Wildcat Welcome 2014 NO 24
PHOTO CREDIT
CONTENTS 2 • MASTHEAD Advice from our staff to the Class of 2018 on how to survive freshman year.
3 • CONTRIBUTORS Get to know this issue’s featured members of the Executive Board.
13
SHOOT: FASHION À LA CARTE See how fellow Wildcats dine in style at some of Evanston’s most popular eateries.
4 • LETTER FROM THE EDITORS 5 • PLEASURES Our staff shares our latest obsessions and wish-list favorites. 7 • OUR FALL STYLE GUIDE We take it back to basics with an ABC guide to fall fashion. 13 • FASHION À LA CARTE 23 • WEAR TO EAT 25 • BREAKING THE NORM Think your Northwestern sweater counts as Normcore? Think again. 27 • LAST WORD: ON “WEARING THE PANTS” Your clothes aren’t just clothes— they’re an extension of yourself.
23
FEATURE: WEAR TO EAT Not sure what to wear to a dinner date? STITCH has you covered.
G
u s! know o t et
he t is t of a h W iece ld p best you cou g in ce advi n incom a give eshman? fr
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Cathaleen Chen & Rachel Nussbaum MANAGING EDITOR Sydney Lindsey
one no like ng. p Na atchi is w
PRINT EDITOR Helen Zook lla n umbre carr y a Always lightweight a l and/or r schoo t in you raincoa AYS. LW bag. A
Be selective about sign which listservs you to up for. I’m still trying get off of a couple!
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alaura Hernandez TREASURER Peggy Garard DESIGN EDITORS Jen White & Drew Dain
DESIGN TEAM Heiwon Shin, Susan Chen, Amanda Rodriguez, Kaylah Sosa MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Gemma Follari MULTIMEDIA TEAM Olivia Peace & Sarah Burton
t ou tha . Y ng t you w i h yt es a ne an nter Tr y ght i ll into mi y fa . ma ssion pa
Embrace the inevi tab piling up of your N le etflix queue .
ONLINE EDITORS McKenzie Maxson & Erica Witte PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Alix Kramer
Buy enoug h underwear tha t you neve r have to d o laundry .
Invest in as stylish pur many ple items o clothing as possib f le!
CO-DIRECTORS OF PHOTOSHOOTS Sarah Spellings & Beatrice Hagney STREET PHOTOGRAPHER Sean Su STYLING TEAM Kate Camarata, Peggy Garard, Annalise Sundberg, Iman Gultson, Jillian Sellers, Lauren Myers, Angelene Sun, Katharine Currault STAFF WRITERS Elizabeth Johnson, Erica Witte, Jacob Roth, Jessica Arnold, Luke Zhang, Mackenzie Broderick, Mackenzie Maxson, Steven Bennett, Dylan Storey DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Diana Armacanqui & Chelsea Ferguson . It’s Don’t try too hard socially see exhausting and easy to take through. Calm down and e. com they as gs thin
PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF Maya Voelk, Prarthana Gupta, Stephanie Risler
Get to kn people ow the on you r floo
r.
DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING & ADVERTISING Lauren Myers
ADVERTISING & FUNDRAISING STAFF Ashley Peterson, Adele Kuforiji, Anna Schapiro, Ava Steir, Blair Darrell, Emma Feder, Grace Jaworski, Jackie Martinhouse, Caroline Levy, Jenny Reinsdorf, Jenny Sussna, Jessica Weil, Kaylah Sosa, Lily Orlan, Mallory Bell, Megan McDowell, Neha Kumar, Nicole Byron, Sarah Burton, Tori Latham STITCH Magazine is published with support from Generation Progress & the Center for American Progress, found online at genprog.org
CONTRIBUTORS: STAFF SPOTLIGHTS
ERICA WITTE
JEN WHITE
ONLINE EDITOR
DESIGN EDITOR
Sophomore • Journalism
Junior • Journalism
Favorite fall trend: Wool hats. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Never wasting an equivalency meal. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Going outdoors in the winter.
LAUREN MYERS DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING Sophomore • Journalism
Favorite fall trend: J. Crew puffer vests. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Making it through my first ever northern winter! Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Not buying myself a good pair of snow boots (my uggs just didn’t cut it).
Favorite fall trend: Combat boots. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Getting through Econ as a journalism major. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Not buying thick enough socks!
BEATRICE HAGNEY
DREW DAIN
ALIX KRAMER
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOSHOOTS
DESIGN EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Sophomore • Gender & Sexuality studies
Senior • Journalism
Favorite fall trend: Fur vests and the color cobalt. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Getting into Chicago more than once a month. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Blowing all of my money shopping in Chicago.
Favorite fall trend: Big-ass socks. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Passing stats. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Not getting involved in things right away.
3 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
Sophomore • Journalism Favorite fall trend: Dark tan matte nails. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Finally figuring out how to get around campus by winter quarter. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Being too shy to make friends in class.
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
CATHALEEN CHEN Senior • Journalism Favorite fall trend: Colorful cocoon coats. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Pulling at least two dozen all-nighters. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Always drinking the jungle juice.
RACHEL NUSSBAUM
A
wise man once told me you only get one chance at freshman year. But with all due respect to my dermatologist, I have to disagree. He might’ve been right in technicality (mostly, #andtransfers), but in actuality, it’s a different story. Freshman year is about trying new things, finding those who make you better and that which makes you you—no matter how many mistakes you might make before succeeding in doing so. Welcome Week might be an Everclear-concentrated dose of the above, but you have an entire year (and three after that) ahead to find your place. So make a friend a few months from now, put on a duster (page 7), go somewhere new (page 23). If your Welcome Week was great, hooray! If it wasn’t, if you didn’t find your people but got real chummy with the hate of missing out, that’s fine too. Welcome Week is over. But stay alive and stay ready, because there’s nothing more exciting than meeting someone new and feeling like you’ve met your oldest friend, or spontaneously staying up all night just to watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan. Or finding the perfect hiding spot in the library, or even writing a kickass essay. And these instances, a few quintessential college moments, could occur literally anywhere, anytime in the next four years. In any case, sit down, relax and make the most out of your tiny dorm room closet. Because the best, oh, the best is yet to come. Yours, Rachel and Cat
Senior • Journalism Favorite fall trend: Minimalist makeup with a burgundy lip. Biggest accomplishment freshman year: Doing all the reading. Biggest mistake you made as a freshman: Doing all the reading.
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 4
PLEASURES: STITCH’S PICKS Tory Burch Mercer Dome bag, $535, toryburch.com
Mason Pearson junior hair brush, $105, Neiman Marcus
Threshold Traditional Lantern, $25.99, Target
J.R. Watkins Menthol Camphor Ointment, $7.99, Walgreens
Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar, $2.39/bar, GNC
Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa Skyscraper heels, discontinued, available on eBay
PHOTOS: ALAURA HERNANDEZ
5 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
Love what you’ve read? Stay informed on the latest trends and campus events by connecting with us online! STITCHFASHION.COM • STITCHFASHION.TUMBLR.COM • TWITTER: @STITCHMAG INSTAGRAM: @STITCHFASHION • PINTEREST.COM/STITCHFASHION VIMEO.COM/STITCHMAGAZINE • FACEBOOK.COM/STITCHFASHION
our fall style
Guide from Z A to
DETERMINED TO START YOUR COLLEGE CAREER IN STYLE? DYING TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED BY SEAN SU?
Make the following looks your own by infusing your taste into each trend and you’ll surely inspire some wardrobe envy. Now study up on STITCH’s F/W fashion glossary right here.
By Luke Zhang and Helen Zook
A
C
Adidas
Remember those triple-striped tennis shoes from middle school? Now the Stan Smith is sported by more than just the Grand Slam champs (Marc Jacobs and Céline’s Phoebe Philo are both fans). Here’s to lace-up footwear that feels much better than a sneaker heel.
Combat Boots Boot-Cut Trade in the skinny jean for something slightly less tapered. Vintage and subtly flared denim styles (à la 70s style icon Jane Birkin) are all the rage this fall.
A pair of these bad boys is a surefire cold weather staple. They lace up high, come in dark, brooding colors, and are perfect for dealing with those Midwestern weather patterns in style.
D E
Duster Coats
With the weight of a trench but the drama of a full-length garment, these coats serve as great layering pieces. Pair one with a shorter hemline for a fresh silhouette.
Embroidery
Monogramming is cool again, thanks to the personalized retro bomber jackets that came down the Rag & Bone runway. Looks like your grandmother’s penchant for needlepoint may come in handy, after all.
Fringe This boho fashion trend isn’t just appropriate for festival season anymore. If you’re afraid of looking costume-y, start out with a small fringe-trimmed handbag in turquoise or magenta.
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 8
G H Gauchos
Houndstooth
Gaucho pants (also known as culottes) are midi-length and have a long inseam, giving them an airy, comfortable fit. Try some with a pair of heels for a leggy look.
This classic pattern can be sported in a wide spectrum of sizes and colors. Go graphic with a magnified black-and-white look or preppy with a fitted mini skirt.
Itty-bitty Bags The micro bag is a musthave accessory, especially in a statement-making hue, pattern or material. Just make sure it can fit more than a tube of lipstick—or wear something with lots of pockets.
K L Knitwear
Jumpsuits These one-piece ensembles have evolved from 80s Jazzercise outfits to chic, chiffon (and often belted) pieces that pair surprisingly well with anything from gladiator sandals to sky-high pumps.
Come autumn, designers always aim to reinvent the knit, and this year was no different. Elongated proportions, knotted sleeves and oversized silhouettes have us all craving sweater weather.
9 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
Leopard
This animal print is practically a neutral (especially if Jenna Lyons says so), so incorporating it into your wardrobe is incredibly easy. If you’re a minimalist, try a subtle accessory. If you’re on the prowl for something more eye-catching, throw on a fluffy (faux) leopard coat.
N O Nordic
Mod Throw it back to the 60s with flirty A-line frocks, Peter Pan collars and a bit of faux fur. Take beauty cues from Twiggy by imitating her long lashes and graphic cat eye.
You know those reindeer-printed, fleece-lined leggings you sport on ski trips? Subtler versions of the Fair Isle pattern showed up in designer knitwear recently, proving we can share more than subzero temperatures with the Scandinavians.
Over-the-knee
The boldest boots out there hit mid-thigh. Unless you’re headed to a costume party, pair them with an oversized sweater or shift dress (something a little bit loose) to avoid any “Pretty Woman” references. No offense, Julia.
Q P
Patchwork
Update your favorite denim with a few fun patches or swatches of fabric. It’s like a chic, grown up version of your badge-adorned Girl Scout vest.
Quilted
Typically, any fabric, pelt, or leather can be quilted. That means the technique can add a chic, vintage look to anything from puffer coats to clutches (See Chanel’s iconic 2.55 bag for inspiration).
Robe Coats Sometimes it’s hard to flatter your figure while fighting off that chilly autumn wind. Luckily, robe coats accentuate your waist and keep you warm. Make sure to trade your terrycloth in for something a little more luxe—pony hair, perhaps?
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 10
T U Tartan
Shearling Who says heavy duty outerwear can’t be a little luxurious? Snuggle up to a shearling-trimmed overcoat when the Chicago winter kicks in. The wooly textile lends a rustic chic vibe to any ensemble.
Think of a Scottish kilt—then put that pattern on a baby doll dress, pair of tailored pants or a car coat. With the ability to make an outfit preppy, grunge or 90s glam, it’s no wonder plaid is a consistent coldweather trend for all.
Unpaired
Give one lobe a break and don a single statement earring for an edgy, modern look. Split the cost of a set of danglers with a fashionable friend, or opt for an individual cuff (additional piercings not required).
V W V-Neck
In other knitwear news, a deep v-neck sweater can serve as a great transition piece. Some styles feature geometric prints and bold colors that hardly resemble a tennis mom’s wardrobe.
Western
Giddyup! Channel the allAmerican vibe embraced in Chanel’s Paris-Dallas collection with denim on denim, a chic cowboy-inspired hat or sturdy leather boots (spurs optional)— just not all at once.
11 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
X-Ray Slightly transparent fabrics are still acceptable with a drop in temperature. Just remember to keep it classy (and cozy) with more substantial undergarments beneath and a chunky knit layered on top.
Z Zara
Yellow Mustard tones are always safe for fall (just take a look at the colors of the changing leaves), but this season step out of your comfort zone with something electric. Take notes from Alexander Wang by introducing a super-saturated version of the happy hue into your wardrobe.
Okay, this isn’t a trend. But it is quite possibly the only place you can find every single one of the aforementioned fall styles. All hail the Spanish retailer for flawlessly replicating all the best designer collections for a fraction of the cost. Now hop on a shuttle to the Magnificent Mile, STAT.
Now that you’ve mastered your fall fashion ABC’s... Check out STITCH’s brand new website! Head over to stitchfashion.com to check out the newest stories on your fashionable friends, must-have style and beauty advice, and the hottest events around campus!
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 12
ANDY’S All clothes from Crossroads Trading Company. Connor: Shoes: Sperry
FASH ’
A LA CARTE
HION Directors: Beatrice Hagney and Sarah Spellings Photographer: Alix Kramer Makeup: Peggy Gerard Models: Emma Hill, Connor Sharples, Destiny Edouard, Ghikhan Blossfeld-Lau
SHOOT MAP CROSSROADS Buy, sell, trade, consign at NU’s favorite consignment store. A certain STITCH staffer has found Marc Jacobs and Dior there for a steal. $-$$
ANDY’S
Frozen custard for the freshman fifteen. $
KAFEIN
One of the few places in Evanston where you can both relax and cram. $
FOUND
Great food, even better atmosphere. $$$
GIGI BOTTEGA
Classic and on-trend clothes for a date night or formal. $$
ENVY
Trendy yet affordable clothes and accessories-- they sell greek apparel, too! $
CHEESIE’S
2 a.m. favorite for Welcome Week and beyond. Try a tenderizer… just do it. $
EDZO’S
Two Words: Crazy Fries. $
CHEESIE’S
Connor: Shirt: Ralph Lauren Polo. Shorts: Crossroads Trading Company. Shoes: Ralph Lauren Polo
Destiny: Jersey: Norris bookstore. Shorts: Envy Evanston. Belt: Envy Evanston. Shoes: Nike
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 16
Ghikhan: Shirt: Crossroads Trading Company.
Emma: All clothe from Gigi Bottega.
17 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
FOUND
es .
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 18
19 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
Destiny: Romper: Envy Evanston.
Connor: Shirt & Jeans: Crossroads Trading Company. Shoes: Sperry.
EDZO’S
Emma: Shirt: Crossroads Trading Company. Skirt: Envy Evanston
PHOTO CREDIT
21 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
KA F E I N Ghikhan: Pants, shirt: Crossroads Trading Company. Shoes: Sperry.
PHOTO CREDIT
WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 22
WEAR TO EAT By Erica Witte
MOSESPRECIADO PHOTO ON CREDIT FLICKR
23 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
F
rench fries, hot cookie bar, hamburgers, pasta, ice cream… and better yet, it’s all-you-can-eat buffet style. At first, the dining hall lifestyle can seem like Hevanston on earth, but two weeks from now you’ll be saving your pennies for an oh-so-exotic Chipotle burrito bowl. Fear not Wildkittens, there are much better ways to the “Freshman 15” than feasting on the Allison dining hall’s dessert bar. Here’s a STITCH-style introductory guide to the fine (and not-so-fine) dining of Evanston.
ANDY’S: Forget Ben & Jerry’s (because we don’t every available table, plan on wearing something have Ben & Jerry’s). You and Andy will become best buds during Welcome Week via your mutual friend, insert PA name here. With a traditional ice cream parlor layout, Andy’s is the perfect place to meet up with the cutie from Intro to Psych after class. Pair your Triple Chocolate Concrete with a sundress, jean jacket and wedges for a casual yet flirty first-date look.
CHEESIE’S: You may not recall your first visit to Cheesie’s as it will likely occur at 2 a.m. after your first off-campus frat party. With your pick of menu items like The Tenderizer, (a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, fried chicken and BBQ sauce) let’s hope you aren’t wearing a brand new, dry-clean only, white dress. Instead, go for cutoff shorts and a high-neck crop top that you could live without if something saucy happens.
KAFEIN: When the dusty library shelves start
breathable and again, machine washable. For an adorable yet ketchup-friendly outfit, toss on a light, flowy dress, high tops and a trendy baseball cap.
FOUND: One of Evanston’s finest restaurants
(with a price tag to match), Found serves as a Northwestern student’s go-to spot for parental visits and special occasions. Evoking an elegant, quirky style in terms of food and décor, this hotspot begs for a night-out-on-the-town look. Match a black blazer with a chic jumpsuit and heeled sandals (or something closed-toed for when the temperature starts to plummet), and you’ll be ready to take on Evanston…or maybe even Chicago.
BAT 17: For many of you, college will end
your family birthday dinners at your favorite hometown restaurants. Start a new tradition with Bat 17, Evanston’s resident burger bar. With a more upscale environment like Found, without exorbitant prices, Bat 17 is the perfect place to celebrate any momentous occasion… even if it’s just passing your first economics exam. If you’re the guest of honor, wear a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, black booties and a top with some shimmer.
to lose their appeal, try Kafein for a change of scenery. The coffee shop’s warm cookies, delicious hot chocolate and inviting atmosphere will ease the pain of your impending Bio exam. If you’re planning on staying a while, (which you will, based on that hefty stack of flashcards) wear something cute but comfy, like black leggings, leather booties, an oversized knit sweater and a printed scarf. FARMHOUSE: Your mother just called to schedule an impromptu visit for Sunday brunch. EDZO’S: For when the 24-hour Burger King You choose Farmhouse. Beyond its delicious lunch doesn’t cut it (it should never cut it), Edzo’s and dinner menus, the modern rustic restaurant offers a higher-quality fast food burger. With an offers a charming variety of breakfast classics with extremely friendly staff and fantastic milkshakes, a distinct farm-to-table twist. If you really want to Edzo’s is the ideal place to “treat yo self ” after a get into the country theme, pull out your cowboygrueling week in the quarter system. Since the lines inspired boots and pair them with boyfriend jeans are perpetually long with patrons fighting over and an effortless white button-down. WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 24
BREAKING THE NORM By Mackenzie Broderick
GARY KOELLING ON FLICKR PHOTO CREDIT
A
s we prepare for another school year, we are once again faced with that age-old question: can school spirit be fashionable? The answer may lie with a recent sartorial concept popping up on both the runways and the streets: Normcore. I was only recently introduced to the idea of Normcore fashion, or in this case, anti-fashion. The concept can be understood as a reaction to the rise of ready-made fashion. Style is now just too mainstream—after all, if everyone is fashionable, then no one is. Normcore, much like its film equivalent mumblecore, fetishizes the normal and regular experience of millenials while exerting minimal (apparent) effort. The style—if it can be called such—of Normcore moves beyond the purposefully ugly or mismatched outfits of hipsters everywhere. Alex Williams wrote up three definitions for The New York Times in April, one of which was “a fashion movement, c. 2014, in which scruffy young urbanites swear off the tired street-style clichés of the last decade...in favor of a less-ironic (but still pretty ironic) embrace of bland, suburban anti-fashion attire.” Think boxy jeans, baggy T-shirts, baseball caps and Birkenstocks. They’re clothes that don’t make statements, but that’s a statement in itself. In an age where social media makes everyone a celebrity, a style guru or a fashionista, it makes sense that a movement has risen up to rebel against the carefully coiffed, brand-conscious bloggers who populate the Internet. But I don’t buy it, at least not completely. These Normcore aficionados, with their $200 Patagonia jackets and sculpted cheekbones, doth protest too much. After all, only conventionally attractive people can make themselves unattractive as a fashion statement. Do spirit jerseys and Northwestern sweatshirts count toward this trend, then? Can fashion-conscious college students finally abandon their efforts in crafting chic sports fan ensembles and instead embrace the racks of bland T-shirts all too common in campus bookstores? Unfortunately, my answer is no. After scouring the Web for Normcore knowledge, I isolated a couple of in-
“In an age where social media makes everyone a celebrity, a style guru or a fashionista, it makes sense that a movement has risen up to rebel against the carefully coiffed, brand-conscious bloggers who populate the Internet. But I don’t buy it, at least not completely.” tegral criteria that spiritwear simply fails to meet. First there’s deliberateness. Like many other millennial creations, Normcore occupies a precarious place between making an effort and trying too hard. Therefore, throwing on your Northwestern pajama-pants during finals week and wearing a jersey to the Homecoming Football game are both too passé. Secondly, Normcore offers a sort of nostalgia for boring-yet-heinous 90s street-style. Social media has made Insta-nostalgia possible and prevalent for our ennui-stricken generation, with #tbt enabling us a look back on the simpler times of last week or last month. But you cannot be nostalgic for something that has yet to happen. With four more years left at Northwestern (freshmen, I’m talking to you), school spirit looks toward the future instead of the past. But I say wear your school colors with pride, Wildkittens. A sweatshirt emblazoned with our beloved mascot Willie may not be the most on-trend item in your closet, but we’re all One Northwestern, so he deserves to make an occasional appearance. Maybe we could even deem ourselves the style stars in our own anti-fashion fashion movement. Wildcatcore, anyone? WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 26
LAST WORD:
ON “WEARING THE PANTS” By Lizzey Johnson
I
began ninth grade at a classic all-girls prep school: an estrogen-filled and fist-pumping cult of awesomeness. I had attended since junior high, so by the freshman opening ceremony (yes, that was a thing) I darted across campus with a well-oiled spring in my step. Less triumphant, however, was my outfit: “Dress Whites,” the apparel standard for each frequent and antiquated school tradition. The look was better fit for a sailor than a student—stiff, white, midi-length pleated skirts coerced with matching collared shirts and a tie color-coordinated by grade. (It’s rather ironic that pleated midi-skirts and matching sets have become trendy.) The day-to-day dress code was like the Summer Friday version—the same pleated skirt in light blue with a navy or white polo and a school-approved sweatshirt or cardigan. My more pro-
27 • STITCHFASHION.COM • WILDCAT WELCOME 2014
vocative peers would gamble their school standings with cream-colored sweaters and T-shirts under their jackets, but I feared a uniform violation too much to toy with illicit dress. I will forever owe J. Crew for selling the V-neck sweaters that helped me escape my years unscathed. When I bid adieu to the all-girls school as a junior, I said hello to a novel concept: free dress. Having always had a uniform, I went manic. After a summer internship at J. Crew, I drained my entire salary right where I earned it—and not just on navy cashmere. I spent the week before classes editing my wardrobe. After all, I was preparing my inaugural first-day-of-school outfit! I viewed my fresh start as a new sartorial stomping ground—and I assumed everyone felt the same. What free dress students don’t tell the transfers, however, is that their unspoken uniform is almost louder than one outlined in a student handbook. My expectations of well-groomed, tote-carrying girls in shift dresses stemmed from a tween literary diet of Gossip Girl and The Clique. Once it started to get cooler (California’s colloquialism for “winter”), the cultural dresscode devolved into activewear. Toms, T-shirts and track pants became the rule. So I resolved to be the exception. At first, my commitment to dressing up became the topic of frivolous banter. My guy friends nicknamed me “Loud Pants Lizzey,” the girl who lusted over patterned trousers and trademarked “Mixed Print Mondays.” As the only transfer in the junior class, my school style became an identifier—a way for people to “know” the new girl. What they didn’t realize is that I used this exterior perception as a cover for my own insecurities. When I announced to my family and friends that I wanted to transfer high schools, I was met with a lot of challenge and little support. My all-girls school upbringing served as a safety net. I had discovered both myself and the best friends of my life. Why would I give that up for a “classic” high school experience? Everyone told me how hard it would be, but I didn’t listen. I didn’t have great reasons to transfer—merely an unyielding resolve.
As it turned out, they were right. My new classmates were kind and welcoming, but it took months for me to become fully comfortable. I couldn’t admit to my skeptics that I was struggling, so I shoved my problems under my crepe-and-wool sweater sleeves. I encouraged—if at times, forced—myself to channel every ounce of confidence into my outfits. If I could laugh off a sixteen-year-old man-child making fun of my harem pants, what couldn’t I tackle? And guess what? It actually worked. I slowly became comfortable in my skin, not just the clothes I layered on top of it. At times, my style even became the catalyst for meaningful conversations. One day, I was wearing the same cobalt blue jeans as a girl in my grade who had transferred the year before. That day, we laughed about it. Each day after, she would text me her location so we could sit together at lunch. Today, she remains my best friend. Ever since, I have made a concerted effort to use style as a reagent for self-esteem. It may seem superficial, but feigning confidence is often the best way to find it. Take the first few months of college, for example. Many would shudder at the thought of wearing printed palazzo pants to a party where everyone else donned denim. But if that’s what you instinctively reach for in your closet, challenge yourself to put them on. Instead of abandoning your personal style to blend in, why not amplify it to show off your confidence? Wear the pants—literally and proverbially—in your relationship with Northwestern. Even if it seems daunting at first, being comfortable in your style will leave a lasting impact. The morning I wrote this piece, I ran into a girlfriend from the same high school. En route to my summer internship, I was wearing a houndstooth T-shirt tucked into a knee-length ruffled skirt, accessorized with a pink cropped motorcycle jacket and silver loafers. It was unnecessarily over the top, and I freaking loved it. “I love your outfit,” she said. “It would look completely ridiculous on anyone else, but it’s just so…you.” WILDCAT WELCOME 2014 • STITCHFASHION.COM • 28
WWW.STITCHFASHION.COM #| STITCH