Signature Style 19 by Hamilton College Signature Style

SIGNATURE STYLE

Table of contents 3-4

CONTRIBUTORS

5-6

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

7-14

FOREST DWELLERS

15-16

WHAT’S IN MY BAG?

17-26

GENDER AND SEXUALITY EXPRESSION

27-28

ACCESSORIES GUIDE

29-32

STUDENT SPOTIGHT: IMAN RAHMAN

33-38

ALBUM COVERS

Contributors Fall 2023 Executive Board Aisling Mockler - Co-Editor-In-Chief Phoebe Leonard - Co-Editor-In-Chief Amanda Sedaka - Photography Director Mekhia Foster - Layout Director Sadie Chase-Tatko - Editorial Director Zoe Carovano - Head Stylist Ashley Cheffolway - Beauty Director Maggie Nye - Managing Editor Eliza Pendergast - Publicity Director

General Board Photographers: Hana Dolan, Markos Lissarrague, Varvara Aristakesyan Alya MacDonald, Jack Gaillard Writers & Copy Editors: Lamia Karabegovic, Emma DiGiacomo, Bryna Jekogian, Hadley Noonan, Kenna Smith, Sage Lively, Norma Callejas Layout Artists: Sawyer Kron, Jenna Lee Beauty Team: Abigail Lowder, Nawar Kazi Emily Ly, Paige O'Hara Stylists: Zoe Carovano, Jordan Che, Ella Strasser Charlotte Clark, Javier Garcia, Iman Rahman Sarah White, Virginia Davis , Christina Stoll Owen Dimock, Gabriella Thomas Models: Hannah Jablons, Hunter Wisneski, Isa Cardoso Cait Gooding, Mad Bartlett, Anna Skrobala Iris Izydorczak, Charlie James, Aliana Potter Lucy Naughton, James Gallagher, Sten Ohrstrom Patrick Dicus, Christian Hernandez Barragan, Jade Joyce Mia Piscitani, Naomi Drew, Iman Rahman

lette r fro the m edit ors

Hi Hamilton! Thanks for picking up this issue of Signature Style. This is our first semester working together as co-editors, and what a semester it has been! We’re seniors now, but we both joined Signature Style in the fall of our freshman year and even lived in the same dorm (Go North!). After both being abroad last semester, it has been amazing to come back to campus and have such a wonderful e-board to work with. We’ve experienced a lot of turnover on our SigStyle team, but with fresh faces come fresh ideas. We have loved collaborating with our e-board and g-board this semester, and we have had so much fun watching our collective ideas come to life. While our initial plan for this edition did not feature a central theme throughout the different articles, we ended up discovering a common thread with each photoshoot. As you read, you’ll see depictions of playfulness and self-expression, and a return to childhood in the familiar and new spaces of our beloved campus. We hope this issue brings you feelings of nostalgia, and inspires you to tap into the parts of yourself you’ve missed the most from your childhood. This edition would not exist without support from others outside of the magazine, so we would like to recognize some people who have made this edition possible! We would like to thank Ariel Adams, Director of Student Activities, and the Student Activities Office for letting us use the Sadove Underground for our Gender & Sexuality Expression photoshoot. We would also like to thank Andrew Jillings, Director of Outdoor Leadership, for taking the time to be interviewed for our Forest Dwellers article. Thank you to the Wellin Museum and their event coordinators for hosting the launch party for this edition. Finally, we want to give a big thank you to Fort Orange Press for their printing services. Keep your eyes peeled for our return in the Spring, and don’t forget to apply to join us next semester in the making of our twentieth edition of Signature Style! See you soon! Sincerely, Phoebe Leonard and Aisling Mockler

Forest Dwellers By Emma DiGiacomo

amilton College is home to a thriving outdoor community that is represented through the presence and preservation of the various Glens. Offering an escape from the stressors of academics and campus commitments, Hamilton’s very own forests help define a school culture rooted in nature. Layout Designer: Sawyer Kron Photographers: Amanda Sedaka, Jack Gaillard, Varvara Aristakesyan Models: Naomi Drew, Jade Joyce, Lucy Naughton, James Gallagher, Christian Hernandez Barragan Beauty Artists: Ashley Cheffolway, Abigail Lowder, Nawar Kazi Stylists: Charlotte Clark, Javier Garcia, Sarah White, 8 Virginia Davis, Owen Dimock

ndrew Jillings, Hamilton’s bonafide outdoors expert, explains the Glens’ history. While now known for thriving with greenery, before Kirkland College and Hamilton College came together in 1978, the Glens were essentially just fields. The Little Pub even used to serve as a horse and cow stable, with students’ animals being able to roam the open land of the Glens. Andrew notes, “Because of this, the college has basically let the Glens reforest and just be wild, there isn’t much taming the vegetation. There are a few invasive species but the Glens are largely left on their own”. 9

Model Left: Christian Hernandez Barragan Model Right: James Gallagher

ow fully regrown, each Glen holds its own special charm. Next to the Glen House is Root Glen, with its bountiful gardens. Bordering to the right is Kirkland Glen, which provides a countless number of trails to get lost in. And finally, Rogers Glen is more off the beaten path than the rest, but with its own unique features, including a guiding stream. Andrew suggests taking a stroll through each one and discovering their wonders for yourself. Hint: each of the Glens has an abandoned car hidden somewhere in it, a potential fun challenge to embark on. At their root, all three Glens emphasize the same value: a celebration of and an escape into nature. With this feature in mind, the fashion choices of many Hamilton students are reflective of the relaxation and rejuvenation experienced when venturing into the Glens. This uniquely Hamilton style has been coined “Glen Fashion.”

len Fashion begins with color: earthy tones such as greens and browns evoke the scenery of the Glen. In particular, more muted hues such as sage, beige, and forest green as opposed to louder, brighter tones tend to pair better t o gether.

Add in accents of cream or gray for balance, and therein lies a perfect Glen-inspired color combination. The textile of Glen Fashion matters, too, and particularly, layers. A turtleneck paired with a thick, oversized jacket offers a cozy yet put-together look. For bottoms, wide-leg pants in material such as corduroy or denim in the aforementioned earthy tones complete the look. Long, loose skirts are also reminiscent of the trendy “cottage-core” style, which is inspired by qualities like simplicity, comfort, and appreciation for nature. This harkens back to the Glen as a space for escapism. This freedom is represented by the flowing pieces and layers of Glen Fashion, paying homage to that special feeling of getting lost in a beautiful place of nature.

weaters are an essential element of Glen Fashion that honor the chilled winters that Hamilton knows so well. Charmingly-named “grandma” and “grandpa” sweaters are a staple that is rapidly growing in popularity. The warmth and comfortability of these sweaters go hand-in-hand with stitched patterns that add a personal touch to each piece. The fun of these sweaters lie in their versatility, able to be paired with a variety of outerwear and bottoms reminiscent of Glen Fashion. In terms of accessories, Andrew pointed to topical outdoors brands that have become popular on college campuses. The most trending of these is currently Nalgene, a water bottle which features a variety of customization options from colors to branding. Andrew noted Nalgene’s history, commenting that “Hikers saw these great, resilient bottles that were really good, better than the traditional metal canteens. So the craze came from the outdoors, then moved into the colleges, then into the whole world.” Water bottles are easily overlooked when considering parts of an outfit, but they can add a hint of personal style and flair. Model Left: Jade Joyce Model Right: Naomi Drew

hile the forest-themed aesthetics of earthy tones and cozy layers are a Hamilton staple, there is another side of outdoors fashion that is for the more practical adventurers. When embarking on a trek through the Glen, it is common to see outdoor-wear brands such as Patagonia, Cotopaxi, and Melanzana. Initially designed for more intense outdoors trips, these labels have exploded in a similar fashion to Nalgene with pieces such as fleeces and puffers being accepted as daily, casual wear.

t its root, Glen Fashion gives off a special kind of charm, whether interpreted by the more aesthetic or by the more practical. The variety of clothing choices that the Glen can inspire is representative of its breadth of influence on Hamilton’s campus as a space welcome to all. Andrew concluded, “You can wear that, you can not wear that. You can wear whatever you want to. When getting lost in the Glen, there are no rules, it’s about the experience.” Model Left Page Bottom: Lucy Naughton Model Left Page Top: James Gallagher

WHAT’S IN MY BAG? BY: LAMIA KArABeGovIc LAYoUT: MeKHIA foSTer

Hamilton students go everywhere with bags. No matter if we are sitting in the KJ atrium, or walking to Commons, our bag is a daily necessity. The items packed in a student’s bag can say a lot about the person. The main question is: what is in your bag? Unzip anyone’s bag and almost immediately you will see a small AirPods case or tangled-up headphones. Music choice is synonymous with fashion and self expression. It feels peaceful to put on some tunes and focus on finishing your essay, or to slip in some headphones and appear mysterious as you walk across campus. Entwined in the headphones, there might be a lone set of keys to a dorm or car. Keychains are an outlet for creative expression of one’s personality, from an athlete’s Hamilton Athletics lanyard to a puffy monogrammed keychain to show off a fun and quirky side, or to a student who takes a grave risk and leaves the key naked with no chain. Dig a bit deeper into a Hamilton student’s bag and you might find chapstick. Different types of chapstick can reflect your personality too: using a tinted chapstick can show off your fun and flirty side, while Aquaphor may reflect how loyal you are to one brand and how dedicated you are to fighting dry skin. The Summer Friday’s users immediately reveal how on trend they are, and how they probably have a strong opinion on why it’s better than Laniege, not to confuse Summer Friday’s chapstick with the praised Laneige lip mask. Using a Burt’s Bees chapstick might earn a few looks of pretension, and if you are still using an EOS lip balm, your fashion choices might reflect the bold colors and band jackets of 2016. Taking care of your skin, not just your lips, also shows how you present yourself. Perhaps tucked away in a pouch is a small sunscreen. No matter if it is a cloudy or sunny day, a sunscreen stick can show how practical and protective you might be, while a sunscreen and moisturizer mix can show your profound education on skin care. What is that sound? Perhaps it is the crinkling of peppermint wrappers in your bag. As much as fashion is focused on what one wears and expresses, it also has to do with scents and hygiene. The Commons and Mcewen mint wrappers are a lifesaver after a meal or before class. Paired with a signature fragrance, and you are all set after a stressful study session or just to freshen up. A fun and floral scent might reflect how open you might be, while a strong scent with deep tones shows how seriously you might want to make a statement. Wrapped around your perfume bottle might be the few stray hair ties you always seem to lose or the one large claw clip for when a ponytail is simply too much work. Can a bag possibly hold so much stuff? Every bag at Hamilton carries the daily necessities that are small ways of reflecting students’ personalities. 16

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FOSTER 18

“We regularly punish those who fail to do gender right,” writes the acclaimed theorist Judith Butler. The eight people who model at this shoot describe how they reckon with this reality while also contending with the notion that clothing does not have gender. Almost every one of our non-binary models reported that when they came out they felt that their clothing would be an effective vehicle through which they could announce their identity. They wanted to “perform” their identity “right,” which often meant dressing androgynously. Perhaps they were influenced by Butler’s highly disseminated ideas that gender is constructed through repeated performance. Many believed that to be gendered correctly, they had to dress androgynously.

“When I first realized I was non-binary, I thought I had to be androgynous. It didn’t work; I was never getting gendered correctly,” said Charlie James (they/them). Later, they shed themselves of both the self and societally-inflicted obligation to perform gender through clothing. Charlie began wearing what they wanted to, regardless of the gendered ideas people would impose onto them and their clothing. After making this change, Charlie realized, “just having confidence in what I am wearing feels a lot better than wearing what other people think non-binary should look like, because it doesn’t look like anything.”

This statement of confidence is a sentiment many models share. Clothing inherently has no gender. Societal expectations of gender binaries lead us to label clothing as masculine or feminine. In reality, a piece of cloth has no intrinsic gender-identity. Look at Isa Cardoso’s (she/they) striped sweater they wear under a Dolphin’s t-shirt, for example. Isa reiterated Charlie’s feelings and emphasized that a striped sweater cannot communicate any gender: it is just a sweater that anyone could wear.

Clothing is meant to be items worn to cover the body, but people, acting under the influence of cultural stereotypes, force gender upon it. Similarly, we make assumptions about accessories, which are merely decorative accents. Mad Bartlett (they/them) asserts that the gendered associations people force on jewelry are convoluted. They said, “I like jewelry, and I like traditionally feminine things, but I want to wear jewelry in a way that isn’t gendered. Nothing has a gender.”

Only relatively recently in history has jewelry been associated with femininity. One reason for this forced relation is that ideas of femininity are closely tied to ideals of beauty and therefore adornment. Stereotypes of masculinity are devoid of this expectation to be aesthetic. Men who wish to appear highly masculine often do not wear jewelry. Perhaps they fear that if they adorn themselves, they will look like they are working to enhance their appearance. This could go against their attempts to fulfill masculine ideals, which have little room for aesthetics. When one pushes past the theoretical gender binary, they escape this oppressive method of thought and realize that clothing and accessories have no gender. 22

All of our models, regardless of their gender identity, have reached this level of freedom. They wear what they want and pay little mind to how they are perceived by members of the public who prescribe to the gender binary. While model Iris Izydorczak identifies as female, she does not dress with the goal of performing gender in a traditional way. Iris dresses entirely in pink and has pink dyed hair. Pink is a cliché of femininity. When babies born female first enter this world, their parents often declare their sex to the world by dressing them in a pink onesie. Barbie is defined by the color pink. When Iris wears pink, she explains she is leaning into her sense of femininity, but not traditionally. She wishes to explore her femininity as a gay woman and is removing her sense of gender from the male-gaze. She is not wearing pink because she wants to communicate her gender to anyone; she simply feels good in the color. Baby onesies and Barbies are colored pink partly because the products are communicating that they are gendered objects, while Iris’ approach to the color reflects a human making independent decisions about their fashion, defying and disregarding what society wants to label her choices.

Layering skirts over one another or over another article of clothing was a common choice for the models in this shoot. Hannah Jablons (they/them) told us about their intentions when they get dressed each morning. They said, “When I get dressed, I think about what I want to honor each day and I don’t consider what others are going to think about me. The skirt over the jeans isn’t feminine over masculine; it’s what I like to wear.” Hannah emphasized that their self-expression is not dictated by what anyone else thinks about them. For Hannah, expressing identity, and not necessarily gender, is a way that they can show their humanity as an individual, not as a person defined by their gender.

We announce ourselves to the world through our clothing. Our sense of self, our daily feelings, and our gender identity, whether we like it or not, are on display wherever we go. Each person must consider their priorities while getting dressed. Do they care more about how they are publicly perceived or more about wearing what makes them comfortable? Either answer is a worthy conclusion to reach; both ideas are important. It is invaluable to wear what one wants and be free from society’s labels, as Iris and Hannah demonstrate, while it is equally affirming to be perceived in the same way that one conceives their identity.

Cait Gooding (they/them) wears more traditionally masculine clothing because it feels comfortable for them but also affirms their identity as a person who leans more on the masculine side of the gender spectrum. They wore a dark gray t-shirt and a structured leather jacket, and commented that “This was a staple outfit for me while abroad, which is when I started to figure out my gender identity and started transitioning. It makes me feel good in my body and masculine.” Masculine clothes serve as a tool for Cait to “match how [they] feel inside” with their clothing, but is also an effective tool for “expressing outwardly to people how I feel inside and change how I’m perceived.” Their clothes do not have a gender by themselves, but when Cait gets dressed, they put meaning onto the clothes. It was enlightening to speak with individuals who hold such liberating views about the nature of clothes and gender. In the past, clothes have been donned feminine or masculine because many people felt that they had to conform to rigid definitions of gender. As more people come to understand that gender is a construct, our society can move away from the stifling idea that clothes inherently project a certain gender. This reality opens up possibilities for every person, no matter their gender identity, to rethink their signature style.

Models: Hannah Jablons, Hunter Wisneski, Isa Cardoso, Cait Gooding, Mad Bartlett, Anna Skrobala, Iris Izydorczak, Charlie James Photographers: Hana Dolan, Amanda Sedaka, Varvara Aristakesyan Stylists: Zoe Carovano, Charlotte Clark, Christina Stoll, Jordan Che, Ella Strasser, Javier Garcia, Iman Rahman, Owen Dimock Beauty Artists: Abby Lowder, Paige O’Hara, Emily Ly

ACCESSOR

Despite how much some of us may dutifully try to fight the changing seasons and hold on to the last shreds of summer, fall inevitably arrives each year, too quickly lending itself to the ominous arrival of winter. Autumn is, arguably, the best season to dress for. The mid-range temperature allows one to put on their best outerwear, but still dress cute underneath. Make sure to wear your best outfits in the warmer temperatures of fall, before we are swaddled in black puffer jackets and poofy scarves. How does one transform the seemingly drab fashion options that colder temperatures force us into? The answer: accessories, the avenue to transform a boring ensemble into something everyone will admire on Martin’s Way. Here are some of our favorite accessories:

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Jewelry — Lots of it!

Jewelry is an easy way to spruce up your outfit without thinking about it too much. There is no better way to add interest to a simple t-shirt and jeans than by displaying your entire jewelry collection. Layer rings and necklaces, mix chunky and bold pieces with simple and delicate ones, and, if you are feeling especially funky, add the fashion faux pas and mix gold and silver. Go for vintage and unique pieces, or collect charms for a personalized charm necklace or bracelet.

Copy editor: Norma Callejas

27 Layout Editor: Jenna Lee

RIES GUIDE

By: Kenna Smith

Shoes

Fall is the dawn of boots. We only have a certain amount of time until it gets snowy and everyone has to wear weather appropriate footwear. Sigh. Break out the motorcycle boots adorned with buckles and metal detail, or the calf-high Frye boots that have been collecting dust over the summer. Not only is fall the season of boots, it is the season of flats. Mary Janes and loafers will never be out of style and can be worn in every season. Simple neutral colors are great, and can be dressed up and down, but vivid colors can be fun, especially if you wear a lot of black and neutrals anyway. Many brands are making Mary Janes out of alternative fabrics such as velvet and cotton, which lend themselves to patterns and color.

Tights and Socks Go bold when it comes to accessories . Tights and socks ar e no exception. Even just a peak of a brig ht blue, red, or gree n sock from under a ca sual pair of jeans is a great way to add so me spice to everyday outfits. Tights are an other opportunity for a flash of color or text ure, and keep us war m and fashionable in ou r skirts. Try to go fo r something of quality , because buying tight s that immediately disin tegrate in the wash is so last season.

ver since Iman Rahman was little, she has been an artist. From beadwork to chain clothing, Iman’s jewelry varies in style and method, but the common thread is her love for making and wearing unique pieces. Iman’s interest in jewelry emerged when she was as young as six, messing around with beads and safety pins, much to her mother’s dismay. Iman shares the process of how she started, saying “I sort of picked it up really young, starting with picking the gem stones off my hijabs, and somehow it sort of just manifested into this. I don’t really have a particular style, I just do what I want.” This mantra of simply following Iman’s own passions and desires lies at the heart of her work. “Wear stuff for the hell of it,” she says. Iman explains her style as “it’s fun! I wear stuff that is very loud and colorful because I really like colorful stuff… I do it to express myself and I do it because I like doing it, and I think that is enough.” Iman can be spotted on campus wearing her beloved colors, or more distinctly, her handmade jewelry. Iman favors a maximalist-utilitarian style through reusing and remaking found goods. She says, “I found this in my dads old stuff and I thought ‘I can make something out of that.’ I think that’s where a lot of my jewelry making happens, I’ll find stray stuff and kind of go ‘I can do something with that’... that’s what I like about the jewelry making that I do, it’s all recycled materials or stuff that I already had–I don’t really like going out and buying stuff unless I need to. It lets me use stuff to the fullest.”

Layout Designer: Sawyer Kron Photographer: Hana Dolan Model: Iman Rahman

ALBUM COVERS By: Norma Callejas