SEPT 2013 NO 19
Wildcat Welcome Edition
Contents 5. 7.
PLEASURES A few of STITCH’s favorite (dream) items EDITORIAL “How to Wear Purple” by Jessica Arnold
9 . FEATURE “The Netflix of Fashion” by Kelly Gonsalves 11. FEATURE “Freshman Year: Wardrobe Essentials” by Helen Zook 13.
COVER SHOOT “Wildcat Habitat” by Alaura Hernandez
19. EDITORIAL “New Year, New Beginnings” by Brenton Howland 21.
LAST WORD “Relax, Take It Easy” by Delia Privitera
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
As Wildcat Welcome Week comes and goes once
again, I can't help but reflect back to my first Welcome Week as a mere freshman four years ago. It’s scary to think that this will be the year of my lasts: my last Welcome Week, my last first day of school, and my last season of tailgates. It’s been a roller coaster of a ride, but when all’s said and done, I couldn’t have asked for a better college experience. So what was that first Welcome Week like for me? If I remember anything it was sweaty, cop-infested house parties, uncertainty over what classes to take, what people to befriend, and how to find some sort of fashionable redemption in those god-awful purple t-shirts (nope – still haven’t quite figured that one out). Oh, and let’s not forget my slow and difficult transition from wearing a school uniform everyday to having to actually put thought into my morning wardrobe selection. I like to think I’ve come a long way since those days, and hopefully can pass on some of my wisdom to the rest of you guys. So to the freshman: welcome to the most memorable and whirlwind of a week to kick-start your Northwestern experience. To the sophomores: welcome back to where you guys have finally gotten a handle on the Northwestern scene. Juniors: welcome to upperclassmen life, when the social scene only gets more fun as the real world becomes more of a reality. And to my fellow seniors: WE DID IT! (Half-Kidding with the Elle Woods reference). But seriously, let’s make this the best year to put all the past years to shame. And to all the Wildcats out there, welcome to STITCH’s Northwesternthemed, back-to-school installment. There’s nothing like showing off your true colors (obviously I’m talking about that Northwestern purple!) and having some good, old-fashioned school pride. GO ‘CATS!
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STITCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alex Adeli CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nick Arcos SENIOR EDITOR Rosana Lai PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Alaura Hernandez DESIGN EDITOR Rosalind Mowitt CO-DIRECTORS OF PHOTOSHOOTS Samantha Brody & Carly Shapiro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Dan Hoffman, Alaura Hernandez, Christine Chang, Gina Drutz, Jalissa Gomez, Lily Allen, Marina Vernovsky, Ina Yang ASSISTANT EDITOR-ONLINE Rachel Nussbaum ASSISTANT EDITOR-PRINT Cathaleen Qiao Chen DESIGN Andrea Kang, Cree Han, Jen White, McKenzie Maxson MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Rachel Jones MULTIMEDIA Gemma Folari, Olivia Peach STAFF WRITERS Arielle Miller, Amy Xu, Arabella Watters, Ben Dorfman, Beth Glaser, Brenton Howland, Delia Privitera, Helen Zook, Jessica Arnold, Kate Geraghty, Kelly Gonsalves, Lakin Davis, Lily Cohen, Lily Orlan, Vicky Castro, Rebecca Liron, Karen Valenica DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Chelsea Ferguson PUBLIC RELATIONS Diana Armancanqui, Grace Jaworski, Adele Kuforiji TREASURER Sonali Dasgupta DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING AND ADVERTISING Sydney Lindsey FUNDRAISING Rebecca Liron, Sonali Dasgupta, Sydney Lindsay ADVERTISING Rebecca Liron, Sonali Dasgupta, Clarke Humphrey
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PLEASURES
CREPERIE SAINT-GERMAIN, 1512 SHERMAN AVE, “HAPPY HOUR” EVERY TUES.
BENEFIT BOUTIQUE, 1625 SHERMAN AVE, “ITS POTENT! EYE CREAM”
SAIL WITH A SAILOR, MID-MAY SOUTH BEACH
PURPLE NAIL POLISH, OPI: LOUVRE ME LOUVRE ME NOT, EIFFEL FOR THIS COLOR, DO YOU LILAC IT? ESSIE: BIG SPENDER, SMOKIN’ HOT, LAPIZ OF LUXURY, VELVET VOYEUR, $8-12
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URBAN OUTFITTERS, 921 CHURCH ST. WATCH FOR DISCOUNT “COLLEGE NIGHTS”
DATILES A LA SEVILLANA FROM TAPAS BARCELONA, 1615 CHICAGO AVE
FLORAL HEADBAND BY NU GRAD NANCY DONG, $18, THE-HALO.COM
BOOKMAN’S ALLEY, 1712 SHERMAN AVE
JOY YEE NOODLE BUBBLE TEA, 521 DAVIS -- BUT THEY DELIVER!
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YOUR GUIDE TO SHOWING YOUR WILDCAT PRIDE... ALL THE TIME • WRITTEN BY JESSICA ARNOLD AND STARRING OUR STAFFERS • Northwestern purple is flattering and easy to integrate into your wardrobe. However, if you are like me, that slightly terrifies you. The idea of dressing up with the school colors makes me feel less inspired and more like Willie the wildcat. It’s understandable that students do not want to be a walking mascot all the time. However, purple is still a beautiful color and should not be avoided out of this fear. This is not a guide on school spirit; this is a guide on how to integrate purple into your wardrobe to maintain your individual style while giving a subtle nod to our great university.
as white and black. Substitute berry or eggplant pants in for black for a spark of color in a neutral outfit. For those who love to experiment with color, shades of purple can be color-blocked beautifully with almost all colors, turquoise especially.
The most important thing to remember about basic colors such as purple is that there are infinitely many shades available. If Northwestern purple is simply too bright for you, opt for eggplant and berry. Berry has become an essential in my wardrobe, now almost as essential
Finally, don’t forget about accessories. A skinny belt in neon purple or a suede pump in mauve adds color, character and spirit to your outfit. If you’re still not convinced or want more ideas, check out how the STITCH staff incorporates purple into their wardrobe.
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Another area to integrate purple is prints. Look for purple scarf prints that are bohemian-inspired or paisley. Or, look for bold, graphic floral prints with hints of purple. My favorite pieces for the season are purple scarf-print pants and a graphic floral print body-con dress.
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The
Netflix of Fashion By Kelly Gonsalves
Although Evanston provides a plethora of wonderful shopping options, it’s normal to want to branch out a bit more. However, setting aside time to head to downtown Chicago sometimes simply can’t fit into the demanding schedule of a Northwestern student, and trying to discover new, unique shops on your own can be even trickier. So what to do when you’re pressed for time and want a unique look? Well, fear no more! Here are some innovative online shopping websites that will satisfy your fashion needs and conform to your busy schedule!
RENT THE RUNWAY
Rent the Runway has achieved considerable fame and popularity since its founding in 2009. RTR is a designer dress rental company functioning completely online. They allow customers to rent out designer gowns and formal dresses “from the runway” for a highly discounted price. HOW IT WORKS After signing up, you can browse through the vast RTR dress selection, which includes designer name items for a variety of occasions. Once you choose a dress, two sizes will arrive in the mail for you to choose from and can then be rented for either four or eight days. After the event, you just pop the dress into a pre-paid return box and send it back, no cleaning necessary. COMMENTS FROM RTR Kelleigh Whelan (WCAS Senior), RTR’s Northwestern manager: Women love to get dressed up and wear nice dresses, but a lot of the time you’ll buy a really nice dress for a few hundred dollars and never wear it again. So [RTR] had this idea that if girls could just rent [designer] dresses for a shorter period 9| STITCH
RTR Golden Leaf Teacup Dress by Radenroro on NU student Shelbie Bostedt, as featured in our June Issue
of time…it would really make the whole entire dress market a little more efficient. STITCH OPINIONS Rent the Runway is revolutionizing the dress industry, and STITCH is all for it. RTR has an impressive dress selection and maneuverable online catalog (which filters by not only color and size but also by designer, neckline, occasion, and even body type), ensuring that you will find the right dress for your special night. We love that RTR carries an extensive range of fantastic, higher-end dresses and also love that they have gorgeous, day-time options as well. Renting a more informal dress for one-time use is extremely useful for trying something different without actually investing in a new wardrobe item. Overall, STITCH gives Rent the Runway the highest of praises.
LE TOTE
We all have that best friend who we constantly swap clothes with and whose closet we envy. Well, LE TOTE is looking to be your new best friend. Founded just last year, LE TOTE is a monthly service that sends you an unlimited amount of
clothes and accessories to wear whenever you want, as long as you want. HOW IT WORKS Upon becoming a member, you pay $49 a month to have “totes” of clothing sent to you multiple times a month. Each shipment comes with three pieces of clothing, two accessories, and a tote bag, all curated by the company’s professional stylists and based on an extensive fashion profile each user fills out upon joining. Once you’re done with the clothes, just send them back in the pre-paid box, and they’ll send you a new tote as soon as they receive the old one.
STITCH OPINIONS LE TOTE can infinitely expand your closet and vary your outfit rotation in a way never before possible. However, keep in mind that LE TOTE stylists completely determine what arrives in your “tote”, so you may not love everything that they select for you. While they are looking to resolve this problem by allowing customers to choose the clothes they receive, LE TOTE told STITCH that they still hope to keep it as a largely stylist-curated service. However, if you’re just looking to explore different types of fashion, LE TOTE may just be the perfect service for you.
COMMENTS FROM LE TOTE Julia Cheung, the Director of Business Development at LE TOTE: There are limited options for a good quality fashion rental service. We want to give girls the opportunity to dress like a fashion blogger and a style icon every day. That’s the lifestyle we’re promoting, and I really don’t think there’s any other company out there that’s doing what we’re doing. Le Tote Fuschia Circle Bracelet
RTR Kate Spade New York Sea Green Swirl Triple Row Necklace, Rental $25 STITCH |10
FRESHMAN YEAR wardrobe essentials. By Helen Zook So you’ve hauled the entire contents of your wardrobe up four flights of stairs and somehow managed to cram it all into your itty-bitty closet—seriously, how do they expect us to fit everything in there—but something about your clothing collection just doesn’t feel quite right. You read every September issue cover to cover, but now it’s dawned on you that back-to-school starts a month later than everyone else. Welcome to the quarter system, Wildkittens. Sure, those cropped jeans looked cute on the pages of Seventeen, but when that wind starts to blow off Lake Michigan, you’ll be rolling those cuffs right on down. While your parents (and more importantly, their credit cards) are still in town, make sure to buy the Northwestern essentials to complete your collegiate transition.
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LONG PUFFER JACKET
I used to think knee-length parkas were a fashion faux pas donned in the winter by only the tackiest New York tourists, but I now consider them the fashion gods’ gift to the frostbitten inhabitants of the Midwest. The longer, the better. Some coats are pretty pricey but trust me, it will be the best investment you (or your parents) will ever make—apart from that Northwestern education, of course. You’re not going to need to pull on the parka until around 11| STITCH
December, but you might as well purchase one before the weather gets chilly and you set up camp for the winter next to the Norbucks fireplace.
Gotham Jacket- The North Face
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CHUNKY SCARF
Whether you’re wearing one to complete that quintessential layered autumn ensemble or throwing one on over your sweats in an attempt to not look like a complete slob, a thick scarf is a student essential. A chunky knit not only adds texture to your outfit but also serves as a multipurpose accessory. Pillow for your mid-exam week nap in the Reference section? Check. Facemask for going incognito—and avoiding awkward post-hookup eye contact—on Sheridan Road? Check.
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Fairytale Crochet Scarf- Free People
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CROSS-BODY BAG
Whether you’re headed off campus for a Welcome Week party or into Evanston for a non-dining hall meal (The Cellar is my eatery of choice), you’ll want a small, hands-free purse to store some necessities. But make sure the satchel has room for your wallet so you don’t have to unload your cash and cards every time you switch bags. It’s never a good idea to consume—ahem, certain beverages— with money and IDs floating around inside your purse. Those Wildcard replacements will start to add up.
Downtown Lola Cross-body Bag Marc by Marc Jacobs
ANKLE BOOTS
The l o w heeled ankle bootie is my eternal shoe of Lace-Up c h o i c e . Chelsea Crew Armor t- Urban Outfitters Boo le Ank It’s a season-less essential that you can dress up or down. Whether you wear a pair with skinny jeans, a mini skirt, denim cutoffs or a dress, they automatically make any outfit look effortlessly chic. Also, for those of you who fall on the shorter end of the height spectrum, don’t avoid this footwear for fear of looking stumpy. Just look for styles with a boot shaft that curves down in the front and you’ll look like you have legs for days – even if your fake ID says otherwise.
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BEANIE
My brother calls me a hipster for wearing beanies and uses such terminology in the least complimentary way. But I still stand firmly behind a good slouchy winter hat. For those days when you hit the snooze button one too many times and roll out of bed five minutes before your class starts, a beanie is the perfect, chicest cure for untamed bed head. Go for a classic color that compliments every outfit, a graphic cap with a cheeky slogan or sport that Wildcat pride in a Beck’s purchase. STITCH |12
Models: Mats Johansen, Bella Valdescruz, and Simedar Jackson Photographed by Alaura Hernandez // Styled by Samantha Brody and Carly Shapiro
What to wear at Northwestern can be tough (especially when it’s 10 degrees outside and you can barely leave your room!). However, it’s awful to run into the cute guy - or girl! - from your poli -sci class when Wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt, and unwashed hair. Simedar, Isabella, and Mats manage to be stylish all over campus. After all, you never know who you’ll run into!
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September might just be my favorite month of the year. Many students relish in the opportunity to spend time away from campus over the summer to work, travel, or simply do nothing. I, on the other hand, could not be happier to return to school in fall. If you’ve ever had a summer internship that slowly eats away at your faith in the real world, you’ll understand why. Think about it. If you’re feeling extra thirsty on Thursday night and decide to do it big, you can always skip that 11 a.m. class on Friday. Waking up for work at 6 a.m. the next day, though, is a harsh reality. So freshmen, here’s my first piece of advice: stay in school forever. Though the inherent lack of responsibility is reason enough to love being back on campus, I appreciate the new school year, first and foremost, because it can provide students with a fresh start. Filled with new housing, classes, goals, and friends, the fall gives us the greatest opportunity to change the way we are perceived by the people around us. For freshman, college is an entirely new environment in which a shy, unassuming hard worker can instantly become a confident, outgoing individual. Northwestern provides us with this time to outwardly redefine ourselves, the simplest way being through our wardrobe. Conveniently, the fall also happens to be the best season for men’s clothing; an opportune time to start experimenting with layers. If you’ve been a more conservative dresser in the past, but are looking to develop a more urban look, put together a pair of slim chinos from Topman with a vintage t-shirt from Karmaloop and a cardigan from the British brand Asos.
If you’re trying to add some class to your closet while still maintaining a youthful style, invest in a few pairs of pants from Bonobos to compliment a button down and crew neck sweater combination from Brooks Brothers. Just as important, moreover, are fall
accessories. Most guys recognize that a sharp watch or a nice belt can go a long way. That being said, a backpack from Urban Outfitters or an Abington messenger bag from J.Crew are equally important aesthetic additions for any guy trying to stand out on Sheridan. These are only a few basic suggestions to change your look this fall but with all the excitement surrounding a new school year and the possibilities that lay before you, continue to branch out. Embrace this opportunity to explore new interests, new styles, and, most importantly, new beginnings. STITCH |20
RELAX, TAKE IT EASY
Advice on How to Survive Your Freshman Year By Delia Privitera NOT TOO LONG AGO, I WAS A HESITANT FRESHMAN TRYING TO SURVIVE THE CRAZINESS OF WILDCAT WELCOME WEEK. I WENT THROUGH IT ALL — ATTEMPTING TO FIT MY ENTIRE FALL AND WINTER WARDROBE IN ONE TINY DORM ROOM CLOSET, GETTING LOST IN THE LABYRINTH THAT IS TECH, CLASS REGISTRATION PANIC ATTACKS, AWKWARD PA GROUP PHOTOS — YOU NAME IT. Then Welcome Week drew to a close, the whirlwind of emotions that was my introduction and crash course in college life was over, and I suddenly realized that I was on my own, with no one there to hold my hand through the college experience.
LAST WORD
As a freshman, you are left to fend for yourself. There are no more parents around telling you not to mix reds with whites in the laundry, no more teachers constantly checking up on your academic performance, no more established groups of childhood friends ready to sit with you at the lunch table every day and no more I’ll-start-my-homeworkhalf-an-hour-before-class moments (get ready for those sweet allnighters). As clichéd as it sounds, freshman year truly marks the start of your independence. You will face challenges you’ve never encountered before and you’ll be forced to make your own choices — and deal with their consequences. Wrong decisions are bound to happen, but falling down and picking yourself back up is not something to be embarrassed of. If there’s anything I have learned from my freshman year at Northwestern is that mistakes really are a blessing in disguise. Your figure might regret that late-
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night Cheesie’s run, but the mouthwatering grilled cheese and hilarious conversation you shared with your friends were totally worth it. Enjoying Dillo Day on a beautiful spring day will more than make up for enduring the agony of a 10 page research paper the following Sunday. Don’t be afraid to take risks and most importantly, branch out. Let’s face it; hanging out with the same crowd was already unbearable in high school, so why would it be any better in college? Just because you’re pre-med doesn’t mean that you have to live and breathe Sargent and venture out to South Campus only when you’ve run out of milk from CVS. And while it’s perfectly okay to build up your resume during your undergraduate career, don’t limit yourself to every business, consulting and saving-the-world organization on campus. Sign up for clubs you’re genuinely interested in and you see yourself dedicating time to. Waking up at 7 AM on Saturday morning to fundraise for a club will be rough — waking up at 7 AM to fundraise for a club you don’t even care about will be excruciatingly painful. So relax and be proud of your accomplishments. You’ve made it this far and you’re officially a Northwestern student. You’re only a freshman in college once. It’s time to make the most of it!