Spring Fashion Issue 03.12.15

The Auburn Plainsman Thursday, March 12, 2015

Spr ing fa shion

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

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Thursday, March 12, 2015

INSIDE THE SPRING FASHION ISSUE

03. AUBURN STUDENT STREET STYLE Fashion-forward students share their style secrets.

05. TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MEN

A tutorial on how guys can dress to the nines.

06. AUBURN HITS THE BIG APPLE

Student, alumna take on New York magazines.

Cover photo by Ginny Barton, photographer Styled and clothing provided / made by Lindsey Smith Models: Mallory See (left) and Jana Haas (right)

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

STREET STYLE

Fashion-minded students describe and share their style.

DEKAYLA SANKEY

SIERRA LEHNHOFF

SOPHOMORE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

JUNIOR INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

“I have a really diverse style. I can be girly one day and urban the next.

I take pride in the way I dress.”

“Bohemian with a future twist, using modern colors, less browns, more bright and vibrant colors.”

MICAH TOLLES JUNIOR HORTICULTURE

“Simple and classic.”

Compiled by Jessica Aston, online associate Photos by Kenny Moss, assistant photo editor

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Thursday, March 12, 2015

From Africa to Auburn: style goes international Tracy Awino

campus@ theplainsman. com

Growing up, I was used to seeing images of American women on TV wearing itsy-bitsy shorts — which I later came to learn were called Daisy Dukes — and bikini tops. They would be walking around the city, and it was normal.

I was raised as a typical African child in the ’90s. It was unheard of to see women wearing clothes that exposed too much skin. This meant nothing above the kneecaps. Women who wore garments that were too tight and too short were automatically believed to be women of the night.

As I grew older, I became a little bit more daring and wore skirts that were slightly above my kneecaps, and my grandmother detested it, saying I was sending the wrong message to the public, so I stuck to jeans because wearing pants was much safer and resulted in less public criticism.

I was always envious of the American women who I’d see going to the swimming pool with twopiece swimsuits that seemed to just cover areas that weren’t supposed to see the light of day. It seemed risqué, but the 13-year-old me thought, “Wow, they are basically wearing underwear out in public, and it is OK.” As times continued to change and Western cultures continued to be adopted way beyond the West, more things became acceptable; girls would wear much tighter skirts or pants.

In 2010, I relocated to the United States. To say I was not ready for the difference in fashion is an under-

statement. I came during the peak of summer, and I saw girls wearing the mysterious Daisy Dukes. I tried to picture myself in them, but it was impossible.

However, within the past five years or so, Kenyan fashion has evolved and more things have become acceptable.

With this digital age, the Internet has become a staple source of information, and thus the existence of more fashion blogs all around the world.

With fashion bloggers here in the United States, such as Aimee Song, or Song of Style, and ones in Kenya, such as Sharon Mundia or This Is Ess, the similarity between American fashion and Kenyan fashion has become apparent.

The trends are similar in both cultures, but the designs may be different. It has become more common to see girls in shorter or tighter shorts, pants, skirts or dresses; and the idea of skinny jeans among guys is also normal in Kenya.

However, it is still close to impossible to see girls wearing garments that expose too much, as this is considered disrespectful to the community and to herself.

Western fashion is a lot more of “Wear what you please because it is your body,” and Kenyan fashion, and African fashion in general, is more of “Wear what you please so long as it is acceptable in public.”

Being exposed to fashion across cultures has been a learning experience and taught me that it is easy for cultures to spread globally, but the original ideals of a society may take a long time to shift, if ever.

Tracy Awino is a campus reporter for The Plainsman. She can be reached via email at campus@ThePlainsman.com.

ANDRIA MOORE / INTRIGUE WRITER

LEFT: Mannequins are used for costume alterations. RIGHT:The shop’s attic has costumes dating back to the Victorian era.

Theatre program is costume crazy Andria Moore Intrigue writer

Down a long stairwell in the department of theatre sits a room filled with fabrics, mannequins and designs — the costume shop. Every weekday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., costume coordinator Jennifer Salter pores over fabrics, hems and her sewing machine to produce costumes for the department’s shows.

“I primarily machine sew, but we spend a lot of time hand sewing as well,” Salter said. “Every pant hem and every dress hem is typically hand sewn because we use different stitches to make it have that beautiful finish.”

During a normal performance preparation, Salter has a few weeks to create costumes, but for the most recent show, “Red Badge of Courage,” she had only one week.

“We started making costumes for this show during dress rehearsal for ‘Once Upon a Mattress,’” Salter said. “Depending upon where spring break fell this year, we had a little less time.”

In the costume shop, there are 30-40 mannequins able to be molded to fit an actor’s body type and size before their fitting. Color-coordinated fabrics and commercial patterns can be altered as well.

Daley Browning, senior in mu-

sical theatre, is the head of the student costume staff this year.

“One of the best parts about this job is we do so many different kinds of costumes,” Browning said. “We go from ballgowns one week, and then the next week, we are making Civil War costumes.”

In the attic of the shop are rows of costumes from every show performed at Auburn. Completing the costumes is a shelf of wigs, jewelry and other accessories dating back as far as the Victorian era.

“Say we are doing an antebellum show and need to see how the women wore their hair or did their jewelry back then,” Salter said. “Well, we have an antebellum box, and we just pull them out and use it as a reference.”

Along with costume design also comes makeup and hairstyles for each actor. Alison Hora, senior in theatre, said she knows exactly how to pair a hairstyle with a costume.

“For wigs you first have to research, for example, what types of curls they had, and if they even had curls.” Hora said. “Then you have to do what’s called ‘fronting,’ where you pull an actor’s hair back as tight as it will go and measure the wig on their head, and then cut a little off the front (of the wig).”

In general, Salter said costuming

is a long, arduous process that takes dedication and begins with associate professor Tracy Oleinick’s designs.

“I get the designs from Tracy, and then we sit down and talk about the renderings, asking things like, ‘Does this actor need a pocket?’ ‘Do you want a seam here?’”

Salter said.

Once the design format is determined, Salter starts working on the actual construction of the costume by either draping muslin on the mannequin or cutting from a commercial pattern. After the first trial, the actor has a “mock-up” for fittings and costume adjustments.

“I be sure to leave off any zippers or hems, so that when the actor has their final fitting I can adjust the costume again,” Salter said.

Finally, after alterations, the costumes are ready to wear.

Browning said it is hard to choose which costumes were her favorites, but there was one that really stood out to her.

“I think the corsets from ‘Hedda Gabler’ were my favorites,” Browning said. “We got to build the costume around the shape of the corset rather than the person’s body, and they were the most challenging and historically accurate I’ve been able to work with.”

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Tips and tricks in men’s style Benjamin Arnberg

arnbebt@ auburn.edu

A friend sent me a text message that read, “I wish I had as much confidence with my love life as you do with your wardrobe.”

Was that a compliment? Who knows?

It took me a long time to be comfortable enough to dress as I do.

Perhaps I have confidence in my wardrobe because I’ve always been an outcast anyway. Now, I don’t care how many heads turn. What can critics do to me? Ostracize me? Been there. Am there.

I put on what I like, drink, eat, buy, say, do, feel. What I like. Don’t care. I’ve been a pariah. I didn’t die.

When I worked in Washington, D.C., traipsing down the street in crimson wing tips, red-white-blue Thom Browne pants and multi-colored buffalo check shirts wasn’t radical. Having well-tailored clothes was what mattered.

In Alabama, too much pattern, too close a fit or too extravagant a detail leaves you at risk of being a hate crime victim. It’s a shame most men are too cowardly to dress well as a result of cultural ridicule placed on fashion renegades.

The bewildering thing is that it takes so little to be a renegade down here.

For example, I’ve been told: “Patterned trousers are ‘too fancy’ for work,” “No man should ever wear shoes in colors other than black and brown,” “Bow ties aren’t what ambitious men wear,” “Jewelry is for women” and “What does any man need to own besides white shirts, khakis and a navy blazer?”

I’m turning the tide.

Accessories (scarves, gloves, hats,

We have new Spring arrivals!

BENJAMIN ARNBERG / CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Choosing a color scheme and daring to layer can help pull together your closet.

socks, belts and jewelry) are trickling into acceptability. Patterns of all types are being donned. Layering is no longer just for warmth, but also for dimension. Black is cool.

Knowing designers isn’t a blow to “manhood.” Billy Reid? Awesome sportswear. Armani suits? Life goal. Fendi shoes? Quite comfortable. Hermés ties? Can’t imagine a suit without one.

If you’re in doubt, follow these baby steps:

1) TAILOR to fit. Southern men wear things too big. Five essential alterations: hem, sleeve, waist, seat and jacket sides. The brand that made it should alter it.

2) ADD small details: lapel pins, pocket squares, bold watch straps, contrasting buttons, grosgrain trim or bright socks.

3) GET gray shoes. Loafers, boots, wing tips. Suede, leather, cloth.

4) LAYER tone on tone.

The column of color makes a subtle statement.

5) LAYER

bold under

Come check out our new colorful section of duffle bags, koozies, cross-body purses, pencil pouches, burlap totes, and much more!

bland. Put your plaids, dots, stripes, prints and bold colors under subdued pieces.

6) BE a bow tie guy. Tie it

yourself.

7) MIX textures. For spring, there’s: poplin, twill, seersucker, linen, tropical wool, oxford and silk.

8) GO black, not blue. Suits, trousers, shoes, belts, accessories.

All the other guys will have blue.

Don’t blend in.

9) PICK a five-color scheme and buy just those. It creates a signature and all your clothes will coordinate. Mine is black, gray, white, navy and orange.

10) BUY a statement piece.

Something small that starts a conversation. Mine is an Alexander McQueen skull ring.

Benjamin Arnberg was a luxury and custom specialist at Brooks Brothers in Georgetown, D.C. for two years. He is now a graduate assistant for Auburn student media and can be contacted at arnbebt@ auburn.edu.

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Auburn takes on New York fashion Kris Martins

Campus Reporter

An Auburn journalism major and alumna in journalism took their love of fashion to a new level when they managed to land internships at their favorite New York magazines.

Christy Key, senior in journalism, interned at Marie Claire last summer. She worked with Jenna Blaha, assistant to Nina Garcia, creative director and judge on the fashion TV show “Project Runway.”

“I’ve always loved fashion, but I’ve never thought about going into it,” Key said. “I thought it’s one of those careers that’s really hard to get into.”

Working closely with Garcia, Key received opportunities other interns didn’t.

Rather than specializing in one area of fashion, Key said she had a well-rounded experience. She researched the cover girl, gave mock-ups to Garcia and retrieved clothes from designer studios. She even visited the “Project

Runway” set.

Because Blaha was transitioning from assistant to editor, Key was also able to help write.

Key said the internship changed her perception of journalism as broader than hard news.

“Being there, I had a whole new respect for it, a new respect for the industry,” Key said.

“It’s a billion-dollar industry for a reason. Once I was there and saw that everything they do — the everyday — I knew I could do this forever. It was just one of those clicking moments.”

Key said the environment also inspired her.

“Everyone is so ambitious, and it makes you be ambitious too,” Key said. “A lot of the people I was interning with (were) freshmen and sophomores interning at New York Magazine, Nylon, Marie Claire, Elle. But it just pushes you to work hard and be better and you realize how much you want it.”

According to Key, Garcia specifically taught her about professionalism.

“She teaches you a lot about to be a good ed-

itor, what it means for people to respect you,” Key said. “She does a really good job of being opinionated and being honest about things for the better of the magazine, so I think that taught me how, professionally, you want people to see you.”

Key said persistence was vital in her job.

“I very much had to take it on myself,” Key said. “You’re not going to get everything and just don’t get discouraged. Just keep trying because eventually it’ll work out for you.”

Auburn alumna Melody Kitchens also interned in New York for Nylon magazine.

Kitchens’ love for the magazine roots back to middle and high school. Kitchens said it was her dream to intern there, so she researched the magazine, and after graduating in August 2013, she interned there until January 2014.

Kitchens worked with the editorial side of the magazine, mainly copy editing and transcribing. She said she would pitch story ideas as much as she could and even had the oppor-

tunity to write three articles in the magazine.

“I learned that magazines have their own style of writing,” Kitchens said. “Taking advantage of just asking (editors) to give you feedback is one of the biggest things. You have your own style in there too, but I think it’s good to be open to lots of feedback.”

Kitchens said writing for the magazine was her favorite part of the internship.

“Being able to see it come to life on the page, like every journalist loves to see their work transform into an article or whatever it might be, I think that’s always a great feeling,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens said she encourages others to be persistent and create a standout résumé.

“Think of a way to set yourself apart,” Kitchens said. “Be personal, nice and friendly, not cut and dry. For fashion magazines where people make a lifestyle magazine, it’s not very formal. You want to act like you’re a real person behind that email.”

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Auburn alumna Melody Kitchens, above, transformed her passion for one fashion magazine into an internship opportunity in New York.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Baseball full of ‘sharp-dressed men’ Clint Richardson

clintrIchardson 24@yahoo.com

The ping of a metal bat. The smell of fresh hotdogs. The sound of hecklers echoing through the stadium.

That’s right — it’s time for baseball.

Another season of baseball on the Plains is upon us, and for most fans, that means enjoying the nice weather and watching a good game in the ballpark.

For others such as myself, it means an array of new uniforms hitting the diamond across the country.

For us uniform enthusiasts, every detail matters, from the paintby-number templates Adidas has passed out the last two years to how well a player blouses their pants to showcase their stirrups.

When it comes to Auburn uniforms, there are plenty of things to talk about.

When baseball coach Sunny Golloway took over at Auburn last season, he brought along his traditional sense of uniform styles along with his baseball playbook.

During Golloway’s time at Oklahoma, the Sooners wore some classic uniforms, with a script Oklahoma and the OU logo, as well as some true busts, such as a digi-camo top and cap.

Through last season and the beginning of this one, we have seen how much of a hand Golloway has over the team’s uniforms.

One of the first things he did was regulate stirrups — in layman’s terms, the hosiery worn over sanitary socks — across the board, except on the road with their gray uniforms.

Auburn wore three different sets of stirrups in 2014: blue, blue with three white stripes and blue with three stripes of orange and blue, in the same vein as the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

Golloway also brought player names back to the jerseys, something that had been missing during the John Pawlowski years (200913).

Golloway also had his team captains wear “C” patches last year, but we have yet to see that feature this season.

Traditionally, the starting pitcher gets to choose the uniforms for the day.

This season, Auburn’s pitchers have multiple options to choose from, including some new pieces.

Last year, Auburn wore six jerseys: blue, white, orange, cream throwback, gray and Yankee pinstripes; three pairs of pants: white, pinstripe, cream throwback and gray; and two hats: blue with an orange bill and an all-blue.

This year, Auburn has added a new white-vest jersey. The team has also added a blue digi-camo hat they broke out during the Capital City Classic against Alabama, similar to the one Golloway introduced to the Sooners. Now, the overall uniform count is 13 items.

With baseball being as superstitious as it is, many times teams will continue to wear the same combination if they have been on a winning streak.

Auburn was no exception, once wearing the cream throwbacks upwards of five straight games last year, proving Golloway holds true to some traditions.

Clint Richardson is the creator of the Auburn Uniform Database Blog. He can be reached via email at clintrichardson24@yahoo.com.

ZACH BLAND / AUBURN ATHLETICS

Coach Sunny Golloway added blue digi-camo hats as part of the team’s uniform. INSET: Auburn’s uniform roster includes a blue jersey, pictured on pitcher Keegan Thompson.

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

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Thursday, March 12, 2015

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Auburn grad finds her fate in New York fashion world Codie Smith

Intrigue Writer

Despite earning a degree in radio, TV and film, Auburn graduate Amy Whittemore has made a name for herself in fashion. Now director of fashion for luxury brand Valentina Kova, Whittemore is climbing up the New York fashion industry ladder at only 24. Whittemore spoke with The Plainsman about her work.

CS: How did you get started in the fashion industry?

AW: I was a radio, TV and film major, with a minor in dance. I’ve always been kind of obsessed with magazines, and so I thought I’d transform my degree into magazines. I started applying for jobs in the fashion industry in New York. I had actually never been to New York before I moved here.

CS: What was it like when you first found a job in the fashion industry?

AW: At first, I just had a three-month unpaid internship. None of the internships in the fashion industry are ever paid, so it’s kind of hard. But I talked to my mom, and I was just

like, “I’ll get a second job. I’ll do whatever it takes.” I was actually visiting my best friend in New York and scheduled an interview. I got the internship on the spot and I just never went home. I lived out of a suitcase for about two and a half months.

CS: What exactly does your job entail?

AW: My official title is director of fashion.

I work alongside Valentina. I manage the business side and help to manage everything. It’s kind of funny, because my degree has nothing to do with business. I think a lot of the fashion industry is learning as you go, though. No day is the same. The fashion industry is a tough one. People think it’s all glamorous with fashion and runway shows. The end result is always satisfying, though.

CS: What is your favorite part of your job?

AW: One, on the day-to-day basis, is meeting people. I have met some of the most incredible, inspiring people. I’ve worked with celebrities, and they are all just normal people.

It’s so incredible. They work just as hard as everybody else, if not harder. My other favorite part is doing photo shoots. I think my favor-

CONTRIBUTED BY AMY WHITTEMORE

Auburn graduate Amy Whittemore took a chance and landed a fashion dream job in New York.

ite experience, though, was New York Fashion Week. I don’t think I slept for about four months, but it was so worth it.

CS: Do you have any advice for students who are looking to enter the fashion industry?

AW: Honestly, I would say just go for it and do whatever you can to make it happen.

Work your hardest and try your best, and it will happen. I had just graduated. I had no

money saved. A lot of people doubted me, my friends, some of my family. They were all just like, “This is crazy. She’ll be back here soon.

She won’t last in New York.” I love New York, and I love everything about it. It’s so easy when you graduate from Auburn to settle and to move to a city close by. It’s what’s comfortable. The biggest thing is to step outside your comfort zone.

Consignment stores offer labels for college budgets Rachael Taylor Community Writer

EMILY ENFINGER / PHOTO EDITOR

Consignment stores such as Ginger’s, pictured above, let college students shop for labels on a budget.

The start of spring means ditching the heavy coats and boots for wedges and sundresses. For many, it also means it’s time for a new wardrobe. While magazines are great for ideas, magazine prices may not be realistic for college students.

Consignment and resale stores in the Auburn-Opelika area can make it easy to be stylish without breaking the bank.

Jerry Schoenherr, owner of Plato’s Closet on Opelika Road, said he has been seeing lots of athletic wear, chevron print, tribal print, crop tops and high/low tops.

Schoenherr said statement and costume jewelry has been a hot trend he has been seeing. “(Girls) really want it to be something cool and really finish that outfit,” Schoenherr said.

According to Schoenherr, since Plato’s Closet is a franchise store, the owners are sent publications and trend reports

to know what trends to look for. He said the buyers for the store check social media and fashion blogs to stay on top of the trends and also make mall visits to see what is being sold in stores.

The merchandise in Plato’s Closet is color coded, which can make it easier for customers to shop by color.

“We put out new items every day, so each time a customer comes in, there will be something different,” said Sarah Ernst, employee at Fringe.

According to Ernst, Fringe, located in Opelika, keeps a trend list in the dressing rooms to inform customers on trends.

Some styles on the current list include fringe, lace, flared jeans and oversized hats.

Ernst said many of the employees at Fringe are fashion majors and also subscribe to some fashion magazines to stay on track of what’s popular.

Ernst said this is because there aren’t duplicates of any of the clothes, so there

is a lot to sort through. “(Consignment shopping) is definitely a time-consuming process if you haven’t been in before,” Ernst said.

Fringe owner Stacie Money said she founded her store to fill the area’s need for consignment shopping.

“I liked consignment stores, and we didn’t really have a consignment store that was dedicated for women’s (clothing),” Money said.

Money said some trends she has been seeing a lot of are chunky jewelry, bright colored skinny jeans and animal print.

To make the clothes easier to sort through, Money said they have racks labeled for certain hot-selling brands.

Whatley said she was attracted to the idea of consignment shopping because she enjoys the treasure hunt.

“If you have a goal, ask,” Whatley said on advice for consignment beginners.

“If you don’t have a goal, be prepared to spend time looking.”

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Auburn grad hits the next level of fashion with Michael Kors, ASOS Kendyl Hollingsworth Community Writer

contributed by sheyda mehrara

Sheyda Mehrara, pictured, has worked for both Michael Kors and ASOS.

Recent Auburn graduate Sheyda Mehrara has been making strides in the world of fashion through her work in public relations with prominent fashion companies such as Michael Kors and the British brand ASOS. Mehrara, 23, graduated from Auburn in May 2014 with a degree in public relations with additional coursework in business, but she said her interest in fashion began when she was 5 years old.

“I think [I became interested in fashion] from the moment my mother decided I couldn’t leave the house without a matching bow in my hair at the age of 5,” Mehrara said.

Mehrara also said she kept a journal from her seventh-grade language arts class in which she professed her dream at the time of becoming an editor at Teen Vogue.

Her dreams have since changed, and she said she is now working toward becoming a creative director of a lifestyle brand.

Lauren Ledford, design assistant for Hilton Hollis in New York City, has been friends with Mehrara since the two worked together in Auburn.

She said she is proud of Mehrara and thinks highly of her as a writer and a friend.

“Sheyda is one of my good friends and has been ever since we worked at a boutique together in Auburn,” Ledford said. “She is a visionary with not only amazing ideas but a great attitude and work ethic to boot.

She is making her dream happen.”

Although Mehrara has been interested in fashion for most of her life, she realized she wanted to go into public relations when she worked with brands as a student.

“I realized when I was working with brands it was natural for me to

create the story, and by understanding the business realm I was able to emphasize how vital this was to (the brands’) structure and growth,” Mehrara said.

Robert French, instructor in the School of Communication and Journalism, said he always noticed Mehrara’s creativity and drive as a student.

“She has always impressed me,” French said. “Curiosity about life is Sheyda’s secret to success. She doesn’t just sit around thinking of ways to be creative, Sheyda dives into life and creativity flows.”

French also said he enjoys her sense of humor and storytelling abilities, and he has noticed her writing flourish since she graduated.

According to Mehrara, Auburn University’s public relations program helped her combine her interests in journalism and business.

For those interested in fashion who may not want to pursue a career in fashion merchandising, Mehrara said there are plenty of jobs outside merchandising that are still important to the brand.

“Find an area of academic study that interests you, live and breathe the fashion brands that speak to you,and find a mentor that you respect and find yourself relating to on these levels,” Mehrara said. “The moment you accept that you can’t do it alone is one step closer to where you want to be.”

Mehrara interned at Michael Kors in New York City in summer 2013, where one of her responsibilities was researching current events and parties in the fashion industry and turning them into weekly reports to stay ahead of other lifestyle brands.

She said she had wanted to intern in New York City from the moment she chose public relations as a career path, but learned it was not exactly

the kind of environment she wanted to work in.

“While Michael Kors and that summer taught me a great deal about the fast pace and framework of what it takes to establish an international fashion brand, I realized more about what I needed in a work environment to make me happy,” Mehrara said.

Mehrara also studied abroad in Paris during her time at Auburn, and has traveled to countries such as Iran, Greece, Germany, England, Canada and the Netherlands. She said she has been to Paris three times and is a “self-certified Francophile.”

In terms of her more recent work with ASOS, one thing said she Mehrara enjoyed was the ASOS Campus Hunt at Auburn University. As a brand ambassador for ASOS, it was Mehrara’s job to help organize and execute a scavenger hunt to lead students to merchandise hidden on campus, an exciting and successful campaign tactic.

“We created clues for Auburn students to follow to find ASOS merch that we hid around campus,” Mehrara said. “If you followed the clue properly, you would find me or another team member with a surprise at locations like Cam Newton’s statue, or Samford Hall.”

When it comes to fashion in Auburn, Mehrara admitted she wished people would put more effort into their clothing, not just for the sake of campus-wide aesthetic, but to practice for the future.

Although some students may find it difficult to put together everyday wardrobes, Mehrara provided a few tips to make it easier.

“Find staple pieces that you feel the most comfortable in, and buy them in different colors,” Mehrara said. “You can mindlessly go into your closet and pick these out, but still look put together.”

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Student takes blogging to the fashion industry and beyond Lauren Christopher Sports writer

Kelsey Tucker, freshman in public relations, has taken her love of fashion to new heights with her Instagram account and blog formerly known as “Monogram Prep,” which showcases her outfits and inspirations of the day.

What came with the blog was mostly support from her fans, but also hurtful criticism from the anonymity of social media, prompting Tucker to change her brand from “Monogram Prep” to simply using her name, “Kelsey Tucker.”

More than 13,000 followers scroll through her Instagram account for fashion advice according to what she’s wearing.

It all started when she decided to post a body shot of her outfit using the hashtag “Outfit of the Day” (#OOTD), and soon enough, the account gained recognition.

But her blogging doesn’t stop there. Recently, Tucker said she has gone through a number of life mishaps and isn’t afraid to open up to her fans.

“About a year ago, I had written a whole post on my depression, so that went completely off topic, but it inspired people and that kind of helped me,” Tucker said. “I didn’t want to be someone that you just look at for fashion. I want to be able to help people with my struggles.”

Sara-Kate Bradfield, senior in apparel design and production, grew close to Tucker through their work at an independent fashion magazine. Bradfield said critics usually commented on how her clothes weren’t always sporting a monogram.

“She’s not appealing to the younger people anymore,” Bradfield said. “A lot of people don’t realize that she stops her day and she reads every single comment.”

A fellow fashion blogger and inspiration to Tucker is Bess Pearson, who runs BellesInBows.com. Pearson hasn’t experienced as much judgment from her followers, but said she knows where Tucker is coming from.

“That happens to a lot of people that try to put themselves out there,” Pearson said. “It’s kind of this weird dynamic that social media creates that (fashion bloggers) aren’t (people), they kind of disregard that.”

Bradfield also said clothing lines will send Tucker free merchandise for her to promote, although Tucker wants to keep her blog about her personal fashion preferences, making sure not to turn it into a business market.

“Kelsey looks at it like, ‘OK, would I actually wear this?’” Bradfield said. “She’s definitely declined people before.”

Switching her blog name brought in a more personal aspect for her followers, who now could keep up with

CONTRIBUTED BY KELSEY LAYNE TUCKER

Kelsey Tucker operates her own fashion blog.

Tucker as a person, not just a fashion icon, according to Tucker.

“I want to be myself,” Tucker said. “I don’t want to come off as stuck-up or someone who just wants followers for the fun of it. I want to inspire people.”

Tucker said she used the adversity she experienced to do a little self-exploration and realized that her passion was in both law and fashion.

Last summer, Tucker worked for a small jewelry company in New York City as a public relations intern, learning how people interact with each other in such a competitive market.

“She had a new angle on things,” Bradfield said. “She saw a bunch of ins and outs of the industry.”

On top of her experience in New York, Tucker faced some personal experience with depression, solidifying her choice to study pre-law and public relations.

Tucker credits a lot of her strength in overcoming her battles to her faith and the friends who led her to it.

Tucker’s friend Nicole Firing, junior in marine biology, said religion is an important part of Tucker’s life.

“Her faith is a big part of who she is,” Firing said. “By her knowing that, nothing can be taken from her. She can stay firm and steady without the negative things coming from the outside.”

Tucker is currently taking a semester off at Auburn to get away from distractions and to do some self-reflection before returning next fall. Until then, she spends a large amount of her time blogging and updating her account.

“She’s very determined,” Bradfield said. “I love how she is very persistent about it. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”

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The Auburn Plainsman: Spring Fashion

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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