THE SUSS THE COLLEGE VIEW’S ARTS & LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT
+
The rise of Dublin’s drag scene
Arts
An important choice: Rusango family
SUSSED
BY REBECCA KEANE
A
t the prestigious RTÉ Choice Music Prize awards held last week, Limerick-based Rusangano Family won the prize for best album, delivering a speech which only vocalised their humbleness and gratitude for their opportunity to make music. Facing stiff competition from fellow Irish bands such as Bantum, All Tvvins, The Divine Comedy, Lisa Hannigan, Wallis Bird, Katie Kim, We Cut Corners, James Vincent McMorrow and Overhead;The Albatross, Rusangano Family managed to come out on top and win the highly-coveted prize and a monetary award of €10,000 on the night. The band, which consists of rappers and MCs GodKnows, MuRli and producer MynameisjOhn, produce a sound which is quite unlike any other. Considering their Limerick roots, one could draw comparisons of their fast lyrics, hyper beats and uncontainable energy that would put even a souped-up toy car to shame, to fellow musicians Rubberbandits. There seems to be something in the water in Limerick as acts like both Rusangano Family and the now infamous Rubberbandits are paving the way for musicians in their county in Irish music. What makes the band so different and special to other acts is perhaps the fusion of different sounds and cultures their music brings - MC God Knows was born in Zimbabwe before moving to Ire-
land, fellow MC MuRli was born in Togo, Africa before leaving for the green shores of Éire too. Producer John Lillis, or perhaps better known as MynameisjOhn, was born in Co. Clare before settling in Limerick’s fair county and after collaborating on numerous projects, the band we know as Rusangano Family today formed. What emerges as the sound from Rusangano Family is a strong, clear cut, hip-hop/dancehall sound courtesy of Lillis, only complimented by the poetic storytelling performed by both God Knows and MuRli. It’s not hard to see how they captured the attention of the judges of the Choice Music Prize, considering how eccentric but also incredible the trio are. Perhaps now more than ever, with the likes of Donald Trump and Theresa May on the rise, the music of Rusangano Family needs to be properly recognised and heard - as they tell the stories of leaving their homes in a bid to look for better lives, sharing openly how difficult the life of a migrant is. We see this in ‘Heathrow’, a song about the tough and detached journey many migrants face when moving to European countries from their birthplaces, a tale of which often goes undocumented and unheard. As an unsigned band, it perhaps shocked the members of Rusangano Family more than anyone else when they won the Choice Music Prize. For a band still relatively in their formative years, they will hope
Image Credit Page 1; Page 2: eventbrite.ie; Page 3: Zoe Ryan; Page 4: rte. ie; Page 5: Pitchfork; Page 6: google images; Page 7: Amy Rohu, Google Images, Laura Duffy ; Page 8: RTE.ie.
2
the win can act as something of an omen for the years to come and the future of all things Rusangano. Even if the band had not won the Choice prize, a simple Youtube search loads several links to live performances which leaves any listener energised with the bouncy and electric performances the trio offer to audiences every time. In the collection of alternative voices in the Irish music landscape, it seems like Rusangano Family’s mix of cultures and understanding of the voices that go unheard are the exact things which make them stand out among others. Despite the band still remaining unsigned, the comments left on the live performances of Rusangano Family at Other Voices and Guerrilla Studios speak volumes, with listeners confessing to being blown away
by the musicians. There’s something about the music of Rusangano Family that distinctly gives the vibe of ‘music by the people, for the people’. One of the talents Irish people are best known for is storytelling, with Joyce, Wilde and O’Brien given as just a few examples – but that is the essence of the music of Rusangano Family. The honest stories told in the songs by Rusangano are precisely what guarantee their fans, and indeed award shows, will be coming back for, time and time again. Hopefully, with the muchdeserved win for the members of Rusangano Family, Irish music will open their ears to more stories which are yearning to be told.
Arts
How Dublin’s drag scene developed BY ZAINAB BOLADALE
T
he world of drag is exciting, colourful, fast-paced and unpredictable. Drag appeals to people because it isn’t bound by any defined set of rules, especially when it comes to the portrayal of a gender whether it’s yours or another. Drag culture in Ireland is still very young when compared to drag culture across the world. One only has to watch the iconic American feature documentary ‘Paris is burning’ to realise that in contrast to the poverty and violence young New York drag queens have faced in the last two decades, Irish drag culture has had a smoother path in its development. A distinctive feature of Irish drag is that it incorporates a lot of Irish humour and stories and it isn’t as focused on replicating a celebrity look or personality. The George claims that it’s responsible for the Irish drag renaissance that occurred in the 90’s. The growing drag culture in Ireland isn’t just restricted to the four walls of the George but can be found in various nightclubs, bars and colleges across the country. Drag queens are multi-talented performers who captivate their audience from the minute they take to the stage. Being a drag queen is not just about the glamorous glitter filled clothes they wear or attempts at being funny. It’s about personifying the art they create and it’s about creating an exaggerated persona that allows people to believe in an alternative character. Dragqueens.ie was established in 2013 and is one of the first national Irish agencies that specifically aims to create a portfolio of professional drag queens and it also acts as representatives for new talents by sourcing regulated work for them. The global popularity of drag peaked in 2010 after the first season of the American series, ‘Rupaul Drag Race’ aired. Rupaul’s drag race is one of the first on-screen platforms for drag queens to compete in a range of specified categories such as lip syncing, dancing, imitating celebrities and making their own clothes. Nine seasons later the show has received nothing but adoration from loyal fans. LGBT students and fans across Ireland often host their own versions of drag race to replicate the show. In Dublin alone, there are a number of drag queens who have made a name for themselves and have managed to build a strong following of Irish fans. The most famous Irish drag queen that instantly comes to mind is the nationally respected activist and public speaker Panti Bliss. The Mayo native moved to Dublin to attend art college in Dún Laoghaire in the 80s. It was during that time that Panti started delving into the world of drag performance, which at
the time wasn’t done as openly as it is now. Panti has spent over 20 years being a drag performer but has openly admitted that being an activist for LGBT issues was never intended, if anything it was a forced response to how Irish LGBT people were constantly being undermined and treated like second class citizens. Panti has spoken at pride parades and has a big voice for people living with HIV. Another drag queen that made their name in the 90s is DCU business graduate, Shirley Temple Bar. Shirley’s career took off after being crowned 1997’s Alternative Miss Ireland’, a competition that still takes place every March. Shirley has had screen time on Irish television on a number of occasions and even hosted RTÉ’s ‘Telly Bingo’ for four years. Nowadays, Shirley hosts the weekly Bingo and has a performance scheduled every Sunday night at the George for fans who just can’t get enough of her. Other headliners at the George include Davina Devine who is a resident performer and DJ. Her persona is is that of a bubbly Hollywood party girl, her style contrasts greatly from well known Irish drag queen Veda, who has been on the scene for over ten years, like Shirley Temple Bar she was also crowned ‘Alternative Miss Ireland’ in 1999. Her style of drag is a lot more outlandish as it’s reminiscent of a disco rave queen. Every year, there are more and more new names in the Irish drag queen scene and they build themselves from entering competitions in colleges and LGBT nightclubs across the country. Some of them have gone to build a career for themselves as full-time performers, actresses and party hosts. It’s clear that Irish drag culture is yet to reach its peak.
3
Arts
T
urn on the radio, tap open Spotify or flick on the telly- the world has lost its mind once again for the uber successful Ed Sheeran. Having released his third studio album, ‘Divide’, the 26-year old singer has once again sky-rocketed to the top of the charts. The album’s first singles, released simultaneously, overtook the charts with no hassle and Spotify Ireland’s Top 50 chart has remained for weeks with numbers one to 16 being Sheeran’s songs off the new album. His entire record completely dominated the charts. Is this fair, or is the current way of processing charts outdated and in the need of a shake-up? According to Apple, iTunes charts are calculated by sales. Spotify sort their charts giving priority to the songs most listened and Billboard rank their charts by ‘radio airplay audience impressions’, this being the greatest number of listeners present when a particular song is played. This shows that each singles chart has its own way of calculating what song or album goes to the top- each chart is said to be ranked by ‘popularity’ and so it’s fairly obvious that Spotify will rank their songs by the number of times it has been played. Although it may seem surprising that iTunes rank their charts by the number of purchases- not the number of times a song has been played- Google Play orders their charts also by giving priority to those with most purchases. This is an interesting system, but one which means that the songs that are already fast sellers, are more likely to keep selling. However, Billboard doesn’t make a profit off the songs or artists which reign at the top of their charts. Neither does Spotify- once a member buys Premium, it doesn’t matter much to Spotify which songs they listen to. The case is different for music channels and radio stations. The more popular the songs which they play are, the more people are likely to tune in and listen. Chart countdowns usually play in the evenings, at around 7pm or 8pm. There are always extreme cases, and Sheeran-itis is one. The Billboard Hot 100 still sees ‘Shape of You’ to be hanging around, either in first or second place, with ‘Castle on the Hill’ being further down the list. At the time of writing, Spotify’s Ireland Top 50 still sees Sheeran dominating pretty much the entire top 17 slots, bar three exceptions. iTunes sees Sheeran at the coveted number one and two slots. Is this fair? I believe it is. Although Sheeran’s powerful dominance of the charts may seem pretty
The Sheer’ madness of the singles chart BY GABIJA GATAVECKAITE
Feature
4
“Although Sheeran’s
powerful dominance of the charts may seem
pretty ridiculous, it’s not like he’s paying Spotify
or Billboard or iTunes to put his songs at the top.”
ridiculous, it’s just. It’s not like he’s paying Spotify or Billboard or iTunes (not that we know of, anyway) to put his songs at the top. They’re there because people have been going legitimately crazy over ‘Divide’. His album is everywhere, his shows are selling out in a few minutes- he’s worked incredibly hard and I believe deserves to see his songs (note the plural) at the top, because people do actually love them that much.
If restrictions were put in place, then this would mean an inaccurate portrayal of what really is the top 100. For example, if an artist had a limit of two slots in the top 10 to make space for other artists in the interest of fairness, this would depict an inaccurate portrayal of what really is the top 50. If a chart ranks Top 20 Artists, then yes, it makes sense that one artist is allowed one slot, with their most popular song being placed in that slot, as an artist can’t be both second best and fifth best. If one artist floods the top 100 charts- in this case, Ed Sheeran- so be it. It gives deserved credit to those that are working hard in the industry and doing well, and hence are awash with popularity. It doesn’t matter if we love or hate chartswe all listen to them at some stage and sometimes, it’s just interesting to see what songs are at the top. Having then heard them, we can judge whether they are worthy of being at the top. Then, we have the chance to yell ‘That’s trash, how is it number one?!’ or, ‘Turn it up, it’s my favourite song!’
Arts Arts
Is the blockbuster killing film studios? BY ARTHUR VELKER
T
he smell of heated popcorn kernels fills the nasal cavities as you slowly make your way down a carpeted hall, scanning the doors for a number corresponding with your ticket label. Inside, a flight of stairs extends past the aisles of fold-up seating to the back of the room, where, from a subtle opening, an artificial ray of light shoots out onto a projector screen. Despite increasing video portability and a rise of movie-streaming platforms, the age-old charm that accompanies a night at the cinema is still alive. The movies we once knew and craved, however, are long gone: as the Hollywoodinduced ‘blockbuster’ twitches on its slab, a resurrection of the director-pioneered model of filmmaking looks to be on the horizon. A quick review of the top ten box office grossers of last year shows that seven out of ten of the films can be put into either a category of: remake; sequel; or
franchise. In 2015, that figure stood at six. In 1995, it was one film. While global box office earnings pretty much remained consistent over the past five years, indicators show there is a drastic decline among moviegoers between the ages of 18 to 25. It seems the overreliance on sequels is distancing film studios from their most valuable demographic. Quantitative analysis gathered by Vox also shows that critics’ acclaim for high-grossing movies has waned through the years. The dotted line forms a ski slope steep descent across the graph. The conundrum closely resembles the New Hollywood revolution of the 1960s, when family-run film studios were driven into the ground by aged executives out of touch with contemporary culture who were forced to give some level of creative control over to a group of smalltime apprentice directors just in order to level their finances. These directors flourished and
eventually enjoyed complete control over film production for almost a decade – but then, the blockbuster arrived. The blockbuster, in all its glory, was brought to life by one of these up-and-coming directors, Steven Spielberg, in the summer of 1975, when he turned the box office’s drabbest time into peak season with his multi-million grossing ‘Jaws’. Jaws broke the mould in many ways. It was the first studio picture to open in theatres all across the country upon its release – unheard of at the time – and the first movie ever to gross $100m. Two years later, a relatively unknown director by the name of George Lucas surpassed this record and catapulted to unprecedented heights himself with sci-fi hit ‘Star Wars’, which raked in almost $200m in its opening year. ‘Jaws’ and ‘Star Wars’ would completely redefine the way in which the film business operated. The two high-grossers spawned countless products, toys and clothing items,
bringing about a business model that saw movies expand into a massive franchise – the business model which ultimately introduced a new phenomenon known as ‘high concept’ to film studios. “Network executives had a TVmindset that burned through feature production like a laser, focusing everything on one idea, one image so that the films could be shoehorned into promotional spots,” wrote author and film critic Peter Biskind. The blockbuster mentality, with its marketable characters and simplistic storylines, went against every fundamental belief of the New Hollywood era – the era that introduced innovative directors like Scorsese and Coppola to the big screens. Since the end of the 70s, the formula was applied vigorously by studios and it remains the standard template for Hollywood filmmaking today. For the 21st century, it’s been redefined to include massive-scale explosions and excessive levels of CGI while erasing dialogue, plot context and character development. All of this can be seen in the byproduct of Hollywood’s continued love affair with Marvel and DC comics. We can find solace in the rising talent of independent cinema and international film. As Derek Thompson of the Atlantic said in 2013, “the future of the movie industry is overseas. Full stop.” But, sure as the marketing mentality returned to Hollywood studios at the turn of the 80s, the director-led movement will make a comeback. The industry’s response time is drastically slow, but it will come. Like Biskind said in his book ‘Easy Riders, Raging Bulls’: “because movies are expensive and time-consuming to make, Hollywood is always the last to know.” When that bubble bursts, studios will once again be forced to open the floodgates to a cavalry of new generation’s filmmakers, allowing them to indulge in their fountains of creativity. It’s about time.
5
Arts Lifestyle
Mums the word T
Finally, Ruby Ellen’s Tea Room in Co. Louth is offering one of the cheapest Afternoon Teas around at just €12.95 pp. This quaint tea room in Carlingford provides customers with a variety of freshly made sandwiches, scones and something nice served with tea and coffee. Although Afternoon Tea is just a suggestion as to what to get your mam this Mother’s day there are no set rules about what to offer her on this special day. Plenty of people however, kick things off with a nice breakfast in bed. For those with younger kids, this may just be jam on toast, or even just a mess on a tray, while the oldies may want to whip up some eggs and a freshly squeezed OJ. Either way, she’s sure to think it’s perfect. Lots of people also opt for a bunch of flowers with tulips being a good value, seasonal choice. Simnel cake is also traditionally associated with Mother’s Day, with people tradi-
conventional Mother’s Day gift idea would be trendy tableware and one or many cookbooks to go with them. It is important to choose the present as per her style of cooking and serving. With the ever decreasing home space, the need for welcoming greens inside our homes is more prominent than ever. Home gardens is a trend that If your mammy is truly Irish however, she’ll is fast catching up with people integrating the inside and the love a good cup of tea or coffee so treating outside of their homes. Your her to a taste of Downtown Abbey dining by mother is going to love this inwhisking her off on a special ‘Afternoon Tea’ novative, unique yet useful gift idea. Indoor plants, small herbs in pots, flowering shrubs that loved one. grow in shade placed artistically mam this Mother’s day. It can be difficult to know on customisable stands would The origin of Mother’s Day what to buy especially if your not only add to the beauty of dates back to ancient Greek budget isn’t at its best. If your your home but would also bring times, but the way in which we in a freshness to your home celebrate it today by gifting our mammy is truly Irish however, she’ll love a good cup of tea or surroundings. mams with flowers, cards and most importantly chocolate be- coffee so treating her to a taste In keeping with the flow gan in America in the early 20th of Downtown Abbey dining by of your house settings, you whisking her off on a special can choose a number of home Century. decorative pieces as Mother’s The ancient Greeks dedicated ‘Afternoon Tea’ experience would be an ideal way to spoil Day presents. If feeling unsure an annual spring festival to the her. of finding the right kind ‘Maternal Goddesses’ and the Mocha’s Vintage Tea Room of decoratives, it is not a ancient Romans too recognised Restaurant, in Kilkenny is reabad idea to keep your the importance of celebrating sonably priced at €25 per permother in the loop our mothers by also holding son but it’s suggested to avoid when shopping for a spring festival. The Romans disappointment that you book her gift. She would festival was known as ‘Hillaria’ be anyways pleased and its purpose was celebrate a early. This retro tea room has gorgeous homemade treats mother goddess called Cybele. with your considA tradition dating back to the and desserts to die for. erate approach The Castlemartyr Resort, 1600s in England said that some towards finding her Cork treats your mam like a people would return to their the perfect gift on Lady with a decadent five-star ‘mother church,’ usually the Mother’s Day. church in which they were bap- Afternoon Tea that will make At the end of the tised or attended services when her feel like royalty. The mouthday no matter what watering menu, which is €29 pp, tionthey were children. The aim of the gift, gesture or boasts everything from a sweet ally this gathering was to reunite effort you put into treat to start and there’s even a preparcommunities who hadn’t seen your mother’s day this Children’s Afternoon Tea menu ing one for each other for a while. year, whether it be a hand(€15) which is great for the their family to mark the By 1911, Mother’s Day was made card or a pair of diamond little ones. The Lady Fitzgerald occasion. It is a simple fruit cake earrings she is bound to shred celebrated in almost every US Afternoon Tea experience is like decorated with marzipan and state and on May 8th, 1914, some appreciation for the stepping back in time with the with marzipan baked into the President Woodrow Wilson thought and time you’ve spent old worldly decor and service to centre. signed a joint resolution docuon her, afterall she did carry you One really different yet ment that confirmed every sec- boot. for nine months so she’ll probably cut you some slack. his year, Mother’s Day will fall on March 26th. The day is annually used to celebrate mams, step-mams, grandmothers and even great grandmothers across Ireland, writer Amy Lawlor takes a look at where the celebratory day began and what you can buy your
6
ond Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Nowadays Mother’s Day can be celebrated in a number of ways, but most people mark the occasion by getting their mams a present or performing a small gesture out of kindness to express their appreciation for their
Arts Lifestyle
The Irish Beauty Show BY BRONWYN O NEILL
E
veryone from beauticians to bloggers were out in force at the Irish Beauty Show which took place on Sunday and Monday in the RDS. The annual event showcases Irish beauty brands, cult beauty products and of course beauty Holy Grail brands like Benefit. The doors opened at 10 am to an immediate flurry of people ready to get their hands on a bargain, with products being sold at a lesser cost than on the high street. There were demonstrations on how to get the perfect contour, nail look and even special effects makeup. Skincare companies were out in force to sell the latest technology to tighten and rejuvenate the face, from UK salon Opatra Advanced Skincare which offered LED devices to lift, brighten and bring a youthful look to the skin to Elements MediSpa which were
offering show goers a free trial on the LED face mask which celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen love. Anyone working at stands that were giving trials or services, like the several teeth whitening stands, was helpful and warm. Although some of the workers did try very hard to push their
products onto the consumer and it was almost like you were being pressured into the products. Of course, the Beauty Show had several of Ireland’s top bloggers in tow. There was a huge SOSU stand in the middle of the RDS which was always crowded full of people trying to get their hands on
the seemingly always sold out products. Suzanne Jackson, the CEO of SOSU, arrived later in the day to meet her fans and do a talk through her coveted products. Next door to the black and gold SOSU stand was the ever pink Cocoa Brown, run by Irish business woman Marissa Carter. The tiny mogul was warm and friendly as she posed for pictures with a never ending queue of women who adored her products. Further down were other bloggers stalls including the ever friendly and stunning Rosie Connolly and her Aluxe sunglasses who posed and chatted with streams of girls picking out her sunglasses. Next to her was model Roz Purcell and her Ripe body scrubs which were being snapped up by show goers like there was no tomorrow. The show was a success all round with the amazing discounts, warm staff, food stalls
Dressing for the Irish Spring BY AMY ROHU
D
affodils are in full bloom, your commute to college is a little bit brighter and the evenings are getting ever so slightly longer, but what does all this mean? Spring time is upon us once more. Now, before you cast aside all your fluffy socks and cosy jumpers just wait, because we all know what the Irish weather can be like, one minute you’re sweating and the next you’re trying to take cover because of a hailstorm, or wait is that snow? Whatever the weather at this time of year it is vital to have a jacket that’ll keep you warm, but not to warm, all while put-
ting a spring in your step, because we’ve had a long winter and are ready for some sunshine. Below are my top picks to suit all tastes and budgets. Starting off with girls we have a super cosy grey faux suede jacket from River Island, perfect for those colder spring mornings, the colour is completely on trend and don’t you know suede is everywhere at the mo’? Also, the fact that it’s not real suede will make sure you aren’t feeling too hot. Up next we have a fab hooded khaki jacket from Miss Guided, this is timeless and trendy at the same time, plus it’ll keep
you dry. Team this with ripped jeans and a tee or even a dress and tights, it’s so versatile it’ll go with everything. Finally, we have the cutest faux leather jacket from Penneys, again a wardrobe staple that will see you right through summer, the writing on the back is very on trend and will ensure you’re ahead of the fashion pack, all while battling the weather and saving you a few bob. Now for some ideas for the boys, for the majority of lads being fashion conscious isn’t too important, however you can still be trendy without the need for a Vogue subscription.
First of all we have a denim and grey hoodie from River Island, this is a great jacket to wear absolutely anywhere and will keep you snug without the need for a hat. Next up we have a simple baseball jacket, this one doesn’t even need explaining, it is the perfect spring jacket for any guy, regardless of his style. Finally, another classic from Penny’s, the simple black denim. This piece works great with a jumper for colder days or a tee for those warmer nights. Happy Shopping!
7
Arts Lifestyle
The Language of Clothing BY MICHELLE MARTIN
W
hether we like to admit it or not, we all judge people on their appearances. Now I’m not talking about the nitty gritty and catty thoughts about the condition of someone’s hair (although we are all guilty of that on occasion), I mean to look at the assumptions we make about someone’s character based on how they present themselves – consciously and unconsciously. What costume designer Kristin Burke calls ‘the language of clothing’. “The language of clothing is specific, persuasive, impactful and totally silent” she said in her 2013 Tedx talk, “Most of the time we don’t even realise we are being influenced by it when it is right in front our face”. Every day we are aware that we place people in categories based on how they dress. We are glad to admit that we would vote for the professional in a suit over the presidential candidate who rocked up in boxers and a tank top. But we are also slaves to our unconscious bias. When faced with two well-dressed electoral candidates we like to believe that we pick our preference based on their abilities and our perceptive intelligence, but a lot of work goes into behind the scenes to manipulate us to see each person in the best light possible. Take a moment to think of Hilary Clinton. What colour do you see her in, red, white or royal blue? These are the three most common colours she wore while campaigning to be president of the United States, and they also happen to be the three colours of the American flag. Clinton worked alongside designer for ‘professional’ women Nina McLemore, who’s ethos is to create clothes that enable to women to ‘advance their careers’. So relating Hilary to the American colours was a technique to help her political ambition. McLemore creates outfits driven by
8
market research. Her suit styles often drifts from the traditional female take on the male suit. McLemore wants her designs to enable the female form to feel comfortable pulling traditional power poses. She also rarely uses black fabric, talking to the telegraph.co.uk she said “Colour can change your attractiveness entirely and how people see you. I’ve given so many talks to law firms, accounting firms. I walk in and 70-80pc of the people are in black so of course they don’t stand out” And this science doesn’t just apply to professional situation. In fact anybody could apply it to their personal life. Ladies, looking for love? Dress in red. In 2014 psychologists at Central China Normal University confirmed that men find women in red more attractive. On top of that one dating websites survey (OK Cupid for the curious) showed that women who wore red in their profile pictures received higher engagement from the opposite sex. Boys however, beware. The same Chinese study showed that men who wear too much red are seen as aggressive by women. Gentlemen, when you are ready to meet the ladies you should wear tighter fitting, good quality garments. A 1986
study found out that looser fitting clothes on guys simply equated to lower perceptions of masculinity, but the quality clothes idea, now that is where it gets interesting. Our unconscious bias leads back further than we thought. I mean buachaillí, were you are aware that one of the physical traits you are attracted to most in a women is her hip to waist ratio? Nope, not for her Kim K curves, but because the nature in you is looking at her ability to bear a child in that area. This is some serious cave man stuff right here. And women are no exception to their nature manipulating their judgement. Yes, we are sub consciously attracted to quality looking clothing because it signifies wealth, but not for the shallow ‘gold digger’ reasons you think. It all relates back to when women were gatherers and men were hunters (pipe down girls, we needed someone to run around for us when we incapable of walking nine months into a pregnancy) and the concept of wealth triggers the idea of boys being capable of supplying for us. With all this in mind perhaps you will take greater care in choosing you’re outfit tomorrow morning. Of course what you wear can’t, and won’t, get you the presidency, or win over your true loves heart. But it could help you.