having full lips, a tiny waist and a button nose is all the rage. Many influencers today mirror the looks of Bratz, with their hourglass figure and snatched makeup looks.

Bratz has also shown that feminine empowerment and expression do not have to be a set way. Bratz are unapologetically themselves, no matter what people think of their makeup or clothes. More often than not, women who wore less makeup were deemed as “pure” or more worthy of respect.

However much makeup or clothes a woman decides to wear or not does not define the type of woman someone is, or how much respect they do or don’t “deserve.” Bratz break the standards placed on women and helps women to break those standards as well.

In addition, the name Bratz—a play on the word “brat”—is a way to reclaim an insult given towards women, much like the word “bimbo” or “slut” has.

Bratz today have been used as an icon of empowerment and a way for women to express themselves however they choose.

From shocking stardom to facing controversy, and then coming back into the limelight, Bratz dolls have truly shown us that nothing ever truly goes out of style.

written by Alexandra Holsclaw and Kaeli Ricottilli photographed by Kasey Lettrich

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he rise of thrifting has only just begun, especially among the younger generation. With thrifting becoming more trendy, it may be in your best interest to try it out. In July 2019, I started Mountain State Thrifts, a small business where I sell unique thrifted clothes. I’ve always loved thrifting for myself, but only recently started thrifting to resell. Buying secondhand clothing or furniture helps reduce our carbon footprint. In the past, there was a stigma around thrifting.

Thrift stores were thought of as a dirty place for the less fortunate to shop. This perception has recently changed.

More and more people are shopping from thrift stores to save money and find unique clothes that no one else has.

The rush of excitement I get whenever I find one-of-a-kind items is a feeling like no other. I love selling clothes to a new home that will value the piece. If you want to check my shop out, my Instagram is @mountainstatethrifts. Here are some of my thrifting tips for resellers and personal shoppers.

- Search online to see all of the thrift stores near you. You might even find a new thrift store that you’ve never heard of. You should try out all of the ones near you and if you like certain stores, frequently go back to them. You can shop at Goodwill, Salvation Army, Savers, Habitat for Humanity ReStore and many other local thrift stores. You can even look through your local online newspaper for yard or estate sales near you.

- Go to the thrift store on a weekday. It’s best to go on a weekday, especially in the morning, because most people are at work, and it will be less crowded. The worst possible day to go is on Saturdays when it’s very busy and the racks have been thoroughly picked through.

- Go often. I prefer to go to the thrift stores at least twice a month. I make a list of all the stores I want to go to and I make it a “thrifting day.” You can even go every two weeks to ensure you’re going back to the stores with a large amount of new inventory.

- Be patient. This is the #1 rule in thrifting. It will take you time to find something you really like, but in the end, it’ll be worth it. You can’t give up if you’ve only been looking for ten minutes. It typically takes me around one or two hours to search through the whole store, depending on how big it is.

- Create a system of priority. Before you even go inside the thrift store, try to prioritize which departments you want to go to first. This is to ensure you’ll find the best items before someone else looks through them. For example, I like to first go to the purses, then men’s clothing, then shoes and so on.

- Go straight to the new rack. Thrift store employees usually have to roll out racks or bins full of “new” clothing that hasn’t hit the floor yet. Before they start taking the clothes to the right department, try to briefly look through them. You may want to ask permission to look through the rack.

- Look through all of the departments. I highly recommend going through all of the racks as a reseller or if you’re shopping for yourself. I look through all of the jeans, shoes, dresses, purses, home decor and even men’s clothing to find vintage tees or sweatshirts.

- Keep an eye out. I briefly look through the racks because if I looked at each clothing item, I would be there forever. The best way to do this is by keeping an eye out for a certain color you’re looking for, crazy patterns and anything vintage. Finding vintage items typically have more value because of how rare or hard they are to find. An easy trick to tell if something is vintage is by looking at the sleeve to see if it’s single-stitched and by the look of vintage tags. Some vintage tees and sweatshirts even have the year it was made on them.

- Look at the condition. Many items will be in used and/or damaged condition. If so, take the quality into account in your purchasing decision. If it’s something that can be easily fixed, then go ahead and buy it. If a clothing item has holes or stains, maybe try cropping it or using a stain remover.

- Try on the clothes. If there’s no return policy, try on clothes to ensure they will fit you. If you don’t feel comfortable trying on the clothes, bring a measuring tape.

- Stay clean. Try to wear gloves when you visit a thrift store, especially the Goodwill bins. After thrifting, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. Most thrift stores don’t wash or clean donated clothes before putting them out on the floor. Make sure to immediately throw the thrifted clothes in the wash once you get home.

This will hopefully take out any odors, stains or even bugs from the clothing.

- Save money. You’re already saving money by thrifting, but you can save even more with discounts, sales and reward programs. Different thrift stores may have different scheduled discounts and sale days.

Check on their websites or social media accounts for more information. With Morgantown Goodwills, there are several deals. There is a discount of 25% off a whole purchase for senior citizens (55+) every Monday and to students, teachers, first responders, military and medical professionals every Tuesday. Make sure to bring a valid ID with you. There is a color of the week, where merchandise with a certain color tag is 50% off throughout the whole week and is then deeply discounted to just 99 cents every Sunday. Morgantown Goodwills have an email loyalty program that offers exclusive promotions and discounts.

- At the end, go through your cart. Look through everything you were considering purchasing in your cart. Try to make a pile of things you definitely want to buy and things you can live without.

If you absolutely love it, buy it. It may not be there the next day. I always try to reduce the amount I buy at the end by going through every item and deciding if it will sell, if I want to keep it, or if I shouldn’t buy it at all. For everything you decided not to buy, try to put the clothes in the right department or give it to an employee to put them up correctly.

- Bring reusable shopping bags. This helps reduce the amount of plastic bags being used. Bringing your own reusable tote bag helps the planet and makes it easier to carry.

Reseller tips: As a reseller, make sure to look for any size.

Mountain State Thrifts is size-inclusive, where you’ll find anything from an XXS-4XL. Also, make sure to bring your phone and use the Google reverse image tool to see if an item is worth something. You can also try looking up the item on eBay to see how much they sell for.

- An alternative is to “thrift” online. If you don’t feel like going to a physical thrift store, you can buy secondhand clothes online and on apps, such as ThredUp, Mercari, Depop, Instagram, Facebook Marketplace and Shopgoodwill.com. It’s a great way to find specifically what you’re looking for through the search engine, but the price may be higher since people are selling it for a profit.

I vividly remember Goodwill shopping trips with my grandma from when I was growing up. We would walk through rows upon rows of clothes, with no two articles being the same.

As a somewhat unique child, I thought it was cool that I could be the only kid I knew who owned a particular shirt or dress. My grandma, on the other hand, liked to shop at thrift stores and yard sales for the good deals and stories. If she found an item she liked, she’d buy it, then take it home and research it. She ended up with many valuable things that held interesting histories this way.

As I got older and busier, I didn’t thrift with my grandma as much. I stuck to popular teen stores to find clothes. It was good enough, and I liked the clothes, but I never felt that I was truly expressing myself in the way I dressed. On any given day, I could go to school and find at least two or three other girls wearing clothes that were the same as or similar to something I owned. This always bugged me, but at the time I couldn’t figure out why. Looking back at it now, I think it was that one-of-a-kind little girl wanting to show herself to the world once again. I came to this realization when I was packing up all of my clothes to move into my first apartment. As I sorted through numerous shirts, sweaters and jeans, I noticed that there was nothing special about any of my clothing. I was not particularly drawn to any piece in my own closet. I knew I wanted to change something about it, but I didn’t know how or where to start.

A friend of mine suggested I start thrifting to find new clothes. She explained that it would be easy to find lots of new clothes while keeping them relatively inexpensive. I took her up on the offer. I was skeptical at first, but I ended up having the time of my life. I finally found clothes that fit not only my body but my personality as well. I loved the fact that I could pick out things I liked and not see multiple other people at the register checking out the same thing. I could finally be me and embrace my uniqueness.

I also liked that this new way of shopping was better for the environment, which is also something I am very passionate about. Thrifting reduces your carbon footprint. By shopping for used clothes, you are keeping those clothes out of landfills as well as shrinking the amount of waste emitted by making new products.

Now, I am employed at a thrift store in Morgantown. When going through training, something I found interesting was that each item is tagged individually. Since it is a thrift store, we rarely have two identical articles of clothing, so, for inventory and organization purposes, each barcode is different. There are no two items in the store with the same code.

This is a perfect representation of the personal individualization made possible by thrifting.

As with most retail jobs, being employed at a thrift store is a lot of work. Besides tending to customers, there are a lot of other responsibilities that have to be done every day.

We have to put new inventory out on the racks, straighten messy racks and keep everything looking clean. COVID-19 has added to this workload, as we now have to periodically disinfect the store and follow strict guidelines.

Of course, all of this comes after customers are taken care of, which includes checking them out, sorting through containers that people bring in and letting them into dressing rooms.

Every once in a while, there are some tough customers. They’re usually people who can’t find what they’re looking for, don’t like our COVID guidelines or are not happy with what we offer for the clothes they bring in to sell to us.

However, most customers are understanding. I am happy to say that I have had more positive interactions with customers than negative. I love finding common interests with customers based on the clothes they buy. Occasionally someone will buy a shirt from a band or show I like, I’ll ask them about it and we have a fun little conversation while I ring them up. It’s a nice way to break up the monotony of my shift and make the time it takes me to check them out less awkwardly silent.

Overall, I enjoy the experience of working at a thrift store. I’m surrounded by clothes every day (honestly a dream), my coworkers are great and I get to interact with some interesting people.

Some thrift stores will offer cash for unwanted clothes. So, now that you know how to buy clothes from thrift stores, here’s a few tips on how to get the most out of your old clothes if you’re selling them back.

- Check the condition first. Holes and stains are likely the first thing a sorter will notice when looking at your clothes. Lay your clothes flat in a well lit area to easily check for any condition issues.

Double check for pinholes, grease stains or sweat stains. A major condition issue is pilling that is often overlooked, which is when fabric starts balling up in worn out areas. In shirts, this is usually under the arms or around the neck. In pants this usually happens on the inside of the thighs.

- Check for overwashing. If your clothes have no holes or stains and there’s no pilling, check the integrity of the fabric. If the fabric of your clothing is sticking together and has to be peeled away from itself, it is overwashed. This does not mean the clothing is unwearable, but you probably won’t have much luck selling it.

- Check the age. Some clothes have date tags that show when they were made. The tag can usually be found with the washing instructions. Most thrift stores have an “age limit” of sorts when it comes to buying clothes. They typically will not take anything insanely old unless it is in near-perfect condition. On that note, DO NOT remove the date tag. Most thrift store employees are instructed to pass on clothes with the date tag visibly cut off.

- Look at the style. As much as you may want to get rid of your flare leg yoga pants from middle school, you probably will not be able to sell them to a thrift store. In order to make sales, stores can only take things that are popular or “in.” If you’re trying to decide if the clothes you want to sell are in style, see if you can imagine anyone who would wear it.

- When in doubt, bring it in. If your clothes are on the borderline of any of these categories, and you think a store would buy them but you’re not sure, take them anyway. It’s better to include things that the store may or may not take than lose money by not taking them.

What Is

Extreme Minimalism? written by Elisa Contreras

E

veryone talks about doing a little decluttering and getting rid of items you have no need for anymore. But this is nothing compared to extreme minimalist living where some go above and beyond to create little to no waste in their home. Those that practice extreme minimalist living will use no more than what they need.

significant way to reduce your eco-footprint. This is a reason that veganism is such a popular diet among the extreme minimalist community. But, veganism is also not very cost-efficient. Produce and vegan substitutes for meat and dairy products often cost much more than groceries for a regular diet.

Some say extreme minimalism is beyond decluttering.

According to an article from The Minimalist Vegan, extreme minimalism is a more obvious example of the reduction of possessions than normal minimalism.

While extreme minimalist living may end up being good for the environment,it has its challenges. In a New York Times article

by Stephanie Land, she said, “but minimalism is only a virtue when it is a choice.” The ones involved in minimalist living often consist of those in the upper-middle class, people who can afford the choice to live that way.

Extreme minimalists live very small and most have little to no furniture in their home. The furniture-less aspect of this type of living may feel naked or empty. Most that have tried to live this way said they did not feel at home and they felt cold. But for those that are successful with this lifestyle, they feel it has created a lot more space in their living area. For many, this has allowed them to feel calmer.

These extreme minimalists also avoid one-time use of any dishes. This would include plastic water bottles, paper plates, and cups. This allows for less trash in their home. They tend to wash their clothes without a washer or dryer. One person that practices this minimalist lifestyle, YouTuber Youheum, uses something called a SCRUBBA bag to do her laundry. She also does not use a shower curtain or over-the-counter medicines.

Youheum also has about 15 articles of clothing ranging from undergarments to shirts and pants.

Many female extreme minimalists have found a way to be less wasteful with their period products. One option is something called a menstrual cup. This is a small flexible, funnel-shaped, silicone or rubber cup. People who use menstrual cups clean it every 12 hours and boil it before and after every cycle. Again, this does not work for everyone. Some have complained about this being painful and causing yeast infections. Another option is a reusable pad, but some have also complained of yeast infections with this, as well. Even though both are cleaned every 6-12 hours, there can still be a build-up of bacteria.

Toxic shock syndrome is also a big worry.

Some of the things mentioned can be easy for anyone, no matter the class, to accomplish. Because of this, an example would be: the one bar of soap, or no one-time-use dishes. But developing no waste, especially for homes with children, can be very difficult. For those that have a new-born baby, living without furniture may be challenging. Also, the no-medicine-lifestyle can be very difficult for those that need certain medicines to survive.

Veganism is a popular diet that many extreme minimalists practice. Veganism is a diet in which meat and dairy products are cut out of their daily intake of food. The Vegan Society says that extreme minimalists consume less and buy less, therefore they have a small eco-footprint. Veganism comes in because eliminating your consumption of animal products is the most

But actually, how non-wasteful is this kind of living? If you think of it this way, most people that end up living this lifestyle don’t start this way. Most that start practicing and preaching extreme minimalism start because they feel burdened by everything they own. They start by getting rid of, donating, or selling most of what they own. What happens to all of that clutter? A lot of it ends up in a landfill. Sure, if they are starting this lifestyle from early on and don’t have to get rid of 40 pairs of shoes, it can certainly be effective.

“While extreme minimalist living may end up being good for the environment, it has its challenges.”

I read Peter Shallard’s blog on why he thinks extreme minimalism is toxic. Peter Shallard is the founder and CEO of Commit Action. Commit Action’s goal is to use real science to help business owners achieve their goals faster, easier and more often. He is known as the “shrink for entrepreneurs.”

He claims that “material without function is a problem.” His thinking also says that minimalism does not make your mind clearer, but in fact pushes away the problems filling your mind.

Trying to make decisions of what to invest in as an extreme minimalist can make one’s mind even more flustered.

This all just depends on one’s thinking. Extreme minimalism can either benefit a person or make someone unstable. But, I do not think it leads to a better economy or environment.

There are still people every day using cars, buses, planes, throwing away their food, and getting new beauty products.

College students eat food out of plastic containers and are required to buy paper books. A few people living this way will not fix the pollution problem. Even someone living this way will still throw something that will end up in a landfill. This can better one’s mind and consciousness, but maybe not the world.

MIRAGE’s Picks

Annika’s Pick White Barn Midnight Vlue Citrus Candle My pick this semester is this Midnight Blue Citrus candle from White Barn. I bought this candle on a whim during a trip to Bath & Body Works after seeing multiple people rave about it on TikTok. This candle is three-wick with notes of juicy citrus, fresh spring water and sweet mango. The Bath & Body Works site says this candle will have you “swooning for warm summer nights,” and those are the exact vibes I get when I light this candle. Lately, I can’t help myself from lighting it every night, so it burns through pretty quickly, but that just gives me the excuse to go buy another!

Savanna’s Pick Lomography Color Negative Simple Use Camera I first saw this Lomography Color Negative Simple Use Camera in a TikTok and I knew I wanted to order one ASAP. They have color changing gels over the flash and can come with a waterproof case, which adds options for really cool images. This one is reusable as well unlike similar disposable cameras, so it’s better for the environment.

Disposable point-and-shoots in general are great since they are so simple to use. I have really enjoyed using them throughout college since you never know how they’ll turn out and you can physically hold onto the memory when you get them developed.

Regardless of if you get a camera from Lomography or at Walmart, I really recommend it as a way to hold onto fun times you have, especially if you are a senior.

Adam’s Pick Squishmallows I hate to say it, but I have, in fact, succumbed to the Squishmallow surge that swallowed up my TikTok for you page. These little guys really are the perfect squishy friends to survive a pandemic with! I don’t know if it is their uniformly round bodies or their black dot eyes and squiggle smiles, but there is just something so engrossingly cute about Squishmallows. Showcased are three of my favorites, but in reality my collection is up to a still-growing seven. (Yikes. I’m 21.) World, please say hello to my marshmallow-y squish-tacular buddies, Connor the Cow, Kirk the Koala, and Francis the Lion!

Kasey’s Pick Heritage Store Rose Water Spray When I first bought this Heritage Store Rose Water Spray, I was so skeptical. It felt like something extra that I didn’t actually need in my regular routine.

UNTIL, I used it on a trip to New York City where I was walking, sweating and out in the elements all day. This product is genius. It kept my face and makeup feeling refreshed all day and cooled me down when the sun was too much. Since then, I started using it religiously on my hair as well. After bleaching my hair for so many years, the ends of my hair are like straw. I started spraying this on the ends of my wet hair after wash day and it is like a miracle worker. My hair is getting healthier every day and I see so much of a difference from when I started using it. I even use it on my scalp in the summertime when I get sunburned. My head burns before anything else and usually ends up peeling but the rosewater keeps it from peeling! According to the Heritage Store website, “Since its launch, our Rosewater has developed a loyal following and a fun nickname - the OG of Rosewaters. And for good reason.” I literally could not agree more. This product is hydrating, refreshing and so versatile. AND, it only has two ingredients!!! It’s also vegan and cruelty free and doesn’t contain any dyes or alcohol. This product is SOOO good for the environment AND your skin and hair!

Olivia’s Pick It’s A 10 Miracle Leave-In Product After years of bleaching and dying my hair vibrant colors, I made the decision to go back to my naturally-dark color in December. Since then, I have been on a mission to repair my damaged hair, and the It’s A 10 Miracle Leave-In product has helped tremendously. I put it in after every wash and before applying heat. This product has made my hair soft, silky and best of all, it smells amazing.

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