published by The
MARY ELIZABETH LANE / PHOTOGRAPHER
Auburn Plainsman
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The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
October 24, 2019
‘Blessed’ size: Alumna, blogger shares her fashion blog knowledge By MIKAYLA BURNS Managing Editor
CONTRIBUTED BY PEPPER MARTIN
Pepper Martin says there’s more to love when she’s around. Martin is a plus-size beauty blogger with over 16,500 followers on Instagram who graduated in ’99 from Auburn University in Montgomery. PrettyPlusPep, both as a dot com and Instagram, is where she lays out her style, telling people how and why she chose particular pieces and where to find them, or similar looks, online. Martin spent her first two years of undergrad at the main Auburn campus and transferred to AUM where she now works. She remembers jeans and hoodies as the go-to style for college students in the ‘90s, and she sees a similar vibe from current students at her work. When she transitioned into being a professional at her first job at the Montgomery Advertiser, Martin realized the importance of good style and what it can do for a woman. “There was not many options in the early 2000’s,” she said. “You had stores like Lane Bryant and Catherine’s. It was more so just trying to figure out what fit you the best.” When she was 12 years old, Martin remembers shopping at Sears in the “husky” section for children. “I had to really make it work,” she said. Today, though, companies are extending their size options, and Martin said that it’s changing the game for so many plussize women. Finally, there are stylish options that women are no longer settling for — they actually want to wear and style them. Martin became well-versed on the percentages of materials in her clothes growing up, but now she can focus on the way the clothes make her feel on the inside rather than merely searching for comfort. “We are at a place now where we aren’t limited on our style,” she said. And that is because of brands like LOFT, JCrew,
Old Navy, ASOS and more for offering sizes up to 24 or 5X, making fashion accessible for women of a range of sizes. She doesn’t care what companies call her size: plus, big, extended. Martin, though, does prefer calling herself “blessed” size because there’s just more to love. She has shared that with her friends who are also plus-sized. “If it makes you happy, wear it,” Martin said. “If it’s a color that makes you happy, wear it. Yellow is a color that makes me happy all the time. Shades of yellow is really my favorite color. Then, it was what pieces made me happy.” Martin looked at jeans and sweaters when she began to develop her style brand — two things she liked — but determined she was more of a dress kind of woman. “In the beginning it was heels,” she said. “At this point in time, I am all about dresses and sneakers. I am keeping it chic in sneaks.” Martin believes finding out how you want to look ultimately translates into your lifestyle. What a person dresses in is an extension of who they are and how they feel. “For me, I have been in sales and advertising for so long – it’s a creative space,” she said. “Prints have become my thing. If you look in my closet, you’ll be like, ‘Do you have a solid color?’ That is a way for me to show my personality.” Outside of working for AUM and running her popular blog, Martin takes on clients for “closet therapy” services. She meets with them in person or virtually through phone or video call and together they go through her clients’ closets, one 5-yearold-but-never-worn clothing piece at a time. “I ask questions like, ‘So what were we thinking when we purchased that?’” Martin said. “We go through, and I follow up.” They look at every piece, and Martin has to ask the tough fashion questions with her clients to determine what will stay and go. Through this work, Martin has gained many friends. Her blog and Instagram have also contributed to finding new like-minded friends as well. “It’s one of those things where it’s great to have that niche that I’ve created being a closet therapist to help women,” she said. “Some of them have also become bloggers, too, because of that. I’ve helped them do that.” She’s inspired women to get out of their comfort zones, including a friend who called her to tell her she wore red confidently for the first time. In the end, it’s not about the size of a woman. It’s what she is wearing and how she is wearing it. Martin said she and her thousands of friends and followers have created a place where women of all sizes can come to find fashion inspiration and leave with a better sense of themselves.
October 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
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itsfashionstores
eloquii
reedandco
nydj
ralphlauren
michaelkors belk lanebryant nike
lanebryant ALL PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY PEPPER MARTIN, ILLUSTRATION BY MIKAYLA BURNS / MANAGING EDITOR
Pepper Martin shares her wardrobe pieces with followers on Instagram and tags the designers in each photo.
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The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion October 24, 2019
essentials for men this fall By BRYCE JOHNSON Sports Writer
It’s fall, and you know what that means: it’s time to really start dressing, guys. Gone are the days of wearing the darkest-colored clothes possible to hide your sweat stains.
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Mother nature has blessed us with cool weather that is versatile enough for every outfit. So, just in time for cuffing season, here is the definitive guide on what menswear items to stock in your closet this autumn. It’s time to leave the flannel-vest combinations behind.
intage utton-downs
Have I stressed how important color is yet? This is the easiest item to get on the list. Think about any button-down shirt your dad probably wore in the ‘90s, and that’s the look we’re trying to replicate. The ‘90s was a haven for loud print collared shirts that
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played on the formal nature of a button-down. Try and tell me Will Smith wasn’t dripping in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” You could find a serviceable button-down shirt in any thrift store. TOPMAN HOUNDSTOOTH SLIM SHIRT
orduroy
Off the top, we’re talking corduroys, an often criminally underrated fashion staple. Corduroys are cozy, look upscale and are a great excuse to bring a pop of color to your fit. Earth tones look great in the fall, so stay away from that urge to RALPH LAUREN LONG wear excluSLEEVED CORDUROY SHIRT
sively black, white and grey. These yellow cords by OnlyNY can take your grouch fit to a whole other level. Corduroys aren’t just for pants, though. A nice, relaxed and open corduroy shirt will showcase your favorite T-shirt but still keep you warm in the fall breeze.
Grown-upSweater THE
We’re grown-ups now; we can wear real sweaters and like them, especially turtlenecks. Keep the Champion pullovers on ice and trick people into thinking you’re sophisticated. Why actually read
Nietzsche or understand the significance of the French New Wave when you can throw on a sweater that looks like you know it all.
TODD SNYDER CASHMERE TURTLENECK
SF
tatement leeces
Fall 2019 is the season of the fleece — take my word for it. As guys, we want to be cozy; that’s goal number one. Lucky for us the fashion world has aligned with this goal. Now we can wear nice and roomy fleeces and be deemed stylish.
There are no hoodies on this list, but that doesn’t mean your head has to suffer. Ditch the baseball cap and go with
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All I’m asking is not to be boring with your fleece choices. First off, other companies make fleeces outside of Patagonia. Second, your fleece should make a statement. There’s a thin line between fashion-forward and seventh-grade science teacher. Exciting colors and STUSSY BASIC POLAR FLEECE MOCK prints help you avoid the latter.
something that not only keeps you warm but caps off your entire look. No one else has to know that you’re just too lazy to comb your hair.
eanies
CARHARRT ACRYLIC HAT
October 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
5 CONTRIBUTED BY MARK ROBERTS
Auburn students gather during the 1983 Homecoming game.
Tailgate style through the decades By MATTISON ALLEN Sports Writer
Saturday afternoons on the Plains are a time when college students get to show how trendy they truly are and in the South, tailgating fashion matters. What someone wears to a tailgate matters a lot in the current southern society, but maybe it didn’t matter as much a few decades ago. In the ‘60s football fashion wasn’t really a thing. At least, it wasn’t as big of a deal as it is now. The ‘60s were, however, the era of letterman jackets. Young men and women alike would wear them to support their favorite player or significant other. The ‘60s also featured a lot of miniskirts that were paired with knee-high boots, or flare pants paired with small heels. To top off the look young ladies would add oversized jewelry, sunglasses and neck scarves. Many of these trends were inspired by the leading lady at the time, Jackie Onassis. Some of these trends carried on into the next decade, but the ‘70s became known as the casual fashion era. Flare pants, which started going by “bell bottoms,” stayed around from the ‘60s and grew in popularity. Bell bottoms were worn by men and women, but were believed to be inspired by the King himself: Elvis Presley. Presley’s iconic hair was also an inspiration to many young men of the ‘70s, which catapulted hair perm trends. Men all over were becoming curly-headed in hopes of getting the Studio 54 look, but many consider this to be the worst trend from the decade. As far as women’s hairstyles go, most had long, straight hair they would fashion into a ponytail or part down the middle. Women were wearing more dresses and pair-
ing them with tights and boots to stay warm on cool fall nights. Larger jackets also took trend, which helped for the later season games. The ‘80s took a measurable turn from the previous decade by bringing denim and floral to the scene. Granted, these two were never paired together, but it was a drastic change from the ‘70s. Denim became a hot commodity, whether it was in the form of jackets, cropped jeans or patchwork overalls. Denim jackets were a huge statement piece and were seen often at football stadiums across the country. Jeans were newer to the fashion industry and had just recently jumped in popularity when they started becoming cropped in the ‘80s. On the opposite side of the spectrum, floral prints were all the rage. They were added to women’s shirts and dresses. The florals gave a pop of color that had been particularly used before in clothing items that were meant for leaving the house. Along with both of those, the shoe of the decade was Keds. Keds could be worn dressed up or dressed down and continued the casualness from the previous decade. As the ‘90s rolled around, florals turned into animal prints, but the denim seemed to stay. Everywhere you looked in the ‘90s you would see someone in some form of animal print, which seemed to fit the football culture nicely as some people could match their team’s mascot to the clothing patterns. The denim stayed, but took on a new form that we know today as mom jeans. These were extra high-waisted jeans that featured a comfortable, loose fit. Along with the other trends, hair accessories were on the rise. Young ladies started sporting scrunchies and hair barrettes. This was a new way to style your hair that was inexpensive and
could still match your team’s colors. The ‘00s was a special time in fashion history. The trends seemed to revolve around three styles: streetwear, scene and athleisure. The streetwear trend was very brand -focused. It involved loose T-shirts, hoodies, distressed skinny jeans and lots of chains. It was an easy look for football games because you could just wear a team T-shirt and add some accessories. The scene style was rarely seen at football games, due to the stereotype of people who wore it. Those who preferred the scene style were known to stay indoors, play videogames and generally not care about sports at all. However, athleisure was on the rise and fairly popular for football nights. Women could wear matching tracksuits, sometimes bedazzled with rhinestones. It was the most comfortable, casual wear that has ever been seen when it comes to football fashion. Today tailgating fashion is a much bigger deal. There was little focus on it over the past decades, but now brands will specifically advertise for games in order to sell. The trends today are a mod podge of all the previous trends. There are girls with distressed skinny jeans, an animal print top and a matching scrunchie in their hair. There are still mini skirts paired with knee-high boots as well as dresses with tights. The one thing that has totally gone out of fashion is the perm, and no one is complaining too much about that. So next time you’re looking for the perfect outfit for gameday, look to those in the previous decades, mix it all together and you’re bound to make a new trend for the last 2010s.
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The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
October 24, 2019
Leaving it all out on the Hydro Flask What the outside of these bottles can tell you about their owners By EVAN MEALINS Assistant Community Editor
The Hydro Flask has become a staple accessory for many Auburn students. As it turns out, the reusable water bottle has capabilities beyond aiding in hydration and being obnoxiously loud when dropped on the ground. Much like the Macbook, the Hydro Flask is a convenient place for its owner to place stickers that allude to his or her personal beliefs, experiences or hobbies, and with the information these stickers give, one may — or may not — be able to learn a little bit about its owner. Joseph Mungenast, a sophomore studying finance, is from Alabama. But the stickers on his Hydro Flask hint at adventures far beyond the Yellowhammer state: a “Beautiful Glacier National Park” sticker meant to resemble an entrance sign is stuck near the bottom of the dark blue canteen. A sticker from Yosemite National Park is just above it. “If you just looked at my Hydro Flask, you’d just think I love being outside,” Mungenast said. “I love hiking and stuff like that.” There’s also a sticker from Camp Alpine, a camp in Mentone, Alabama — which also makes an appearance on the water bottle where Mungenast worked last summer. The bottle is dinged, and some of its blue paint has come off near the top, having aged outdoors with its owner over the past few years. Looking at Jason Schumacher’s Hydro Flask is a bit like looking at a collection of someone’s scribbled, shorthand notes. If it was all you had to try and learn about someone, you could, if you “knew what half of them meant,” as Schumacher said, There’s a Rocket City Trash Pandas logo — a panda in a launching garbage-can rocket — that Schumacher picked up in Huntsville, home of the Trash Pandas, a minor league baseball team. “I just thought it was hilarious,” Schumacher said. There’s also a sticker of a gaming team that he follows, a cryptic collection of letters to anyone who doesn’t follow esports. But Schumacher, a senior studying chemistry, also has an Auburn University logo proudly pasted to his water bottle as well as a sticker for the University’s swimming and
diving team, which he was a part of. Other students seem to be more intentional with their sticker placement. Lucy Jane is a junior in public relations. Her water bottle has three stickers on it. The colorful Bonnaroo sticker she bought at the festival this summer shows her love for music, she said, and the sticker from when she white-water rafted in the Ocoee River in Tennessee shows her fondness for nature. The third sticker, unlike the others, doesn’t call to mind a past experience. It’s just a drawing of a smiling kitten in a cardboard box, which Jane bought on Redbubble, an online marketplace for user-submitted artwork, which she said shows her love for animals. On Jillian Clark’s Hydro Flask there is a sticker with the word “HOT” in bold text placed on the front, a memento from her trip to the Tabasco Museum in Avery Island, Louisiana, and several stickers of breweries she’s visited. Clark, a senior in biochemistry, said she’s a fan of craft beer and picked up the stickers at Auburn’s Oktoberfest celebration last month. She doesn’t necessarily try to express her full personality on her water bottle, though. “I mean, obviously I like beer, but there’s more to me than that,” Clark said. Mary Bentley Barfield is a sophomore in graphic design and the owner of a Hydro Flask covered in memes and pop culture references. They’re all kind of random, she said. “I’m not really sure why I put any of them on there, and I don’t really know who I am yet,” Barfield said. “So it kind of makes sense.”
MIKAYLA BURNS / MANAGING EDITOR
October 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
7 MIRANDA SHAFFER / LIFESTYLE WRITER
VSCO Students embrace the style that comes with the filter By MIRANDA SHAFFER Lifestyle Writer
With multi colored scrunchies up her arm and in her hair, puka shell necklace around her throat, Hydro Flask in hand and “sksksks” on the tip of her tongue, this is the modern-day conception of the VSCO girl. Originally just an editing app for photos, VSCO has become a way of life for some, as well as a cliché persona made popular through social media. Although often presented as a funny stereotype online, people cannot ignore the actual influence it has had on modern-day style for teenage and college-age girls. A large number of women on Auburn’s campus can be seen sporting the VSCO look, with Hydro Flasks covered in stickers and colorful scrunchies being two of the most popular accessories. Students can even buy Hydro Flasks at the Auburn Bookstore in the Haley Center. On a college campus where a low-maintenance look is the go-to choice for many students, the VSCO style fits quite well. Morgan Harrison, a junior in exercise science at Auburn, said, “I think the VSCO style is comfortable enough to look effortless, but has just enough accessories for you to look
put-together.” Tossing your hair up into a scrunchie, slipping on some checkered vans and throwing on an oversized jean jacket over a Brandy Melville T-shirt is a quick way to get ready for the school day with that minimal-effort, VSCO- girl look. Shoes are one of the easy ways to achieve this style with Birkenstocks, Vans and Converse all falling under the VSCO aesthetic. Ashtyn Owen, a junior and pre-nursing major at Auburn said, “It’s kind of bad, but I actually have eight pairs of different colored high-top Converse and two pairs of Vans. The cliche VSCO-girl shoes are checkered Vans, and I have a pair of those that are blue and white.” Layers of rings and bracelets are another way to add to this subtle look and can be personalized to represent the wearer. “I love my bracelets and rings and feel completely naked without them,” said Harrison. Although being a VSCO girl is primarily about fashion, it is more of a lifestyle to many who participate in it because the look embodies sustainability and giving back to the world with items like metal straws, thrifted clothing, Pura Vida bracelets and reusable water bottles. “The reusable water bottles might have stickers all over them, but they’re still decreasing plastic usage, and so are
metal straws, so if you’re going to have a style, at least have one that does some good,” said Harrison. A phrase often associated with VSCO girls is “save the turtles” since one of their reasons for using metal straws in the first place is to protect sea turtles and other aquatic creatures from choking on plastic products like straws that often end up in the ocean. In a generation where people care about the environment more, it is no surprise that a popular style would represent that social awareness. As the seasons change from summer to fall, the VSCO fashion changes along with it. Harrison recommends wearing items such as big sweaters, Vans or Converse, leggings and jean jackets since people will have to ditch the T-shirts, Birkenstocks and tube tops for these colder months. Owen suggests oversized sweatshirts, crop top sweaters and cute boots. Most of the VSCO girl style is found in accessories, so people can carry a similar look throughout the seasons. So, whether students sport scrunchies, a Fjallraven backpack, colorful Converse or any of the other pieces that fall under this look, the VSCO-girl style can really be for anyone and everyone.
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The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion October 24, 2019 MYIA HATCHETT/PHOTOGRAPHER
for Auburn women
October 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
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Bringing style to the states: International students share their style inspiration By OLIVIA HUSKEY Sports Writer
“I think fashion is an attitude, which is about who you try to be,” said Siyue Deng, when asked to define fashion. “Only you can define yourself.” Deng and Zhongqi Ma are both seniors studying apparel merchandising at Auburn University. Both are also international students from China. After graduation, Deng would like to go to a master’s program in the UK, and Ma is starting to apply with different brands in their merchandising departments. Fashion and style are two words with vague concepts that play a big part in how someone expresses themselves. Fashion varies not only person to person but also culture to culture. What you choose to wear can be influenced by many factors. So how have two people’s senses of fashion and style been influenced by the two very different cultures they have lived in? Ma explains that when he is in China his clothes are more fitted and put together. He says his typical outfit in China is long pants and a well-fitted shirt. What he wears in Auburn is very different. “More like sports fashion, a little bit oversized,” is how Ma describes his style while wearing a bright blue oversized shirt, gym shorts with a pattern on the side and blue Nike sneakers. To complete the look he added a long silver necklace and a beaded bracelet; plus the tips of his hair are dyed pink. Accessories are a key part of an outfit in Ma’s opinion, because they can add just a little something different to a look that everyone is wearing. “If you want to be distinguished from
others, try to add some accessories,” Ma said. When asked to name three things everyone needs in their closet, all of Ma’s items were accessories. “You should have a handbag,” Ma said. “Another thing is I think you should have some good looking socks… For fall you should have a beanie.” His description of the perfect fall outfit is a beanie, a hoodie and jogger pants. In contrast, Deng says the perfect fall outfit is an oversized trench coat, high-waisted skinny jeans and Dr. Martens. She also says everyone should have an oversized hoodie in their closet. Deng describes her typical outfit as high-waisted jeans, an oversized shirt or jacket and either sneakers or Dr. Martens. She says she doesn’t have a typical style though; what she wears crosses the spectrum from casual to high end. “I always try to dress comfier and cozier when I study in AU, just like native, some days I am wearing oversized sweatshirts and leggings,” Deng said. Just like other international Chinese students, Deng added, she enjoys wearing luxury items, high heels and skinny jeans, too. When asked about trends for this year, she said, “Just like last fall and winter season, fuzzy jackets are still going to be trendy. Also, small shoulder vintage bags will be more popular this season.” Although certain things are in or out of style at any given point, both Deng and Ma point out that style is subjective. “Style is something you feel comfortable with, and it is your safe zone,” Deng said. Me agreed with Deng. “Style is freedom,” Ma said. “Whatever you like, it’s kinda like freestyle, whatever you like to pick.”
MARIE LIPSKI / PHOTO EDITOR
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The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion October 24, 2019
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For the past few years, cargo shorts have I had my first date in middle school. been falling out of vogue. It was a Friday night, and we were going to see a movie Fashion doesn’t value function, so it was only — with all of our parents. natural that the bulky nature of the shorts ruI got home from school and immediately started getting ined their appeal in an increasingly aesthetic ready. world. I showered, brushed my teeth, slicked my hair back and But you know what? None of that really matdove head-first into a bottle of cologne. ters. Then, with the air of a warrior donning his armor, I What even is fashput on my best American Eagle ion? Who decides what polo shirt and cargo pants. clothing looks good I looked cool. and what doesn’t? At least I thought I did. Why do we have Luckily, someone took a tab for this? Why a picture of me that night. are you even reading The baggy pockets and this? We have real faux ripped hems haunt news! me. Working-class And yet, during FashAmericans have ion Week in August, much more pressdozens of runways ing matters to were dotted with moddeal with than els strutting in baggy whether or not pants with superflutheir clothes are ous pockets sproutin season this ing from each leg. year. Fashion artiYet again, cles raved that this the fashion inwould be the year dustry is an exof the cargo pants’ ample of how long-awaited return. laborers are But let’s be honest: treated as less than most of us aren’t moda fashion-conscious BRANTLI DENNIS / GRAPHIC DESIGNER els, and none of us look good in bourgeoisie. cargo shorts. Speaking of fashion consciousness, our The women and men strutting on fashion week would clothes are made in sweatshops by people who look good in potato sacks and crocs; I struggle to look preare paid well below a living wage in an industry sentable in a freshly pressed tuxedo. that values cheap, fast fashion over high-qualiYes, cargo pants are certainly more functional. The exty work and materials. tra pockets — especially for women who usually only have They are just some shorts with extra pockets. enough pocket space for a single cough drop and some pixYou want to wear them? ie dust — can be beneficial. Excellent, go right ahead. If you don’t want But you know what else gives you more room for knickto, that’s great too. knacks and ever-growing iPhones? A bag. What you certainly shouldn’t do is hate on Carry a purse or carry a backpack. Carry a purse and call people who wear cargo shorts. it a satchel to protect your masculinity if you have to. If any negative energy should exist in fashBut don’t wear cargo shorts. You may be wondering ion, it should be aimed at the industry practices. how that middle school date went. That’s not important — We can’t really do anything about it, though. it didn’t go well — but that’s not important. We are just ants at the end of the day: crawlWhat matters is that the baggy pockets sewn to my legs ing around, working for those at the top of the that night didn’t help in the slightest. ladder who’ve cut off the rungs to climb there. Sure, I had a little extra pocket space, but at what cost?
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October 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman: Fall Fashion
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Scrunchies making a comeback By CORY BLACKMON Community Reporter
Scrunchies were wildly popular in the late ’80s and ’90s, but as the early 2000s rolled around they quietly faded out of the norm. Now after a few decades of only being adorned for ’80s themed parties and Halloween costumes, scrunchies are making a comeback. Clothing has always been a key way for people to show off their personalities and unique sense of style. A scrunchy is an extension of that. These versatile bands are shooting back onto the fashion scene everywhere, saving hair and adding some flair to any standard updo. Annaka Brewer, sophomore in public relations, said she likes scrunchies because they add more style to the plain old sleek ponytail. “There’s many different fabrics, colors and patterns scrunchies come in which makes it easy to wear at all occasions,” Brewer said “I definitely think scrunchies are on the comeback because they have the vintage look mixed with modern styles and patterns.” The bands can add a bright splash of color as an accent piece or subtly tie together an outfit to form a complete look. The bands are also kinder on hair as the fabrics are less likely to damage or pull out strands as regular hair ties do. Angela Burns, junior in biomedical sciences, said she puts her hair up in a ponytail all the time, and scrunchies are a great way to do it without pulling on her hair. “They are very useful per the fact that they give your ponytail an extra layer and add a fun ele-
ment to your outfit,” Burns said. “Scrunchies provide relief from the all too common struggle of ripping out about half your hair anytime you go to change your updo.” The main reason scrunchies went out of style was the introduction of hair ties in the 2000s, which offered a tighter, sleeker look. The problem is hair ties can be too tight, straining on the scalp by pulling hair back too tightly, and when you wear them on your wrist, you are always left with a red mark from where they constricted. Mary Schulz, senior in physical activity and health, says scrunchies are amazing because they volumize your ponytail, since they are thicker than a regular hair tie. “I think girls like scrunchies because it’s a simple and cute accessory for your hair,” Schulz said. “I’ve grown up playing sports and always having my hair in a ponytail. I find that they aren’t the most feminine-looking, since I look bald with all my hair pulled back. Since scrunchies give extra volume, I find them more flattering.” Emily Fackler, sophomore in law, says scrunchies are the best thing to ever happen to hair and are the superior choice for people with curly hair. “They’re all I use because my hair doesn’t tangle around them and they don’t make my hair frizzy,” Fackler said. “Plus they’re adorable and can be dressed up or down no matter the situation.” Whether being worn as a casual bracelet or being used to wrap up a retro outfit, scrunchies are coming back into popularity and all sorts of people are starting to notice. One person that has noticed and seen the business potential is Jake Masic, senior in marketing.
Masic saw the rise in popularity and decided to turn it into a small business venture. “My mom used to sew, and we had this old sewing machine laying around, so she figured out how to make them and then she taught me,” Masic said. “I thought it would be a good business opportunity, so I can make them now and sell them.” Masic’s process is a simple one, but the end product is a fully functional and fashionable scrunchie. “Scrunchies seem like more of a fashion statement to me than hair bands,” Masic said. “You see all kinds of scrunchies coming out now, and I think girls are using them as a way to express themselves.” Masic said he enjoys making the scrunchies and would love to sell more of them. He said he thinks there is definitely a market for them because they are coming back into style, and they offer the opportunity to be custom made products. “I know in J&M Bookstore they will sell handmade stuff, and I know there is always a demand for local made stuff,” Masic said. “It’s super easy to make them, and I would love to sell more, maybe not as a large scale operation but just on the side for fun.” Whether you’re making scrunchies, wearing them on your wrist or using them to style your hair, there is no denying that scrunchies are sitting on top of the fashion comeback scene. BRANTLI DENNIS / GRAPHIC DESIGNER
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