Jennifer Anderson Editor in Chief Emma Leuman Deputy Editor Alexandra Folino Art Director Rachel Wanat WUD Publications Committee Director Jim Rogers WUD Publications Committee Advisor Jack Comeau WUD President
MAY 2016 Andrew Salewski Photography Director Reilly Koch Financial Director Jameson Zaballos Web Master Kelsey Daykin Creative Director Maya Campbell Fashion Editor Meg Rotter Lifestyle Editor Haley Nippert Culture Editor Margaret Duffey Arts Editor
Staff Writers Alexa Carlson, Sarah Friedland, Katie Gans, Darby Hoffman, Claire Hornacek, Cassie Hurwitz, Kelsey Knepler, Ashley Mackens, Taylor Palmby, Francisco Valezquez, Jake Witz Contributing Writers Fatoumata Ceesay, Dallas Thompson Makeup and Hair Michael Klimmeck and Joe Mckee Photography Fatoumata Ceesay, Katie Cooney, Alexandra Folino, Marissa Haegele, Akmal Hakim, Morgan Jameson, Andrew Salewski, Cameron Smith, Dallas Thompson Special thanks to: Red Square Flowers Jennifer Nyffeler
Sawyer Olson Mens Editor
Samantha Adams photographed by Cameron Smith
on the
COVER
Makeup by Michael Klimmeck
FROM THE EDITOR
IN WITH THE NEW As one door closes, another opens: it might be clichéd advice, but there’s no denying that there is some truth in the statement. If one opportunity closes itself off, there are endless other opportunities that could happen instead. Here at Moda, we seize the open doors and the new opportunities. So that’s exactly what we did when we decided to undergo a redesign with our monthly “mini issues.” Our mini issues have certainly changed a lot since their debut in Fall 2013. In the past few years, content has improved, imagery is more exquisite with each passing issue, ideas are constantly evolving and each issue garners more views than the past. So we decided, there was nothing “mini” about them anymore. Introducing: Moda’s monthly issues. No longer are we a two publications print magazine. Each of our monthly issues will be designed with the same care and craft
as the ones we create for print, and with every coming issue, we hope to bring you new inspiration for your daily life with our enticing content on fashion, lifestyle, culture and arts. This is not a goodbye to the old Moda, but rather a hello to the potential that has always been there before. Along with our redesign for our monthly content, we bring you a new logo: something that bridges the old and beloved Moda logo with something new and modern. And what could possibly be better than kicking off a new tradition of monthly issues than with an issue that will ignite it all? In these pages, you will find our staff’s favorite new movements in fashion, lifestyle, culture and arts. There are so many things happening right now that we are in awe of: from Kanye West’s empire in the fashion industry to the resurgence
of vinyl in the music industry. There are a million and one tastemakers who are challenging our preconceived notions of the world around us like Moda’s contributing writer Dallas who speaks to his mixed identity and lifestyle’s staff writer Darby who sheds light on an important controversial social issue in America: the legalization of marijuana. We hope that these pages ignite your curiosity to explore the new and exciting world around you. Here’s to the beginning of summer and the beginning of a new legacy. Bisous,
LIFESTYLE
MAY 2016 FASHION
14 22 42 52 55
A NEW ERA OF HIGH FASHION The convergence of streetwear and high fashion
COMING OF AGE We all have that “Ah-ha” style moment
KANYE WEST: RAPPER TURNED MARKETING GENIUS? The Life of Kanye (TLOK)
THE LIFE OF THE CULOTTE
16 20
SWEET SUMMER SIPS
24 60
MUCH (TO) DO ABOUT NOTHING
Light up your night with these five cocktails
SPARK UP The controversial topic that’s blazing the trail for youth culture
Bye, Netflix!
THE BEAUTY IN CONFIDENCE There’s more to makeup than just the allure
ART
34 40
BREAKING THE LENS A closer look at one of the most powerful art forms
THE RESURGENCE OF VINYL When Spotify just doesn’t cut it
MEN’S
5
A GLANCE AT BIG CARTEL From the web to your wardrobe
King Louis XVI all the way to Princess Rih Rih
FRESH PICKS FOR MAY “It’s gonna be May”
7 28 COMING UP ROSES 44
THERE’S MAGIC IN THESE ROOTS
CULTURE
43
JUST GETTING BI
25
MIXED.
35
GETTING REAL WITH #THEREALUW
The firsthand story of one’s journey with their sexuality
A personal anecdote on Native American identity
Behind the movement to create a safe space for minority students
4 | MAY 2016
FEATURED
A textural story and celebration
Bold and beautiful in full bloom
A SARTORIAL ESCAPE Breaking free from modern civilization
A G L A N C E AT
B I G C A R T E L THE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE GATEWAY TO THE FASHION INDUSTRY
BY JAKE WITZ, MEN’S WRITER MAY 2016 | 5
UPSCALEHYPE.COM
From Kanye West promoting his fashion line as much as his music to the ever-growing economic presence of menswear, the cultural presence of men’s fashion is growing to the likes of which contemporary pop culture has never seen. And with increasingly accessible technology and resources for producing and distributing men’s clothes, the barrier of entry for young people wanting to enter the industry has almost entirely dissolved. Anyone with an idea, a good looking graphic, a screen print and some blank T-shirts can launch a brand with little to no extra capital.
streetwear option for people across the world, it represented a very specific scene of New York skaters in the 90s. While wearing a Supreme of Givenchy T-shirt nowadays might represent a knowledge of trends or wealth, a JACK LA tee represents a knowledge of high-tempo, internet-born pop music that inspires a few passionate individuals. It’s a secret code that harkens to the olden days when seeing a fellow human wearing Hundreds T-shirt on the street would make a streetwear fanatic’s heart stop.
The selling out of most of JACK LA’s products attests to the One of the biggest sites promoting this accessibility is Big viral appeal of Big Cartel websites. If a graphic tee strikes a Cartel which allows small independent clothing brands chord with an online community, thousands might flock to to quickly get their products online and into the hands of the website and usually spend 15 to 20 dollars to get in on a customers. The site functions similarly to how Bandcamp movement. Several Big Cartel brands, such as The MSTRPLN works for musicians, the free site allows brands to post up to got a huge uptick in popularity after front page posts on forums five separate products, which can then like Reddit’s streetwear subreddit. be sold without any cut or intervention from Big Cartel itself. This gives brands But virality is often times mistaken for “BIG CARTEL IS STILL unprecedented freedom in what an excuse to slip up on quality and LEADING THE WAY products they sell. customer service. Kanye West, Kim IN MAKING THE FASHION Kardashian and other celebrities have An unforeseen benefit that arose been witnessed wearing clothing from INDUSTRY INFINITELY from this new era of independent Antisocial Social Club, a Big Cartel merchants has been the ability to label with roots in skating and youth MORE ACCESSIBLE AND finance movements or collectives with culture. Although all of their clothes AFFORDABLE TO accessible merchandise, oftentimes sell out instantly, the brand has caught yielding a huge profit margin for flak for marking up their store-bought THOSE WHO WANT companies that put out great products. hoodies to ridiculous margins and being TO MAKE A LIVING JACK LA is a music collective and extremely unreceptive to complaints club night based in Los Angeles. Even and requests for order statuses. Some OFF OF IT.” though the majority of their work users from Reddit’s streetwear forum involves booking shows and putting out have even documented photos of their music on their Soundcloud, the collective also has a Big Cartel hoodies having dirt and cigarette burns. shop called NON STOP POP. As of now, everything in the online webstore is sold out, from long sleeve tees to posters When companies abuse Big Cartel’s simple interface more and phone cases. so than they utilize it, you wind up with cases like ASSC’s, where accountability and responsibility become second rate Many musicians use physical audio formats as a means to get to getting product to sell out as fast as possible. Herein lies their music in the literal hands of their fans, selling things like the pitfall of Big Cartel: when brands have total control over tapes and records of releases on Bandcamp and at shows. their stores, they also have control to make miserable out-ofWith NON STOP POP, JACK LA has effectively created a website experiences for customers. brand that not only fosters a sense of community amongst those who wear their apparel, but it also incentivizes fans to Nonetheless, Big Cartel is still leading the way in making the support the music they love beyond buying physical copies fashion industry infinitely more accessible and affordable to of music that are oftentimes more inconvenient to play than those who want to make a living off of it. It’s even giving a regular mp3s. platform for non-clothing organizations to sell merchandise quickly and independently, resulting in huge profits for Big Cartel clothing stores also strike back to the heart of what investment in future projects. While large historic fashion made streetwear exciting in the early 2000s. There is no hub houses will keep pushing out collections year after year, there’s page for Big Cartel stores, you have to stumble across one no doubt that the future lies in the excitement and hype of or be referred by a friend. Before Supreme became a go-to small brands that serve a specific community.
T H E RE ’ S
IN THESE ROOTS BY MAYA CAMPBELL, FASHION EDITOR AMANI ALEXANDER, ALEXANDRA ADAMS, SAM ADAMS, UNIQUA FLOWERS, KENNEDIE KING AND NATASHA THIMMESCH PHOTOGRAPHED BY CAMERON SMITH MAKEUP BY MICHAEL KLIMMECK The Black woman and her hair. It’s a multi-dimensional story that encapsulates a dense history. A Black woman’s hair is the source of her power, a symbol of her femininity and a building block of her strength. Simultaneously, in the crowded arena of societal pressures women face, she and her hair hold a special place. As a counter narrative to the standards of Western beauty, the kinks, curls and strands that grow out of her scalp are often deemed undesirable – a legacy of racial hatred and oppression. Still she rises.
For University of Wisconsin-Madison students, Ally Adams, Sam Adams, Amani Alexander, Uniqua Flowers, Kennedie King and Natasha Thimmesch, who have relaxed, chopped, twisted, nurtured, braided and combed till headache, their hair is a personal journey of self-discovery. They’re inspired by women who share their stories like YouTube personality Raye Boyce, and inspire others by blogging their own experiences (see collegecrowns. com, the brainchild of Amani Alexander).
Not to be ignored is the way the Black community has rallied around hair and positioned it as a source of pride. The 1960s Black is Beautiful movement, recent gravitation towards embracing the texture of natural hair and post-straightener “big chops” are responsible for informing the contemporary conversation about Black women and hair just as much as, if not more than, the aforementioned negative narratives. Natural or permed, straight or kinky, weaved or braided, all hairstyles are important in the discussion. None are more valuable or more “Black” than another.
While the current social climate seeks to use Black women’s hair as an element of “cultural cool” as opposed to appreciating it (we’re looking at you Kylie Jenner, Katy Perry, and Valentino), armed with an extensive knowledge on texture and curl and a wide-toothed comb, Black women are rewriting the script. These roots are diverse. These roots are powerful. These roots are magic.
KENNEDIE CAMILLE KING YEAR: FRESHMAN MAJOR: COMM ARTS - RADIO, TV, AND FILM AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES HOMETOWN: EASTPOINTE/DETROIT, MI ETHNIC BACKGROUND: JAMAICAN AND BLACK HAIR TYPE: KINKY-CURLY 4B TO 4C-ISH
UNIQUA FLOWERS ^ YEAR: SENIOR MAJOR: AFRO-AMERICAN STUDIES HOMETOWN: RACINE, WISCONSIN ETHNIC BACKGROUND: AFRICAN-AMERICAN, PUERTO RICAN HAIR TYPE: 3C ALEXANDRA ADAMS > YEAR: SOPHOMORE MAJOR: PRE-NURSING, GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES HOMETOWN: MILWAUKEE, WI ETHNIC BACKGROUND: BIRACIAL (BLACK/WHITE) HAIR TYPE: MY CURL TYPE IS 3C (WITH TIGHT RINGLETS AND TONS OF VOLUME!) SAMANTHA ADAMS > YEAR: SOPHOMORE MAJOR: ENGLISH - EMPHASIS IN CREATIVE WRITING HOMETOWN: MILWAUKEE, WI (THE ACTUAL CITY!) ETHNIC BACKGROUND: DAD-BLACK AND NATIVE AMERICAN (CHOCTAW TRIBE) MOM- WHITE (IRISH, GERMAN, SWISS, NORWEGIAN) HAIR TYPE: 3C
NATASHA THIMMESCH ^YEAR: SOPHOMORE
MAJOR: AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES HOMETOWN: DUBUQUE, IA ETHNIC BACKGROUND: AFRICAN AMERICAN/BIRACIAL HAIR TYPE: LOOSE CURLS < AMANI BREANNA ALEXANDER;::: YEAR: GRADUATING SENIOR MAJOR: REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY AND AFRO AMERICAN STUDIES HOMETOWN: BROOKLYN, NY ETHNIC BACKGROUND: CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HAIR TYPE: 4B
MAY 2016 | 13
A NEW ERA OF
BY KATIE GANS, FASHION WRITER
HIGH FASHION
VOGUE.COM
The new era of high fashion has formed a relationship with streetwear and coinciding it-items like monochrome sneakers, oversized hoodies, and graphic tees. That being said, the demand for these items, and particularly who demands them, has also transformed. Managing Editor of Complex Style & Sneakers, Rae Witte, recently wrote about her disapproval of the current fashion “trends”1 and bashed streetwear’s current influence on high fashion. Within her opinion piece, she accuses high fashion of “making a habit of making the most basic items a thing.” For example, though there’s a world of lux leathers and hand-embellished garments waiting to be scooped up, fashion’s most sought after line of the moment is Vetements, a label that seems to specialize in all things sweats and comfort. High fashion is constantly changing and Witte asks an important question: should we accept the direction it takes us? Unlike Witte, while we are on board with these trends due to their versatility and normbreaking factor, we question the demographic of consumers drawn to them, which is currently draining high-fashion’s exclusivity.
Justin Bieber wearing the casual, yet expensive as f***, styles of streetwear. Like everyday. They aren’t working in a corporate office or trying to impress a client, so why the hell not wear $2,000 sweatpants to an appearance? We think it’s cool; its irreverence fascinates us, so we adopt these styles as our own, and with the help of social media, thus became streetwear’s takeover. Streetwear is now a big player in the fashion game, but it may be breaking rules of the elite.
Social media administers the trend cycle and caters to users who may not understand the culture of the industry they’re endorsing. Former high fashion items are losing their cool, and a selfie sporting a rare Supreme tee or a popular Thrasher hoodie is now worth more “likes” than an Instagram with a Hermes belt circa 2008 due to the shift of focus in the high fashion world. Streetwear and high fashion are colliding, and due to glossy-paged features as fashion’s “next big thing,” the rebellious nature and intriguing stories behind streetwear has somewhat disappeared in its major mainstream growth.
Luxury brands doing everyday wear appeal to more consumers but create a blur between luxury and non-fashion items. High fashion adopting basic pieces is somewhat sensational to us; it’s provocative and caters to those who don’t annually attend the Met Gala. Although these streetwear trends are some of the most adaptable high fashion items we’ve ever seen, they may be diminishing the exclusivity of high fashion. Streetwear has been the embodiment of urban communities for decades, and fashion adapting it as its own is problematic; not only is the origin now mistaken, but it is misinterpreted as a groundbreaking new style that is worth a $1,500 price tag. These not-so-new streetwear trends may be changing the fashion industry and vice versa, but that’s because there is no systematic definition to either. Ultimately, personal definitions of style and luxury override the industry’s, or even this article’s, opinion.
Contrary to the common belief that streetwear is universal, Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Vetements, posits that his designs aren’t for everyone. Brand CEO, Guram Gvasalia explained in an interview at The Royal Institute why their designs are so expensive, limited and therefore popular: “Luxury was always something that was scarce. Today, I don’t consider Louis Vuitton to be a luxury brand – yes, the quality is luxury, but if you can go to the store and get whatever you want, it’s not luxury.” Still, the luxurious quality of coveted clothing is somewhat eluded when an affluent teen is spotted wearing the same Vetements hoodie as Rihanna. The culture of fashion A landscape of luxury brands is playing with is taking a drastic turn away from the emotional streetwear as high fashion. This new stream of attachment one once had to their Chanel Flap Bag streetwear elements from to an era where people aren’t designers such as Virgil quite resonating with what Abloh and Shane Gonzales is they are wearing, which largely due to the influence “THE CULTURE OF FASHION marks the danger of a highof social media and the fashion/streetwear fusion. easy access it provides to IS TAKING A DRASTIC TURN developing trends. Instagram AWAY FROM THE EMOTIONAL Eighteen-year-old boys who now works as a trendspotter; drop hundreds of dollars on a user may post a photo ATTACHMENT ONE ONCE HAD luxury brands like Raf Simons wearing that trend based on Off-White, but may have TO THEIR CHANEL FLAP BAG” or what they know is “cool.” This never held a physical copy of gives trends outside of the Vogue, are saying that – more realm of fashion-bourgeoisthan before – fashion has no approved silhouettes and influences a moment to rules. This concept of fashion without authority is shine. As a result, we all witnessed the rise of the somewhat controversial and unpredictable. Youth Adidas Originals Stan Smith Sneaker and probably culture has a lot of control over the fashion industry purchased a pair ourselves based on the shoe’s (cue Ian Connor), but, as a result, is the sensuous domination of social media spaces. status of high fashion at stake?
We’ve watched streetwear team up with social media, plant its feet, and hit the ground running in terms of its influence in the fashion world. Why it became so popular? There are a couple of reasons other than its social media presence to credit the rise of formerly non-fashion items: “Athleisure” and rich people. First, athleisure was the lazy cousin of workout gear, and then, with the influence of designers, Alexander Wang and Tommy Hilfiger, it transformed; joggers and sneakers now have a new place in the fashion field. Secondly, we’ve all seen Kylie Jenner and
1. Witte, Rae. “Fashion’s New IT Items Are Not Really “Fashion” and Not New At All.”
MAY 2016 | 15
sweet summer
sips
16 | MAY 2016
WELCOME THE SEASON WITH A SPARK OF CREATIVITY AND A NEW DRINK OPTION. BY CLAIRE HORNACEK, LIFESTYLE WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEXANDRA FOLINO As the semester draws to a close, every student dreams of lazy summer days spent at the Terrace with friends, enjoying a cold pitcher of Spotted Cow. This summer, rather than reaching for a beer, try making one of these fresh, fruity cocktails! Whether you are chilling by the pool or getting ready for a night on the town, these summer drinks will keep you cool and refreshed!
MAY 2016 | 17
Sparkling White Peach & Raspberry
Spritzer
1 PEACH SLICE 6 FROZEN RASPBERRIES CHAMPAGNE
Muddle one peach slice and two raspberries together and then add to champagne flute. Pour in champagne; stir. Drop in a few frozen raspberries to garnish and keep cool.
Blueberry Lemon
Vodka Martini 1.5 OZ LEMON VODKA JUICE OF HALF A LEMON 10 FROZEN BLUEBERRIES
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, lemon and five blueberries before shaking well. Strain the beverage into a martini glass. Serve with remaining five blueberries in glass, lemon zest curl on side.
Citrus & Mint
Paloma
1.5 OZ TEQUILA JUICE FROM 1 GRAPEFRUIT 3 MINT LEAVES 2 TBSP ORANGE MARMALADE
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Pour over ice. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Honey Orange Kentucky Mule 1.5 OZ JACK DANIELS JUICE FROM HALF AN ORANGE 1 TSP HONEY CLUB SODA
In a cocktail shaker mix honey, orange juice and Jack Daniels. Pour over ice. Fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Garnish with an orange slice.
Blended Watermelon
Mojito
1 CUP FROZEN WATERMELON 1.5 OZ WHITE RUM 5 MINT LEAVES JUICE OF 2 LIMES Blend all ingredients together. Garnish with a lime slice and a fun umbrella.
MAY 2016 | 19
SPARK UP
MARIJUANA’S PLACE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY AND AT WITH THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA INFLUENCING A VARIETY OF SOCIAL REALMS, MANY ARE CHATTING ABOUT WHAT THE SUBSTANCE MEANS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. BY DARBY HOFFMAN, LIFESTYLE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
BELT | CHANEL REDD ANGELO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH
P
T UW
Marijuana, Maryjane, Weed, Dope, Grass: no matter the slang, this substance is one that has recently found its way into many aspects of American life. With the debate over legalization spreading from state to state, it is hard to ignore the role marijuana is beginning to play in American society and culture. Beyond politics, marijuana also plays a role in medical and cultural realms, altering perceptions of the drug across the country and even on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus.
AT UW:
Even with marijuana’s illegal status in the state of Wisconsin, its use has become commonplace amongst many UW-Madison students. With the university’s reputation as a top party school in the United States, it may not come as a surprise that in an April 2016 survey of UW-Madison students1, 69% answered “definitely yes” to whether or not they believe marijuana use is common on campus. Amongst those respondents, 68% support the legalization of marijuana, despite over half of them not using the drug themselves (56%). A variety of explanations were provided by these survey respondents, explaining why they chose not to use marijuana, from disliking its physical side-effects and the financial cost of its use, to pure disinterest in the activity. Amongst those who did use marijuana, a majority partook only one to two times a week (64%) and preferred smoking over consuming the drug in edible forms (57% versus 21%). On this end of the spectrum, survey respondents stated that the substance helped them relax, combat health issues and was a preferred, safer alternative to drinking alcohol. The comparison of marijuana to alcohol is an interesting point to make. In the most recent UW-Madison Alcohol and Drug Prevention Certification (2015)2, alcohol-related incidents that were reported (to campus police: 634, to the Division of Student Life: 3027) as well as the number of alcohol-related conduct violations (2554) surpassed drug-related incidents by an overwhelming amount (to campus police: 140, to the Division of Student Life: 593, conduct violations: 553). Even with these statistics, however, it is clear that regulating and defining the role of marijuana on UW-Madison’s campus is complex and continues to remain unclear.
HEALTH:
Many know marijuana best for making you sleepy and giving you the munchies. However, an increasing number of medical professional are extending their use of the substance to deal with a variety of ailments in their patients. POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS: 3 Feelings of joy (Euphoria), Increased ability to relax, Decreased pain/ discomfort (nausea, headaches, body pains, etc.), Help with sleep problems (Insomnia) POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS: Increased appetite, Increased heart rate & blood pressure, Potential for panic, anxiety, and fear (paranoia), Affected coordination, Possible depression/ exhaustion after use
POLITICS:
The political debate regarding legalization has played a large part in fueling the discussion around marijuana’s use and legality. Closely tied with health effects and cultural implications, the politics surrounding this issue have made private drug more visible within the public sphere. With the drug already legalized in five states and being considered in many more4, it seems
that nationwide legalization could be a reality. In March 2016, The Associated Press- NORC Center for Public Affairs Research5 reported that 61% of surveyed Americans were in support of legalization, a number that has continued to rise with time. The details of legalization, however, create slightly more complexity in public opinion. Whereas only one-third of these surveyed respondents supported legalization with no restrictions, the most popular response (44%) was allowing legalization only with restrictions on purchasing amount. This result highlights the point of marijuana’s criminalization that has been increasingly discussed amongst many legalization-advocates. In legalized states such as Colorado, Washington and Oregon, small amounts (typically around one ounce) are able to be possessed by an individual without criminal penalty. In Wisconsin, however, being caught possessing any amount of marijuana on a first offense can result in six months in prison and a $1,000 fine. Any offense after that extends the punishment to three and one-half years in jail, and $10,000 in fines6. Criminalization, alongside the economic and social ramifications of classifying marijuana as an illegal substance are all arguments that have been discussed in recent debates.
CULTURE:
Marijuana is also no longer simply a substance to be consumed. It encompasses an entire culture that possesses its own image, media and activism. Labeling itself “weed/ stoner culture,” the community surrounding the drug has found ways to exemplify their status as pro-marijuana. One can find marijuana publications readily on the Internet, such as “The Cannabist” or “Cannabis Culture.” Both of these online media sources provide a variety of content all related to, you guessed it, Cannabis. From medicine, to arts, to food, to current events: outlets such as these have provided a hub for weed culture and its many facets to thrive. Beyond this specific, seemingly exclusive realm of marijuana engagement, many may also wonder how changing perceptions of marijuana could affect mainstream society as a whole. If marijuana were to be legalized, many believe the largest changes would be in the commercialization of the drug. Having the ability to regulate supply and price (as well as taxation and other economic functions) of marijuana would likely become a business venture for the government and private companies. Still, some may be concerned that legalizing marijuana would lead to a variety of social dilemmas that those still on-the-fence would be left to deal with. However, as in the case of Colorado7, legalization and subsequent regulation has led to declines in youth use rates, brought in more than $40 million in marijuana taxes8 and a 41% decrease in drug arrests state-wide. These, amongst other social implication of the legalization of Marijuana use, may serve as an example for how nationwide legalization would affect the United States as a whole. 1. Darby Hoffman, “Moda Marijuana Public Opinion Survey,” Qualtrics. 2. University of Wisconsin- Madison, “Drug Free Schools and Campuses Regulations (EDGAR Part 86] Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Certification.” 3. MedlinePlus, “Drug Abuse” 4. “Marijuana Legalization and Recreation,” Drug Policy. 5. The Associated Press- NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, “American Attitudes Towards Substance Use in the United States” 6. “State Laws,” NORML. 7. Art Way, “Colorado and Marijuana Legalization One Year Later: What has Changed?” 8. Colorado Department of Revenue, “Colorado Marijuana Tax Data”
COMING OF AGE THE STYLISH BEGINNINGS OF MODA STAFF MEMBERS
BY ASHLEY MACKENS, FASHION WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY AKMAL HAKIM Style isn’t something we are born with. Rather, it’s something we acquire over time. Our taste matures through personal experience and self-awareness; special connections with people, places and art prompt us to purchase certain pieces that resonate with our past and the person we’ve become. Style is more than what we drape over our bodies, it is a compilation of elements of ourselves and our environment. Perhaps the most interesting element of our fashion sense is how we came to find it in the first place. The spectrum of things that inspire us varies greatly, but most fashion enthusiasts can pinpoint a pivotal moment that awakened their sartorial aesthetic. These five Moda staff members revealed their unique stories behind personal style. Ashley Ng | Fashion News Correspondent Guilty of lusting over the latest trends, Ashley is a huge fan of athleisure. This is fitting, as Ashley described her personal style as, “minimal and functional.” Still insistent on standing out, she “found an exciting challenge in making bold statements from neutral, normcore, and monochromatic looks.” Ashley is an avid believer in dressing for comfort and confidence, a philosophy she adopted from her aunt, who has been a great influence and important presence in her life. “It’s no surprise her love for fashion has rubbed off on me,” she said. Clarke Smith | Fashion Staff Writer Clarke’s love for color and pattern started when she was a little girl. With the freedom to dress herself, she experimented with her outfit choices, unafraid to stand out. “You could spot me on the playground from a mile away,” Clarke noted while thinking about her youth. She was specifically drawn to the designs of Betsy Johnson. “I remember walking into [Betsy Johnson’s] store as a kid in D.C. [and] being mesmerized.” Now, she struts the streets of Madison adorned in unlikely combinations of color, pattern and texture. Clarke’s style is as unpredictable today as it was during her days on the playground. Maya Campbell | Fashion Editor “Ever since I’ve had a computer I’ve been looking at fashion blogs,” Maya said. Maya’s “city chic” style comes from her admiration of influential people in the fashion industry who embrace functional fashion. Surrounded by friends in the fashion industry and the bustling streets of New York, Maya developed an appreciation for designer pieces and a chic style of dress. “My best friend got me a Balmain blazer for my 16th birthday and I’ve been hooked on blazers ever since,” she remembered. Taylor Palmby | Lifestyle Staff Writer and Special Events Director “My dream is to be a punk-pop singer,” Taylor fantasized as she described her grunge-goth style. She has always been fan of punk-pop music, but didn’t let her style unleash too soon for fear of judgment from her peers. As she reflected on her past, Taylor said, “I started to develop my style at the end of my senior year of high school when I really didn’t care if anyone thought I was gothic… one time in seventh grade, I wore thigh highs and my entire seventh grade class had an aneurism.” Alexa Carlson | Fashion Editorial Assistant Excited by classic, feminine and glamorous elements, Alexa loves a sleek, put together look. Chic industry it-girls like Olivia Palermo and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are some of the biggest influences on her style. As a highly visual person and a religious Pinterest user, Alexa finds snapshots of their red carpet and street style looks on fashion inspiration aps and websites, then thinks of ways to make them her own. She went on to say, “To me style is a visual representation of who you are.” Her artistic eye sees beyond clothes as items, but as vessels for fun, stylish self-expression.
MUCH (TO) DO ABOUT NOTHING BY TAYLOR PALMBY, LIFESTYLE WRITER PHOTOGRAPHED BY MORGAN JAMESON I have lived my life thoroughly, enjoying its hustle and bustle. As I walked down Langdon Street with my best friend one day, I told her I could feel the boredom starting to take over. After a day of four classes, a student organization meeting, writing two articles and working out, I was headed home at 7:00 p.m. with absolutely nothing to do. To most, this down time would be welcomed, but to me, sitting still seems painful. It is not something I am very good at it. Even my quiet moments have to be spent writing, playing guitar or calling a long lost friend. Recently, I have realized that although I may be busy, sometimes what I am doing is not meaningful. And I know I’m not alone in this feeling. Although I may have my computer in my lap as I binge watch Netflix, distraction keeps me from putting my heart and soul into my work. My multitasking has led to less impressive work and more time wasted. It is time to face the facts. Watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is not going to dramatically improve my life the way working towards my goals will. It’s not that down-time is unnecessary, but that perhaps we need to schedule it. With a closer look at free time, we can get the most out of relaxation and work time. Let’s not vow to stop overcommitting ourselves, because even I am a strong advocate of diving headfirst into anything and everything, even if it leaves me a little worn out. Instead, let’s only taking on the projects that deserve the most attention. Thus, I have a new rule, and I believe that it is something that others should follow: everything I do must positively impact my life or the lives of others. As much as I would like to say this means I am going to skip out on homework, I am forced to
recognize that me failing out of college benefits nothing, except maybe my parents bank account. Let us vow to do the following: Let’s write more about issues that people care about, and let’s create music that makes our hearts feel better. Let’s devote our time to organizations that will help us succeed. Let’s STOP multitasking when it’s bad for us. Even I will stop writing important papers while simultaneously watching my girl Kimmy Schmidt. But it doesn’t just stop in our personal lives. More attention should be spent reaching out to friends and never neglecting those we love because we claim we don’t have time. Let’s reach out to old friends to have lunch and use the time normally spent scrolling through social media feeds to get some real facetime with those we truly care about. At least once a week, I challenge you to meet a friend for coffee. And, try calling your parents at least three times a week. There is always time for the things that matter most. Jamming your schedule full can be great, but that does not mean anything if what you are doing does not have a positive impact. If you, like me, have ever felt that you do a lot of nothing, then try to find meaning and ask yourselves these questions: • Is this making me a better person or positively impacting my future? • Am I improving someone else’s life? • Is my mind focused and working as efficiently as possible? • Is this necessary for my sanity? • Do I love the work I do?
If you answered no to any of these questions, walk away and find something that is worth your precious time. There are only so many hours in a day, and days in this life, so make sure you spend your time doing something meaningful.
MIXED. WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY DALLAS THOMPSON, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“HOW ‘FANS’ SEE ME”
Identity is a pivot point. When we identify with a culture and heritage, it fosters confidence, pride even, which stems from family, friends and people one does not even know, sharing a common history, traditions and struggle. Mixed. That is how I identify - 50 percent white and 50 percent Native American. My mom is white while my dad is 100 percent Native American. He is from the Wolf Clan of the Seneca Nation, a tribe which joins the Mohawk, Onondaga, Tuscarora, Cayuga, and Oneida to form the Iroquois League. I have always seen myself as Native American, and as I grew up, I would constantly prompt questions to my parents about the tribe and how I fit in. The answer is that the Iroquois practice a matriarchal system of bloodline, and because my dad is Native and not my mom, I am not considered Native American by my own tribe. This series of portraits is an exploration of my Native identity and the myriad of complicated ways it is represented in the media. The first portrait is a reproduction of a painting I found on the internet. It depicts a generic Native American man. I chose that representation to speak to ambiguity of my tribal affiliation. I reference my white
identity by also donning a Coachella T-shirt to bring to light the cultural appropriation that takes place at music festivals across the nation. I move beyond this to media representations of Native Americans. Negative and infectious stereotypes about Native Americans are pervasive throughout sports logos, and this is a space I explore through items my friends let me borrow and a bucket hat a former coach gave me to use because it “fit.” The duality between identities is continued in my portraits with toys from my childhood. When I played with these toys when I was younger, I remember them burning a question in my brain: “Which side do I pick?” These portraits are an exploration of the questions of identity that have long been at home inside me. At times, I feel pressured to make clear cut decisions about how I identify—Native or white. This series negates that sentiment by creating a space where I can reference both the heritage I respect, and the fact that it has been, and still is, systematically mistreated by the other heritage I possess. INSTAGRAM | @OHDALLY25 VSCO | DALLASTHOMPSON05.VSCO.COM TUMBLR | DALLASTHOMPSONPHOTOGRAPHY
“SELF PORTRAIT AS A MIXED PERSON”
“CHILDREN’S TOYS”
“DAD, WHICH SIDE DO I PICK” “MiXED EMOTIONS”
“READY TO MAKE NOISE AT THE REDSKINS GAME”
Ohm Phanphiroj ohmphotography.com
Steve McCurry img.labnol.org
BREAKING
THE LENS
Sally Mann tbmwomenintheworld. files.wordpress.com We are bombarded with photographs in our daily lives - from Instagram content to glossy magazine spreads - making it difficult to recognize the importance or weight of the ones that really matter. Photography is much more. It is a complex language that allows us to communicate every type of emotion and moves us to create a legacy through art. It can create, change and spark new ideas. Some contemporary artists, like Steve McCurry, Sally Mann and Ohm Phanphiroj, stand out for their powerful imagery that help to influence society’s world views. McCurry, Mann and Phanphiroj use photography to break down barriers and bring issues to light that have historically been ignored. By embracing the works of these outstanding photographers, we take a step closer to true global citizenship. Steve McCurry, a Pennsylvania State University graduate, is known for his vivid, full-color photographs primarily featuring people affected by war and natural disasters. His most famous photograph, “Afghan Girl,” shows Sharbat Gula, an Afghan refugee, staring directly into the camera. Her fear and apprehension are readily sensed, displaying McCurry’s exceptional ability at capturing intense emotions. The enticing picture was featured on the cover of a 1985 National Geographic issue about the Afghan war. Without McCurry’s incredible bravery and dedication to his art, the iconic photograph would have never existed. He captured the photograph – the first photograph of Gula ever taken – after disguising himself in native garb to gain access to Afghanistan from Pakistan. He has continued these alarming adventures to show “not only…what war impresses on the landscape, but rather, on the human face,” National Geographic reported1. McCurry’s feats have rightfully earned him multiple awards, including Magazine Photographer of the Year. Sally Mann’s art focuses on the simple cycle of life in women and children but has raised much controversy. Her career in photography began in 1983, with a collection called At Twelve, showing various images of 12-year-old girls. Another collection, Dream Sequence, displayed how humans form and develop
PHOTOGRAPHERS EVOKING CHANGE BY SARAH FRIEDLAND, ARTS WRITER
relationships. The controversy around Mann’s work began in 1992 when some viewers became uneasy upon seeing images of her own children, nude and in provocative positions and seemingly abusive situations. The photographs form the series Immediate Family, which Mann said “are of ordinary things every mother has seen.” The portraits include one of her daughter with a swollen eye and angry expression, as if she had been beaten. Another, of her son, features his genitals covered in melted Popsicle. Encyclopaedia Britannica described the process Mann uses to capture the thought-provoking images as “mentally sketching each photograph and discarding dozens of shots before extensively laboring in the darkroom to achieve the desired effect.”2 The desired effect has certainly been achieved, as viewers consider the struggles people face in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, often through abuse, neglect or death Ohm Phanphiroj, a Bangkok-born photographer based in the United States, took on the daunting task of documenting and exposing the current sexual exploitation practices in Thailand. Known as the sex capital of Asia, Thailand tops the United Nation’s list of underage sexual exploitation. Ohm’s photography project, Underage, exposes the causes behind underage male prostitution. According to Phanphiroj’s artist statement about the project, he aims to create “provocative and haunting portraits of these lost souls” to show the psychological trauma the affected boys have endured3. The young topless boys in the images call out to the audience. As Ohm hoped, they raise “questions for us about society, corruption, morals and human treatment.” Seeing such young boys suffering in silence opens the viewers up to a world outside of their own personal bubbles. Ohm is removing the veil put up to shield the horrible. He has taken down the curtain which hides the ugly practice from the rest of the world and revealed the truth. 1. www.today.com 2. www.britannica.com 3. www.reframingphotography.com
getting real with
#therealuw FATOUMATA CEESAY AND FRANCISCO VALEZQUEZ EXAMINE #THEREALUW AND GET AN INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE FROM SOME OF THE MEN BEHIND THE MOVEMENT WRITTEN BY FATOUMATA CEESAY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER AUSTIN GLADDEN AND OMER ARAIN INTERVIEWED BY FRANCISCO VALEZQUEZ AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY FATOUMATA CEESAY COVER PAGE PHOTO BY MARISSA HAEGELE
Recently, there has been a growing presence of #TheRealUW on campus. The hashtag is intended to inspire people to discuss the institutionalized racism and prejudice experienced by students on campus, while working to make people feel uncomfortable enough to feel the need to make a change. It also draws attention to the lack of action the university has thus far taken to prevent these incidents from happening. But its main function is to empower and validate the experiences of marginalized students on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. However, there are still a number of people who either haven’t heard about the movement, or don’t know much about it. This article is for those who wish to learn more about the movement, what it means and how they can help. The spark that ignited the movement was an incident involving a Black freshman girl. According to Francisco Velazquez, who was present during the incident, she was in Sellery residence hall when a drunken man began denouncing her for being on campus, verbally attacking her based on the fact that she was at UW-Madison on a scholarship. He then proceeded to spit on her.1 The student later stated that the incident left her feeling hurt and vulnerable. To comments on her status as a scholarship student as it related her race was an attempt to invalidate her academic qualifications and disrespect the fact that she, and any other student here on a scholarship, worked hard to be here. On a more personal level, he refused her the right to feel safe in her own home. After several weeks of investigation, the administration punished the student, giving satisfaction to the victim. However, the fact that this incident even occurred and took weeks to solve pushed students of color on campus to begin protests against the way harassment is handled on campus. Many students of color began sharing their own stories and bringing to light similar acts of harassment that have been swept under the rug. The act of these students reiterating their tales was the creation of the #TheRealUW. It is important to note that although #TheRealUW itself arose earlier this year, this university has had many different accounts of racial or other bias towards marginalized students. Whether through microaggressions, harassment or blatant racism, it has always existed. For instance, earlier this year a Jewish student found swastikas on his door,2 and more recently, there was a disruption of a Native American healing ceremony held for women who had experienced sexual assault.3 Students did not create this hashtag as a means of attack, but rather as a safe space to disclose their own stories about the struggles of being at a predominantly
white institution. Other minority groups have come forward to share their stories as well, such as women, LGBT identifying individuals and victims of sexual assault. It comes as a bonus that these stories have gained attention from news media outlets, including BuzzFeed. Because this is a movement predominated by students of color, there are those who feel they need not be involved because they don’t see it as applying to them. However, that is not the case. Many people have also revealed their own stories about sexual harassment, sexism, transphobia and any number of incidences of discrimination haven’t been handled properly. This movement expresses solidarity with those who have experienced discrimination, showing that they are not alone, and demonstrates the need to hold the individuals perpetuating this violence accountable for their actions. Knowing that there are people out there who stand beside you and have similar experiences makes surviving at a university like this easier. #TheRealUW also works to expose UWMadison administration for the lack of
“WE WANT TO FEEL SAFE. IF WE CAN’T FEEL SAFE HERE, WE WANT TO FEEL LIKE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO US ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.” action that has been taken place to prevent these discriminatory incidents. According to a student working with the movement, she believes that “not only students commit these crimes, faculty does it too” because they are not immune to ignorance. She further went on to explain the importance of putting this challenge to the administration stating, “we want to feel safe. If we can’t feel safe here, we want to feel like things that happen to us are going to be taken seriously.” So far, the university has made efforts to hold diversity seminars, investigate incidents of bias and plans to revamp the Diversity Framework in the coming years to better respond to student needs. A handful of emails reprimanding these incidents have been distributed on behalf of Lori Berquam, Dean of Students, as well. However, these actions haven’t produced many tangible results as of this moment, and do little to challenge the discriminatory attitudes of those on campus who might choose not to attend events showcasing diversity. Those involved with the movement have faced ignorant backlash on multiple
social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter and most notably, Yik Yak. There are also accounts of people being subject to harassing and threatening notes.4 The efforts to shut down a movement that features accounts of the real pain and suffering people go through here on campus proves how much more work is needed to create a safe environment for students. Without a better way to educate students on issues involving diversity, many remain ignorant or even hostile to the issues affecting others on campus. This movement is inclusive of all people on campus, so there shouldn’t be any kinds of resistance against it. It is a platform to let voices be heard, not silenced. How can you help? Recently, there was a visual campaign put on by the students in the Chican@/Latino studies department5 where people wrote down what the hurtful things that have been said to them over their years at UW-Madison. It was in response to the “I, Too, Am Harvard” campaign which highlighted the voices and struggles of Black students at Harvard, acting as a way to reach out to the campus community.6 According to Janelle Pérez, a grad student at UWMadison involved in the visual campaign, it was “an inclusive event, because not only students of color face discrimination, but the LGBTQ community, white women, and everyone in between do so as well.” Currently, the [organization] is working to create website with How-to’s on creating your own campaign.7 Another way to help out is to simply share your own story. Take a stand and let out the frustration you have felt since coming here. Not only does this demonstrate to others that you should not, and will not be idle, but it may also speak to those who suffer in silence. In sharing your story and working to end discrimination on campus, you work toward the betterment of those around you. If you are an ally, share your support. Challenge the racist and sexist language of those around you, attend rallies in support of the movement and do your best to make the environment around you a safe space for minority students. As you do so, it allows the victims of #TheRealUW to realize that all of their efforts are not in vain and that there is support on campus. These are some of the first steps toward making real, tangible change. Although there are many misconceptions about what #TheRealUW is, the truth is that it is not only space to let out frustration against how administration manages racist or other bias incidents on campus, but also a call to those in power, and even everyday students, to make change happen. In doing so, we can all work toward making this campus feel like the home we claim it to be.
Many minority students at UW-Madison have been affected in one way or another by #TheRealUW. Specifically, we were interested in learning more about the movement directly from the source, from two UW-Madison men who are contrasting the dialogues seen about white male privilege. These two males further symbolize the population of students who are creating a diverse and educated perspective on life in Madison. We asked them a few questions about their experiences thus far.
AUSTIN GLADDEN >
What’s your major? I’m an Elementary Education major, hoping to minor in either English or History, or both if I can. Where do you get most of your ideas/ inspiration? A lot of my inspiration comes from those around me. My family influences me a lot, but since I’ve come to college I have begun to look at my peers for guidance a little bit more because I enjoy bouncing ideas off of others and seeing their viewpoints. What is your favorite place for thinking? I cannot honestly say that I have a favorite place to think, but if I had to choose a general setting, it would be anywhere that is quiet and relaxing. I love to go on walks and find places in nature where I can be one with myself and have serious periods of self-reflection. Who/what inspires you? / as a black male at a PWI what keeps you going/fueled? As a black male, I would definitely say that all of those who came before me and those who will come after me inspire me deeply. People have died so that I could get here and in my heart, they will always be respected. Consequently, I do feel that it is my responsibility to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself and that black people, as a whole, and other people of color are put into positions where they will succeed and be able to create the change that our society needs.
OMER ARAIN >
What specifically do you do (or want to do)? Currently I am in a junior. I am on the board of the Muslim Student Association and sit on the grant board in the Multicultural Student Center. Also I work a lot with Students for Justice in Palestine. I am in an accelerated program for a Master’s in International Public Affairs here at UW-Madison. Next year is my final year of undergrad and I have one year after that to finish the master’s. After that I want to work in policy analysis - though I don’t know what area (e.g. environmental, social, educational). Ultimately I want a career that works toward equity and allows me to travel/meet a lot of different people. Where do you get most of your ideas/ inspiration? I’m not really sure. I think I’ve been motivated a lot by the conversations I’ve had with other people when it comes to racial or gendered institutionalized
privileges. But beyond that I’ve always valued fairness, which in societal terms, I see as justice. People aren’t born into the same circumstances and I think it’s important we recognize that. It breaks my heart that perfectly innocent + genuine people never even have a chance at success. The cards are stacked against them from before they are born. As an able-bodied male I understand I haven’t faced the same struggles as others, which all the more makes me feel responsible for giving my life’s work to helping others. What is your favorite thinking place? I definitely love going through a forest or walking along a lake and taking pictures, it’s pretty cathartic. I also go for runs along Lake Monona, and sit by the rocks. So probably anywhere outside on a nice day. Who/what inspires you? I would say both my parents, because my privileged life is almost entirely a result of their effort and love. More and more I realize I wasn’t indoctrinated into racial or socioeconomic prejudice because of how I was raised. They really taught me to genuinely empathize and never have an ego when it comes to giving to others. As well as my ambitious older sister, who I think more than anyone helped me unwrap how patriarchy is still a very real issue in society. 1. Valezquez, Francisco 2. Herzog, Karen, “UW-Madison to hold anti-Semitism town hall after swastika ‘prank’” 3. Savidge Nico, “UW-Madison investigating after Ho-Chunk elder heckled with ‘war cry’ shouts” 4. Vetterkind Riley and Palasz Emma, “Confronting #TheRealUW: Marginalized students reveal experience of an unwelcoming campus” 5. Chican@/Latino Studies, Facebook 6. Butler, Bethonie, “’I, Too, Am Harvard’: Black students show they belong” 7. The Real UW-A Visual Campaign, Facebook
TRENDING
FRESH PICKS FOR MAY
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38 | MAY 2016
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MAY 2016 | 39
THE RESURGENC OF VINYL
A RETURN TO MUSIC INTIMACY 40 | MAY 2016
BY MARGARET DUFFEY, ARTS EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANDREW SALEWSKI
CE
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“I was hired [at B-Side] a long time ago and they eventually made me manager and then sold it to me. I always liked record stores—I grew up with [vinyl] so I had a pretty sizable collection before I even started working here…[Listening to a record] demands more attention because you are a little bit more engaged with it…It’s a little bit more intimate because it is a physical thing that you are actually touching and looking at, [making] it different from a stream.” Steve Manley, B-Side Records owner
“I first fell in love with vinyl when I heard my favorite album ‘The Stranger’ by Billy Joel. There’s something so pure and unadulterated about hearing an album all the way through on vinyl. It makes music more of an event rather than a background noise” Jen Anderson “For me record buying is not so much a way to physically preserve music I already know of, but more of a way to discover music from times past. Some of the most exciting records I have found have…really blank labels on the front and then I haven’t been able to even find some of their audio on the internet…So they exist solely on a physical entity, which is really cool. When I go to Strictly Discs on Monroe Street, I can spend hours pouring through. It kind of reminds me of how a library must have felt to someone before the internet happened…Just that stumbling mechanic and that random, by chance encounter with a record is basically the whole reason I [do it].” Jake Witz
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The growing popularity of vinyl among millennials is baffling members of the music industry. Despite the ease and accessibility of streaming services like Spotify and YouTube, vinyl came out on top for earned revenue in 2015. While ad-supported streaming services earned $385 million, vinyl sales generated $416 million in revenue1. The last time vinyl’s revenue was that high was in 1988, 28 years ago1. The trend highlights a shift in consumer mentality. With music streaming no longer a new and exciting trend, Americans are turning back the clock and investing in a music practice that promotes reflection. In contemporary America, the mainstream focus is on speed and ease of use but through this focus, quality is lost. Not only is the quality of music depleted by the audio recording, but the social experience is hindered. Vinyl requires participation from its listeners, creating a more intimate music experience. It also creates an environment for socializing that feels genuine and removed from the fast pace of society. More than anything, though, vinyl generates a different experience for each of its listeners that can never be replicated, even by listening to the same album. Unlike digital music, the physical copy can be scratched, the needle can be placed differently and an entirely different experience can occur, even from one day to the next. The unavoidable level of intimacy attached to vinyl makes every listener’s experience personal.
“...VINYL GENERATES A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FOR EACH OF ITS LISTENERS THAT CAN NEVER BE REPLICATED...” MAY 2016 | 41
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“Listening to vinyl is my favorite way to calm down. There is [no] better sound than the scratchy sound of a record. Records always bring me back down to the present—being able to watch the music unravel in front of me gives me peace in the chaos. Vinyls connect me with a past long ago and reminds me that my life and the music I love will survive anything that threatens to consume me in the present.” Taylor Palmby “I prefer vinyl to digital just because it means I am actually enjoying the music…I get to sit down next to it and listen to the album in its entirety. I feel like the sound of vinyl is more raw than digital because it’s like the instruments are in the room with you… The first record that I ever bought is ‘Boys & Girls’ by the Alabama Shakes and it is my favorite album to listen to. I just love their musicality and I feel like on the vinyl version, their instruments pop out so much more.” Cameron Smith
1. riaa.com
42 | MAY 2016
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“My preference for vinyl comes from the level of integrity and involvement in listening to the record. Records need to be properly maintained and cared for— before during and after using them. You can’t just hit play and forget...I think [vinyl] just makes me hope people will realize how much our lives are governed by technology, and that there’s plenty of things out there that are way more enjoyable because you’ve done them yourselves.” Andrew Salewski
just getting
bI
BY ANONYMOUS
The first time I realized I might be bisexual was on the bus ride home from a choir concert in seventh grade. The boy I was sitting next to turned to me and told me he had a crush on one of our male friends. At first I was confused, remembering talking to him about his various crushes on female members of our choir class. Growing up in an uppermiddle-class suburb, things were generally expected to operate within social boundaries, meaning we were socialized into the belief that heterosexual relationships were the norm. Sure, we knew that homosexual people existed, but it wasn’t something that was addressed much when we were younger. Until that moment, it had never occurred to me that there were more than those two options. Until that moment, I never knew there was a word to describe me. As soon as the words, “I think I’m bi too” came out of my mouth, however, I felt terrified. Not only had I spent the last year being relentlessly teased for my short hair, with kids in my class and my own friends saying “you look like a lesbian” as if it was a terrible insult, but I had spent the last year overtly reconfirming my heterosexuality as a defense mechanism. The moment I’d told my friend about my feelings was also the moment I decided I had to be kidding myself about them. Maybe it was because I was afraid or because I had really convinced myself that I was straight, but I wouldn’t openly admit to myself or others that I was bi until my sophomore year of college. Part of my confusion stemmed from my inability to distinguish romantic feelings for women from my feelings of friendship. The struggle a lot of bisexual and queer people face is that we are largely taught what markers of affection exist between men and women, whether it is through our own familial relationship, film and television, or even just walking down the street seeing couples holding hands. We don’t learn to pick up on those same signals from people of the same gender. In my experience, female friendships are also more affectionate, so distinguishing between romantic and platonic feelings and actions becomes slightly trickier. It was constantly operating on a mode where I didn’t know if I liked girls or if I just thought they were really, really great friends. For a long time, it was this dilemma that allowed me to convince myself that what I felt for certain women wasn’t romantic affection but an intense friendship, working my mind in circles trying to justify who I was and how I felt.
It wasn’t until my sophomore year here at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when I finally broke myself of that habit. I consider myself incredibly lucky because the first queer person I met on campus was another bisexual woman. Biphobia is a word that gets that has been getting thrown a lot lately. According to the December 2015 issue of the Journal of Bisexuality, bi-identifying individuals not only face discrimination from outside of queer communities, but from within the LGBT community as well.1 Part of this stems from what’s called “heterosexual privilege.” When bi people happen to enter into a relationship with someone of another gender, they appear as operating within social norms and therefore don’t face the same levels of discrimination as same-gender couples. Some queer people are even openly hostile toward those who identify as bisexual, with insults like “hasbian” being used to describe bi women in hetero relationships, and many bisexuals being harassed for “not choosing a side” or “just being confused.” Because of this, bi-identifying people often lack a safe space to discover and be who they are. My friend created that space for me. She let me be mopey over the boy who ditched me for another girl. She answered my questions about what it was like to have a crush on another girl. She even shared her own stories with me, and her frankness and unapologetic expression of who she was often left me in awe. She made it possible for me to realize it is okay to be who I am. My journey certainly isn’t a representative one. I’ve had the privilege of growing up in a generally liberal community and fallen into incredible friendships with other women, as well as queer and non-binary individuals. From the girl I met by happenstance in the comment section of a high school friend’s status to a femme friend who offhandedly decided to invite me to coffee one day, their constancy and support has been invaluable to me. I do hope, however, that my story will mean something to someone. Whether you are figuring out your sexuality for yourself or struggling with another issue, know that there are others who have been in very similar shoes as you. And trust me, it gets better. 1. Roberts, Tangela S., Sharon G. Horne, and William T. Hoyt. "Between a Gay and a Straight Place: Bisexual Individuals’ Experiences with Monosexism."
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A Sartorial Escape CREATIVE DIRECTION BY MAYA CAMPBELL, FASHION EDITOR CHARLOTTE BAPTIE PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEXANDRA FOLINO, ART DIRECTOR MAKEUP BY MICHAEL KLIMMECK Nothing has the ability to revive our spirit and restore our center like an escape from modern civilization. Amongst shifting rocks, rustling trees and crisp waters, we shed our artificial skin until we disappear amongst the elements.
DRESS | EM KINVILLE
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DYED DRESS | ALLISON KELSEY FEATHER DRESS | PARKER
BUSTIER TOP & WIDE LEGGED PANT | EM KINVILLE
DRESS | ALLISON KELSEY
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JUMPSUIT | SOPHIA LUCHIANNI
DRESS | STYLIST’S OWN
BAG | HERMES
THE BEAUTY IN BY CASSIE HURWITZ, LIFESTYLE WRITER DARBY HOFFMAN AND EVA DELILAH WIELAND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARISSA HAEGELE MAKEUP BY JOE MCKEE
One of the beauties of makeup is its power to convey different messages about its wearer. However, historically, many have linked this with its ability to tell lies. The naysayers claim that wearing excessive amounts of makeup alters the way someone looks and, therefore, creates a false impression on others. It is true, makeup does change how the wearer looks. However, more often than not, makeup evokes selfconfidence. We all know that no one really wakes up looking like an angel. Usually the case is puffy eyes and a hairdo resembling that of the Bride of Frankenstein. While there are plenty of people who decide to live their lives makeup-free, others find it to be an important step in getting ready to face the world. It is not a mask to hide behind but rather a superpower that enhances and emphasizes someone’s natural features. According to a study conducted by the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, women who imagined themselves wearing makeup felt they would be more confident and sociable than when not wearing makeup. In addition, the researchers found a positive correlation between cosmetic use and better self-images1. The 42 college women that were interviewed demonstrated the power makeup has in making the wearer feel more self-assured and less worried about his or her body image. Take a red lip, for example. When you’re having a bad day, there is nothing like putting on a shade that complements your skin tone perfectly and makes your teeth look brilliantly white. It is the ultimate mood lifter. That bold lip can even be the difference between nailing and bombing a job interview. If makeup is something that makes you feel empowered, then who is to say you are not allowed to wear it because it does not reflect a natural look? Your confidence should be what is important. Confidence does not necessarily have to come from something you apply to your face, but it can also stem from something as simple as wearing bright nail polish. Painting your tips a bright shade of turquoise or purple can give a gloomy day a brand new perspective. It is a reminder that there is always a bright side to any situation and a mindset that will lead to success. Looking to make a change to the hairstyle you have had forever? Take a leap. Cut it off. Change the placement of your part. Dye your locks bright blue.. The possibilities are endless. And those possibilities could open the door to a whole new person, one that is not afraid to be bold, daring and unapologetically you. So don’t hold back. Craft your beauty routine in the way that makes you feel confident, and don’t let anyone tell you that you’re hiding behind makeup. Makeup is not about covering up who you are, but about helping you become the person you’re supposed to be. 1. Cash, Thomas F. and Walker, Diane., “Women’s Use of Cosmetics: Psychosocial Correlates and Consequences,”
N CONFIDENCE
PAIR A UNIQUE PIXIE CUT WITH A DARING BRIGHT PURPLE LIP AND MULTIPLE COATS OF LENGTHENING MASCARA. ADD AN EXTRA POP OF COLOR WITH EMERALD GREEN AND TURQUOISE COLOR BLOCKED NAILS, AND WATCH YOUR CONFIDENCE SOAR.
SWITCH UP CLASSIC BLACK LINER WITH COBALT BLUE, AND WING IT OUT IN THE OUTER AND INNER CORNERS. KEEP THE ATTENTION ON THE EYES BY USING A DARK NUDE ON THE LIPS. COMPLETE THE LOOK WITH A BRAIDED FAUX UNDERCUT AND LOTS OF NATURAL TEXTURE.
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KA N Y E W E ST : RAPPER TURNED MARKETING GENIUS? BY KATIE GANS, FASHION WRITER
VOGUE.COM
Less than 24 hours before the store opening, Kanye West announced his latest addition to the “The Life of Pablo” namesake: a three-day pop-up shop filled with TLOP merchandise on Wooster street in New York City. The announcement had fans in a frenzy, anxious to step inside the bold red door of 83 Wooster street. While the pop up shop trend isn’t a new one, Kanye’s location was spontaneous and independent, differentiating it from competitors. Rapper pop-up shops may be the new wave in streetwear for 2016, considering artist Drake also recently tried out the trend with his NYC pop-up store, in anticipation of his new album. Drizzy offered “Views” tee shirts (which look like a sad, Comme des Garçons knock-off) to 800 shoppers, who were left disappointed when Drake was a no-show at his own store. It’s apparent that Kanye is winning at his own game; his cutting-edge approach in everything from music to marketing is the very reason why his name commands total attention in every industry he enters. The majority of the merchandise are designs by LA artist Cali DeWitt and consist of everything streetwear from the newest fads in fashion: classic tees and hoodies, to Kanye’s take on distressed denim, and airbrushed tees celebrating the late Robert Kardashian and Donda West. Unlike the Yeezy gear, where Season 1 topped out at $3,800 for outerwear, TLOP merch was reasonably priced for the everyday Kanye superfan. Unfortunately, these relatively low prices were only for those lucky enough to shop the pop-up. Others will pay an inflated price on resale sites like eBay or Grailed. No matter how many speeches he interrupts or endless Twitter rants he subjects the public to, if Kanye’s name is associated with it, not only will it sell, but it will also contribute to Westworshipping culture we are surrounded by. Proven by the father of a prospective student seen on campus wearing the
red, “Ultralight Beam,” long-sleeve from the pop-up collection, his influence extends beyond our generation. While Drake’s “pop-up shop” tees were free and thus made no profit, Kanye is likely still adding up the numbers from his wildly accomplished store. Of course Ye took it to Twitter to publicize the store’s success and tweeted, “but there is no other brand that could sell 1 million dollars of clothing in 2 days from 1 location!!!” While these numbers are not confirmed, we can’t deny the extreme possibility of their accuracy. Assuming the revenue numbers are correct, Kanye can add another title to his already-extensive resume: marketing genius, and Ye would agree as he also tweeted: “The Pablo pop up was almost a pop up of influence.” It wasn’t almost an influence at all. Instead, the shop is an influential cultural artifact that now affects the way we look at how music, fashion, and culture intersect. At this point, everything Kanye touches (with his creativity) turns to gold. His name is tied with an essence of exclusivity that intrigues everyone from streetwear lovers to super fans who seek out his creations, regardless of availability. Constantly outdoing himself, the competitive nature he brings to the fashion industry attracts the common college student and Queen Anna Wintour. Not even Drake stands a chance against Kanye’s strategies. After all, Kanye’s number one design rule is that Kim has to like it. Now, we’re looking forward to numerous collections ordained by the social media queen and king, or better know as, Yeezus, himself.
“AT THIS POINT, EVERYTHING KANYE TOUCHES TURNS TO GOLD.” MAY 2016 | 63
THE LIFE OF THE
CULOTTE BY KELSEY KNEPLER, FASHION WRITER
Perplexing the masses with their pant-skirt hybrid structure, culottes are one of the latest love-it-or-hate-it trends (in trendy company with cropped flare jeans). And while fashion trend websites will label them as a “new” trend, they – like any other item we adorn ourselves with, have a history in which they waxed and waned in and out of popularity. Now that they’ve made their way back on the scene, we’re taking a closer look to uncover a history of sexism, empowerment and style.
THEEYETRAVELS.COM
A NOT SO HUMBLE BEGINNING
Originally, culottes were designed for men during the French Revolution. As a symbol of power woven from silk, they were worn by the wealthy like King Louis XVI. While the pants were cinched below the knee, complete with a button fastener at this time, the loose silhouette remains the same today.
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Driven by the necessity for comfort, women who enjoyed the luxury of playing tennis and horseback riding finally got their chance to don the comfortable pants during the Victorian era. In order to adhere to ridiculous standards of social acceptability for women’s wear, culottes got their flair to resemble skirts.
THEFEDORALOUNGE.COM
CHIC WITH A SIDE OF SEXIST
In the 1930s, designer, Elsa Shiaparelli boldly reintroduced culottes for women as a symbol of power, which caused quite a stir. The British press called them “manly with hints of lesbianism” and women in Paris were arrested for wearing culottes while not engaging in physical activity.
BLOG.ALLTHATIWANT.COM
BRIGIT LARSEN X LIFE MAGAZINE
This popular shot featuring model Brigit Larsen, was captured by Pierre Boulat for Life Magazine. Larsen wore the now covetable pants on a riverbank in 1967.
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PINTEREST.
A HIT ON THE MODERN RUNWAY
HMM, THESE LOOK FAMILIAR
You probably remember a similar trend that emerged around 2008: gauchos. The main distinction between gauchos and culottes is that culottes are mean to fully resemble a skirt when standing while gauchos are more distinctly trousers.
After disappearing for several decades, culottes returned for Fall/Winter 2014 Ready-To-Wear. Paired with heels, Hermes, Alexander Wang, Tibi and more elevated the reinvented wide leg style.
PINTEREST.COM
10-STYLECARROT.COM
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ON THE STREETS
Now an integral piece for street style superstars like blogger Aimee Song and Princess Rih Rih, culottes are coupled with statement pieces to increase their sophistication. Their billowing silhouette one-ups the fitted-pant and legging.
MICKEYSGIRL.COM
COMING TO A STORE NEAR YOU
BLOGS.NORDSTROM.COM
ELLE
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ELLE
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Designer Stella McCartney and retailers like H&M are putting their own twists on culottes. As a functional alternative to a skirt, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll definitely go flying off of shelves regardless of price point.
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