Spark Magazine No. 5

KATHERINE KYKTA Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor ELLIE WENDLAND Art Director MOSES LEE Assistant Art Director HILLARY HENRICI Assistant Art Director EMILY JARVIS Head Artist ERNEST CHAN Business Director TIFFANI LE Treasurer FELICIA RODRIGUEZ Head of Development MARILYN ARTEAGA Head of Public Relations KALPANA SATISH Head Event Coordinator KRISTAN ESCOBAR Assistant Head Event Coordinator ABBY WILLS Creative Director LILY ROCHA Head of Hair and Makeup MAIYA EVANS Assistant Head of Hair and Makeup MARIAH BECERRA Head Model Coordinator TONY REDMER Head Photographer HANNAH LAAMOUMI Head Stylist KARINNA LOPEZ Assistant Head Stylist IXI HERNANDEZ Assistant Head Stylist VERONICA LOZANO Writing Director SAMANTHA BOLF Writing Director AIDEN PARK Assistant Writing Director NIKKI LASALLA Staff SAMUEL ADAMS

CHRISTY AGNELLO OLIVIA ANDERSON MARIA ANDRADE ASHLEY ARREOLA NATALIE ARRIAGA CHANNING BAKER MARGAUX BARTZEN VICTORIA BASS ELLIE BAZIL MICHAEL BETTATI VERONICA BOCCARDO DENISE CANDELO DEVON CARROLL KOMAL CHARANIA WHITNEY CHEN AUSTIN CHEVIER ANDREW CHIEN MARIA JOSE COLELL ACOSTA BRENNEN COOKE COURTNEY COONROD JENNIFER DANG CARLEY DEARDORFF CARLOS DEVORA ABIGAIL DIAZ ISHA DIGHE REBEKAH EDWARDS ALAYNA ENOS

EMAN ESFANDI KRISTIN EVANS ARIANA GABAS ARIANA GARCIA LONDON GIBSON LINDA GOMEZ ILANA GRABARNIK EBANIE GRIFFITH SAUMYA GUPTA LAURA HALLAS GRIFFIN HANSON SYDNEY HARKLAU ALANA HERNANDEZ ROME HERRERA ELIAS HINOJOSA KATHRYN HOLBERT ADDISON HOLLENSED MARIA HUSSAIN KEVIN HWANG AKHILA JANAPATI PAOLA JIMENEZ LOUISE JOHNSON KRISTINA KIEU SUNNY KIM REILLY KING MADI KOLODGIE MONICA LI STEPHANIE LISH

ALYSSA LUCIO AMANDA MACFARLANE ASHLEY MAGENHEIMER SISSY MARTIN ARIELLE MCCANN BONNIE MCENNIS KAYLEE MCKENY ANDY MEDINA ADRIEL MORGAN AUDREY NGUYEN JESSICA NORRIS PATRICIA OLDANI AMY ONG ALYSSA OSHEIM CAROLINE OTTO APRIL OWUSU SHIVANI PANDYA MELINA PEREZ BECKY PHUNG JILL PICOU ANNIE POOL SOPHIA QUIROGA JAMILA RAJA JACKIE RAMIREZ DANIELLE RANSOM SARA RASOR ALEXA RAY LAUREN RAYNE

Special thanks to Student Government and the University Co-op

RACHEL REAL MANUELA RINCON ABIGAIL ROSENTHAL HANNAH RUMBARGER NATASHA SABOUR SHERIDAN SCHOLTZ HANNAH SEAVEY BRIANNA SEIDEL NATALIE SENDUKAS YUCHEN SHA NICHOLAS SILVA KAYLEE SIMS RACHEL SPROSS MELINDA STAMMER SHELBY STEBLER GABRIELA TAN JESSICA TERAN CAITLIN TOPHAM LAUREN TRAN CODY TREJO CAROLINE TSAI SANDRA TSAI-YUN CARLY WEINER MADELINE WELLS OLIVIA WINKEL DENISE ZALDIVAR IRIS ZAMARRIPA

CONTENTS 5 6 12

Editor’s Letter All the World Wide Web’s a Stage Beauty is in the Iris of the Beholder

98

How Technology and Fashion Interact

104

She Wears the Pants

108

The Power of Romance

20

The Glamour Business

114

Dust Bowl Chic

28

Dream Haus

118

The Rise of Athleisure

34

Character Couture

122

Faux Feminism

42

Fibers

128

The Blurred Line

48

The New Nude

134

52

The Night is still Young

140

56

The Comfort Zone

146

64

Mirror Mirror

152

Old Hollywood Glamour

157

International Seoul

164

Fashion in Cult Films

170

Pantone

178

The Rise of Colorful Hair

184

Futura

70 74 80 86 92

Masculinity in Fashion Ao Dai Robert Perdziola Ancient Fashion Modernized Futuristic Pastels

Starting off in the Right Fashion Payton Long The Legend of the Corset

S PA R K / Spark Magazine is a student-run fashion publication at The University of Texas at Austin that aims to cultivate a creative space for individuals to develop as young professionals and to engage the community in an ongoing dialogue about the role of fashion in everyday life.

EDITOR’S LETTER

Two weeks into my freshman year of college I got an unsuspected email from a girl named Tiffany Chan. A few years earlier, I had met her on a tour of the University of Texas, while going up the elevator to the department of Textiles and Apparel. We gushed about our mutual love of creativity and design and suddenly, she asked if I had any interest in joining an organization she was restarting. That organization happened to be Spark Magazine, the University’s student-run fashion magazine, and I was to be its first Head Copy Editor.

Fast forward to this semester, I had the unique opportunity to carry on the legacy of Tiffany Chan as Editor-In-Chief. I was nervous and sad to see her leave. As a leader, she was supremely organized and well-versed. She always sought all areas for improvement. I had seen Tiffany and the staff transform Spark from an ambiguous concept to a full-fledged magazine, operating at an incredible level. Most importantly, she fostered a creative space where students could grow as young-professionals and actively engage in an ongoing dialogue about fashion in the world around us.

Spark is a haven. Monthly, weekly, daily, we express that fashion is about so much more than consumerism and chasing trends. Fashion is self-expression, inner-confidence - it is an exploration of shape, color, texture, and what it all means.

With clothes, old or new, we have the ability within ourselves to define who we are before anyone else tries to. Fashion is about embracing who you are and who you want to be. Here

at Spark, we are lucky enough to be able to examine how this idea of fashion functions around the world and in our own backyards.

This spring, we kicked things off with a training boot camp.

It is at this boot camp where we generated amazing content and set the tone for the rest of the semester. Week to week we improved skills in every department under the guidance of the talented leadership team. We heard from industry professionals, we looked at fashion on the blog daily, and we engaged with a larger community through our Spark for Humanity initiative.

All of this would not be possible without the vast drive and talent of the leadership team and staff. They have poured in hard work and effort in every week at our regularly scheduled meetings, late hours of the night, and even the early hours of the morning. Spark is an incredible collaboration and it is humbling to be surrounded by such great minds. I am truly blessed by this community and I am thankful to everyone for letting me be a part of their creative journey this semester.

XOXO,

Katherine Kykta Editor-in-Chief

ALL THE

WORLD

WIDE

WEB’S A STAGE

Writer: Sami Bolf, Copy Editor: Nikki LaSalla, Stylist: Ixi Hernandez, Karinna Lopez, Photographer: Hannah Laamoumi, Models: Bonnie McEnnis, Carley Deardorff, Alexa Ray, Adriel Morgan, HMUA: Maiya Evans, Mariah Becerra, Layout: Moses Lee

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W

hen designers first wanted to put their clothes out into the world, they began by staging amateur runway shows amongst friends in cozy and chic Paris salons. However, it was not long until the elite moved these proto-performances to the theater, drawn to the spectacle of the stage like moths to a flame. The ideas of costume and couture became forevermore merged in the minds of the consumer- and runway culture was born.

Nowadays, things are not so different. Catwalks are still strut upon by models wearing outrageous designs you could never pull off in everyday life. Designers are still creating new and better versions of the latest trends at a frenzied pace. People, of course, still complain about the feelings of disconnect from reality that fashion tends to indulge in. Runway shows like Givenchy’s in New York are routinely sneered at for, as WWD reported this year, featuring “several performance art vignettes.” The same article mentions Karl Lagerfield, who annually transforms Paris’ Grand Palais for his designs, “last year into a sprawling supermarket and most recently into a Chanel Airlines terminal,” alongside Marc Jacobs’ “movie-house extravaganza” set in Manhattan’s Ziegfield Theatre, a potential callback to the origins of the catwalk.

It is not as if designers do not know that these shows are potentially alienating and unrealistic. Their shows are not meant to be a mirror that reflects the more banal aspects of life. People tend to forget that the entire point of the runway is the stage.

Models are not wearing clothes that you and I would wear to work or class; because they are not wearing clothes at all- they are wearing costumes. Sure, business casual and leisurewear may not have a place on the runway, but why would they?

You can look around and see those aesthetics anywhere, on everyone, and the elite world of fashion is not meant to reflect the lives of everyone. It is supposed to reflect the lives of the privileged few who created it, those lucky few that highsnobiety.com dubbed the “fashion insiders.”

And yet, recently, there has been a changing in the tides. The insiders have begun expanding their brands to appeal to a more diverse audience, a seemingly abrupt change born out of the growing influence of social media and street fashion on the style industry. No longer is the public satisfied to wait around for couture’s cast-offs. They are going out and creating their own runway: one that can be found on any street in any city… and also about a million different websites and apps.

You heard right. Thanks to the Internet, the familiar world of high fashion has been forced into a period of transformation.

The presence of smartphones that can post to Instagram within seconds of recording a model strut her stuff means that the runway is no longer the only platform available for fashion mavens in the making. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest: all of these sites and more have become hotbeds for fashion and creation. It helps that their users are not interested in limiting themselves to haute couture. As Raf Simons pointed out in his interview with System magazine, “[High fashion] was more elitist, not for everybody. Now high fashion is for everybody.”

Nowhere is this newfound accessibility more obvious than in the recent revolution of street fashion. Though the idea of photographing the stylish on their way to work was born out of Bill Cunningham’s “On the Street” column in the New York Times, the World Wide Web is where the concept has truly found its footing. Not Just A Label pointed out that the fashion was founded upon “the very notion of aesthetics, performance, and outward presentation.” Social media embodies those same ideals. From Facebook’s never-ending newsfeed to Twitter’s lightning-quick updates to your friend searching for the picture of the two of you that best encapsulates last weekend, social media is all about presentation and performance. Our favorite apps need us to put on a show through pictures, statuses, and grotesque Snapchat selfies. The aesthetic is more important than ever, and customers aren’t looking to the catwalk for tips regarding what to wear to ACL. Instead, they are watching trends represented on street style blogs, striving for outfits that look good in pictures but do not come across like they are trying too hard.

The Internet is certainly a different kind of platform than high fashion is used to. No longer will the stages that designers like Lucile first debuted their clothes on cut it with the masses. After all, the ease with which we can peruse Google or Pinterest for outfit inspiration is a huge juxtaposition to the days when runway ruled supreme. An article in the New York Times (aptly titled “How Smartphones Are Killing Off the Fashion Show”) quoted designer Thomas Tait’s opinion that “we have been living with a fashion calendar and system that is from another era.” In the same article, Diane von Furstenberg summed up the situation as a “moment of complete confusion between what was and what will be.” On the other hand, Dazed defined the new era as “a natural progression” of fashion, one that lets the two opposite ends of the style spectrum find a “new, unexpected way to coexist.” Whether or not this outlook proves true, one thing is clear: no longer can the fashion world afford to shut itself off from the masses, especially when the masses have Snapchat. ■

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Beauty is in the

of the Beholder

Writer: Aiden Park, Copy Editor: Becky Phung, Stylist: Rachel Spross, Photographer: Kevin Pham, Models: Ebanie Griffiths, Denise Zaldivar, Austin Chevier, HMUA: Ernest Chan, Layout: Lauren Tran, Artist: Ernest Chan

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T

he runway sits like undisturbed, glassy water.

Slinky models stalk down the catwalk with fire in their eyes, going in for the kill. Queen Anna Wintour, the formidable editor-in-chief of Vogue, sits courtside, hiding behind her shades, donning her ever-present pointy-toed slingback, looking noticeably unappeased. Harsh lights sheen over the runway, sweeping anyone in the back rows into gummy, obscure shadows. Fashion can seem allusive and costumes reserved only for a higher class.

She laughs in the face of the conventional. Rare are the times Apfel steps out without a farcical amount of costume jewelry dangling off her papery wrists and collarbone. She is a spectacle, a tableau of creative silhouettes - puffy, slender, blocky, long, short, floppy and stiff. Apfel’s clothing is a stark contrast to the aloof Chromat and nonsensical Rick Owens. She is an insurgent who fights fire with fire - her extravagant ensembles are a subtle satire, undercutting the imperviousness of the fashion world.

The brands of today can feel intimidating. The trending brand Chromat showcases experimental designs of cages that forge the wearer’s silhouette into cold, unforgiving metal frames.

5-year-old Chromat is an example of what many perceive to be elitist fashion. Rick Owens’ 2015 fall show featured models wearing models. Working the runway, one model faced forwards and walked, the other, strapped upside down to her front, faced the opposite direction with her head peeking between the standing model’s legs. What other option is there but to laugh? The distance high fashion is away from everyday life can seem enormous, but a remedy to the seemingly untouchable fashion industry may lie within the quirks and pep of a near centenarian.

In the past 10 years of Apfel’s life, she has transformed from “that kooky bird-of-a-woman spotted on a New York City street” to fashion staple. Apfel began collecting otherworldly non-Western, artisanal clothing after traveling extensively for the textile firm she and her late husband launched. Even in her advanced age, she continues to flaunt her stockpile of garments. Instead of scribbling down verses of poetry on paper or splattering paint on a canvas, Apfel uses her body as her mode of expression; her genre is new and evolved. Her flippant disregard for other’s judgements, coupled with her overwhelming amount of bizarre garb is what ultimately led her to become the focus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute show in 2005. The wildly successful exhibit, titled Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Apfel Collection, showcased Apfel’s throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks attitude, launching her to late-in-life fashion fame. It would seem that someone as flamboyant as Apfel could be scoffed at, disregarded as a nutty old loon; however, she stands the test of time. With her amusing costumes, Apfel is celebrated in the inner circles of fashion’s crème de la crème. ►

94-year-old Iris Apfel’s wardrobe incites the same warm feeling an eccentric thrift store exudes. With her eyeliner unevenly drawn and her skin leathery, she is the embodiment of spunky.

Her outfits are not really outfits, they are costumes: flared collars that envelope her neck, strips of pendulous fringe, her iconic thick-rimmed glasses that cover nearly half of her face.

But Apfel’s own special brand of rebellion does not simply thwart the $1.2 trillion fashion industry. She pushes against the restraints of getting older, refusing to give in to aching bones and declining energy. Although Apfel makes the endless ensembles and fashion galas look easy, she warns, “Getting older ain’t for sissies, I’ll tell you. You have to push yourself when you’re older, because it’s very easy to fall into the trap.

You start to fall apart—you just have to do your best to paste yourself together.” To any other 90-year-old, fashion may seem trivial and as though not worth the trouble; Apfel dismisses that mentality with a flick of her costume jewelry-cladded wrist. In fact, the spring 2015 Kate Spade ad campaign stars Apfel alongside 22-year-old supermodel Karlie Kloss.

The photos are jarring and unusual; nevertheless, it refreshing to see a woman like Apfel roosting next to glamazon Kloss.

However, Apfel is not the only older woman taking designer brands by storm. She has led a resistance against the fashion industry’s preconceived notions regarding the ideal model.

Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is featured in a major brand’s ads. Immortalized in cool black and white, Mitchell strums a guitar while draped in Yves Saint Laurent, conveying a sense of serenity. In addition to Mitchell, three unlikely grandmothers lead Dolce & Gabbana’s spring 2015 campaign with Spanish flair. Clothed in slimming black dresses and saucy red lips, the women are pictured with the celebrated bullfighter José Maria Manzanares. Their defiance against the perpetual slippage of time transcends the parameters of the cliché. Peppered throughout magazines, featured on billboards and put on displays at malls, these women are role models for an aging generation. But the individuality and creativity Apfel radiates separates her from everyone else, pushing her into the realm of fashion icons.

It is a paradox that Apfel is loved by fashionistas worldwide.

Her clothes, in mainstream fashion, should be labeled ugly.

But perhaps it is her old age and unorthodox confidence that make her so cherished and beloved. She knows that each outfit lures ridicule and mockery; her blatant vulnerably is what draws so many in. She is among innovators and individualists of the highest tier. Apfel serves as a reminder that art not only includes her otherworldly concoctions, but the austere angles of Chromat and the bizarre runway of Rick Owens. Not all fashion is required to be comfortable and placid. As Estephanie Gomez, the style editor for ORANGE, explains, “It’s possible for fashion to be ugly. No one is going to have the same taste. That’s what integrates the whole individualism thing into fashion - you’re going to not like things.” ►

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“SHE IS AN INSURGENT WHO FIGHTS FIRE WITH FIRE— HER EXTRAVAGANT ENSEMBLES ARE A SUBTLE SATIRE, UNDERCUTTING THE IMPERVIOUSNESS OF THE FASHION WORLD.”

However, when delving into the significance of brands like Chromat and Rick Owens, the inspiration behind their unapproachable façades is exposed. And these brands are beautiful. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Chromat founder Becca McCharen describes the meaning behind her clothes, reflecting, “The scaffolding-like structures we create at Chromat build on my architectural design foundation. We treat the body the same as an architect treats the building site -- looking for context lines, experimenting with new materials and working on defining silhouettes.” Similarly, Rick Owens explains his exhibit of the models-wearing-models when he says, “Straps can be about restraint but here they are all about support and cradling. The show is about women raising women ... and women supporting women.”

High fashion can come off as abrasive, haughty and ridiculous.

But Apfel seizes the ridiculousness for herself, and spits it back at us through a charade of cloth and mismatched patterns. She empowers the art of fashion. Transforming herself into a sandwich board, Apfel advertises individuality and nonconformity.

With her trademarked glitz and glam, Apfel has made a permanent impression on the world of trends. “When you don’t dress like everyone else,” Apfel says, “you don’t have to think like everyone else.” Iris Apfel is an unlikely renegade, one who vehemently wages a war she has already won. ■

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THE GLAMOUR BUSINESS

Writer: London Gibson, Copy Editor: Sunny Kim, Stylist: Austin Chevier, Photographer: Aiden Park, Models: Sam Adams, Ellie Wendland, HMUA: Nicholas Silva, Layout: Sunny Kim

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S

he walks out from behind the curtain and onto the stage as if by accident. The grainy, flickering black and white film almost masks the thick smog of smoke suspended around her figure. Pretending not to hear the gasps and sighs, her face is stone, her demeanor nonchalant, her expression carefully blasé - she adopts the unassuming appearance of total normalcy. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The angelic woman, despite being in a room of women swathed in extravagant gowns, is encased in a form-fitting tuxedo. Coquettishly, she approaches a young Greta Garbo, bending forward in a mock display of masculinity. Gesturing toward the flower in her hands, she asks seductively, “May I have this?”

Marlene Dietrich floored audiences in Morocco, her first American movie after signing with Paramount pictures in 1930. The scene in which Dietrich emerges in the tuxedo quickly spurred whispers and gossip. For a woman to showcase her sexuality while adopting an air of masculinity was unheard of on such a grand scale as the silver screen. When Dietrich stepped onto American soil for the first time in 1930 after leaving her home country of Germany, women had only recently earned the right to vote. However, many obstacles in the way of total equality remained undisrupted and undiscussed. Marlene Dietrich’s strong attitude and willingness to explore new territories impacted both

the American concept of femininity and American standards of women’s clothing.

Although Dietrich quickly became beloved for her sultry look and enchanting demeanor, she remained true to herself throughout her career. After the iconic tuxedo scene in Morocco, Dietrich took to being photographed in suits as well as wearing them on and off screen. “One thing is to say ‘okay I’m not going to let these people determine the way I dress and I’m going to wear pants’ and another thing is to actually take that into the work environment,” said Elsie Echeverri, senior research scientist at the University of Texas and expert in gender studies. “She stood up and said ‘pants are not only for men, I am going to wear them.’”

However, rather than abandon her identity as a woman, Dietrich combined her femininity with her masculinity to create a persona that was both soft, strong and sensual.

Sexual, glamorous, coy, Marlene Dietrich held nothing back in her scandalously seductive roles. Starring as a cabaret singer in both The Blue Angel and Morocco, a courtesan in Shanghai Express, a prostitute in Dishonored, and a reigning adulterer in The Scarlett Empress, Marlene Dietrich sold a common theme. Always the bombshell, always the seductress, Dietrich was typecast because of her flippant attitude and her hollywood looks. ▶

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In response to this recurring element in her movie roles, Dietrich herself stated, “Glamour is what I sell, it’s my stock in trade.” Marlene Dietrich was liberated. No rules or norms could define how she was going to live her life. Her freedom was catching: kindling for a few decades after her iconic role in Morocco, in 1966 the trend caught flame. Yves St Laurent, a relatively new designer at the time, showcased high-fashion tuxedos for women in his show Le Smoking. During the second-wave feminist movement of the 60s, YSL’s women sold the glamour of women’s fashion intermixed with the strength of the men’s tuxedo Today, the runway exudes a blend of femininity and masculinity. Several young, artistic designers find gender norms as opportunities for expression. un(Heeled): A Fashion Show for the Unconventionally Masculine by DapperQ debuted in December of 2014. Clothing designed to play with the concepts of gender norms graced a runway at the Brooklyn Museum, inciting a conversation similar to the one started by Yves St Laurent in 1966. Additionally, Jean Paul Gautier’s Fall 2016 collection featured structured jackets and masculine silhouettes, and reinforced the concept that strong looks sexy and sophisticated on the modern woman. However, even though masculinity and femininity are beautifully blended on the runway, statistics revealing gender variances in the top positions of the fashion industry tell a different story.

The fashion industry seems like one of the few sanctuaries for female leaders: it’s startling that an industry built by women, advertised to women, and supported by women is nevertheless run by men. Businessoffashion.com stated in a 2015 article that even though women make up 70% of the fashion industry’s workforce, less than 25% of its leadership positions are female. Why do men still dominate a field primarily support-

ed by and marketed at women? Elsie Echeverri asked, “If it wasn’t because of women, the fashion industry would not be so big. So why is it that if the customers are females, men have to determine what we wear?”

Even though the fashion industry isn’t balanced in its leadership positions, there are still women making names for themselves in fashion. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine (one of the most established magazines in fashion) and a myriad of other extremely talented females have established names for themselves: Tory Burch, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Annie Leibovitz, Stella McCartney, and many more. These role-models are the modern-day Marlene Dietrichs, changing gender roles and inspiring a new generation of women. Fashion is one of the most influential cultural industries in existence. With millions of eyes following the fashion industry’s every movement, the impact fashion could have on gender equality is substantial.

When Marlene Dietrich glided onto a muggy smoke-laden stage in a tuxedo, she was not just making an innovative fashion choice. She was kickstarting a revolution, and the fashion industry followed suit. Like Dietrich, fashion does not just sell new coats and scarves and whatever else a wanderer passing by a storefront might need. Fashion sells glamour. Both Dietrich and the fashion industry promise a life of luxury, promoting a dream-world that drips of liberation. One of these luxuries should not be gender equality - that should be a given.

Women hold a bigger stake in the fashion industry than ever before, and with help, the future of fashion can be even brighter than its clothes. The influence of strong women like Marlene Dietrich will continue to inspire fashion, and someday the fashion industry will stop selling the concept of equality as a luxury and instead enforce it as a right. ■

Writer: Christy Agnello, Copy Editor: Channing Baker, Stylist: Marilyn Arteaga, Photographer: London Gibson, Models: Channing Baker, Addison Hollensed, Milenda Stammer, HMUA: Rachel Spross, Layout: Yuchen Sha, Artist: Akhila Janapati

S

omewhere, on a plastic throne, Barbie sits and admires her kingdom. Her hair is perfect, her complexion is flawless, and her unwavering smile rests delicately between her cheeks. She kicks up her feet, heels resting on something quilted and velvet, and sighs contently into the air of her palace. She can do anything, she can be anything, and she dresses in designer. Just the mention of her name breeds visions of bright pink dreams and glittering blue eyes. A globally recognizable icon, Barbie has cemented herself as an iconic part of American society and the global fashion industry.

Barbara Millicent Roberts, or Barbie for short, was the brainchild of Ruth Handler. According to Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll, Handler got the idea for Barbie after witnessing her daughter play with paper dolls and noticing that her daughter often liked to give them more adult roles. She pitched the idea of a teenage doll to her husband, and their toy company, Mattel Inc., the company that would later put Barbie into production, but both him and his Mattel Inc. business partner turned her down. In an interview with M.G. Lord for Forever Barbie, Handler explained that, during a trip to Europe in 1956, she stumbled across the Bild Lilli doll, a popular German kid’s toy modeled after a well-known comic strip character in Germany’s Bild newspaper. The perfect example of what she hoped to do with Barbie, Handler bought a few Lilli dolls, giving one to her daughter, and taking the rest to Mattel to prove the very real possibility of her doll being a success. After a reconceptualization of the doll, and giving her the name Barbie, after Handler’s daughter Barbara, Mattel put the doll into production and Barbie officially made her debut in 1959. Mattel Inc. would later acquire the rights to and end the production of the Bild Lilli doll.

The rest of Barbie’s history is just that, history. Barbie’s success has skyrocketed her from children’s toy, to the most popular and influential fashion doll ever created, and along the way transformed her into a mogul in her own right. Her presence can be found everywhere. Now there are Barbie movies, books about the movies, dolls from the movies, and when all that isn’t enough, there are Barbie clothes and accessories to round out the experience. Her likeness and signature are even found on household items, signifying that Barbie’s success is

no longer limited to the children’s market. The Barbie empire has made it possible for anyone to live in their own version of the Dream House; however, if you’re not quite ready to live in Barbie’s world full-time, but willing to shell out $4,000 a night for a room in Las Vegas, you can stay at the floor-to-ceiling Barbie suite at the Palms Casino Resort (which might just be the next best thing to Barbie’s mansion). As Barbie’s style and lifestyle sextupled in size and became attainable in the real world, the idea of what Barbie meant to America transformed as well.

Barbie quickly surpassed her role as a children’s toy, and became an enduring icon and, though problematic at times, a symbol of ultra-femininity. Ever-changing and always molding herself to fit the times, Barbie is an ever-present staple in the American household and conversation. Barbie has gone through many incarnations as beauty standards changed and issues of diversity progressed, and has developed into a symbol of the evolution of culture. Mattel ensured that as styles shifted in the real world, those same trends would be reflected in the world of Barbie, even creating special dolls for sports stars, characters in popular movies, and to honor influential celebrities (as seen with Zendaya in 2015). Whether it be a child begging their mother for one as they walk down the toy isle, an avid collector anxiously watching an eBay auction, or tomorrow’s superstar rejoicing in their own one-of-a-kind doll, Barbie is a coveted trophy of the American ideal. And while her reach may have extended far beyond her fashion roots, Barbie’s presence still heavily influences both her fictional and the real life fashion industry.

In 1990, legendary fashion designer, Bob Mackie (who has dressed Hollywood greats like Cher, Judy Garland, and Diana Ross, to name a few), designed a look for a special edition Barbie doll, creating the ultimate collaboration between two fashion icons. The Bob Mackie Gold Barbie doll started the trend of Barbie dressing in her own couture fashions created by world renowned designers in the real-life fashion industry.

As of 2015, Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Armani Versace, Anna Sui, Givenchy, Zac Posen, and Zuhair Murad have all created Barbie dolls dressed in their signature fashions, and that’s just a fraction of the big names attached to the Barbie Designers collection. ►

FLORAL DRESS | Archive Vintage

Bob Mackie for Barbie in the 1990s was the first instance of a real world designer creating garments for a fictional model, the first time that a children’s toy had received the designer treatment. Barbie’s mass market appeal provided a demographic of adult collectors that would not only appreciate these designer collaborations but be willing and able to spend the money on these special edition dolls, allowing for these designer collaborations to be successful. The success and continuation of designer Barbies provide attainable symbols of the appeal that Barbie and her status have to the fashion industry.

Barbie has become such a recognizable and respected icon that big time fashion industry staple brands would be more than eager to design for her. Seven ounces of plastic and synthetic hair had become a modern day muse. Having the esteem as a designer and the opportunity to design an outfit for Barbie can be like finally achieving the American dream: being successful enough to dress one of America’s standard and most coveted fashion icons.

The same way designers brought their signature styles to Barbie, Barbie loaned her signature style to designers in real world collections based on the fuchsia world of America’s favorite fashion doll. In September of 2014, Moschino (under creative director, Jeremy Scott), premiered their Spring/Summer 2015 ready-to-wear collection that was Barbie’s wardrobe come to life. Complete with plastic bow tops, garments sporting a variation of the iconic Barbie font, bold prints reminiscent of 80s Barbie, bright pink leather, t-shirts donning phrases like “totally Moschino!” and “Moschino for ages 5 and over,” and even a handbag modeled after Barbie’s hangers; Moschino and Scott turned their models into living, breathing, platinum-haired Barbie dolls, and thrust its viewers into the Technicolor world of classic Barbie. The combination of Moschino and Scott are known to breed pop-culture heavy, color saturated, eccentric clothing, but their Barbie inspired collection remains one of their most iconic and well received collaborations. Shoe designer, Sophia Webster also paid homage to Barbie in a Barbie-inspired capsule collection. Her shoe collection consisted in six pairs of pastel colored, Barbie approved shoes adorned with butterfly wings, heart charms and bows, speech bubbles with the words “Barbie doll” inside them, as well a Barbie

cameo portrait and pink Barbie ‘B’s. One of Barbie’s tried and true messages is “you can do anything,” a message that many designers must have internalized as children with dreams of working in the fashion industry. Barbie inspired collections serve as a reminder of that message, and that her influence is powerful enough to remain with designers as they peruse their dreams, sustain their creativity, and remind them of their roots as they venture on into their future.

The Barbie brand celebrates what it means to ‘imagine the possibilities,’ as their advertising suggests, and champions fellow icons in both pop culture and in fashion. But Barbie also champions the importance of science, athletics, and other areas of interest. Part of what makes Barbie so special to children and adults alike, is her ability to be relatable to the interests of various different minds. Not only is she a fashion model, or a fashion designer, but Barbie is also an athlete, a scientist, and even the president. Barbie is shown as having roles in ranging professions that work to appeal to boys and girls with passions that may fall outside of Barbie’s original fashion doll origins. And beyond what Barbie can do, Mattel has also expanded the idea of who Barbie can be. In 2016, Mattel announced that they would be bringing curvy, petite, and tall dolls, with varying skin tones, hair textures, and facial features, into the Barbie family. The decision to produce and sell Barbie dolls with different body types and unique features is revolutionary, and further emphasizes the idea that Barbie is every girl, subsequently inspiring children who may look like these new dolls to believe that they too are beautiful because of their uniqueness. The same way Barbie has the ability to be and do anything, her aim is to motivate her loyal fans to believe that they too can be and do anything.

Her kingdom has expanded well beyond what she had ever imagined, and she has faced her fair share of hardships, but she’s remained a poised ruler through it all, her influence transcending into worlds outside of her own. She understands her influence to be everlasting and looking over a balcony at the land that she reigns over, she smiles, coloring the worlds of pop culture and fashion the most vivid pink. ■

Writer: Nikki LaSalla, Stylist: Karinna Lopez, Ixi Hernandez, Photographer: Moses Lee, Model: Caitlin Topham, Alaya Enos, HMUA: Maiya Evans, Mariah Becerra, Layout: Hillary Henrici, Artist: Emily Jarvis

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he lights are blindingly fluorescent as teenagers and adults alike mull around the aisles of Forever-21. The music is thumping just loudly enough that everyone seems to be bobbing their heads along to it. “Party in the USA” comes on, and you sort your way through piles of surprisingly soft, probably not machine-washable, sweatshirts with the face of Mickey Mouse on one, and the symbol of Batman on the other. Later, you find yourself strolling into Bloomingdales, albeit only to touch and not to buy. “Party in the USA” is still playing, and the Wildfox Couture sweatshirts are referencing Cinderella, Rapunzel, and even mermaids. T-shirts from Eleven Paris, a brand that the Kardashians sport and that’s known for it’s slogans and usage of pop icons, line the walls. Not only that, but even watches made by Nixon take on the image of Star Wars’ Storm Troopers or Imperial Pilots.

As we leave the fast-fashion atmosphere and enter the high-end department stores, there are more examples of similar articles of clothing featuring the same concept: characters. Current customers love them, and the usage of characters like Barbie, super heroes, and even celebrities like Marilyn Monroe draw in the eyes of new clientele. Not only are these clothes featuring characters, but they’re becoming more character-like, with vibrant color schemes and over the top accents. Even jewelry, makeup, and accessories are bold with a comicbook-esque, over the top feel. It seems that characters are not just for children or fast-fashion anymore.

Yet, these faces didn’t just fall onto a one hundred dollar t-shirt or a one thousand dollar dress. These beloved icons had to first become icons; symbols that we as consumers would spend entire paychecks on just to flaunt a rose pink cardigan with the Powerpuff Girls on it. Memorable TV shows, movies, and even celebrities have found a place in the high-fashion world that doesn’t mock the flamboyant 80s, but instead, connects with consumers on a personal level. Blair Waldorf from the Gossip Girl TV series, for example, created a “prep” movement. Tween girls everywhere found headbands that mimicked the drama queens. In fact, at my lower school, you were uncool if you didn’t own at least 3 different headbands. Anna Sui, in conjunction with Target, even designed a line based on the TV show, with a heavy chunk of the collection focused on Blair’s preppy, plaid, and frilly look.

It isn’t uncommon to find a celebrity-like status in such memorable characters like Ms. Waldorf (or should I say, Bass?) that make us want to follow the trends they set. And yet, celebrities, too, can become almost character-like in their actions and behaviors, ending up on clothing as themselves. Both Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga have created images for themselves that, whether you disagree with or not, are ingrained into our memories.

When someone thinks of Lady Gaga, they think of ridiculous, avant garde ensembles. Her looks have found root in haute couture, and while designers would probably never admit it, ►

BLACK LEATHER PANTS | Buffalo Exchange BLACK STUDDED HEELS | Buffalo Exchange WHITE PUMPS | Buffalo Exchange TINTED SUNGLASSES | Buffalo Exchange FAUX FUR VEST | Buffalo Exchange

SILVER DRESS | Buffalo Exchange FAUX FUR VEST | Buffalo Exchange

NECKLACE | Buffalo Exchange

pieces from Alexander Wang, Prada, and Derek Lam have taken her on-stage outfits and turned them into something more wearable. When someone thinks of Miley Cyrus, they think of tongues, weed, and maybe her dead pet(z). Yet, they also think of artwork, and almost like a Picasso painting, it’s a mad, psychedelic mess. This character she’s created, while definitely capitalized upon by her team and designers, has also entitled her to create outfits for Jeremy Scott, wear leotards with mice on them (sparking t-shirts designs all over the country), and even made wearing concert-made outfits (aka, more leotards) acceptable in the public fashion sphere.

While celebrities have created characters for themselves, there’s still nothing like a classic one. Companies like Warner Bros, Lucasfilm, and Disney were really the first to present the world with characters who could become marketable.

Star Wars, especially, was the biggest break for characters to enter into mainstream fashion. The franchise began to market their product like never before, giving fans not only toys and collectibles, but t-shirts that they could wear to showcase their love of the series. Stores today, like Hot Topic and H&M, give fandoms a way to express themselves through fashion and jewelry at lower prices. However, these characters have moved past fast-fashion stores.

Theme parks capitalize on their customers, finding new ways to immerse them in the worlds of Harry Potter, Marvel, and Disney. When tourists go to the wizarding world of Harry Potter, they can buy the capes worn by Harry and Ginny in the movies; they can spend 100 dollars on an authentic Ravenclaw sweater, just to feel like they’re a character in the novels themselves. Disney, too, is really a main proprietor of fashion. They even have their own “high end” fashion line called D-Style, which is only available throughout the parks. Satin t-shirts with even more glamorized versions of the Disney Princesses and golden jewelry sporting special items from the movies themselves (like Snow White’s poison apple) are made for the line.

However, Disney itself shows the perfect partnership between high fashion and a love for character. Dooney and Bourke and Vera Bradley have designed Disney-themed purses and phone cases, specifically for the parks, that feature drawings of Mick-

ey, the castle, and Minnie Mouse. Recently, with the surge of popularity under Alex and Ani, they’ve created bracelets with popular characters, like Simba, and even with some of the specific theme park attractions (like the firework show Wishes).

They partnered with Barney’s New York in 2012 and had a new version of Minnie Mouse sketched to fit a “runway” commercial for the holiday season. Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilms, even has allowed them to expand more into the fashion sphere, with Bloomingdale’s announcing its partnership with multiple designers to create a Star Wars line. Based on characters like BB-8, Darth Vader, and Ray, these upscale outfits bring customers to a galaxy far, far away. The clothes don’t feature the characters themselves, but they, instead, resemble them, allowing for a more immersive experience.

However, where this notion of character couture shines is on the runway. Designers are now implementing these icons into their outfits, but no one does it more seamlessly and vibrantly than Jeremy Scott. His runways are notorious for having a comic-book like aura, filled with spectacular make-up and, of course, characters, new and old. A couple of years ago, he featured sweatshirts with a Jack-o-Lantern’s smile, Shrek, and even “Game Over”. Recently, he partnered with Moschino, which he says is like “quote from article about toys”. Their most recent collection features all things Powerpuff Girls.

There are bathing suits, sweaters, dresses, and t-shirt dresses, all for over almost 400 dollars, that feature the iconic superheroes and the brand name in the style of the Powerpuff Girls’ logo. Moschino has also created a character for itself, with its oversized sweaters with fashionable animal characters and backpacks, some shaped to look like leather jackets and others that feature Super Mario characters.

It is clear that high-fashion is making a shift towards this outof-the box character couture. Some may even venture that character couture had its beginnings in the 80s, but it is more than just big hair and neon tights. It is more than just characters showing up on sweatshirts at a local Forever 21. It is about the storyline, that is ever-present in fashion, now integrating storylines that show up in popular culture. Characters, no matter how outrageous, come along with the story, and create a couture that is like none other. ■

FIBERS Textiles, Processes, Uses

Writer: Michael Bettati, Copy Editor: Natasha Sabour, Stylist: Ashley Arreola, Photographer: Andrew Chien, Models: Melina Perez, Gabby Tan, HMUA: Whitney Chen, Layout: Whitney Chen

FUR PENCIL SKIRT | Dainty Hooligan

V-NECK DRESS | Dainty Hooligan

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extiles are all around us: from the garments in our closets, to the bandages on our wounds, to the leather in our shoes, to the Astroturf in our stadiums, to the carbon fiber in our skis, to the insulation in our houses, to the fiberglass in our sports cars. Textile materials lend themselves marvelously to many applications, predetermined by their individual properties.

Textiles can be defined as any materials created from fibers, and therefore encompass a versatile set of materials. They can have drastically different properties, and therein a variety of different uses, particularly within the fashion industry.

Approximately 89.4 million metric tons of textile fibers are produced every year. Of this, about two thirds are synthetic fibers. However, due to our history, in the US the most well known fiber is cotton. Cotton is a staple fiber, meaning it is of a limited length and requires the addition of other cotton fibers and a spinning process to join them into longer strands that can then be integrated into a fabric. Other natural fibers such as wool, mohair or flax are similar in this aspect. In contrast, filament type fibers are sufficient in length to be integrated into fabric directly and can skip the spinning process, unless a thicker yarn is warranted. As a matter of fact, silk fiber from a single cocoon of a silkworm can be over two miles in length.

Similarly, synthetic fibers can also span many miles in length,

and these are therefore also classified as filament fibers. The fiber content of a textile has arguably the largest impact on a fabric’s properties. Every fiber has its own pros and cons, and therefore the end use of a textile should be kept in mind during the selection process. Continuing with our previous example, cotton is beloved for its comfort, absorbency, flexibility, abrasion resistance, color permanency and strength. Cotton has a very high rate of perspiration absorption and evaporation and is therefore characterized as a “cool” fabric. However, it can also be a very warm fabric because it acts well as an insulating element and thus prevents the transmission of body heat to colder surroundings. Cotton is also lightweight and cheap when compared to other fabrics. Even better, it is biodegradable and renewable. Downsides of cotton are that it is not lustrous, and must be extensively finished to avoid shrinkage, increase wrinkle resistance, and make it water resistant. Other downsides include that it is flammable at a relatively low temperature (for industrial applications) of 475 F, and has incredibly large water impacts on farmland. According to WWF, growing one kilogram of cotton (the equivalent of a t-shirt and jeans) requires over 20,000 liters of water. Uses for cotton are extremely extensive. A few examples are: press covers in dry cleaners, filter fabrics, medical gauze and other disposables, sanitary napkins, linings for rubber hoses, and even industrial beltings and conveyors and automotive fabrics. ►

Nylon, as a contrasting example, is a synthetic fiber and is manufactured through an esterfication reaction of diamines and dibasic acid to create long amine chains. The most common nylon is nylon 66, which is so called because it is manufactured from adipic acid and hexamethylene diamine; both of which have six bonded carbon atoms. The product of this chemical reaction is then melted and passed through a spinneret. The resulting filaments are then cold stretched to about 6 times their original length. This stretching orients the fiber particles longitudinally and creates a vastly superior clear, lustrous, elastic and strong fiber.

If a less lustrous fiber is desired, an oxide or sulfate can be added to the molten filaments before the stretching process. Nylon is praised for its elasticity, resistance to mildew, its ability to be molded to shape with heat, and its extreme resistance to wear. It can wear away most other textile fibers in rubbing and is often used as a strengthening fiber in blended textiles. The most common use of nylon in its short history is women’s hosiery. Only 20 years after its invention nylon completely dominated the women’s hosiery business accounting for 98 percent of the market volume and around 850 million sold in 1961 alone. Each hose was produced by a seamless-hosiery fitting machine, which finished a knit pair with more than 2,000,000 loops in less than 2.75 minutes. Besides pantyhose, nylon is vital in the production of luggage, cord wrappings, backpacks, fish and kite lines, fishnets, toothbrushes… etc, and was even used in the making of US currency.

Other processes have a very significant impact on a textile’s properties. The spinning process of the fibers is of interest because it can greatly alter the physical properties of yarns such as their tenacity, elasticity, and strength as well as change their specific gravity and cross section. Spinning is a multistep process, which includes blending, tinting, cleaning, carding, combing, spinning, and winding. Essentially, fibers are homogenized, and cleaned, then during the carding step are combed and oriented in a thin parallel condition. The material resulting from this step is then further combed and stretched

and thinned out and spun into yarns. There are S (counter clockwise) and Z (clockwise) type yarns, as well as O type yarns, which are filament-grouped yarns. There has also been recent interest in braided and knit filament yarns. This yields a very deformable and elastic yarn, ideal for thick knits.

The way in which yarns are meshed also plays an important role in the properties of a textile. The yarns can be interlinked at an angle, i.e. woven, or they can be inter-looped, and knitted.

A fabric that is woven exhibits tremendous strength and tenacity, but is less easily deformed, and therefore feels less soft.

The angle in which warp, the base yarns on which a weave is laid, and weft strands, the ones that are woven in, meet, as well as the type of weave that is implemented have a tremendous impact on a fabric’s mechanical properties. A 2/1 or 3/1 twill is used in the making of denim for jeans. This means that the weft is only over one strand of the warp for every three strands that it passes under. This gives jeans their characteristic one-sided indigo look, since only the warp yarns are dyed. For applications in which weight is an issue, such as kite fabrics or the fabrics in ship sails, a simple one-over-one under plain weave is done. For dresses, a stain weave structure, which is 4/1 or larger, is preferred because a glossy, lustrous surface is desired. Knits are another method of creating a textile. Knits dominate the garment world. For example, the average T-shirt, while seemingly uncomplicated in its manufacture, is in fact knit and not woven. This is because knits offer a higher level of comfort than weaves. Knits are more easily deformable and because of this allow for an easier tight fit.

All of the above may seem like it has little to do with the fashion the world recognizes at first, but after a closer look, it is clear that textiles have everything to do with style. Not only do textiles play a significant role in creating clothing, but they are also a driving force of the economy behind the fashion industry. Textiles and fabrics are where the fashion industry begins the process of deciding which styles will be marketed, and which outfits will be inspired by those styles. ■

NUDE ROMPER | Dainty Hooligan NUDE HALTER DRESS | Dainty Hooligan ROMPER | Dainty Hooligan HALTER DRESS | Dainty Hooligan IVORY HEELS | Dainty Hooligan

Writer: Ariana Garcia, Copy Editor: Shelby Stebler, Stylist: Ellie Bazil, Photographer: Maria Andrade, Models: Ebanie Griffith, Rachel Real, HMUA: Natalie Arriaga, Layout: Jackie Ramirez

The New Nude How the "Nude" Color has Grown in Popularity

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ou see the varying shades of light ivories to deep browns everywhere these days. Nude is becoming just as necessary for the avid trendsetter as the little black dress. And like the little black dress, it provides universal flattery and versatility that has made the trend a closet staple among the fashion savvy famous. Nude is a signature shade for the styles of the Kardashian clan. Venus Williams attracted the attention of tennis lovers and fashion followers when she took to the court in nude shorts at the Australian Open in 2015. Kanye West debuted his new Yeezy Season 3 show this spring, which, like his previous collections, featured an array of flesh-colored bodysuits and head-to-toe outfits in different shades of brown and beige. But where and when did the nude movement begin?

Nude-colored fashion can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where the women of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty rocked simple, ankle-grazing tunics in plain colors. Later on in history, nude, which now is considered stylish for its simplicity, was actually considered cheap in Victorian times. Look at any movie within the era and you’ll see peasants depicted in shades of dull, offwhite and beige colors. Bright-colored, vivid fashion was saved for the upper class and nobility. Flappers of the 1920s, not typically members of the upper-crust, often wore dresses in neutral tones of beige, sand, and cream. Rayon stockings in flesh and pastel colors were also hot fashion items during the time and ushered in a new era of nude. Pantyhose, following the stockings trend, were introduced in the 1960s. The beige trench coat resurged in the 1960s, after Audrey Hepburn donned a Burberry trench in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” after which it became a must-have for all fashion-conscious women. Recently, the minimalist-orientated 1990s brought the nude slip dress into our fashion portfolios.

But nude is no longer limited to the khaki-colored gabardine trench coats or hosiery of the past. Today nude has grown bigger than itself, and blossomed into a trend you can see in footwear, clothing, and makeup lines. Liquid lipstick, the latest craze in makeup, is the most popular when purchased in neutral shades. Nude body-con dresses are swiftly becoming the go-to outfit for a night out. Nude shoes, which go with everything, are the perfect way to tie any outfit together.

Furthermore, many brands are finally expanding their selection of flesh-colored tones. There is no doubt that there has been a

lack of options available for women of color when it comes to “nude”-colored clothing, as clothing lines tended to assume that “nude” defaulted to “white.” This has long proved a controversy in the fashion world. But in fall 2014, London-based label Nubian Skin launched a line of lingerie and hosiery to meet the needs of women of color by offering a wide variety of skin tones. The creation of Nudevotion, a website founded in 2014 containing all things nude, was inspired by this very problem. “Not long ago, ‘nude’ meant ‘matches white skin,” said Steve Moscetti, founder of Nudevotion, in an interview with Refinery 29. “Because not everyone’s ‘nude’ is the same, people with skin of any other color were implicitly unable to participate in the trend.” The website features a “dark nude” search filter option that allows customers to view all products available in that category at the same time.

Even Christian Louboutin, known for his signature red soled shoes, recently released new tones for his similarly well-known nude collection of heels. Louboutin says the new colors were inspired by the desire to offer shades that could be purchased by different women from around the world. While he tried to make it easier on people who want to wear shoes to match their skin color, he acknowledges that his collection is far from complete. “There are two colors that I’m missing the range of in the middle,” Louboutin said in an interview with The Cut. Louboutin says that in the next year, the collection will include a total selection of seven skin tones.

So what is next for nude? The neutral colors are predicted to be an even bigger trend this winter for both men and women. The men’s fashion line RalphyPablo showcased an intimate collection featuring traditional pea coats in olive, navy, and camel.

There’s also no need to worry about only being able to wear nude during the fall or winter. Nude is becoming more accessible for those who want to wear the shade year-round, with neutral pieces featured in many of this year’s catwalks for spring and summer. The aforementioned nude slip dress is making a comeback, as seen in Givenchy’s spring ready-to-wear collection. The slips even feature lace and ruching, providing more variety in styles to the typically bare (no pun intended) trend.

Similarly, nude has been witnessed on catwalks in romantic feathers, ruffles, pastels, creams, chiffon and sheer details for spring. No matter what new forms the popular trend comes in, one thing is for sure: nude is here to stay. ■

THE

NIGHT IS STILL

YOUNG

Writer: Carlos Devora, Copy Editor: Arielle McCann, Stylist: Louise Johnson, Photographer: Jamila Raja, Models: Devon Carroll, Griffin Hanson, Paola Jimenez, HMUA: Isha Dighe, Layout: Yuchen Sha

PURPLE PANTS│Ermine Vintage

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ou and two college friends are waiting outside of a club in a line with twenty other people in it. Lights and distant music emanate from the club’s entrance. The three of you are embellished in boisterous blues, reds, purples, and blacks that blend cohesively with each other’s personal outfits. You all laugh, goof around, and wait to approach the front of the line. A bouncer lets you in and in an instant you are transported to an environment full of life, freedom, and self expression. The music is blaring, the lights mirror your wardrobe in an array of colors. Lights, music, and others around you feel like one entity. One of your friends turns to you and says, “Come on, let’s dance!” You grab their hand, feeling the euphoria of the room. You realize tonight belongs to you all.

Drugs, alcohol, sex, and late nights. These are the images that have described youth urban culture for many decades. Whether it is going to the club, a house party, or just hanging out with friends, many people believe that youth is only driven by those four things. While many young adults do partake in those activities, it cannot not deter someone from symbolically achieving more during the course of the night. Many young adults depict nightlife as inclusive environments, that they are there to destress after a long day. Above all, these spaces are charged with the increasing use of cutting edge technology, particularly in dance music, directly calling into question the role of human agency in creating music that conjures up images race, class and gender and sexuality. Youth nightlife then becomes a platform for sociocultural change that reflects language, fashion, unity, and political movements.

Nightlife tends to emulate unity and inclusivity in today’s modern age. The value of diversity is prominent in 2016, and everyone is allowed to express themselves through fashion and music. So can fashion have a political conscious? Although we operate in a very straight, cisgender, and white society nightlife for young people who like loud music, bright lights, and bold fashion is accessible to all in cohesive or separate spaces.

Many social movements have woven itself through youth nightlife. A problem concerning nightlife is the treatment of women at night, and the advocacy of a non-sexist nightlife.

Some women are treated differently than men. The problem goes deeper when talking about women of color and women of the LGBTQ movement. Gender differentiation is prominent, and many women are abused at night time. While sexism is still very much a troubling concern, many issues have been brought to light, such as women being shamed for the clothes they wearing or harassment. Although nightlife includes women, it is usually built on a sexist model that only uses women as a tool to draw men in. Many bars and clubs use marketing tactics such as “free drinks” and “ladies night” to attract more women into their venue which in turn is suppose to draw in heterosexual men. These sexist tactics are usually under the

guise of a “gain” for women when in reality they proliferate sexist spaces. Women are individually redefining what it means to be a woman at night, and that is no different than what they adhere to during the day.

Another prominent issue is the LGBTQ rights movement.

Sparked at the Stonewall Inn, young adults changed the fate of a community when they decided to riot and stand together. If one thinks about it, they were already standing together as a milieu of music, fashion, and life experiences brought those individuals together. Author and sociology writer Andy Bennett, states, “Social identities form a collective expression within the framework of neo-tribes, the related concept of ‘lifestyle’ provides a useful basis for a revised understanding of how individual identities are constructed and lived out.”

The idea of neo-tribes is a concept coined by French sociologist Michel Maffesoli, and suggests that young people are drawn together one by one by things they have in common.

In the case of Stone Wall, people were drawn together by how they identified as a person, and a common issue that they retaliated against.

This tradition of fusing nightlife and activism continues in New York City today. Chronicled in an article with The Huffington Post, Tyler Ashley, part of the New York city nightlife community, puts together a monthly event titled “BABY TEA” to benefit FIERCE, an organization dedicated to improving the lives and livelihood of queer and trans youth of color in New York City. The community brings together a group of DJs, nightlife personalities, and individuals who identify as trans or queer, blending nightlife and social justice. Decorated with minimal props and bright colors and avant-garde makeup and clothing, BABY TEA unites aesthetics, fashion, youth, and activism together. “I wanted to use this platform as a way to celebrate my trans sisters and brothers. … The beauty of such a bare-bones set up is that it really can become anything it wants – fundraiser, dance party, birthday party,” Ashley says. As shown by current events like BABY TEA, activism and change can be progressed with nightlife.

Nightlife includes all people. While some of these groups may not normally congregate together everyday, nightlife acts as an opportunity for all of groups to come together.

Fashion interprets forms of change, so the revival of brighter colors mixed with darker background schemes reflect the freedom and self-expression each individual has, mixed with the true realities of today’s common culture. According to americanprogress.org, our generation of millennials are one of the most progressive generations. Nightlife’s bold fashion is a reflection of that. Bright colors make a statement. In nature, bright colors are what attract bees to flowers. They pollinate the flowers, resulting in new flowers. The flowers then feed the bees, helping the ecosystem as a whole. We are the flowers of our generation, and who says we need the sun to blossom? ■

the comfort zone

Writer: Arielle McCann, Copy Editor: Carlos Devora, Stylist: Marilyn Arteaga, Photographer: Jamila Raja, Models: Laura Hallas, Hillary Henrici, HMUA: Isha Dighe, Samuya Gupta, Layout: Yuchen Sha

GREEN TROUSER│Ermine Vintage BLACK CROP TOP│Dainty Hooligan HOUNDSTOOTH JACKET│Dainty Hooligan

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n the beginning of my freshman year at UT, I experienced a culture shock. Greek life and different ethnicities filled the 40 acre campus. The Austin atmosphere overwhelmed me. The city radiated with ambition and the adjustment to a college lifestyle stressed me. It was completely different from where I was raised. Unlike Austin, my hometown has a strong Hispanic heritage, which was a comfortable environment for me. I didn’t feel like I had to dress up, or put on a facade. However, I was able to find comfort on campus. One of the first fashion statements I noticed was the college student style: t-shirts, athletic tights, Nike shoes, Columbia jackets, pastel and dark color schemes, and a plethora of athletic brands. It created a carefree and cool style.

Embracing this sporty style helped me realize that other students on campus endorsed athleticism and I immediately felt more content in my new home.

College students dress comfortably but add style that is expressed in different ways. Those who are in sororities usually rock big t-shirts with tights or shorts and a pair of athletic shoes. Other college students might wear joggers, t-shirts, an airy plaid dress, jeans with Sperry’s or Converse, their workout gear, or perhaps, whatever feels comfortable to them. The point is that everyone has their “comfort zone” and incorporates comfort in their wardrobe differently. Greek life style influences college students who may not even be in Greek life, especially when there’s many sororities and fraternities on campus. When you have a long to-do list for the day, T-shirts and running shorts is the ideal “OOTD” for Greek and nonGreek students. Greek life reinforces the idea that dressing

casually and comfortably is appropriate for class. Lululemon, recently, has become a big component of this trend. Known for their yoga and running gear, the brand encourages relaxation and positive vibes, attracting those who have an active lifestyle. Lululemon’s mission is to “[create] components for people to live longer, healthier, fun lives.” It embodies comfort, and therefore, makes an appearance in college fashion because the brand supports an active and busy schedule.

But, is dressing comfortably, as it is usually seen, actually laziness? That depends. If you roll out of bed 5 minutes before class starts and go to class in pajamas…well, that is pretty lazy.

Yet, sometimes college students are still stereotyped as lazy, but that’s not the case. What many don’t realize is that many students are constantly juggling stressful classes with a job, a social life, and other errands. In addition, many all-nighters are needed to study for exams. Almost everyone understands how nerve-racking the college lifestyle can be, so dressing comfortably is appropriate. Laziness is unbrushed hair, dirty and torn-up clothes, or not presenting yourself in a good light.

Dressing comfortably does not equal laziness. Dressing to your comfort level gives you the confidence to conquer your daily tasks. If wearing athletic apparel boosts someone’s confidence, it’s more likely they will accomplish their daily tasks to the best of their abilities. Some women may find comfort and confidence by wearing sundresses. Some men may find business casual attire comforting, and it raises their belief in themselves to perform well in the classroom. However, it all depends on the occasion. Dressing for an internship ►

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interview is different from dressing for a normal school day.

Apply comfort to your outfits, but be mindful of the occasion you are dressing for.

As college students, most of us are preparing for the 9-to-5 world by gaining work experience through internships. Comfort can also be applied to intern attire. Women assume that stilettos are an everyday necessity for business wear, but that’s not true. If you’re the type that feels awkward in heels, opt for low chunky heels or flats. Men and women should tailor their pieces to their body type because when your outfit fits right, you look put together and exude confidence. Neutrals with a pop of color and a few accessories will personalize your internship outfit. For example, a white blouse with a navy blazer and navy pants can easily come to life with a pair of colorful flats and a bold statement necklace. In addition, while interning, observe the outfits of the professionals. Notice the do’s and the don’ts of the work setting and from there apply personal comforts and style. The key is finding a balance between the typical professional look and what is most comfortable.

Let individuality and personality shine through. Don’t let the mundane clothing choices get the best of identity.

College fashion and 9-to-5 culture aren’t the only scenes that express comfort. The runaway, especially recently, has embraced dressing for comfort. Jade Lai’s Creatures of Comfort Spring 2016 collection captures an ideal representation of comfortably worn, yet still fashionable, outfits. Lai’s choice of fabrics, from bright silky linens to rich cotton, and choice of relaxed suiting, dainty long dresses, and oversized jackets, dis-

plays an effortless and contemporary aesthetic. Femininity is free from the “cookie cutter” clothing, which is a boring clique that lacks individuality. Creatures of Comfort empowers women to make their well-being a priority by creating effortless and personal looks that embrace a love for comfortable style.

Moreover, celebrities integrate comfort in their style. Models like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid wear sporty chic clothing.

For instance, Hadid wears a matching track jacket and pants with a pair of white high-top Converse or Adidas sneakers.

Sometimes Hadid rocks a casual dress with a trendy pair of classic slip-on Vans or wedge sneakers, creating an effortless look. Celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Joe Jonas demonstrate comfortable, casual chic by wearing a simple white shirt or button–up, a jean jacket, dark chino pants and a pair of Jordans or New Balance shoes. Celebrities affect everyday fashion choices. Admiration for these celebrities allows for inspiration from their outfits that can be applied to our own wardrobes. Since celebrities embrace comfort in their style, a similar trend can now be found in ordinary looks.

Everyone has their own “comfort zone,” and it can be applied in any scenario. Whether it’s for everyday school clothes or an intern attire, creating an outfit that will not only make you feel confident, but also comfortable, is key. Furthermore, comfort is a rising trend in the fashion world. It is spotted in celebrity style and runway fashion, which influences incorporation into wardrobes. Thus, there’s no need to choose comfort over style.

Embrace comfort, but do it with a stylish flourish. ■

Writer: Felicia Rodriguez, Copy Editor: Amy Ong, Stylist: Abigail Diaz, Photographer: Sara Rasor, Models: Elias Hinojosa, Addison Hollensed, HMUA: Alyssa Osheim, Layout: Danielle Ransom

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ake a look at the girl on the street: oversized blouse, black lace tights, and a little black hat. Or maybe that girl’s wearing a crop top and high-waisted shorts to show off her million dollar legs. How is her makeup? Is she keeping it natural, fresh, radiant? Or is she working a smoky eye look with dark colored lips? Whatever it is about her, someone will be captivated by her look and will want to recreate it.

Someone will want to be that girl so they can eventually be “that girl,” too.

We live in a society where fashion trends are considered a big deal.

Everyone wants the next best item and they will run to the stores to get ahold of the missing piece they need to complete their closet. Unfortunately, the closet will never be complete, because new trends appear every single day. Sometimes, the trends may not be articles of clothing, but rather makeup looks and hairstyles. There is an overwhelming need to fit in and stand out, but somehow fitting in and standing out means having the same look as every other person that walks the street. These similarities do not necessarily make it wrong, but they have created an interesting dilemma in fashion.

Within the past year, crop tops and high-waisted shorts have been a fashion staple among young women. They reveal a little midriff, maybe even an exposed belly button piercing, and it’s paired with high-waisted shorts to complete the look. This particular design has been a rather big deal in the fashion industry. Crop tops, in particular, are fun, edgy, come in all types of designs and, for those girls who love summer, it has revealed itself as a necessity.

Charlotte Davis, 23, is an local native who enjoys the atmosphere, nightlife, and social scene that Austin is known for. On nights out with the girls, she almost always turns to her favorite fashion staple: the crop top.

“I think the crop top is just the most darling thing you’ve ever seen.

I feel good in it, it’s super fun to wear and I’m pretty sure if you searched my closet, you will find about a million crop tops,” Davis said. Of course, crop tops probably would not be the only fashion trend Davis possesses.

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There are also new trends in the makeup industry. Dusty mauve pink lip or a deep brown lip color, like the ones that Kylie Jenner has sported, are now chic lipcolors that are favorites in the past fall months. Look around and see a thousand girls pouting their fall-inspired lip colors. Girls want those classic dark lips and Kylie Jenner is just one of the few celebrities to have made dark lips a must-have makeup look. Her own lipstick line sold out within minutes when it first launched. Everybody wanted the lipstick she presented as oh so sultry and yet still sophisticated. Regardless of how one views the dark lip look or Kylie Jenner for that matter, this trend will not be stopping any time soon. ►

Jaclyn Langston, 18, is an Austin Community College freshman who calls herself a lipstick queen, owns practically every single color in the crayon box. Langston is an example of how the Kylie Jenner lip trend has caught on in mainstream beauty.

“Lipstick to me is a necessity. It drives me insane if I don’t have color on my lip. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s not for everybody. But sometimes I look at a girl and I’m just like, ‘How do you not have color on your lips?’ It gets me anxious because I have a makeup bag full of lipsticks in my purse and I’m always two seconds away from offering one out,” Langston said.

Yet, the most fascinating aspects about trends are they do not necessarily have to be an item that just came around in the most recent years. Trends can come from decades past because of their power in that time. How nostalgic it must be to enjoy something that was such a crowd favorite back in the day. It is almost like enjoying a favorite pastime.

Although it is not the biggest trend compared to others, overalls made a comeback for all the ‘90s kids whose parents dressed them up in denim overalls. Now, as teens or young adults, they can rock a grown up version of the ‘90s’ classic staple. Even ripped jeans were a thing of the ‘90s and males and females alike wear ripped jeans to this day. Some females even pair it up with tights of different patterns and colors underneath to give it a different look.

Anthony Padilla, 20, used to work at Hollister a couple of years ago and said that every season, the “uniforms” employees had to wear would change. Hollister employees, who are also called “models,” change up their uniform four times a year in order to promote new pieces that Hollister has in stock.

During one season, overalls were even an option for the girls to wear to work.

“One of my co-workers [at that time] saw that we were getting overalls in stock and she got super excited! I was a little confused because I thought overalls were the worst when I was a kid. I couldn’t imagine having to wear them now but she loved them and so did a few other girls at work. They definitely didn’t look like the overalls I remember as a kid, that’s for sure,” Padilla said.

With decades other than the ‘90s to be inspired by and being able to see where certain trends come from, it makes one wonder: what trends will still be present in the future? Will there be trends from past decades reappear or will we see things from our time? Will everything be completely different and allow a new generation of trends to be born? Trends can come in many forms but the impression it makes on a generation is everlasting.

Adriana Gomez, 21, said that she takes a lot of inspiration from the ‘80s and ‘90s because those are the decades she identifies with. However, she does give credit to some styles today that take inspiration from those decades.

“I think it’s super cool seeing something and thinking that’s probably what our parents wore when they were young. I think that’s part of the reason why I have the style I do now because I used to think my mom was so pretty back in the day and her fashion sense was always on point. Not to say she isn’t pretty now,” Gomez laughed. “It’s just interesting to see how fashion has changed and also to see how a lot of those changes are really from back in the day. That’s awesome because at least we’re not forgetting what’s actually good about the past. As far as future style, I expect to see a lot more sparkly items but hopefully it’s just to continue upgrading already good looks.”

Whatever the future holds in regards to fashion, the important part is to remember to make sure that whatever someone is wearing gives them a bit of spark. We all deserve to have a little spark. ■

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MASCULINITY in fashion

Writer: Shelby Stebler, Copy Editor: Ariana Garcia, Stylist: Ellie Bazil, Photographer: Andrew Chien, Models: Ebanie Griffith, Tony Redmer, HMUA: Natalie Arriaga, Layout: Jackie Ramirez

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lothing can be used to signal many things: wealth and status, cultural heritage, even the love of a favorite band. One thing many people take for granted is clothing being used to signify gender. This has been the case throughout history.

More recently however, many fashion icons and designers are changing the way we think of gender in clothing. It takes a lot of bravery to challenge norms in society--especially when it comes to heavily ingrained and traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity.

Menswear-inspired pieces have been worn by women in high fashion for many years, be it boxy blazers, pants, and even shoes. Marc Jacobs is one of many designers who is able to create suits for the powerful woman. While suits may typically be associated with the stereotypically strong and savvy businessman, women wearing gorgeously tailored suits is becoming much more common. Just look to the next Red Carpet event to see talented women (and men) rocking this strong look.

pieces in both the men’s and women’s sections. Minimalism, another trend of 2015 and 2016 is also, arguably, androgynous.

With boxy shapes and fewer details, minimalist clothing can be worn a variety of ways by anyone who wants to. This is not to say that people should be limited to androgynous clothes or only clothes traditionally associated with their gender. Fashion is for everyone and can be used in so many different ways to portray one’s self to the world.

Designers love to challenge gender norms. Putting women in clothes traditionally meant for men is only one way this happens. Gucci’s Fall 2015 show had men wearing blouses and sheer tops in flowy materials.

Part of the fun of fashion is using it as a way to express our personality to the world. It has a large impact in how the world perceives us as individuals. When types of clothes are considered to be only for men or only for women, problems arise when people go against these expectations. Kids especially like to wear any and all clothes, and this creativity should not be shut down. Allowing people, especially children, to be able to express themselves however they see fit, without facing negative consequences or comments, allows people to have a healthier mental state. Boys should not be considered any less of a boy unless they specifically want to; clothes do not dictate gender.

This is especially important for transgender adults and children, who generally feel a discrepancy in the way they look and the way they actually are. When considering the gender norms in fashion, these feelings of inadequacy could be exacerbated.

If the artsy, over-the-top looks of the runways aren’t for you, mainstream stores have also begun carrying androgynous pieces to mix and match to create your own, purely unique look. Luckily, androgynous looks became popular in 2015 and are still trending in 2016.

As with most high fashion, it has trickled down into more mainstream audiences. Women in the business world wear power suits, but even just women walking down the street can be seen wearing boxy, masculine jackets, or men’s loafers.

This shift towards androgyny in fashion could be a result of the growing strength of the LGBT+ movement, giving people the opportunity to come to terms with themselves and experiment more with self-expression. Androgyny has come in and out of style over the years, beginning arguably in the 1920s when flappers sought boyishly shaped bodies. Perhaps now, androgyny and mixing traditionally “masculine” and “feminine” pieces is here to stay, giving everyone the opportunity to represent themselves how they see fit. One such store is Zara, which has recently carried many androgynous, minimalist

Helping to further this claim and push the discussion of gender in fashion is a growing number of celebrities. Marc Jacobs, Kanye West, Jared Leto, and even Vin Diesel have worn skirts over the years. Perhaps most influential however, is Jaden Smith. Known for his completely unique sense of style, Jaden Smith wears skirts and dresses with confidence. Compared to some of his other outfits, skirts seem completely normal and receive less media buzz. While getting attention for one’s killer fashion sense can be super fun, it always feels better when done in a positive and supportive way, rather than a questioning way.

Personally, I am for all for doing away with gender norms in fashion and letting people wear whatever clothes they want, regardless of their gender. The idea that gender has to be represented in everyday common items, such as dresses or shoes, is antiquated. Luckily, high fashion is well on its way to dispelling these assumptions by letting loose on the runway, so the only thing to do now is wait. In the meantime, I fully support anyone who can pull off a killer pair of pumps or a fine blazer. ■

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a dress by another name

Writer: Becky Phung, Copy Editor: Aiden Park, Stylist: Rachel Spross, Photographer: Kevin Pham, Models: Alana Hernandez, Caroline Tsai, HMUA: Ernest Chan, Layout: Lauren Tran, Artist: Ernest Chan

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ike many of her predecessors, Huong Pham, Vietnam’s national representative in the Miss Universe pageant in 2015, donned the traditional áo dài in the national costume portion of the pageant.

Her custom-tailored áo dài (pronounced Ow Zai in northern Vietnam or Ow Yai in the south) was decadently adorned with embroidered flying cranes and bamboo shoots, and, bringing the entire ensemble together, her golden phoenix headpiece (a variation on the khăn đóng, or circular headdress sometimes worn with the áo dài) was made fit for a queen.

In contrast to his previous design for Miss Vietnam 2013 (Truong Thi May), Thuan Viet, the designer of Pham’s dress, ambitiously created two almost completely identical ao dai; the only difference between the two was that one was mainly white and the other, black. The intricacies of Viet’s design is uncommon outside of those worn in weddings and pageants, but one can certainly find its spirit and energy well-alive in áo dài commonly worn by Vietnamese people around the world today.

The typical áo dài is not actually a dress, but a combination of fitted tunic and loose pants. The tunic is usually made of a semi-translucent fabric or a silk brocade and is split on the sides up to the waist to form two separate panels in the front and back. Loose, silk pants are paired with the tunic, providing comfort for the wearer while creating the illusion of a full skirt at the same time. The tunic is closed by a flap on the left connecting with snaps on the right of the tunic and features a stiff mandarin collar, similar to the Chinese cheongsam. Several common variations are now integrated into the ao dai, such as the absence or shortening of sleeves and scooped necklines.

Depending on the price and effort put into the dress, designs can be printed, embroidered, or painted onto the tunic and pants. Typically worn for special occasions and by females (al-

though áo dài do exist for men as well) today, the áo dài may be worn by a bride accompanied with a khăn đóng, by wedding attendees dressed in colorful ensembles, in attendance of festivals, called tết, throughout the year, or in popular áo dài pageants in Vietnam and overseas. Some schools in Vietnam require that girls wear a pure white áo dài as a uniform.

However, on the runway, the áo dài can take on a completely different form altogether depending on the direction in which Vietnamese designers decide to take. On one hand, designers remain true to the classic, figure-contouring silhouette of the áo dài and print traditional Vietnamese symbols and scenes on the áo dài, or their creation blur the line between what defines an áo dài and typical dress.

Thuan Viet, designer of Miss Vietnam 2015 and 2013’s dresses, is a designer who leans more towards the traditional style with its distinctive mandarin collar or popular boat-neck cut and tight-fitting tunic. However, his designs are not without any contemporary touches. In his various collections on his website, one can clearly see that he designs both for the modern Vietnamese woman as well for an older, more traditional time. One collection features austere tones of gray and white underneath brightly embroidered and beaded necklines. Models wear sleekly pulled back hair or tall, slicked-back updos.

Another one features three women of varying ages in bright red, pale yellow, and royal blue áo dài. The dresses act as blank canvases for applique and embroidered flowers, adding to the joyful tone of the entire collection.

On the other hand, Calvin Hiep, a California-based designer, takes the general foundation of the áo dài, tunic and loose palazzo-cut pants, and reimagines it in a completely new ►

context. For example, from the 2013 Viet Fashion week show in California, styled with sheer black gloves, large braided hair reminiscent of the Korean gache worn with the hanbok, and white pearls, his short-sleeved, tweed áo dài is far from the multi-colored and flowy version of the dress that is more commonly worn among the masses. Another dress featured a multi-colored front panel paired with an ostentatious, purple velvet for the sleeves, styled again with a large, thick braided crown of hair.

Distinctly Vietnamese haute couture, the Vietnamese áo dài is on par with the gowns seen on the runway in Paris, Milan, and Italy. This haute couture, however, is available to all walks of life. Quality áo dài are hand-tailored and sewn to fit the person who orders the dress, and fabric and cut are decided are also decided by the customer. As well as being a fashion staple for all Vietnamese women’s closets, the áo dài symbolizes the country itself. Its various forms throughout history reflect a cultural anthropology on Vietnam, and it is still transforming and evolving through young designers who combine ancient traditional norms with new perspectives. For the thousands of Vietnamese who carried it on their backs as they fled the country from war or simply left, the áo dài served, and continues to serve, as a physical semblance of their country in a new and, oftentimes, trying environment.

As a Vietnamese-American, whenever I get even a glimpse of an áo dài, I am reminded of this rich and full culture that is uniquely mine and of my strange position in this culture as being Vietnamese but not Vietnamese. Mostly, though, I am reminded of the memories I had in the past of attending festi-

vals at my local temple with friends and the áo dài I would see draped on mothers and grandmothers, sisters and daughters.

Amid paper lantern stars strung across a sky stuck in the limbo between the sunshine of a Houston afternoon and its darkest night enter young women in sheer flowing dresses with slits up to their waist. The slits expose colorful, floor length silk pants and the tip of matching heels underneath it all. They gracefully float between white booths that are selling Vietnamese vegetarian food and handcrafted goods. The dying light catches painted, sparkling designs tastefully placed on the front of the dresses.

Taking pictures on the steps of the large temple with rooftop corners curved towards the sky is a group of elderly women with their husbands, the men dressed in neat button downs and pressed, khaki pants and the women in the same dresses as their younger counterparts, except jade pieces adorn their wrists and deeply-rooted tradition emanates from their proud countenances.

In attendance are also sulking children forced to wear the traditional garment by their parents and young girls who try to emulate the airs of their older sisters through the dress with makeup and uncomfortable shoes, but their naïveté overshadows this charade of maturity; it is not quite their turn yet.

Night begins to fall, and a procession of monks in austere, loose-fitting robes walk through the open space before the temple to a raised platform over the pond’s still surface. The community that has gathered together in celebration respectfully steps aside; the smell of burning incense lingers in the cold night air. ■

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ROBERT PERDZIOLA Writer: Melina Perez, Stylist: Victoria Bass, Photographer: Moses Lee, Model: Hillary Henrici, HMUA: Amanda MacFarlane, Layout: Emily Jarvis

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ostumes are a vital component in the performing world. They act as a “second skin,” for actors or dancers, a way to visually complete a character, and a direct influence to the way they are to play their parts. An equally important component is the costume designer. Working with costume designers to understand the visions of the individuals putting productions together is important in order to communicate the message directors are aiming to express. Costume designers understand that the nature of the character reflects on their work and success in creating these designs. The shapes, colors and styles are all symbols the audience reads into and forms an opinion on, throughout the telling of the story.

The best costume designers are capable of telling the director’s story through their work. Robert Perdziola, an influential designer in the world of costuming, realizes the importance of his designs when he works on productions, which is why he is so successful at his craft and in his field. Perdziola has dabbled in various types of production companies, from opera to ballet, and has designed sets and costumes for the Metropolitan Opera, Manhattan School of Music, the Julliard School of Drama, American Ballet Theater. He has even worked as the costume and set designer for the Boston Ballet, reimagining Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, just to name a few. He has received numerous award nominations for his work at the Sydney Opera House, The Garsington Opera in the UK, and other major theaters in Europe. His designs are frequently featured at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. and the Signature Theatre. Perdziola is quite literally at the top of his game, with his unique eye for innovating and refining classic costumes that attracts directors from all over the world.

Perdziola is innovative with his work in the sense that he “wanted to create a ‘look’ that was going to be solid in the Boston Ballet.” He enjoys giving the productions he works on their own design qualities and unique, soft, feminine looks, especially when ballets like Nutcracker and Swan Lake have been reproduced countless times. He recognizes the importance of productions staying in the accurate period, but also understands that he needed “flare and heart” in his designs.

He wants his designs to feel like a fairy tale and to resonate from a point of emotion. When re-imagining the look of The Nutcracker for the Boston Ballet, director/choreographer Mik-

ko Nissinen collaborated with Perdziola to add magic and flare to the tale. The costumes float around the dancers as they swiftly and delicately move around the stage.They are more refined and fit in nicely with modern times, with thousands of Swarovski crystals set in satin bodices, accompanied with layers of chiffon and tulle. Joyce Kulhawik, an attendee on opening night, described the production as being “lit from within.”

There are shimmering, silvery trees and the main character is “frescoed in pink and gold, top to bottom.” Perdziola perfectly captured the essence of Clara, a young girl being transported by a romantic dream of finding a handsome nutcracker who comes to life and wafts her away on a cloud to his magical kingdom. The rest of the play is described as enchanted, crisp, playful, elegant and dramatic. The costumes not only let the ballerinas look as though they’re soaring weightlessly, but also demonstrates a more youthful and fun approach to a story that has been around for decades. According to Kulhawik, this is a “monumental achievement for Boston Ballet… a fresh and lively take for the 21st century.”

Perdziola’s inspiration for his whimsical and dreamy stories is completely obvious when you look at his sketches. In fact, they are so impressive, you can find a few displayed at the McNay Art Museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, The Leslie Lohman Museum, the Rose Art Museum, and more. His design process begins with the vision of the director. In the case of Nissinen’s vision for The Nutcracker, significant changes to the overall look of the ballet were necessary. He wanted costumes that served as both complementary to Nissinen’s new choreography and dynamic in design and look. Perdziola’s detailed ideas come into fruition as actual costumes for the revamped ballet with twenty costume shop workers. Much of the detailing and all of the assembly is done by hand and custom fitted to the dancers in a particular production. Putting together dozens of costumes for a production of this size is no small feat, but Perdziola seems to have the experience to pull everyone together to create his dreamy, crystal encrusted creations.

Perdiola’s innovation and attention to detail will surely be how his designs will be remembered. His unique approach to classic productions is what makes him a sought after designer.

Modern twists are exactly what the industry needs to keep it fresh and exciting, and Perdziola knows how to deliver. ■

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ancient fashion MODERNIZED

Writer: Claudia Castillo, Copy Editor: Margaux Bartzen, Stylist: Ashley Magenheimer, Photographer: Jill Picou, Models: Austin Chevier, Adriel Morgan, HMUA: Sandra Tsai-Yun, Layout: Ernest Chan

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he societies of the Ancient Greeks and Romans were incredibly innovative and advanced. Technologies, such as the newspaper, the aqueduct, and the theater were created in this period of time and are now big parts of our modern life. More than 2000 years later, the way they dressed can still be found in the fashion of today Most of what is known of fashion during the ancient times is discovered from their art and writings. Perhaps it is because of their culture that these ancient societies have inspired items associated with a statuesque elegance and a soft delicacy. When calling to mind people from this period, we imagine an elegant woman in a draped dress, and men in gladiator sandals with golden leaves in the victor’s hair. This idea of a polished silhouette is still mimicked in the clothes seen on runways.

Over the years, many designers, such as Alexander McQueen and Dolce & Gabbana, have not only been inspired by Greek and Roman imagery, but have also infused the aspects of these societies into their collections. In their 2014 Spring/Summer collection, Dolce & Gabbana designed every piece with a Grecian theme in mind. They captured not only the culture, but also the outstanding architecture from ancient Greece. Some of the dresses had actual pictures of this architecture; moreover, this collection contained drapes, gold coins, and even heels shaped like columns. The clothes they’ve created are reminiscent of days past, and even include photographs of the

Pantheon itself on some of the dresses. There is a magnetizing factor about these cultures that make designers want to resurrect them even after all this time. Perhaps it is their simplicity and classic aura partnered with modern fabric design that draws attention to these pieces. This influence of Greek and Roman characteristics are also present in modern day jewelry.

Nowadays, hair accessories most likely do not have any one specific meaning; they are worn because of their aesthetics.

However, in Ancient Rome certain hair accessories had meanings. Roman women were pioneers of the flower crown trend.

Brides used to gather flowers to adorn their hair with on their wedding days as an ornament for a special occasion. Men were also given laurel wreaths to honor personal achievements and symbolize respect. Flower crowns may still be used mostly on special occasions, but essentially these accessories do not have as much meaning as they used to.

Roman and Greek women’s love for jewelry was evident in the fact that they were presented wearing it often. Bracelets, necklaces, rings, thigh bracelets and many more were boasted in these societies. After Alexander the Great conquered the Persian empire, the Roman empire received an enormous amount of gold. As such, a wide variety of jewelry was produced during this time. His conquest is a main reason why we associate the Roman Empire with gold and golden accents.

They created and developed ingenious ways of using the amount of gold they had. Many of the gold itself was used

for â–ş currency, with symbols of their gods and goddesses on them. In modern times, we still use the coins to accessorize and to style entire ensembles of jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, and rings that resemble those from antiquity. Jewelry designers like Marco Bicego, who sells jewelry at Saks Fifth Avenue, create gold jewelry that is modern in design but has origins based on the Roman coin.

Many articles of clothing feature these coins on them. In Greece, women used to wear chitons over their undergarment (which was called perizoma). According to an article in the Gale World History, the chiton was a large rectangle of material folded once and sewn together along the edge opposite the fold to form a tube. They had a variety of ways of tying

the chiton with ropes and brooches to create certain shapes, like a one-shouldered dress or a dress separation. The Romans differed because their clothing was a little more complicated.

They not only had rectangular shaped fabrics, but also cross and circular shaped ones. Also, the Romans had a specialized dress code. They wore different variations depending on their social class, occasion, and age. However, the most common garment for Romans was the tunic. They also used belts and other materials to adjust the toga to fit their bodies properly. However, the togas apparently were not comfortable garments.

These two different, but similar types of dressing are still seen nowadays. The original creation of drapes was due to a lack of technology, but it has outlasted the rise and fall of civiliza-

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tions. In fact, draping is not only seen in fashion. Nowadays, we drape curtains, bed sheets, and napkins. In ancient Greece, draping was even believed to revitalize dead tissue creating a more youthful figure. While draping itself has lost this original purpose, it is simple yet beautiful composition will always be part of our modern lives. For example, toga, which has a slightly different composition, can still be seen as basis for more complicated and elaborated designs in today’s fashion.

Girls wear one-shoulder dresses, shaped like the toga itself, for exquisite nights out and even designers like Elie Saab, Marc Jacobs, and Prada have featured such designs in their collections. The original toga was symbolic; by looking at someone’s toga you could tell what social class they belonged to and even what their profession was. Now, it does not separate

people in that way, but it does inspire and influence the creation of new fashions.

Like with other innovations that come from ancient Rome and Greece, their creations in fashion are not going to fade away.

Yes, they are modified to fit modern times, but the foundation remains. It is amazing how it is possible to modify styles that were created over 2000 years ago and make them suited for modern tastes. Even to this day, they convey the simplistic elegance that made the ancient period so captivating. ■

FUTURISTIC PASTELS

Stylist: Lily Rocha, Photographer: Hannah Laamoumi, Models: Hannah Seavey, Madeline Wells, HMUA: Maiya Evans, Mariah Becerra, Layout: Moses Lee

BLUE FUZZY SKIRT | Olive Boutique BLUE LEOTARD | Olive Boutique

LONG-SLEEVE BLOUSE | Olive Boutique BABY PINK TAILORED SHORTS | Olive Boutique

GREEN HIGH WAISTED TROUSERS | Olive Boutique BROWN DRESS | Olive Boutique

GOLD HAND NECKLACE | Olive Boutique WHITE TRAPEZE BLOUSE | Olive Boutique

LONG SLEEVE TOP ǀ Frock On

Writer: Giselle Suazo, Copy Editor: Iris Zamparrpa, Stylist: Linda Gomez, Photographer: Alexa Ray, Models: Channing Baker, Devon Carroll, HMUA: Sophia Quiroga, Layout: Danielle Ransom, Artist: Whitney Chen

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nce upon a time, fashion and technology were mere acquaintances-- consumers still flocked to stores and technological innovations in fashion were limited to weaving techniques or new color displays. But fast forward to the 21st century and these two have taken their relationship to the next level. The marriage between fashion and technology advances constantly as the industry that has given us the like of 3-D printed shoes and wearable fashion is the fastest growing today. The influence technology has on the fashion industry is undeniable and it is exciting to see where innovators take it next.

with a busy schedule that leaves little time to browse in-store items.

Fashion and technology have also combined themselves into one and become an array of products that are multifunctional without losing their style. Kate Spade understands that sacrificing style for function is avoidable when creating multifunctional fashion-- the designer decided to join forces with Everpurse, to create bags that will carry and charge your phone. The bags debuted in September of last year to eager consumers dying to get their hands on the new clutches and purses.

Technology has influenced the design of garments and completely changed the way consumers interact with fashion.

Thanks to a number of apps and the growing popularity of online shopping (Cyber Monday, anyone?) getting your hands on that romper you loved on Pinterest is now easier than ever. Rent the Runway is an app for anyone looking to get their hands on designer brands, think Halston Heritage and Badgley Mischka, without breaking your bank account. This app will let you rent pieces and return them for free, they promise to take care of dry cleaning too. Poshmark is another example of technology weaving its way into the fashion world as it lets you purchase trending items at 70% off retail price and gives you the option to sell your own stuff. These are great options for fashionistas

But Spade wasn’t the only designer to jump on the techie bandwagon, Tory Burch took a cue from the increasing need for a product that had many functions.

This led her to create her very own line of FitBits. FitBits have become a hot commodity among anyone wanting to keep track of their health, but the ‘sporty look’ isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

In comes Burch who designed beautiful and chic FitBits that will go with every outfit for any outing. They work just as regular FitBits that will track the amount of steps you take on your morning walk or how your heart rate spikes as you dance the night away on sixth street. ►

LONG SLEEVE TOP ǀ Frock On Vintage WHITE JACKET ǀ Frock On Vintage

LONG SLEEVE TOP ǀ Frock On Vintage

Most noticeable is the influence the techie world has on designers and their garments. Gareth Pugh is an excellent example of how futuristic fashion is made, his ready-to-wear collection in spring of 2009 had all his models ready to face the takeover of technology. Every look was made with rich stark white materials that resembled keys on a computer. The styling of the models remained muted and cold yet the garments came alive as white turned to metal and black tones -- a computer being powered off. This theme followed into his fall of 2011 runway show where the white was replaced by charcoal and midnight black that transitioned to pops of electrifying gold. Puth’s play with structured lines and metallics made every one of his models look like they were wearing the latest technological advancement. Other noteable runway shows that revolutionized futuristic fashion is Manish Aora during a 2012 show where his models were dressed in gowns made from laser-cut squares of metal. Celebrities are trends biggest fans and they were eager to show wearable technology some love.

Katy Perry is one of pop music’s favorite princesses and fans

are aware of her adoration for anything colorful and eye-catching. It was no surprise then that Perry showed up to the 2010 MET Gala donning a dress that - literally - lit up the red carpet with the help of 3,000 LED lights. Dita Von Teese is another celeb with a love for innovation. The queen of burlesque wore a 3-D printed dress made to fit her body that was designed by Michael Schmidt.

This was one of the first times a 3-D printer produced finer and more flexible products. Nike took notice of this and jumped at the opportunity to create a 3-D printed footwear, proving that haute couture wasn’t the only one jumping in on the tech trend.

The marriage between fashion and technology is one for the ages. Innovation in both of these industries is constant and will continue to grow in years to come. Consumers can look forward to products that will have various functions without losing their ‘fashion factor’. ■

She Wears The Pants Writer: Patricia Oldani, Copy Editor: Abby Wills, Stylist: Carly Weiner, Photographer: Monica Li, Models: Alexa Ray, Hannah Seavey HMUA: Gabriela Tan, Layout: Ilana Grabarnik

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magine a time when donning a pair of jeans to class, a pair of culottes to dinner with friends, or even athletic shorts to the gym was abnormal. It is hard to picture.

Before the 1930s it was unheard of for a woman to step out in public wearing a pair of pants, and even when women’s pants began gaining traction in the fashion world, they were still met with some resistance.

Nowadays we have such variation in types of pants with different colors, styles, and embellishments that they have become more comfortable, more versatile, and equally if not more commonly worn as skirts by women on a daily basis. Pants have become just as representative of femininity as skirts and dresses. While a woman can still choose a skirt to feel feminine and flirty, she can just as easily pick out a nice pair of pants and feel the same. Gender lines are blurring within the fashion industry and that makes for one empowered woman.

Historically, it took decades for pants to finally become a commonly worn piece of clothing for women. According to Sandra Sherman in her article “Pants for Women,” the first pant-like garments were bloomers, or “a full skirt reaching just below the knee, with full-cut trousers underneath.” These then developed into bicycling outfits in the late 19th century, as they provided the necessary leg movement associated with bicycling. When women went to work replacing men in factory jobs during World War I, the impracticality of skirts in the workplace became more widely known by women. According to Sherman, they began to wear “trousers or overalls, although this practice was much criticized.” In the 1920s Sherman mentions that despite the progress made by the suffragette movement, “pants remained taboo.”

It was in the 1930s that pants truly began to appear in the world of high fashion. According to Sherman, actress Marlene Dietrich “signaled the emergence of women’s pants from sportswear to high fashion” when she wore them in her film Morocco in 1930. By November 1939 Vogue stated, “Your wardrobe is not complete without a pair or two of the superbly tailored slacks of 1939.”

That being said, the everyday woman was not as quick to adopt the pants trend in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Bobbie Brinkley, a teenager and young adult during this time period, stated that “pants may have been in the fashion magazines but it was still considered lowly for a woman to wear them out in public.”

Sherman confirms this sentiment stating that by 1947 the fashion scene was “reverting to full skirts and soft femininity.”

Brinkley claims that she did not start to wear pants on a regular basis until the late 1960s and early 1970s, with the newfound popularity of pantsuits and the comfort of jeans. She mentioned that her daughter was required to wear skirts and dresses to her high school in the 1960s. It is not odd that even during the societal and sexual revolutions of the ‘60s women were still subjugated to such sexist attitudes in fashion?

It is hard to believe that it took a little under 100 years for pants to be seen as normal everyday wear for women, considering that today we put on a pair of pants without a second thought.

We are lucky enough to live during a time when women are gaining more and more power and equality in the world, and this is especially evident through the world of fashion.

Skirts used to be seen as the embodiment of femininity and pants the embodiment of masculinity, but the gender roles associated with these clothing items are shifting. Nowadays skirts and pants can be equally feminine, from a sexy yet feminine skin-tight Hervé Leger bondage skirt to a pair of sexy but edgy Alexander Wang leather leggings. The world that we live in is constantly redefining gender boundaries, and the fluidity and adaptability of both the skirt and the pant make them both great pieces of clothing to test those boundaries with.

It is important to recognize that despite the progress that has been made with the gender lines of skirts and pants, there is still a bit of a stigma attached to each. For example, a young woman may be expected to wear an appropriate, but sexy dress or skirt to a formal event. Similarly many women feel a lot of pressure to wear skirts and dresses to their office jobs on a daily basis. There is obviously much work to be done on completely liberating women from the constrictive femininity associated with skirts.

We have yet to reach a place in the world of fashion where gender lines are completely blurred, but we are working towards one. In the past 100 or so years we have gone from women wearing pants outside of the home being taboo to a pair of pants being a staple of every women’s wardrobe. Who knows, maybe in the next 100 years we will reach a place where dresses and skirts become staple items of a man’s wardrobe. ■

BLACK IVORY V-NECK | Dainty Hooligan NECKLACE | Dainty Hooligan EARRINGS│Dainty Hooligan

THE POWER OF ROMANCE

Writer: Alana Hernandez, Copy Editor: Abigail Rosenthal, Stylist: Veronica Lozano, Photographer: Andy Medina, Models: Eman Esfandi and Veronica Boccardo, HMUA: Jessica Teran, Layout: Manuela Rincon

PLEATED SKIRT | St. Vincent de Paul GREY SLACKS | St. Vincent de Paul

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hen a person feels romantic, they are swept up in a multitude of emotions. In a way, when a person embodies romance, they obtain a boost of confidence. Attraction is the first step in the process of finding love.

Since most people use their clothing as a form of expression, their clothing style can often either spark or hinder attraction.

So maintaining confidence and finding the right style incorporations that make people feel empowered is a key element in romantic fashion. Romance is a powerful experience and its influence over art can be seen in movies, dance, and particularly, in fashion.

After all, people tend to dress based on their emotional states, and we all have different preferences about which colors and fabrics fall into the romantic category. Incorporating romance into fashion allows a person’s creative persona to be shown.

Whether it is through incorporating color into their wardrobes or donning an outrageous shade of red lipstick, everyone has at least one fashion secret that helps them stand out in the crowd just a bit more.

Romantic fashion has continuously evolved and different types of romantic fashion trends have been created. Most people that have a romantic style, tend to be attracted toward clothing that enhances feelings of flirtation, beauty and glamour. Feminine clothing fabrics like lace and pieces like peplum tops and dresses complement, the figure and are preferred style incorpo-

rations. Soft colors like pastel blues and pinks are great pieces to incorporate as well because they add a young flirtatious vibe to the outfit. People with this style tend to collect pieces that they feel are beautiful, like antique jewelry. Popular designers like Betsey Johnson, Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino are wellknown for their romantic collections. Betsey Johnson jewelry collections always incorporates feminine and creative looking figures like cute animals or different objects. Dolce & Gabbana loves producing colorful clothing items that have a soft and fruity appearance. Valentino uses soft fabrics like silk in order to create pretty romantic inspired clothing. He also tends to incorporate a variety of contrasting colors in his designs, while managing to keep a soft romantic appearance rather than an edgy romantic style.

Soft colors are considered to be romantic colors that give people an attractively elegant appeal, but this is not the only color palate that can be seen as romantic. Dark colors like purple, black, and red can create a mysterious and sleek look that can be romantically hypnotizing. This type of romantic inspired fashion allows people to have an alternative form. Sometimes the soft colored romantic style makes people look young and a bit childish. The edgy romantic inspired fashion gives off more of a mature womanly status. In the end, whichever style you prefer is your decision. These contrasting romantic inspired styles are options that people can make based on how they feel at that specific moment, their age, and/or their style preferences. â–ş

How people view romantic fashion also depends on their time’s current pop culture. For example, the popular romantic drama “Flashdance” made a powerful impact in 80s romantic fashion.

After “Flashdance” was released, oversized off the shoulder sweaters, pairing pumps with legwarmers and leotards were becoming the latest trend. Incorporating feminine activewear into a romantic art like dance allowed a combination of both arts to be created.

Dance and romantic fashion are two intertwining forms of creative expression. These are two mediums that focus on the body and have combined to create a passionate aura of romance. Designers often get their inspiration by different types of dances. For example several designers, like Channel and Valentino used ballet as their inspiration. They created and incorporated tutu inspired pieces into some of their collections. Alexander McQueen has also used dance for inspiration, but he decided to have his collection based off of Flamenco dancing instead.

In contrast to ballet, Flamenco inspired collections have bold mysterious colors like red and black. There is a synergetic connection between dance and fashion that has a reciprocal type of inspiration.

Popular iconic figures also directed fashion eras. Some style influencers were Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn, just to name a few. Marilyn Monroe went against her time’s norm and wore clothing that was form-fitting and showed off her feminine curvy figure. Monroe’s style was romantic in a flirtatious and bold fashion. In contrast, Audrey

Hepburn’s style symbolizes elegance and beauty in a romantic way. Audrey has several memorable wardrobe pieces, but no one has mastered the iconic little black dress like she has. She carried herself in this dress with elegance and poise. A little black dress is a must-have piece that perfectly embodies a romantically graceful feel. While Elizabeth Taylor is well-known for being an amazing actress and being married several times, she is also popular for her romantic fashion style. Elizabeth Taylor’s style is a bit of a mix between Audrey’s classy chicness and Marilyn’s flirtatious style. Elizabeth is a great example of how someone can dress elegantly and sexy at the same time. Elizabeth would wear form-fitting dresses and one-piece bathing suits that showed off her figure and made her look and feel beautiful. Her wardrobe also included long cool colored flowy dresses that gave her a young and girly appearance. Romantic fashion’s rules are not concrete. These iconic figures created their own romantic styling and rocked it. Confidence is key when it comes to dressing romantic so it is important to wear the pieces that make you feel special.

Romance can be expressed in several forms of art and is able to be expressed in any way we choose. Whether we feel like dressing in a flirty romantic fashion or in a glamour inspired romantic fashion, in the end it is up to the individual to create their own interpretation. Romantic fashion is a fun form of expressing your creativity. Dressing in romantic clothing allows people’s fantasies to become realities. That is the beauty about this style. It allows you to transform into what makes you feel confident and pretty. ■

DUST BOWL

Writer: Felicia Rodriguez, Copy Editor: Rebekah Edwards, Stylist: April Owusu, Photographer: Sissy Martin, HMUA: Annie Pool, Layout: Ilana Grabarnik, Artist: Alayna Enos

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n the 1930s, even though people were poor and struggling to make ends meet, fashion still found its way into the Depression era. People may assume the depression overshadowed women’s fashion but that was not the case. Even in the wake of the Depression, fashion was still considered glamourous as it was in the ‘20s, just in a different way; a way that made the ‘30s iconic for still being mesmerizing during a difficult time for most people.

There was a return of a more ladylike appearance for women.

The ideal thirties woman was tall and slender, with budding rounded busts and waistline curves. Shoulder pads and puffy sleeves were important accents to a woman’s outfit because it helped create that slender look while still keeping the curves in all the right places. Hair became softer and prettier as the quality of hair perms improved. Foreheads, which had been hidden by cloche hats, were revealed and admired with small plate shaped hats. It was no longer something that women were self conscious about. Clothes were feminine, sweet and tidy by day with a return to real glamour at night.

Demonstrated By 13 Iconic Beauties. People in the fashion industry can thank Hepburn for making the wide legged trousers and shirts popular as these are still trends that are seen today. Menswear allowed women to ditch the same dress and skirt they were expected to wear and allow them to branch out in a brand new way. That is where the ‘30s gave women a chance to not dress like the conventional woman. Women were allowed to be more comfortable in who they were and were no longer tied down to what a woman was “supposed” to look like.

As far as what a women was supposed to look like, Bette Davis, another style icon of the decade, was widely known for her signature blonde bob. People during that time did not quite view Davis as a conventional beauty and was not seen as the traditional everyday woman. Despite how Hollywood viewed her, Davis said, “Hollywood wanted me to be pretty, but I fought for realism,” according to the same Marie Claire article. She embraced what made her unique and for that, she was iconic.

Until the 1930s, practical day clothes were not something wealthy women possessed. Women of that decade had more productive and busier lives and simpler clothes gave a new found freedom of movement women relished in daily life. The more luxurious gowns were kept for evening. Fur and floral patterns were iconic in the ‘30s. Makeup was always chic and classic, giving women a mature look without appearing too old or overdone. Appearances were meant to be sophisticated.

Compared to today’s fashion, the ‘30s are not so far off. Women today can embrace menswear and it would not be viewed as new or different. Particularly when Hollywood starlets, such as Angelina Jolie and Emma Watson, have been seen wearing menswear on the red carpet, it is seen as something all women should be doing. It allows women to be creative in how they want to present themselves to the world without being criticized for wanting to wear menswear.

As women transitioned into ‘30s fashion, they drew inspiration from many Hollywood icons. One icon in particular, Greta Garbo, defined the 1930s era by embracing a sophisticated look while adding a personal twist to it. Garbo favored contemporary designer of the time, Valentina Schlee, and was known for her androgynous dressing that allowed her to possess her own idea of what a sophisticated woman should dress like. Women wearing men-inspired clothing were something not seen in the decades prior but with the emergence of Garbo, women everywhere followed suit.

In general, the ‘30s allowed women to be more comfortable in their own skin and no longer feel like they needed to conform to the beauty standard of their day. It would be absurd to require women to solely wear dresses and skirts because it is seen as more proper or adequate. It is breathtaking to see a woman don trousers and a blazer; the strength and confidence she embodies is liberating.

Katharine Hepburn, one of the few women to have a long lasting influence on fashion, was another style icon who was considered a “champion of the menswear trend,” according to Marie Claire’s article, 1930s Fashion: A Decade In Style

Ultimately, the 1930s gave promise for women to continue to wear whatever they choose, even if it is menswear, for decades to come. Although times were difficult during the ‘30s, it was only the beginning for what fashion could be, how it is, and what it will be in the future. The good thing about the future is: the possibilities of what to wear will continue to be endless and that, in itself, is all thanks to the ‘30s. ■

BLACK SHIRT ǀ Frock On Vintage BLACK FELT HAT ǀ Revival Vintage BLACK/GOLD EARRINGS ǀ Revival Vintage

SALMON PANTS | Frock on Vintage CREAM SHIRT | Ermine Vintage BROWN FELT HAT | Revival Vintage

THE RISE OF

ATHLEISURE

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thletic wear used to have a time and place: before or after work and in the gym. However, interest in living active and healthy lifestyles has brought the rise of “athleisure,” a class of athletic wear that is essentially chic “street gym wear.” This newfound rise of athleisure has contributed significantly to the activewear market growth. Sales of athletic wear have jumped 42% over the past seven years.

While athletic wear has always been necessary in the gym, that is where it was always supposed to stay. That is, until the first peek at athleisure emerged in the famous Juicy Couture tracksuits, circa 2000. The sweatsuits quickly became a phenomenon. This popularity was helped along as a result of the fashion of the early 2000s, an era in which comfort was considered a priority. Celebrities were photographed walking the streets in their velour tracksuits, and a few days later, young girls began wearing them to school. However, Juicy sweatwear was assumed to be a simple fad, to be worn and then forgotten.

The birth of athleisure truly arrived with the rise of Lululemon, the first company to figure out how to smoothly incorporate athletic wear into the everyday. The company has successfully produced high-end gear that transitions smoothly from the gym to the street. The company has also worked on including more fashion in their products, further cementing their status as one

of the chief innovators in the athleisure movement. Whether it be through the use of interesting patterns, or trendy colors and styles, consumers can buy gear that doubles as a casual week or weekend outfit.

But there couldn’t be a trend called “athleisure” without some influence by Nike. The popular athletic brand has begun creating athletic wear that attempts to be comfortable, fun, and sporty, while still incorporating trendiness. For example, the “AeroReact” material Nike uses in their pullovers and tops can detect the second someone begins to sweat, and loosen up accordingly- but the top still looks cute when you’re in line at your favorite coffee shop.

However, the trend was introduced into the fashion mainstream when athleisure was first featured in New York Fashion Week in 2014 with Athleta’s “Crush of Adrenaline.” While this was a Fashion Week first, the news was not a complete shock, due to the continually rising popularity of the trend. Athleta showcased three different seasons: fall, winter and spring. The fall collection saw print and dynamic colors mixed in with neutral bases, the winter collection featured reflective pieces, the color appearing when light hits it, and the spring collection, of course, featured floral print and sheer fabrics. ►

Writer: Abby Wills, Copy Editor: Patricia Oldani, Stylist: Victoria Bass, Photographer: Kristen Evans, Models: Bonnie McEnnis, Carley Deardorff, HMUA: Gabriela Tan, Layout: Manuela Rincon

LEGGINGS | Dainty Hooligan TANK TOP | Dainty Hooligan

High-end designers and brands quickly jumped on the athleisure bandwagon, working to combine athletic wear with high fashion. Designer Alexander Wang released an athletic line for H&M in Fall 2014. The line, designed to be worn on the street, in the gym, and at the club, featured clothing in industrial shades of black and gray along with water-repellent, quick-drying fabrics. The logos included on the pieces only unveils when the wearer’s sweat reacts with the fabric. Similarly, Topshop and Beyoncé are teaming up in order to launch an activewear line in April 2016.

On the other hand, the majority of the fashion industry has spent five years deciding whether to embrace or deny athleisure. Travis Smith from Gear Control calls athleisure the “unlikely and extremely popular marriage of two opposites.” Creating lifestyle clothing that easily transitions from workout settings to the street is driving the market and giving rise to the trend. We are now at the stage of wondering who in the fashion industry will drive it to new dimensions.

Of course, there are fashion icons who continue to scoff at the idea of athleisure. They are baffled at the idea of leggings becoming a pant.

Icons like Tim Gunn accept leggings in the traditional sense, as a layer underneath your clothing. But it’s hard to deny athleisure, especially when high-end companies like Lululemon and Athleta are successful largely because of their position in the athleisure market. These brands play on consumers’ belief that they live busy lives and need clothes that easily transition from one activity to the next. As a result, consumers benefit from the trend, gaining function without compromising style. People are both embracing healthier lifestyles and demanding functionality from their wardrobes.

Psychologists with backgrounds in fashion research hypothesized that a person who exercises may be perceived as good-looking; therefore, wearing clothing intended for the gym makes a person feel fit - even if they don’t work out at all. Young adults in their twenties, armed with knowledge about personal health and an active lifestyle (and typically on juice cleanses), have a more intense desire to be healthy, or at least, look healthy. The Atlantic has dubbed this feeling “enclothed cognition,” the idea that the clothes we wear directly affect how we think, what we do and how we are perceived. Consumers have adopted the mindset that fitness isn’t defined by performance, but rather by wardrobe.

Athleisure is no longer a trend. It is a lifestyle, one that is comfortable and easily attainable due to the surge of brands and designers interested in streetappropriate gym wear. Athleisure has snuck into the minds and wardrobes of consumers, and the market for the trend is unlikely to die anytime soon.

Whether or not high fashion will be distracted from athleisure by a new and exciting trend, it’s clear that athleisure will continue to innovate and reach new levels anyway. ■

FAUX

FEMINISM

Writer: Abigail Rosenthal, Copy Editor: Alana Hernandez, Stylist: Natalie Sendukas, Photographer: Olivia Anderson, Model: Nikoo Iranpour, HMUA: Jessica Teran, Layout: Manuela Rincon

TANK TOP | Archive Vintage

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he world of fashion has always been concerned with social movements of the time, whether it is genuinely interested and supportive or not. As conversation around feminism grows, companies have used them in runway shows and lines. Yet the question remains to be asked: how sincere is their role in the fight for gender equality and how can the everyday consumer of these products contribute to the movement outside of buying a handbag?

In their Spring/Summer 2015 show, Chanel staged a mock feminist rally for its finale. Models marched down the runway, megaphones and signs in hand, promoting the cause of “Ladies First” and “History is Her Story.” The show drew mixed reactions, ranging from praise to Chanel Creative Director and Head Designer Karl Lagerfeld for initiating “the fashion industry’s feminist battle cry” to criticism for his use of a surface-level version of the movement to sell designer clothes.

Predictably, Lagerfeld brushed critics aside in one fell swoop.

“I like the idea of feminism as being something lighthearted, not a truck driver for the feminist movement,” Lagerfeld said in response.

From a feminist perspective, this comment is more insulting than his co-opting of the movement. In one sentence, Lagerfeld manages to not only repackage feminism into a form of which he approves, but also eliminate the work of many different women over the years.

“I take [this comment] as being an act of violence and him wanting to erase what feminism has meant to the people who have built it,” Professor Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley, Associate Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies and professor for the course “Beyonce Feminism/Rihanna Womanism,” said. “Feminists are blamed for being killjoys, for making things difficult, for making people upset.”

Lagerfeld’s comments and the line demonstrate how misunderstood the movement is within Chanel. Within the line, Plexiglas bags featuring slogans such as “FEMINISTE MAIS FEMININE” and “JE NE UIS PAS EN SOLDE,” meaning “Feminist but Feminine” and “I Am Not for Sale” respectively, were the most expensive of all the bags produced for the line, costing between $10,000 and $12,000.

“I think any kind of feminism that has this slogan of ‘Ladies First’ is announcing itself as an exclusionary one,” Professor Tinsley said. Chanel’s costly feminist-themed clothes and accessories, complete with a minimally diverse modeling staff, contributes to the picture that Chanel and its feminism is for the elite, wealthy, and conventionally beautiful feminist, a reality that does not and should not exist within feminism as a whole.

On perhaps the less high fashion side of the idea of “feminist fashion,” shirts made by Elle UK and the Fawcett Society reading, “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” have been popularized by celebrity feminists such as Emma Watson. The garment was meant as a simple yet powerful way to identify oneself as a feminist, sported by female and male celebrities alike.

Upon the rise of the shirt’s popularity, a Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the shirts were made in a sweatshop, where the female workers producing the more than $60 garment were paid only $1 an hour and slept 16 to a room.

“How can this T-shirt be a symbol of feminism when we do not see ourselves as feminists?” one unnamed worker said.

“We see ourselves as trapped.”

The Fawcett Society Deputy CEO Eva Neitzert said the claims were inaccurate and unfounded. The shirts are no longer for sale, but the conversation around ethical feminist fashion remains. ►

Is it possible to claim oneself as a champion for women while sporting a garment where the very women who made it live in poverty?

Fashion as a whole is not the problem. Feminism and fashion have often walked hand in hand throughout history, with many women considering the right to dress however they like an important part of their identity. But, if one makes the choice to publicly declare herself or himself a feminist, it should go deeper than carrying a handbag or wearing a cotton shirt. An important part of being a feminist company or individual is the desire to walk the walk, not just talk the talk by producing or displaying a mass-produced slogan.

I want to see the world of high fashion align itself with radical, inclusionary feminism. Sadly, high fashion hasn’t always been the kindest place for women. Designers and the industry often punish deviation from the desired white, thin woman. Karl Lagerfeld himself has famously criticized women that do not adhere to his standards of beauty, from calling Adele a “little too fat” to noting that he doesn’t “like [Pippa Middleton’s] face.”

If fashion companies want to align themselves with feminists, the first thing that can be done is reimagining standards of beauty among those few who can afford such expensive garments. If Chanel or any high fashion company wants to be a company that champions women, they must include all women.

“Maybe what Chanel could do, but probably wouldn’t do, is start to revise what standards for white elite beauty look like,” Professor Tinsley said. Without a diverse cast of women representing the line, any modern day inclusive feminist finds it difficult to align with any aspects of the brand. Before this happens in any high fashion brand, I don’t find it possible to call them an ally for the movement.

From a consumer standpoint, purchasing clothing under completely ethical circumstances often proves difficult.

Clothing within the average college student’s budget can often be produced in conditions we don’t support. But at the very least, as a feminist consumer, there’s one basic philosophy that should always be followed: wear whatever you feel great in and encourage others to do the same. I am a firm believer in the sentiment that actions speak louder than words. Upholding feminist principles throughout daily life will always have more impact than a cotton shirt.

Overall, sincerity behind any action, in fashion or feminism, is what is most important. Fashion is a great source for selfexpression and amusement. But as Professor Tinsley put it, “Feminism is not meant to entertain you.” If a company or garment wants to align themselves with a movement that means so much to not only women, but people, everywhere, there needs to be a deeper commitment than a slogan printed on a sign or a shirt. Represent and campaign for all women, not just those that can afford a $10,000 bag. ■

Writer: Channing Baker, Copy Editor: Christy Agnello, Stylist: Madi Kolodgie, Photographer: Olivia Anderson, Models: Jessica Norris, Caroline Otto, HMUA: Rachel Spross, Layout: Moses Lee, Artist: Akhila Janapati

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rendy and tacky: two words that are commonly thrown around when describing a fashion or aesthetic, but more often than not, do not possess clear-cut definitions. Who is the authority that decides when something is praised as trendy, or frowned upon for being tacky? Simply put, trendy and tacky are subjective terms and every individual will have his or her own unique specific definition. However, within the fashion community, there seems to be a general consensus of what is trendy verses what is tacky.

Overdoing a trend can easily transition it from being classified as trendy to being tacky. When designers present their collections bi-annually at fashion weeks around the world, all the new collections and garments seem to fall under the description of trendy. The mystery that accompanies the debut of a brand’s new collection assists in elevating new designs to a more fashion forward status, which defines them as trendy. In the fashion world today, trends get their start when they are first presented to the fashion community via runway shows. But as time passes after the original presentation of a garment, the trend tends to be overdone by the general population; this is typically the time in a garment’s life cycle when it crosses the boundary into the dreaded label “tacky.” Once the cutting-edge trend presented by a high fashion designer has become widely accessible to the general public, the trend is typically seen as dead by the fashion crowd.

However, there are a few brands, such as Moschino, that have caused debate within the fashion community over whether or not their collections are tacky upon debut. Many in the fashion world considered Jeremy Scott’s designs for Moschino too obnoxious to be described as trendy, branding even their newest fashions and styles as tacky. With unconventional silhouettes and flashy patterns, Moschino’s Spring 2016 ready-towear collection was easily the boldest collection presented on the runway at New York Fashion Week back in September of 2015. While some fashion critics praised the collection, others thought it couldn’t be considered high fashion. An argument can be made that ostentatious collections like this are created as pieces of art rather than wearable fashions; nevertheless, people still criticize Jeremy Scott and the Moschino label for being too tacky for the real world.

Another label that sparks debate among the fashion community concerning the topic of trendiness is Tommy Hilfiger. When the Hilfiger brand gained popularity among celebrities in the 1990s, the trend was to clothe oneself in head-to-toe Tommy Hilfiger garments, which were plastered with the iconic red white and blue logo. As the years went by, the mainstream, trendy brand began to decline in status and was forced to commence the walk of shame across the line between trendy and tacky. Tommy Hilfiger inspired other brands to not cover their clothes in logos and refine their aesthetics in order to prevent being similarly labelled and ostracized.

A second aspect of overdoing a trend and transitioning it to tacky is fast fashion brands reciprocating and reproducing the trends presented by high fashion houses on the runway; this is an attempt to establish their credibility and bring current trends to the masses. For low-cost mass production brands such as Forever21, it is their goal and primary business strategy to interpret the trends presented at fashion weeks and replicate these popular styles into affordable clothing that is accessible to the general population.

Unfortunately, even some of the top fast fashion brands around the world miss the mark when attempting to integrate a new trend into their clothing line. When a widespread trend is incorrectly executed, the result is sub-par fashion that crosses the blurry line that rests between the descriptions of trendy and tacky. Instead of trendiness being the focal point, tackiness is at the forefront.

Alternatively, companies often make the dreaded mistake of combining multiple trends together into one look. Trends are best incorporated into outfits in less conspicuous ways, and fast fashion brands have to be more conscious of this misstep when designing their lines. Putting numerous trends together in one outfit or item can result in overwhelming the senses, and ends up looking maudlin and messy, rather than sleek and stylish.

On the other hand, as fashion weeks come and go, the line between trendy and tacky becomes increasingly blurred. Each and every individual has their own interpretation of what is considered either trendy or tacky; however, there will still be some general standards amongst the fashion community in regards to trendiness and tackiness. In the words of fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, “trendy is the last stage before tacky.” ■

starting off in the

right

fashion

Writer: Margeaux Bartzen, Copy Editor: Claudia Castillo, Stylist: Ashley Magenheimer, Photographer: Rome Herrera, Model: Felicia Rodriguez, HMUA: Sandra Tsai- Yun, Layout: Katherine Kykta

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ashion makes bold impressions that stick. It tells people who you are without even speaking. Your aspirations, passions, and attitudes are beautifully revealed for the world to admire. We dress to represent who we are and who we want to be. We tell a story with fashion: where have we been and where are we going. Well-implemented style doesn’t only gain envious and admiring looks, it also invites respect and success. Whatever the look may be, vintage vibes or futuristic flares, style gives hints about what lies beneath the surface. As Virginia Woolf once explained so well: “Clothes change our view of the world and the world’s view of us.” This quote exemplifies the power that fashion has in conveying personality and purpose, and the role that it can play in the road to personal success.

Pressed, modest dresses and stiff suits were once the only acceptable options for fashion in the workplace. However, starting in the 1920’s, American culture began to get more casual.

From the rise of the sport coat to the revolutionary action of women wearing pants, cultural changes could be seen in the American business attire. Today, the country has seen lessening of dress codes. For instance, the CEO of GM recently changed the company’s dress code from a detailed ten-page treatise to a code that consists of only two words: “Dress appropriately.”

Albeit most companies do have lines that cannot be crossed,

such as revealing clothing, fashion is relatively unhindered today. The new rules are breaking the rules. Tattoos are no longer deal breakers, piercings aren’t taboo, and hair color is anything but a distraction. At creative and new age businesses like Apple, it could be said that these things are even promoted as they show individuality and style. It is still true, however, that people will always make judgments based on looks. It is the most important component in first impressions. Therefore, even though people can dress how they like at work, their fashion statements should be thoughtful and purposeful as their careers may depend on it.

Immense potential lies in dressing for success. There are whole charity organizations built around this idea. Dress For Success is a nation wide organization that helps empower women by giving them the necessary clothes for job interviews- we even have a branch of this wonderful organization here in Austin.

After all, statistics have proven that people are more likely to hire someone who is well dressed for numerous reasons: it shows attention to detail, self- confidence, and respectability. Some psychologists have even connected dressing well to higher incomes and levels of productivity. Dressing for the job you desire is crucial because the look can change depending on the brand. The position you’re chasing should be embodied in the clothes you choose. ▶

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As college students are searching for internships and jobs, learning how to make a good first impression is of pivotal importance. They should find ways to let their personality shine through while also conveying professionalism What makes for an interview outfit today and do any taboos still exist? Katherine Kligerman, a freshman architecture major, explained her thoughts on the subject, “We are a generation of hipsters. However, I think we are in a transition period. Slowly but surely tattoos and piercings are becoming accepted, but it is starting with us. I think people are starting to realize- or at least I hope they are- that if you discriminate against someone for something like a tattoo, you could be missing out on incredible talent and potential, and that’s just silly.” Katherine perfectly voices the mindset much of our generation holds towards the .

We have realized that discrimination, based on anything from gender, race, sexual orientation, class, or appearance, is simply unjust, detrimental to everyone, and harmful to creativity.

Our generation will grow up to create the most open-minded workplace seen in our country. We believe in diversity and creativity, and we know that the best way to achieve those ideals is to allow everyone to be who they are. This mindset results in the loosening of fashion rules, and the freedom for people to express themselves without fear of discrimination.

Anyone who has gone to a “business casual” event knows how ambiguous this term is. There are a myriad of ways one can adhere to this because of our casual American dress culture.

The answer is that there is no prototype, but fortunately, there are general checklists and guidelines. Let’s break it down.

You’re staring into your closet with the normal “I have nothing to wear” conundrum. You have a crucial interview in an hour.

What to wear? You don’t need to go above and beyond with your core components. In fact, for business, it is often better to make statements with accessories. These could range from your jewelry, fashionable tattoos, or wild hair colors. Settle for more simple, sleek items for your outfit. For women this could be pants, skirts, or jumpsuits. Men should seek classy suits, or the pants and sport coat combination. You can play up your ties, your briefcases, and your shoes. Trends tend to be fleeting so rather than buying the latest in fashion, invest in more timeless staple pieces for business occasions. This does not mean, however, that you should shy away from bold looks like the classic all-black ensemble pieces. Outfits such as those project power and confidence, vital (and hopefully employable) traits in the real world.

When getting ready for your next important interview or business event, don’t be afraid to break the small rules. Don’t hide your tattoos, wear outdated clothes, or change who you are in any significant ways. Of course, do know your audience and keep in mind the attitude of the job you’re after while picking out your statement pieces. Be mindful the image you’re sending to the world, because ultimately, you’re selling yourself.

And trust me, the packaging matters. ■

PAYTON

LONG Writer: Nikki LaSalla, Copy Editor: Sami Bolf, Stylist: Karinna Lopez, Photographer: Hannah Laamoumi, HMUA: Maiya Evans, Mariah Becerra, Layout: Hillary Henrici

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here are clouds above my head and smoke emitting every so often from a cigarette that Payton Long puffs on when he is not smiling or cracking a joke. We sit in a warehouse that used to be Payton Long’s home for almost an hour, listening to his favorite songs that he dances and raps to. It is like, for one moment, I have entered the world of the producer/DJ, and found his overwhelming love for music as my own. After receiving his first set of turntables at eleven years old, Long has not looked back, and now has found himself in the center of Austin’s music culture. To the tune of Good Love by BJ the Chicago Kid, one of his all-time favorite songs, he sits.

NL: What do you want your music to make people feel?

PL: I don’t really make music to be on the stage, or be in the spotlight or anything. I just help people make their music, and make it do that as good as possible. I want to dial in to what the song is intending to do. Like if it’s a pop song or a love song, I want to optimize whatever goal the song has.

NL: If you could wear one article of clothing what would it be and why?

PL: Black jeans. Saint Laurent D02s. You can’t convince me that there’s a better pair of jeans. You just can’t.

NL: You said you took a lot of time building your closet. How do you find your clothes, or do you just happen upon them?

PL: Some of them I hunt for and some I don’t. All my basics I handpick. I have a really weird fetish with basic t-shirts. I have multiple John Elliot, Alexander Wang, and Rag & Bone shit. 150 bucks for a great t-shirt, sign me up! That’s what I want.

It’s just all these blank t-shirts that cost more than anything else in my closet. And that makes me happy.

NL: Describe your personal style in three words.

PL: Professional, mature, and rock n’ roll.

NL: Now some questions about Austin.

PL: Ok, cool. I know a lot about that place.

NL: Do you have any places that act as muses in the city?

PL: Yea! I really like Castle hill in a weird way. Because this wasn’t my first time being homeless. I got kicked out of the house when I was 17. And that’s a place I used to go before it was Hope Art Gallery, right, like you used to sit up there and read and it was just quiet. Now, it’s like the Senior portrait spot. I used to have a house on the top of the hill, so that whole area means a lot to me because I used to sit on the sidewalk and read. It’s a great progression based place. I can clearly remember every thing happening. That, and Empire. I grew up a lot at Empire. I had one of the first residencies there. It was called the Thing. I still go there every Tuesday.

NL: Is there something you really hate about Austin?

PL: I just feel like everyone’s just playing with themselves out here. Everyone likes to act like they’re the shit out here and Austin is a city that stands on the shoulders of giants. But, as soon as you leave Austin you’re nothing. I get taught so hard everytime I leave. No one in Austin can go toe to toe with the people in LA or New York. South by Southwest comes and you get shook and it’s like whoa.

NL: When did you know you wanted to do music?

PL: I lied my way into my first gig. It was at Kingdom and I had no idea what I was doing. I’d been DJing since I was 11. So I was in my room cutting it up and my dad wouldn’t mess with me. He’d tell me if it sucked. He didn’t DJ but he knew what he was looking for cause he did a lot of nightlife shit. Anyway, by the time I was 16 I had 4 years of experience. He asked how old I was and I said I was 19. He said, “I suppose we could work around it” cause the mix I sent him was really good.

And he was like, “Word. Well, come next Wednesday.”

NL: I know this question is kind-of stereotypical, but who are your inspirations?

PL: For fashion, I’m gonna be that guy and say Harry Styles. For music, Pharrell. And for life, I would say Kanye West. I relate to him.

NL: If you could be any celebrity for a day who would you be?

PL: Kanye F---ing West! I get Kanye and a lot of the things he says. I feel like if you got his life for a day you’d be really understanding of a lot of people.

NL: What do you love most about the music industry right now?

PL: Well, I like now, that it’s democratized in a weird way. The way I describe it to people is that I operate in the cracks of the music industry. There’s a fine line between everything, and if you can finesse your way into that, there’s a lot of money to be made and happiness and connections to be found. That’s not how it was in the 80s or 90s.

NL: Do you think that the music and fashion industries relate?

PL: Absolutely! Music is just trying to explain something to people. And especially now, it’s way more a spectacle than it is an art and you have to dress for it. You have to have another level of communication what you’re trying to say.

NL: Pick a favorite song and dress it.

PL: I would say, ok, this is gonna be a subliminal one. Best Friend by Young Thug. I would dress it in a red flannel, a white t-shirt, a pair of light blue APC jeans, and a pair of black and white Vans Old Schools.

NL: Pirates or Robo-PL: Pirates.

NL: Why? PL: Because, I don’t know? I still have this weird infatuation with Wild West and lawlessness. I like riding around with no rules.

But, in the city. Like city pirates.

NL: What’s your favorite fashion trend as of right now?

PL: I like that a lot of brands are getting really ballsy with smooth distressing. Amiri. I definitely lust for Amiri really hard.

NL: What’s a song that you’re embarrassed to say you like?

PL: I wouldn’t really say I’m embarrassed about it, but Love Yourself by Justin Bieber. When I first heard it I was like oh my God the feels! The whole last album was hot from top to bottom. I was speechless.

NL: How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?

PL: Twenty-five. It’s just a cool age. I started hanging out with older people when I was really young. All of my peers have been at least ten years older than me for a long time.

NL: If you were one of the seven sins, which would you be?

PL: Lust. But in a grander sense. The definition of lust is an inability to control yourself from emotionally driven desires. That’s what lust is.

NL: What’s a phrase you would see on a t-shirt and buy?

PL: I got hot sauce in my bag comma, swag.

NL: If you had a time machine, but only got one trip, would you travel to the past or the future?

PL: I would travel to the past. It sounds weird but I would love to go back to the late 1800s and early 1900s when America was popping. I’d go to the big mansion parties and jazz clubs and hang out with rich people and drink champagne. That’s what I’d like to see.

NL: If you could only pick one song you’ve produced to get to show your grandchildren, which one would it be?

PL: A song called Always Be Waiting with Ben Cina. Ben’s a local guy and he’s super popular right now. I’ve produced a bunch of demos with him, and I show everyone this song. Not because I like it, necessarily, but because it’s closest to what I wanted to do. I’m closer to where I think I’m going.

NL: Give your sound a fashion stereotype.

PL: I’m trying to think of an insult of my own style. I don’t know, Rock n’ Roll but you’re not broke. Rock n’ Roll, but you can try a little. My style is very calculated though cause it has to do something. I have to make an impression because I’ve always been dissed for being too young. The clothes say that you think you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t. That’s what I kind-of aspire to. ■

BLACK OBI | Big Bertha's Paradise RED LACE COVER | Ermine Vintage CHANDELIER EARRINGS | Revival Vintage

Writer: Amy Ong, Copy Editor: Felicia Rodriguez, Stylist: Abigail Diaz, Photographer: Audrey Nguyen, Models: Lauren Rayne, HMUA: Alyssa Osheim, Layout: Danielle Ransom

The Legend of the Corset

CHANDELIER EARRINGS | Revival Vintage

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rom the scene of Cinderella’s transformation from the Disney animation Cinderella to Dr. Frank-nFurter’s pool scene in Rocky Horror Picture Show, the evolution of the corset has been chronicled and embedded in popular culture. The prevalence of corsets knows no age as corsets have not only evolved with the times but have recently begun to trace the transition of young girls to adolescence and later, adulthood. From Disney princess costumes with corset-like lacing to high-fashion busts

by Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier, the influence of corsets is not to be underestimated. With endorsements by celebrities today, such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, the corset has experienced a sartorial and fitness revival with unfortunate unexpected consequences.

The corset was born from humble origins. The beginnings of the corset can be traced to the Middle Ages when thick bodices, structural torso support, made from fabric stiffened by glue were used to retain shape in clothes. The 16th century saw the advancement of sturdier corsets as elements such as whalebone, steel, and wood became incorporated into the structural design of corsets. Originally, corsets were intended to flatten both the stomach and the bust of women. The French Revolution in the 1800s brought a rejection of constraining corsets in favor of looser-fitting clothes. The return of the corsets in popularity a few years later saw a reboot of the corset as a return in pursuit of the ideal female form, particularly the hourglass figure. While the corset has remained an iconic fashion staple,

in the past five years the corset has received a major revival due to tributes by major fashion lines, such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Rodarte, during the fall and winter fashion season.

The advent of corsets has been immersed in sartorial culture in the form of the legend of corsets. Corsets have long been utilized by both ends of the social spectrum: the nobility and the impoverished. In the case of the nobility, corsets not only implied glamour and poise, corsets were also seen as a cultural norm and standard uniform for women throughout the centuries. The legend of the corset is incredibly complex as it demonstrates the conformity of women to established traditional values. Corsets have long been prized for their ability to visually and possibly physically shrink the waist. In fact, late 16th-century French Queen Katerina de’ Medici was rumored to hire only ladies-in-waiting with waists under 13 inches. Austrian Empress Elizabeth, or “Sisi”, wore her corset so tightly that her corset stopped the bleeding following a stabbing to the heart as a result of an assassination. It wasn’t until “Sisi” boarded a ship and took off the corset that she even noticed that she had been stabbed.

While the corset may be seen as an iconic fashion staple today, the repercussions of body sculpting with corsets goes a long way. In 1857, Charles Dubois tackled the horrific health implications of corset usage in An Examination of Five Plagues: Corsets, Tobacco, Gambling, Strong Drink and Illegal Speculation. The glamorization of corsets, especially by celebrities in music videos, Instagram posts, and films, has ►

blinded the public to recognition of the detrimental effects of corsets. The constricting and often tortuous experience of adorning a corset prevents proper muscular development by creating an unhealthy compression of the human torso. While wearing a corset may seem empowering, the effects of artificial adaptation of the human body are detrimental. Ribcage damage and unhealthy organ pressure are often common symptoms of prolonged corset usage. Torso constraint and diaphragm compression are also reflective of the dangerous attempts of corsets to hold everything in. While corsets may seem like a mere method to redesign the female architecture, corsets are a form of artificial armor imposed by a world orientated by the male-gaze.

ken social implications of corsets walks a dangerous line into controversial territory. Corsets, as portrayed in the media, have a powerful role in influencing sartorial choices by the general population. In the case of James Cameron’s Titanic, a particular scene during which Rose’s mother pressures her to marry well to cover their horrific finances is devoted to corsets as Rose’s mother angrily laces up her daughter to sell to the highest suitor, much like farmers tie up their pigs to be sold on the market. Disney’s latest adaptation of Cinderella in 2015, starring Lily James, also played a role in reviving corsets. As reported by The Telegraph, following the release of Cinderella, online auction site eBay saw a rise of corset sales by over 50%.

Corsets have the implication of augmented sexualization as a result of frequent employment of corsets in burlesque. The connotations associated with corsets are particularly worrisome as corsets are depicted in a glorified role in films, often as the protagonist takes the form of another character. In the 2010 film Easy A, Emma Stone plays the film’s protagonist who transitions from a normal high school student into a corset-donning temptress in a loose-adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorn’s The Scarlet Letter. Easy A’s unchallenging fluidity in incorporating corsets into a costume and identity for a character represent potential social repercussions as a result of the rise of corset usage. While the modeling of corsets may create a sense of female empowerment for the wearer, the to-

The revival of corsets reflects the power of the media in shaping public opinion. Through popular culture such as the mediums of films and celebrity endorsements, corsets have made a major comeback. Though celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Kim Kardashian praise corsets for their role in encouraging weight loss, improved posture, and augmented curves, the application of corsets is a restricting one. Through promotion of unnatural and artificial proportions, corsets tantalizingly lure and coax of the unattainable and mask the beauty of the natural human form. While the trend of corsets may seem like one to jump on, before lacing up, take a few deep breaths, and weigh if the price of beauty is worth the cost. ■

PATCHWORK BODICE | Ermine Vintage GREEN COSTUME EARRINGS | Revival Vintage

Writer: Rebekah Edwards, Copy Editor: Felicia Rodriguez, Stylist: Rachel Spross, Photographer: Sissy Martin, HMUA: Annie Pool, Layout: Ilana Grabarnik, Artist: Alayna Enos

WHITE BEADED DRESS | Frock on Vintage FUR WRAP | Ermine Vintage

FLORAL PRINT DRESS | Savers

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erhaps it’s Audrey Hepburn’s black opera gloves and diamond tiara from the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Maybe it’s Marilyn Monroe’s artfully styled blonde curls, Grace Kelly’s impressive ability to always appear put-together and youthfully fresh-faced, or even Lauren Bacall’s tailored trousers, her husky voice emanating from a cloud of cigarette smoke. While there are a wide variety of images that embody Old Hollywood Glamour, they all exude similar qualities: elegance, sophistication, and style. The period from the early 1940s stretching to the mid-1960s produced some of the most famous actresses and performers who have remained indisputable fashion icons for over half of a decade. Clearly, the style of Old Hollywood has shown remarkable staying power. And it shows no signs of fading anytime soon as it continually appears on modern red carpets and in runway shows, proving that it still has an astounding capability to captivate modern audiences.

While each figure of Old Hollywood Glamour contributed their own distinct interpretation of the style, several unmistakable types of garments, looks, and accessories typify the trend.

Immaculate tailoring is central to a piece’s identification under this label. Clothing designed specifically to hug a woman’s

figure in the most flattering yet understated way possible, no matter her body type, perfectly encapsulates Old Hollywood Glamour.

Think of Audrey Hepburn’s timeless little black dress or Katharine Hepburn’s menswear-inspired slacks. Even the elegant evening gowns that are frequently featured in Old Hollywood films follow this practice. Instead of adding interest through flashy colors or complicated prints, luxurious accessories like rich fur or feather wraps, pearl necklaces or earrings, and gleaming diamond brooches offset the simple and clean cuts of such pieces. Large statement sunglasses, such as Jacqueline Kennedy’s oversized frames or Marilyn Monroe’s cat-eye shades, have a similar effect, acting as a striking embellishment amid the refined character of the rest of the ensemble.

In fact, drawing attention to the eyes is quite common, whether through glasses or cosmetics. Thick eyelashes accompanied by dark, arched brows matched with a defined lip and overall matte finish both amplify natural beauty while remaining subtle enough to avoid distracting from the clothing. Elizabeth Taylor’s combination of black eyeliner and sharp brows that accentuated her distinctive violet eyes is a notable example.

While the images associated with the term Old Hollywood Glamour might vary with each individual, they all seem to possess certain common traits and elicit similar emotional reactions from consumers. The simple fact that the trend contains the word “glamour” in its name carries very specific connotations that relate to magic and enchantment. It is almost as if those who adopt the Old Hollywood Glamour style become otherworldly. Indeed, the actresses who embodied the style adopted an aloof, ethereal air that conveyed absolute effortlessness and confidence. It is no coincidence, then, that the widely popular “femme-fatale” blossomed from and frequently adheres to Old Hollywood fashion. The structured tailoring, precise lines, and luxury accessories perfectly complement and highlight the natural allure, mystery, and distinctly feminine strength that such a woman radiates. Above all, she is comfortable in her own skin, which has been perhaps one of the most desirable and sought-after traits for generations of women. Simply donning the clothing of the Old Hollywood style allows the wearer to embrace and exhibit the traits that, for many people, epitomize feminine power and independence.

Considering the timeless attributes that the style of Old Hollywood Glamour embodies, it is not surprising that many people have preserved its popularity by wearing it to countless red carpet events, showing it at runway shows, and selling it in stores. What makes modern manifestations of the style particularly fascinating is how celebrities and designers borrow characteristic pieces and seamlessly incorporate them into their own personal style, effectively updating them to fit within a modern context. Kate Winslet is one example, with her perfectly combed hair, natural makeup, and form-fitting dresses. She has brought Old Hollywood into contemporary Hollywood in a way that closely resembles the style’s original form.

Of late, both Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively have embraced the style as well, sporting flawless red lips, Marilyn Monroe-esque blonde curls, and curve-accentuating gowns.

However, both women have also infused their own characteristic bohemian influences into their looks, a trend that has become overwhelming popular in recent years. These two styles meld together fluidly but, even more interesting, are the unexpected, untraditional combinations. Angelina Jolie and, lately,

Lady Gaga have managed to create a fascinating intersection between classic Hollywood Glamour and an edgy, avant-garde style. Even though the two drastically different styles seem like they would clash, they instead form a unique, inventive, and current style. Combining dark colors, vampy makeup, visible tattoos, and, perhaps most importantly, their reputations with classic silhouettes, Jolie and Gaga have merged the strength and power inherent in both styles. They have created a style that is tough yet elegant, one that sparks conversation and appeals to a modern audience.

In fact, the Old Hollywood style has not only registered with celebrities but also with the general population. Stores, like ModCloth, that target primarily young women have found a lucrative market, dedicating an entire subsection of their online store to clothes heavily inspired by the classic style. Their garments are neat and tailored, drawing attention to the waist.

However, while gesturing to the classic era, they still present a modern and fresh take on it through youthful adornments, a simple waist belt, or an interesting neckline. For couture options, designers such as Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, and Zac Posen have consistently produced pieces with classic, feminine lines while incorporating modern, trendy influences through the use of intricate prints, eye-catching textiles, edgy makeup, and inventive accessories.

The endurance of this classic style is most likely a result of its impressive ability to seamlessly fit into a wildly different society than the one that introduced it. Its inclusivity is most likely responsible for this timeless quality. In other words, its strong emphasis on tailoring and on enhancing an individual’s best features makes it remarkably accessible to every woman of any body type. In a society sensitive to the issues of body shaming and low self-esteem induced by pressures from the fashion industry, a style that is associated with the opposite undoubtedly has appeal. Old Hollywood Glamour has always been associated with natural beauty, poise, and femininity. The positivity and optimism it exudes and the fact that it explicitly promotes confidence in one’s own skin is a welcome message for women of all generations, cementing its status as a style not only for the past and present, but also for the future. ■

BLACK BEADED DRESS | Frock On Vintage BLACK PATENT HANDBAG | Frock On Vintage

INTERNATIONAL SEOUL Korean beauty trends bring cultural revolution to the makeup industry

Writer: Sunny Kim, Copy Editor: London Gibson, Stylist: Ashley Arreola, Photographer: Tony Redmer, Model: Alana Hernandez, HMUA: Nicholas Silva, Layout: Sunny Kim

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ave you ever heard of the snail mask? What about cushion makeup? Lip tints? If any of these products sound familiar, you already know something about Korean beauty products.

South Korea offers high-tech makeup products that offer stellar quality for an affordable price. Korean beauty standards are also a huge trend in most Asian communities that consist of having flawless skin, straight eyebrows and tinted lips. The makeup industry has cultivated a culture obsessed with skincare.

But these makeup products go beyond the typical consumer’s purchases; It factors into Korea’s economy as well. In addition to electronics and cars, makeup products are one of Korea’s biggest exports. In 2014, Korea exported more beauty products than it imported, totaling a whopping $1.067 billion, according to the Korean Pharmaceutical Traders Association. In the first half of 2015, the total export value of Korean products to the U.S. was $52 million, a 60 percent from the previous year. Korean beauty products are a big part of the economy, as the GDP growth strategy seems to be working.

Korean beauty products are also unique in their high-tech products relating to skincare. BB creams were first launched in 2011 to the U.S, promoting a new makeup product that was a hybrid moisturizer and foundation. This product went viral and evolved into the newer and better version called the CC cream, which stands for color correcting cream. CC creams offer a brightening feature with coverage for redness, which is an upgrade to the light tinted moisturizer of the BB cream.

Now, the most trendy product is the cushion makeup. Cushion makeup, otherwise called the “cushion compact,” is a small refillable foundation that soaks into a sponge (or cushion) that people can use with a special puff to gently dab the foundation onto the skin. Cushion makeup has all of the components involved with basic face makeup, reducing the time and energy to own various makeup brushes and foundations. Popular Korean makeup brands such as The Face Shop, Innisfree and Etude House offer their own versions of the cushion compact that differ in features, quality, and price. The cushion makeup is widely used and loved by most Asian communities because of its convenience. Even American companies were inspired by the innovation as L’oreal created their own version called,

‘True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation.’ Lancôme credited the country’s advancements in featherweight foundation when it launched its own Miracle Cushion Foundation as well.

Skincare itself is a culture in Korea. Embraced by Korean celebrities as well as ordinary citizens, Korea is a country that exhibits an obsession for flawless and smooth skin in their definition of societally acceptable beauty. Korean celebrities such as Go hyun-jung, Song hye-ko, and Lee young-ae are praised for their ageless skin. While skincare is typically seen as a luxury in the U.S, in Korea it’s easily accessible. There are about 1,800 to 2,000 beauty brands in South Korea, including Tony Moly, The Face Shop, Innisfree, Etude House, Hera, Holika Holika, and Clio. These brands sell beauty products that are very affordable, which makes it a lot easier for young adults to buy without breaking the bank. Such brands also offer high-quality products, which, when combined with their cheaper than average price, makes them even more attractive.

Although makeup brands usually tailor their advertising towards younger people, the older generation is almost just as involved in the consumption of Korean products to retain ageless skin. It is not uncommon to see women and men alike invest their time and money into beauty products, a striking difference from the way skincare is consumed and used in Western societies.

Sheet masks are another way to obtain flawless skin. It targets all of the problem areas that can (and too often, do) pop up on skin, and it is hard to deny yourself this kind of pampering. There are various types of sheet masks that offer different results based on the skin type, and also work to brighten, tighten, and even hydrate your skin. Another famous Korean brand, Skinfood, became famous for their natural masks.

These masks are typically made from fruit, and the brand sells their product in many different and delicious flavors such as green tea, blueberry, and tomato. Another innovative company, Tony Moly, has engineered masks that target dark circles to help brighten and soothe tension. The quirky “Snail Masks” masks are also a big hit in Korea. These masks are essentially miracle workers, and include an element called mucin, which has almost magical properties that help heal acne scars, clear up complexions, and revitalize the skin. ▶

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However, skincare is not the only significant beauty trend in Korea right now. One of the more prevalent trends revolves around straight eyebrows. Although this might sound strange in the Western world, many Korean singers, actresses, and models follow this trend, and it has impacted fashion designers and celebrities in different countries as well. For example, makeup artist Linda Cantello adopted the straight-brow trend by softly filling in the brows and erasing arches, creating a “smoky nude” look that was utilized in Giorgio Armani’s ‘40 Years Celebration in Milan’ showcase, just last May. Popular celebrities, such as Jessica Alba, Natalie Portman, and Emma Watson, have been seen adopting the straightbrow trend in recent photos. The look creates a softness that emphasize Korean beauty ideals, such as femininity, youth, and innocence. It contrasts to the arched brow look in Western countries that give more definition to the face.

Straight-brows reflect a natural and youthful vibe that all Koreans love.

This idea of youthful beauty has influenced another trend unique to Korea. Puppy eyeliner is not only an adorable name, but a trend in Korea’s makeup styling, which eyeliner is drawn downwards to make the eyes appear larger and cute. As opposed to the popular trend of cat-eye wings, puppy eyeliner creates a softer and more approachable look. Puppy eyeliner began influencing makeup culture in Korea back in the early 2000s, when it became a part of the Ulzzang trend, which focused on cultivating a doll-like beauty. ▶

Finally, it is impossible to discuss Korean makeup culture without bringing up the ombre lip. This trend is focused on putting more color and pigment towards the inner lips and then gradually blending it out with the finger to give the lips dimension. Korean girls have shown great admiration for gradient lips, and there are hundreds of lip tints that vary in color, texture, and quality- all of which are still very popular. But the most prevalent and original lip tint would have to be the lip tints from Benefit, which come in four different colors: red, pink, coral, and purple.

Korea’s monumental effect on makeup trends are not going away anytime soon. Their beauty industry is truly booming, and it only continues to grow along with their invention of new and more innovative products. These trends do highlight features of Korean beauty that differ significantly from American beauty trends, but these products represent so much more than just the makeup itself. They represent change and innovation. So, the next time you’re in a rush with your beauty routine, give Korean beauty products a try. They offer convenience, high quality, and adorable packaging that certainly can’t hurt. ■

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Fashion in

CULT

FILMS

Writer: Natasha Sabour, Copy Editor: Michael Bettati, Stylist: Veronica Lozano, Photographer: Hannah Laamoumi, Models: Hannah Seavey, Madeline Wells, Caroline Otto, HMUA: Whitney Chen, Layout: Whitney Chen

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ost people familiar with Netflix and procrastination have perhaps encountered the term ‘the Rachel’ at some point, possibly while scrolling through Buzzfeed articles. On a superficial level it appears to be just another ‘90s fad, like frosted tips and ‘Bop It’s, but there’s more to it than that. By getting a haircut similar to Jennifer Aniston’s character on the popular sitcom Friends, fans did not just receive an amazing blowout. In one way they were also embodying the qualities and characteristics associated with the show’s character. The power of characters and the way viewers identify with them play strong roles in how audiences interact with a text. But in 1994, My So Called Life aired during the exact same time as Friends and that was a show with just as many rich characters for viewers to identify with. This then begs the question: how come hairstylists were not barraged with requests for ‘the Angela’? Why weren’t the tips of colorists’ gloves across America stained a bright scarlet?

The reason for this and many other cultural phenomena that have remained largely under the radar can be attributed to viewership. The great majority of people have no idea MSCL even existed despite it being the springboard that launched the successful careers of both Claire Danes and Jared Leto.

But there still remain a few pockets of people who ardently ship Angela and Jordan twenty years after the show’s untime-

ly cancellation. This kind of enthusiastic support amongst a niche audience is classified as being ‘cult’. Therefore a ‘cult classic’ is usually defined as a media text with a passionate but non-mainstream fanbase that enjoy the text for its often revolutionary or ironic content. Stepping away from television and focusing just on film, cult classics are known to break cultural taboos and be catered to a certain niche audience. Because of this they are usually low budget and not funded by major studios. These films, however, are just as influential as their big-budget counterparts. The difference is that their influence on culture, particularly fashion, really packs a punch.

Looking through the lens of cult film to examine aspects of culture, movies like A Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner, and Pulp Fiction all abide, to a certain extent, by the cult film definition. Spanning across three decades, examining these films also provides a comprehensive look at changing fashion trends. Since they have also maintained a dedicated fan base through the years, they also provide a glimpse into what has transcended time and therefore what remains relevant to today’s fashion. It’s essentially a triple threat that ends in a guaranteed knockout.

First on the list of unassuming heavyweights comes the near-future dystopia adapted from Anthony Burgess’s novella of the same name, A Clockwork Orange (1971). An incredibly

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► controversial film when it first debuted, Clockwork features violence and sex in a way that hadn’t been seen before. Because of this, it garnered a very specific audience appreciation that lasts even today. One of the most iconic aspects of the film is the costume design. The main character, Alex, and his gang of droogs are outfitted in all-white uniforms that contrast sharply with their black combat boots and bowler hats. In fact, the accessories make a stronger statement than the outfits since the most remembered features from Alex’s costume are his cane and bowler hat. The use of accessories and outlandish makeup was a staple of 70s fashion but the movement of the monochromatic scheme into today’s fashion is of great note as well.

Fast-forward ten years and Ridley Scott’s 1982 film, Blade Runner is next in the ring. While Harrison Ford was a household name by this point, this film’s philosophical and thematic complexity only wowed a select group of viewers. Set in another dystopian future, this film focuses on a reluctant blade runner who accepts one last mission to hunt down a group of genetically engineered ‘replicants’ on Earth. One of these replicants, Pris, is the most recognizable. Her choppy haircut and band of black makeup smudged across her eyes and nose make her unmistakably futuristic, but the black, mesh top outfitted with studs is, however, very reminiscent of the rockglam trend of the 1980s. The use of studs on accessories today and the abundance of sheer, black material found on current runways is evidence that the trends still stand.

Moving forward yet another ten years, Quentin Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction doesn’t necessarily hit all aspects of a cult

film due to its critical and commercial success but its nonlinear storytelling, self-reflexivity, and “neo-noir” characterization makes it a champion of independent cinema. While John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson are the icons of the film, Uma Thurman’s character, Mia, is just as influential. The iconic dance scene is made even more resonant because of the costumes on the screen. Today, a black bob and white button-up is synonymous to effortlessly cool taste.

The link between these three films is the strong character associations. Alex, Pris, and Mia all resonated with audience members. When such a strong feature like that is present in a film it practically begs for audience interaction. Viewers want to embody or channel aspects of the character as a means of engaging with the text and one of the best methods to do that is through clothing. By reenacting the physical qualities of a character the level of connection only deepens. Clothes play such a vital role in this. So it’s not just the characters that resonated with audiences but what they each wore. This interaction then permeates into society and its culture. A severe black bob and crisp white shirt will be associated with the coolness embodied by Uma Thurman playing Mia in Pulp Fiction. Crazy lashes and bold accessories (like a hat) hearken back to the brazenness of Alex from A Clockwork Orange. Choppy bangs and black mesh elicit the same rock-glam vibe that Pris embodied in Blade Runner. Despite the fact that these films, upon release, may have garnered a small audience or are only appreciated by a select fan base today does not disparage the truth that they have left a huge legacy in terms of their effect on culture and more specifically the fashion industry. ■

PANTONE: Year of Rose Quartz And Serenity Writer: Brennen Cooke, Copy Editor: Melina Perez, Stylist: Veronica Lozano, Photographer: Tony Redmer, Models: Lauren Rayne, Denise Zaldivar, HMUA: Amanda MacFarlane, Layout: Ernest Chan

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ociety is rapidly changing, and the rate of that change itself is increasing exponentially. This makes it a great challenge to set out to capture the zeitgeist, or the spirit, of a society. One needs a medium that is capable of being as fluid and fast changing as the culture it is trying to embody. Thus, fashion is perhaps one of the best choices available. Fashion evolves constantly, and a society’s new and burgeoning ideals are represented through the aesthetics that are appreciated in anything from runway shows to department store advertisements. However, Fashion is a massive beast to take in all at once, and thus some brave souls in the industry set out to represent it in simpler forms.

One such company, Pantone, sets out every year to distill the illusive zeitgeist into the simplest form imaginable – a single color. Well, in the case of 2016, two colors: Rose Quartz and Serenity.

Pantone is a color institute. The company, founded in 1962, created the Pantone Color Matching system that allows designers to standardize, match, and recreate any color in the world. This technology propelled Pantone to the forefront of the design world with influence in everything from fashion and makeup to interior design. This influence is easy to see.

When Pantone’s Color of the Year (CotY) is announced, one can expect to see it on the runway, in design firms, and maybe

even the makeup aisle within the next 365 days. The year prior to announcing the CotY, Pantone hosts secret semi-annual meetings in Europe where influential designers from around the world meet to discuss and debate. The world’s zeitgeist – including cues from technological advancements, world politics, social trends, and a look at the entertainment and culinary industry – is wrestled down into a single color over the course of four days. In 2011, a time of worldwide unease the bright and cheerful Honeysuckle color was selected. Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, stated, “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits.

Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues.” The earthy warm red 2015 CotY, Marsala, was chosen to ground people in the natural world in a time when everyone seemed to be surrounded and engrossed with the cool bright colors of technology and social media.

For 2016’s Color of the Year, Pantone saw it fit to do something they had never done before. They selected a combination of two colors, Rose Quartz and Serenity. Rose Quartz, a gentle and embracing pale red, and Serenity, a tranquil and airy light blue, are by themselves beautiful shades. However it is not until you witness the two playing off each other that they truly become something impressive. Seeing is believing, ►

and when you can witness these two colors working together they have an undeniable ability to simultaneously embrace and relax; to take you in and imbue you with a sense of calm and peace. As Pantone’s 2016 CotY press release puts it, the perfect blending of these two contrasting colors forms “an antidote to modern day stresses…”

Despite the impressive aesthetic qualities that these two shades have, there lies a far deeper reason for their selection.

In 2015 most modern societies have been able to be a part of a movement towards equality and acceptance. Around the world gender roles have been slowly mixing, the feminist movement has been gaining more traction, and acceptance and support for same sex couples and gender fluidity is steadily rising. In the United States alone there have been huge leaps forward in the past year. Same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide and a transgender woman, Caitlyn Jenner, was crowned Glamour Magazine’s Woman of the Year. Pantone took notice, and with Rose Quartz and Serenity set out to capture and embody these changing gender norms. The mixture of red and blue embodies the blurring of masculinity and femininity in such a way that the two colors do not just contrast, but compliment.

The blending of the two shades makes Rose Quartz and Serenity exponentially more beautiful and striking. There is also something to say about the brightness of the two colors. Both Rose Quartz and Serenity are cheerful and happy hues, as if to suggest not only is Pantone pushing gender equality forward, but that they are happy and excited to do so.

One of the great things about the fashion industry is how it is constantly pushing forward and evolving along with society. Throughout the past few years, androgynous outfits and

palettes have become more predominant in high fashion, and these trends are slowly trickling down to everyday fashion and apparel. Pantone’s 2016 Color of the Year sets out to speed up this process. As stated in their Spring 2016 Fashion Color Report, “Colors this season transcend cultural and gender norms… For Spring 2016 there are truly no perceivable distinctions in color choices between the men’s and women’s collections.” The two colors have already been heavily featured in both men’s and women’s runway shows. A few notable examples come from the shows of designers BCBG, David Hart, and Kung Katherine who implement the colors in the form of patterns – plaids, floral prints, colorblock, etc. Pantone Vice President Laurie Pressman believes that Rose Quartz and Serenity will be prominent throughout all seasons, stating, “Variations of the hue will be seen in a variety of textures that make it wearable throughout the year, from warming and comforting plush wools… to lightweight linens and cottons.” Time will tell how designers choose to implement the CotY further, but regardless you can expect to see plenty of Rose Quartz and Serenity in other mediums throughout the year – from things like Sephora’s limited edition makeup palettes to KitchenAid’s Rose Quartz and Serenity colored standing mixers.

2015’s Color of the Year, Marsala, saw implementation in the 2015 collections of designers such Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and Christian Dior. Marsala makeup collections were abound in everything from boutiques to the drug store, and by the end of the year Marsala hued home accessories could be found on the shelves of department surplus stores. If you have any doubts about the long reaching influence of Pantone simply keep your eyes peeled throughout the next year, you are sure to see plenty of Rose Quartz and Serenity. ■

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THE RISE OF COLORFUL HAIR

Writer: Iris Zamarrpa, Copy Editor: Giselle Suazo, Stylist: Linda Gomez, Photographer: Alexa Ray, Model: Melinda Stammer, HMUA: Sophia Quiroga, Layout: Danielle Ransom

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on-traditional colorful-hairstyles have been around for thousands of years. The earliest of these hairstyles comes from an ultra-feminine but definitely non-traditional and daring former Queen of France. Marie Antoinette (1770–1793) was best known for her coiffures and how she adorned her signature hairstyle “The Pouf” with ribbons, diamonds, flowers, and feathers. Marie Antoinette also styled her hair with colored powders. According to Hudpages, these powders contained perfume and color, which were a fashion must for the aristocracy.

Although colorful hairstyles can be dated back to the 1700s, it was not until two decades ago that colorful hairstyles became a fashion accessory worn by celebrities and working class women and men. In the mid-twentieth century colorful hairstyles, especially bright and pastel pinks, appeared in cinema. InStyle Magazine informs that films such as What a Way to Go! (1964) and Grease (1978) showcased their starlets with pink hair. However the hair of these characters Louisa May Foster (Shirley MacLaine) and Frenchy (Didi Conn) was portrayed and viewed as daring and comical.

For instance, Frenchy’s pink hair was a comical beauty school accident. It is safe to say that in the mid-twentieth century colorful hair was not seen as something an everyday women would wear, but more of a fantasy. ►

It was not all a fantasy, thanks to David Bowie’s bright red-orange hairdo, that the music and fashion industry were inspired for years to come. Like Bowie, Cyndi Lauper and Madonna sported colorful hairstyles to go along with their inventive and fun fashions in the 1980s.

Additionally, in the 1990s Kate Moss modeled pink hair on the Versace runway and Gwen Stefani rocked blue hair at the VMAs. Fashion saw a rise in non-traditional colorful hairstyles in the late twentieth century; however, they were most commonly donned by celebrities.

Colorful hair did not die out in the beginning of the 21st century. Films such as Lost in Translation (2003), Closer (2004), and The Hunger Games (2012) accessorized female characters with colorful wigs. Inventively, today the appearance of colorful hair is not limited to the big screen; instead, celebrities such as Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren and fashionista Kelly Osbourne have rocked colorful hairstyles on red carpets and in daily life. Social media has worked as a magnifying glass, allowing everyone to view what clothing, shoes, makeup, and most importantly, how hair is styled today. Essentially, what social media has perpetuated is that women and men of all different skin tones and styles have been attracted to dyeing their hair a non-traditional color.

However, the hair color most women dye their hair is not like the eccentric David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, or Gwen Stefani’s.

Instead, the many of today’s colors are either feminine, a delicate neon, or pastel pinks, blues, greens, purples and even grays. The way hair is being styled has also changed.

Instead of having grungy hair, the hairstyles that accompany these pastels and grays are formal, classy hairstyles. Such hairstyles include elegant updos, different types of braids, loose curls, and asymmetrical bobs. Modern and stylish clothing accompany these hairstyles such as A-line dresses, suits, gowns,

and nice blouses. This conveys that much like other parts of the 2010s, women and men’s fashion is moving forward. To put it simply, fashion today is breaking from tradition.

Women have been dyeing their hair for centuries; the difference of today’s hair color is that the colors are not solely limited to natural blondes, reds, and browns; instead, the colors are pastel purples and greys. Modern hair color is not restricted to colors that exist in the genetics of any human being. Additionally, the eccentric hair colors of today are often considered non-traditional from a societal standpoint. The 20th and early 21st centuries taught us that crazily colored hairstyles were reserved for flamboyant celebrities and cinematic characters. In the 2010s what we are learning the opposite.

The reality of everyday men and women’s ability to sport colorful hairstyles is apparent not only due to social media, but also through new products on the market.

For instance, L’Oreal Paris recently released a new line of pastel dye that include Smokey Pink, Smokey Lavender, and Smokey Blue. Colorful hairstyles no longer belong on the big screen and at concerts, but to the everyday person as well.

It is no surprise that fashion is moving into a new stage, especially due to advances in technology. The mixture of pastel hair and elegant updos are a perfect representation of a society that is both natural and artificial. The natural is the hair itself, the threadlike structure that grows from the body. The artificial is the man made, the dye; however, now it is even more artificial because the colors are no longer reds, blondes, and blacks. They are pastel pinks, blues, and purples, sometimes even deep greens and gray. This new fashion of non-traditional hairstyles parallels society’s desire to keep both the natural world alive and the desire to advance. ■

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FUTURA

Stylist: Lily Rocha, Photographer: Tony Redmer, Model: Rachel Real, Kathryn Holbert, Caitlyn Topham, Alayna Enos, HMUA: Maiya Evans, Mariah Becerra, Set Design: Tony Redmer, Layout: Emily Jarvis

sometimes all it takes is a spark.