Now entering the chat: Artificial Intelligence

By Madison Sloan

The Pope and Balenciaga crossover was not how any of us envisioned 2023 going. But a recent photo of Pope Francis wearing a trendy, white puffer jacket circulated on social media, capturing the attention of everyone who scrolled past the peculiar image.

Don’t worry, you weren’t the only one who believed the picture of Pope Francis was real. “Does the Pope have a stylist?” and “Is his new look inspired by Rihanna’s half time show” were just two of the questions circulating the media after the photo went viral. Even celebrities went online to express their surprise. “I thought the pope’s puffer jacket was real and didn’t give it a second thought,” Chrissy Teigen tweeted. “No way am I surviving the future of technology.”

Most users couldn’t believe the photo was real. And it wasn’t. The image that broke the internet was created by the AI art tool Midjourney. But why is this fashionable photo of the Pope important and what does this mean for the future of Artificial Intelligence in the fashion industry?

From virtual try-on apps to computer generated runway shows and models, AI technology is advancing at a far greater rate than we could have ever imagined. Although many people see AI as a way to personalize the customer experience and reduce marketing costs, others fear this new technology will take creativity out of fashion.

Innovative denim brand G-Star RAW is choosing to see the advantages of AI in the creative process with their new piece of denim couture. To create their “AI Denim Cape,” G-Star’s design team worked hand-in-hand with Artificial Intelligence app Midjourney to come up with 12 unique designs by using a series of prompts.

The team then chose one of the AI-generated designs to be made a reality. Crafted out of premium raw denim with futuristic shapes, an adjustable waistband and detailed stitching, the AI Denim Cape uses new technology to replicate the brand’s aesthetic, bridging the gap between fashion and technological innovations. “Innovation is ingrained in the G-Star DNA.We believe in giving our fashion designers the freedom to bring their dreams through AI,” said Gwenda van Vliet, CMO of G-Star RAW. “While anyone could make a design using AI, at G-Star RAW, we have the craftsmanship to make those designs into real garments. We should see AI as enhancing the creative process, rather than taking it over.”

The AI Denim Cape will be showcased at the G-Star RAW Antwerp store, as the world’s first garment designed by Artificial Intelligence and crafted in the real world.

While other brands are using AI tools to boost creativity, the famous denim brand Levi’s announced they will be partnering with Lalaland.ai, an AI studio that creates hyper-realistic digital models, to “supplement human models” and increase the “number and diversity of our models.” However, shouldn’t a multibillion-dollar industry be able to pay actual models of different sizes and races to boost diversity?

Currently, Levi’s’ website displays one model per clothing item and usually leaves out the size the model is wearing. If other brands, like Universal Standard, can show how garments fit on models ranging from a size 0 to 36, then why can’t Levi’s follow in their footsteps? Despite Levi’s’ controversial use of Artificial Intelligence, other brands have shifted towards using virtual 3D models in their marketing campaigns.

Whether it’s an altered photo of a celebrity or the use of virtual models, Artificial Intelligence has clearly taken over the realm of fashion. So it is time to make some room, because AI technology isn’t going anywhere.

By Emma Brutnell

In a world of fashion, your inner confidence should always be on fire. If you feel good in that outfit then you accomplished the fashion secret, the fashion goal. Once you achieve that secret, then you will be fully immersed into the world of fashion and will forever be labeled as an addict. However, on the downside, society depicts those obsessed with their clothing as self-absorbed, only caring about their unrealistic “hobby.” But there’s more to a fashion addict than the color of her shoes.

Let’s face it, deep down we all strive to be as glamorous and eccentric as Iris Apfel. So what if I told you there’s a psychological formula you could follow to achieve the fashion addict status? When digging into the brain of a fashion addict, there are several secrets beyond their fabulous wardrobe and accessories.

Fashion addiction secret number one is all about brands. According to Medill Reports Chicago, a fashion addiction is “A psychological state that entails an emotional attachment to a particular brand, driven by compulsive urges that generally provide pleasure.” Mona Mrad, Assistant Professor of marketing at the American University of Sharjah came up with this idea that brand obsession is fueled by the feeling of being pleased and comfortable with just one brand. By wearing those Gucci sunglasses, you get the feeling of comfort, just because they are Gucci. The psychological state of being attached to one brand brings a sense of comfortableness. Being a fashion addict can simply entail that one brand makes your body float. Following the brands social media, their websites, and keeping an eye on sales gives you the ability to search more for fashion and soon you become addicted.

Secret number two considers the clothes themselves. People all over the world tend to wear certain clothes based on how they think and feel. Soon, you’ll feel powerful by knowing you are happy in an outfit. The Journal of Experimental Psychology states, “The color, comfort, fit and style of our clothes can directly affect our confidence levels. More than 96% of people report a change in their emotional state with a change in their style of dressing.” In this study, it was found that colors have a major impact on mood. For instance, by wearing the color white, you may feel calm and focused. What people wear everyday influences their mood positively, and even in a negative way. However, it’s important to remember clothes can’t define you, you define your clothes.

The third secret to a fashion addict is pain may have to be worth it. In the world of fashion, high heels are a symbol of confidence. While wearing heels, you may feel like you are the only girl in the world as you become numb to the blisters. Women are willing to sacrifice their pain in order to look their best, which highlights a contrast between gender roles in fashion. While women hide their pain behind makeup and jewelry, men are known to dress more comfortably because of their gender. According to the research paper, These Boots Weren’t Made for

Walking: Gendered Discrepancies in Wearing

Painful, Restricting, or Distracting Clothing, the biggest differences were the gender contrasts in shoe comfort, as women were up to ten times more likely to wear painful footwear. Up to 55% of women, but only up to 12% of men, said they’d worn clothing that left “red marks or welts” on their bodies. This secret of “beauty is pain” is complex based on your vanity. How much pain are you willing to take to feel power from heels? As you connect your emotions to your style, you become unstoppable and numb to the blisters.

The last secret to being a fashion addict entails having a role model, an influencer that you dream of becoming or a designer you strive to dress like. As you start to follow a specific celebrity, you are more open to new styles and you learn the new trends. The media as a whole has a grip on fashion trends, but what matters is what you do with that trend. Do you make it your own or do you follow the trend completely? For example, an article called Influencer Hunter expands on the idea of looking up to an influencer and examines the psychology behind it by explaining that “This is what influencer marketing is built on: our tendency to trust the people we put on a pedestal. People who follow influencers value their opinions because they look up to them.” As we watch our favorite influencer brag about brands, we are more accustomed to the ability to trust them. As an influencer boasts about a certain shirt, we all want that shirt and immediately go to the brand’s website before it’s sold out. This is what we call the “Halo Effect”. The halo effect is our tendency to allow our positive feelings of a person, brand, or product positively influence our feelings about them in another area.

Despite society’s critiques, fashion addicts are as powerful and confident as their clothes. And what we wear says a lot about our psyche. Bold personalities are displayed through red dresses and a matching red lip. Happy souls live in bathing suits paired with the perfect dad hat. Hopeless romantics live their fantasies while wearing a white wedding dress. Secrets are what people desire the most of (other than a good sense of style). And it all comes down to psychology, so don’t let anyone tell you can’t have beauty and brains!

By Piper Leistman

From Audrey Hepburn and Princess Diana to Zendaya and Gigi Hadid, every generation has a woman whose beauty and style charms society. Whether it’s because of what they wear or because of the occasional, scandalous headline that follows them, these “It” girls are constantly in the spotlight, becoming the muses of their decade.

But what exactly is an “It” girl? The term was coined in the early 20th century by the upper-class in England. They viewed social women who had sex appeal, as well as beauty and charisma, as the “It” girl. She was someone who knew everyone and everyone knew her, but only in the best light despite the controversies that might surround them.

Throughout generations, our idea of a woman having it all together has changed drastically. In the ‘50s, it was a woman who had a loving husband with a good paying job. Her kids were straight-A students, and she had a great book club. When transitioning to the ‘70s, it was a feminist woman who had sleek straight hair, long perfect legs, and a mysterious vibe about her. But what about now?

In September of 2022, Nylon magazine curated a whole issue on what it means to be an “It” girl. They open their article by defining an “It” girl as “a powerful character who trancedes the boundaries of time, space, and social class to become a larger than life figure - or simply one with very good taste.” Nylon also goes on to add that everyone’s definition of an “It” girl is truly different and unique to their own style and taste. Someone who worships the rap and R&B genres may see Megan Thee Stallion or Rhianna as their “It” girl while others who listen to country music may idolize Kacey Musgraves or Carrie Underwood. It’s all relative depending on who you ask.

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Unlike in the past, becoming an “It” girl in 2023 is as easy as opening your phone and posting a fashion haul on TikTok, anyone can do it. The digital era has opened the door for anyone wanting to become the next big icon, making it a lot harder to remain in the spotlight. Recently, actresses such as Madelyn Cline and Sydney Sweeny have dominated the Hollywood game with hit TV shows and movies. However, there’s more to the “It” girl formula than having a successful career.

The modern Marilyn Monroe has to not only capture the attention of the paparazzi, but also steal the hearts of their followers on social media. Although Florence Pugh’s career, style, and relatable personality have made her an icon for today’s generation, her cooking livestreams and social media presence helped to further her “It” girl status. TikTok stars, such as Alix Earle and Addison Rae, have been able to use the platform to launch them into the spotlight and help them take control of current trends. What is a trendy aesthetic without the “It” girls behind them? Today on social media, we have trends like “The Clean Girl” and “The Granola Girl” aesthetics that embody different versions of what’s in trend for women now.

“It” girls are trailblazers for these aesthetics, taking over your Pinterest and FYP the second you show interest. “The Clean Girl” aesthetic has taken over with models and influencers wearing minimal natural makeup and keeping a light and airy color palette. “The Granola Girl” aesthetic has created a movement of tote bags, birkenstocks, funky patterns and green palettes. You can find an “It” girl in any aesthetic you see, showing you product recommendations and “get ready with me videos.” They help show you what to wear and how to wear it so you can follow in their footsteps.

Now that you know what an “It” girl is, you may want to see what you can do to steal the spotlight. When Googling “How to be an ‘It’ Girl,” there are step-bystep instructions that are “guaranteed to make heads turn” and to “make you the most envied girl around.” Hot girls express themselves, they’re not afraid to be who they are and let their true selves shine, and an “It” girl does just that. Bringing something to the table we haven’t seen yet is another big step that you need to take to make the spotlight yours. Being unique and creative, not holding back, and having a fun and charismatic vibe are essential. “It” girls don’t give a shit, so neither should you.

So, with this in mind- be your own kind of “It” girl that starts new trends, isn’t afraid to say what is on their mind, and wears something that might not be exactly in style. And like I said before, everyone’s definition and vision of the perfect “It” girl is different. As long as you make it your own and are true to yourself, who cares?