BYLINE WINTER FASHION SPECIAL
ISSUE VI
Ball In Style
What’s Inside...
Headlines of Byline: FILM & TV “Zoe Fitzpatrick talks about the good & the bad of Christmas films, Sadhbh Corkery looks at blockbusters that missed the block and Olivia Brown talks about mental health on screen”
MUSIC “Cailean Coffey discusses the objective truth that Kanye West created modern rap, Holly Cooney talks about the musician behind the John Lewis ad and Zoe Fitzpatrick reviews three top holiday albums for 2015”
ARTS & LIT So This Is Christmas (or mid-November) Yes here it is, the last issue of this semester’s Byline, and what an issue it is. God, did I just say that? All this festive cheer in November must be getting to me. Well to get you to start getting ready for next term before this one is over, we have a fashion special so you know how to dress yourself for balls next term, thanks to our talented fashion editors, Jess and Kenneth. We’ve got other stuff too, an awesome article on browser games, written by yours truly, the Gaming editor is also looking for some female gamers to question about their experiences, so maybe check out that too. In Film, we’re looking at how mental health is portrayed on screen, while in Humour, Lauren makes fun of people who make the same jokes even though nobody’s laughing, like me. Music tells us about how Kanye shaped modern hip hop, which is probably a bit of a tired statement at this point considering how often he himself says it. In Fiction, Colm briefly runs us through what happened this year in theatre, for those of you who’ve only decided to pick up a copy during study week to avoid doing
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actual work. Fiction is literally across the page from this, you can’t miss it, so I won’t be patronising enough to tell you about that. I know, me not being patronising, weird. Look, I’m trying to turn over a new leaf, some sort of pre new year resolution. This mostly stems from a couple people pointing out that I probably need to be less of a snarky dick, and me figuring they’re probably right. That actually felt a bit gross to write, but there we go, some nice self awareness, or whatever it is when people call you a tool and you agree with them. Something something, Feel good comment. Look if you want to listen to more of my rambling, don’t forget to check out Express on air every Tuesday at 12, please, it’d be nice if our listenership went up to the double digits. Wait, is that it? Am I done now til January? Fantastic.
#SackXander
Editor: Xander Cosgrave Designer: Robert O’Sullivan Film & TV Editor: Olivia Brown Music Editor: Holly Cooney Arts & Lit Editor: Colm Furlong
“Colm Furlong takes a lookback at theatre this year while BYLINE reviews three books you should read over the Christmas break”
GAMING “BYLINE Editor Xander (the burke to the right) talks about the great browser games you can play right there on the internet (usually for free)”
HUMOUR “Lauren Mulvihill gives us outstanding insight into the innerworkings of European politics (and Davy NoMates) and Katrina Sarva talks about the power of humour in their open letter”
FASHION “BYLINE’s Winter Fashion Edition focuses on what to wear for your upcoming ball, featuring clothes from Verso, Saville Row and more. Articles from ‘Beyond the Blonde’ author Jess Ni Mhaolain and Instagram star Dapper Sapeur”
Gaming Editor: Aoife Gleeson Fiction Editor: Austin Dowling Humour Editor: Lauren Mulvihill Co-Fashion Editor: Jess NíMhaoláin Co-Fashion Editor: Dapper Sapeur
FICTION
EDITOR - AUSTIN DOWLING
For Those Who Sleep
by Brendan Leanet
The horse-fly shivers. What a panic he is in! Supper has cut itself loose. He has not eaten in a day. In his way - a human; and worse yet, a female. Her locks remind him of the sun when you stare at it too long without blinking. Beside the female a candle-light sways in a rough draught. It should have burnt itself out hours ago, but it flickers on. Last night when his supper fell away, the female rolled out of her hammock onto the mattress beneath and crushed it. The female mocks the horse-fly! She will never mock another if he bites. A bite will be her lesson and a bite will be her awakening. A bite will be his path to supper. The female snores so he need not spiral quietly to her skin. He dangles above her neck and descends from the cold caravan roof to the pasty female flesh beneath. Her skin convulses tenderly on first contact. She has not yet awoken, so he continues with his plan. His only grip is her skin so he must hold tight. The female sleeps in a knitted men’s jumper twice the size of her chest. It cuddles her body as far as her thighs. There is a mountainous climb to her mouth and he dares not approach for fear of being blown off. Rather,
he works to the centre of her neck and pulls the skin into a weak grip. Her flesh is tantalizing in his goggles. Unable to resist any longer, he bites down rapidly and holds on for dear life as her neck ripples in a spasm and her mouth releases air from so deep within her that his tiny body nearly shatters. Maggie’s neck tightens as she wakes. It is a struggle to suck in her first gulp of air. The haze of sleep has not yet cleared, so she prods her neck with her fingers to check. A damp bump which feels to the touch like a boil throbs. When she draws her fingers back they are scarred with slime. Maggie rubs them off the hammock overhead. ‘That will not be the last fly - -’, she groans, ‘—to mistake me for someone who does not bite back’. Beneath, the sounds of chewing radiate.
Burrow
by Felix Devon Tyler
Under the air It is all natural. We share in it And float.
Why do you so insist on Accompanying the coyote? It is no lion.
However, When the rolling sounds, It is simply a different scene. I will escape to this Rabbit hole.
Until the sounds Leave the forest, The trees are aggravating. The softness cannot reach the Group. Only the one.
No, do not join in. I wish to visit the Creature. If you come, It is gone. I cannot find it anymore. Return to your pups.
On occasion, I will find myself Lost in the water And it stifles. Then, I search for a Worm, And you may string me.
My wandering through The trees Would be peaceful. It is what I Search for.
It is these, When I have slipped, Splashed unintentionally, That I have the voice.
The rabbit hole is Different. It is small, And dark. A struggle to reach. Clawing. The creature is there for me. Underneath, it seeks me out, And I flee. But here, I have asked for it. The creature is mine here. Do not scare it away.
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HUMOUR HEADLINES Politics: Male politicians discover the existence of menstruation
Fashion: Clip-on ‘man bun’ a thing now, because of course it is Language: “Yaaas” now a dictionary term, usable in assignments Culture: Starbucks red cup dyed with the blood of virgins
Guy Repeats Joke Friends Didn’t Laugh At by Lauren Mulvihill Rumours have been circulating in recent days of a male, aged 18 to 22, who awkwardly repeated a joke his friends didn’t laugh at. At the centre of the gossip is Seán McCarthy, 20, who is believed to be the student in question. When approached for a statement, Seán denied any involvement in the practice, which is generally regarded as ‘really awkward’. A friend of Mr. McCarthy, who prefers to remain anonymous, agreed to speak to reporters in the Boole Basement early this week. “He made a joke that wasn’t funny, and none of us laughed. We didn’t want to seem mean, so we just pretended not to hear it,” they claim, “but Seán decided to repeat the joke. And we still didn’t laugh, except one guy, who felt bad for him. It was soul-destroying.” Sources close to the alleged offender - a third-year UCC student
- have described his actions as “unforgivable”. “I lost three minutes of my life that day, and I’m never going to get them back,” one remarks. “And it was all because of Seán and his awkward joke.” The uncomfortable retelling of bad jokes is not a recent phenomenon; historians believe the practice stretches at least as far back as the sixteenth century, when Kathryn Howard claimed her husband, King Henry VIII, was a ‘pain in the neck’ at least three times in 1542 – a joke which, even at the time, was considered dated. Mr. McCarthy has since become a social pariah, for reasons our anonymous source explains: “We’re all just living from one day to the next. It’s gotten so bad that every time he says something that’s even remotely funny, we scream at him like hyenas. My abdomen can’t survive under this
kind of duress for much longer.” At the time of writing, Seán continues to deny that he repeated the joke, claiming instead that his social circle misheard the comment. His close friends have released a statement urging him to own up to the transgression, as “the awkwardness is tearing [them] apart”. Mr. McCarthy has declined to respond.
European Leaders to David Cameron: “You Can’t Sit With Us” Film: US ‘Brooklyn’ reviewers to refer to Saoirse Ronan as “Irish-American” Science: Researchers confirm that literally everyone noticed when you slipped on those leaves Education: Few naggins, be grand
TV LISTINGS 4
RTÉ One, Friday @ 9PM: Breaking Baa follows the gripping story of a drug lord in Connemara. Film 4, Thursday @ 10.30 PM: A Clockwork Orange, featuring a cast of actual oranges.
by Lauren Mulvihill
British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has been refused his request to sit with other European leaders during their lunchbreak in Brussels due to his stance on EU policy in the UK. Cameron, who will seek a referendum on whether or not Britain should remain within the EU before the end of 2017, is rumoured to have retired to a toilet cubicle for the remainder of the break. Sources at 10 Downing Street have allegedly described the EU collectively as “life ruiners”, elaborating: “they ruin peoples’ lives.” These rumours follow a speech by Mr. Cameron at Chatham House, in which he claimed that “emotional” ties would not be enough to keep Britain within the European Union. Among Mr. Cameron’s demands were the ability to restrict benefits for migrants, and to see improvements in competitiveness, which were laid out in a letter sent to the President of the European Council. The European Commission has since
agreed to open talks with Britain, adding that they wished to prove that the EU was “not just a regular Union, we’re a cool Union.” A member of Cameron’s cabinet has since spoken anonymously on the subject of what media outlets are dubbing ‘the Brexit’, in a bid to explain the reasoning behind the Tories’ wishes. “We wish we could all get along like we used to after World War Two. We wish we could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy,” they stated, “and frankly, Eurovision isn’t enough anymore.” With regards to the lunchroom incident in Brussels, it is alleged that Enda Kenny was among the leaders present. Kenny has previously expressed concern at the prospect of the Brexit, and it is believed that he may have had a leading role to play in the shunning. Reliable sources have alleged that An Taoiseach has been
known to claim that Mr. Cameron “made out with a hot dog” (although recent scandals would suggest he has gone further). Kenny himself has just shaken off rumours of a conflict with Greece, after a poor-quality YouTube video surfaced of a figure believed to be Mr. Kenny saying: “If only you knew how mean Greece really is. Yeah, two years ago they told me economic crises were their thing, and I wasn’t allowed to claim to have one anymore. And then for the budget, my ministers had some really good ideas about raising taxes for the rich, but Greece had already done it, so it wasn’t cool anymore.” The international community has expressed their desire for David Cameron to sit at their respective tables in, for example, the lunchrooms of the United Nations, but the Prime Minister is “likely to just want to forget about the whole thing”, according to spectators.
HUMOUR
EDITOR - LAUREN MULVIHILL The Power of Humour: An Open Letter by Katrina Sarva Dear student, I am sure that life can seem daunting at times. But sometimes, it is good to put your foot down and say “I am more important than my problems.” You will do well to keep that in mind, especially when you feel guilty about not doing your essay for the last three days – so what, you finally did the laundry and filled up your underwear drawer with fresh garments, practiced your video game skills - which is highly regarded among the general population who ‘have no life’ - took the dog for a walk, and came up with an epiphany just as the sun peeked through the cover of clouds and bathed you in light: let’s face it, that is all your life will amount to, unless you are Sheldon Cooper. So do not put yourself down if you are not
able to squeeze out a world changing, eye-opening masterpiece and anyway, what is up with articles these days? Is it so hard to put down a year and an author’s name so we can for once reference something without the fear of (n/v, 2006)? But let me tell you something, fellow student; life would be tragic if it weren’t funny. If you find yourself taking things too seriously, you must acknowledge the error of your ways. For I have heard a myth – and to this day I am still not sure if it is true or not – but I have read that a woman was stabbed to death by a frozen icicle of fallen pee from an aeroplane. It came with a picture and to this day the memory fills me with laughter. Does that make me a bad person? Perhaps. Can you tell me of a more tragic way to go? There you
are, taking a nice stroll when a falling, frozen pee stabs you. No, didn’t think so. In any case, you must never underestimate the power of humour. It can change your whole perspective of life. My grandmother used to say: “don’t be so serious, you will get wrinkles.” If you are in a tight spot and your house is on fire, and you are standing on the roof and screaming “Why?!” remember these wise words; everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not alright, it’s not the end. Where did I get these ones from? Not my grandmother this time, I once had a crush on a Swedish drug addict with insomnia and he had posted it up on Facebook. However, just because of my shady sources, do not presume that the message is any
less clear – if you think of your past and all the moments of happiness, of pleasant surprises and moments of sadness too – all these make up who you are and it is also a testament of your future. It will not be the end of the world if you are behind on an essay or your hamster dies because you did not want to clean its poop. You will get through it all and if you do not underestimate the power of humour, you will do so with the right attitude.
Yours truly, Niblish.
Confessions of a Bedridden Student by Katie Myers I was in for a minor surgery recently. I seem to sprout extra body parts as if it was the superpower of a B-list superhero. Fortunately, I’m not supposed to walk around, as I may find myself wandering into the men’s ward for talent spotting (*wink wink*). I have received extraordinary support from my family: especially my brother, who dutifully informed me that the lump on my leg (which he christened Lumpy Linda) looked like I had an extra knee. Given the extra thumb I was landed with at birth, you can see that extra limbs are nothing new (and, not to mention, great fun at parties). Arriving at seven am with a rumbling stomach - signifying that the remains of the Last Supper feast from the night
before was well and truly out of my system - with medical card (being the poor student that I am) and a urine sample (as if I, an 18 year old virgin, could be pregnant), I was eventually escorted to surgery after an hour of enduring the wafting aroma of toast, eggs and other breakfast foods, in a backless gown that left nothing to the imagination. I lay here now after several days of ‘you’re going home today’ fake outs, with bruises galore, as I type. Most of these due to several failed attempts at administering general anaesthetic because I have the veins of a heroin addict (how I managed that with barely even taking paracetamol is beyond me). My last conscious moments consisted
of watching the poor doctor experience major stress on account of my delicate veins (a back-handed compliment if ever I heard one). After a momentary panic, having forgotten where I was, I was wheeled back to the ward. This, in hindsight, would’ve been fun if I didn’t just have half of my leg chopped off. I’m now wearing an extremely fashionable leg-warmer-like bandage, with matching bed sock and a drain the size of a soup sachet attached to my leg. I’m constantly annoying the nurses, due to my constant puns about my condition. One occasion comes to mind where I responded to a wellmeaning inquiry about my health with ‘I’m drained’ (she was not amused) although when I do crack a joke, I feel
like marionette with the amount of tubes sticking out of me. Piles of tiny shot sized glasses keep me company, reminding me of my drinking days of last Thursday. Making several trips to the toilet due to my kitten-sized bladder and my new hobby of drinking buckets of water has created a new dance move that would rival Gangnam Style: the peg-leg shuffle (submit soundtracks now). I leave you now from my bed, doing my best death scene impression, after witnessing an exit scene starring my mother, which was worthy of a Shakespearean romance, springing from genuine affection.
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GAMING
EDITOR - AOIFE GLEESON Just Browsing Byline Editor Xander Cosgrave recommends some browser games for maximum procrastination
Ah yes, the noble online browser game: the most effective way to casually do as little work as possible. We’re not talking about your standard little flash game from secondary school either, we’re talking about games with a bit more oompf and an extra bit of depth. So, let’s look at a few of the best, or at least most notable, games you can play in a browser. All of these games can be played once you have an internet connection and they’re even better with your actual real life friends, so you can all procrastinate together. I’ve even thrown in some similar games you might look at if you enjoy these ones; aren’t I helpful.
Runescape
Neptune’s Pride
Fallen London
Fantasy Sportsball
A throwback to a bygone era of gaming.
A boardgame set in space on your computer: the future is here.
It still counts if you play it in a browser: you’re a nerd too.
I know, I was surprised it’s still a thing too. But yes, 14 years later, Runescape by Jagex Studios is still going on strong. Or, at the very least, still going. It has all of the wonderful aspects of an MMO: grinding, fighting with your friends, raids, pointless quests, greater rats, and more without the encumbrance of things like graphics or a dedicated client. In all seriousness, if you feel like giving part of your life away but don’t want to be bothered paying for something you’re going to get bored of in a month anyway, you should probably just go to Runescape. Despite all the jokes people will make about it, it represents the very core of what an MMO is. More than that, it has been tweaked so much over its life without changing the core formula that it just feels good to play and it has aged well considering the speed games advance.
Neptune’s Pride is a multiplayer game by Ironhelmet where all you need to do is take over the galaxy. Sure, there are other things you can do. Other goals you can set yourself, elements of role play you can add in, but galactic domination is essentially it. You can also play it with your friends; all of you joining a game and slowly fighting each other over the course of a few weeks. The game functions in real time so you only need to play a few hours over the course of a few weeks which gives you a really flexible time commitment as you slowly crush your friends. It is reminiscent of Risk in the way that friendships are ruined because of you turning on your ‘Ally’ to steal a victory for yourself. Its brutality and simplicity make this game a must for any procrastinator. Byline Score: 6, for the number of real life friendships that it’s ruined
London, 1893, somewhere a mile below the surface of the world. That’s where the Lovecraftian fantasy game Fallen London, by Failbetter Games, starts you off. You will find yourself in a witty and oddly charming world where Queen Victoria (now referred to only as The Traitor Empress) has sold London to the enigmatic Masters of the Echo Bazaar. No one’s quite sure what they are, but they are definitely powerful. An absolutely massive and immersive world has been built and you slowly work your way through the text based stories and adventures to find your part in it. Become an anarchist, intent on freeing the oppressed; join a university, and try not to lose your soul to a Devil; even fight Jack of Smiles, the particularly gruesome version of Jack the Ripper Fallen London has. The game has layers of mystery and depth and you can find secrets in anywhere from colours to the dark depths of the in-game equivalent to the ocean, The Unterzee. These adventures are not without danger though, as I found out when my character went insane from spending too much time trying to study what was essentially archaeology, and then ended up in the dream lands that are ruled by cats. The cats then tried to eat me at some point, I offended them.
See also: Endless Space, Civilisation: Beyond Earth, Risk.
Byline Score: I’ve forgotten, because of some half formed colour in my dreams.
Byline score: Arbitrary number based on its age. See Also: World of Warcraft I guess. Guild Wars, Elder Scrolls online I suppose.
See Also: Amnesia, Sunless Sea
Hey! Listen! 6
Calling all female gamers, if you’re interested in participating in interviews for a study contact Aoife on ‘gaming@uccexpress.ie’
I said sportsball because you can actually play pretty much any sport as a fantasy game in your browser. Fantasy soccer, done. Fantasy Rugby, done. Fantasy Cricket, yes, even that. Don’t feel like any of the above is your style but still want to whittle away time without doing anything meaningful? Fantasy sports is for you. Firstly, you can finally prove to everyone that if you were the manager, yes, things would have actually gone better. Better than that though you can also set up your own home leagues and prove that you’re also better than your friends at running a club because everything is better if you succeed against people you know. Byline Score: 2-1 to Crystal palace, and I’ll never let a Chelsea fan forget it happened for real. See Also: Football Manager games, Fifa, Pro evolution, everything in the EA sports catalogue.
ARTS & LIT
EDITOR - COLM FURLONG Theatre Lookback: The Year So Far Colm Furlong looks back at some of the theatre experiences Cork has offered thus far. Theatre is a wonderful form of entertainment. It bring together fine writing talent with fine acting talent and delivers an evening of fine art to an audience. This term has seen some fantastic on stage performances throughout Cork City on numerous different stages. The Everyman Theatre has been the host of numerous fantastic shows. From its Autumn Winter launch night where The Outgoing Tide premiered to one of its more recent shows How to Keep an Alien, the theatre has delivered some highly intriguing pieces. They have also presented a huge variety of differing styles. There have been serious, dark dramas; such as the afore mentioned The
Outgoing Tide, Dark/Black comedies; such as Vernon God Little, and straight up comedies; such as Absent Friends and the afore mentioned How to Keep an Alien. The highlight of their performances thus far in my opinion has been How to Keep an Alien. This was an amazing, insightful comedy which was an autobiographical tale of Sonya Kelly. It told the story of her love for an Australian woman, and the hilariousness that ensued as they attempted to prove they deserved to live in Ireland together. Let’s not forget the remaining upcoming productions that have yet to
go on stage. The highlight for many is sure to be their Christmas pantomime Aladdin; sure to be a treat for all of the family. I look forward to the end of this term at the Everyman, and to next term when I’m sure they’ll have a whole host of more fantastic shows scheduled for their stage. UCC Dramat has thus far had two productions this term; their short play festival collectively titled Threeway, and their first full length production The Overcoat. Dramat has shown off their talent thus far this term; displaying fine acting, writing and directing talent, along with the skills of the crews behind the shows. They have three more productions scheduled before this term
ends: Right You Are, The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Gigli Concert. These are sure to be wonderful evenings of entertainment for all to enjoy. There has been much more fantastic theatre throughout the city this term. Cork is truly a hub for the arts, and if you have not yet made a trip to one of our fine theatres for a show, I strongly recommend to take the opportunity. There is something special about immersing yourself in the cultural world of the city, it’s a truly interesting experience. There are many more great shows to come this term, and I’m sure next term will have even more.
Books to Buy This Festive Season
Here’s a couple of recommendations for books you might buy for loved ones this year.
Books are always a great gift. While there is still some time to go until Christmas, this final issue of term seemed a good place to make some recommendations of books you might want to consider as potential gifts.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Robert Galbraith
On Writing
This fine book, and the two which follow: Hollow City and Library of Souls are excellent books. I have mentioned them multiple time this term Byline, and it seems only fitting that I mention them again as a gift recommendation. Ransom Riggs’ trilogy is not only a fantastic read for Young Adults, but for readers of any age. They blend storytelling and found/ vintage photography in order to weave a spellbinding, ‘peculiar’ tale.
J.K Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith is currently penning a series of detective novels centred on the character Cormoran Strike. In her first adult series of novels, Rowling has demonstrated her skill as a writer of numerous genres. Her skills for the storytelling craft that were first demonstrated in the Harry Potter series, translate wonderfully into these rich crime stories. One would almost question whether it is the same writer at points. Nevertheless, for any fan of the detective novel these books, The Cuckoo’s Calling, The Silkworm and Career of Evil would make excellent gifts.
Stephen King, one of the most successful writers ever, once penned a book entitled On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. This book is a brilliant resource for the budding writer in the family. It is filled with advice from King, along with several interesting anecdotes and autobiographical tales that helped shape his career as a writer. This book offers a brilliant insight into the minds of one of the most brilliant, creative, and successful writers who is still writing today.
Whether you are looking for stocking fillers, or small personal gifts, you cannot go wrong with a good book. I highly recommend heading down to your local bookshop and doing some browsing over the next month. You never know what gems you may find.
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EDITORS - JESS NÍ MHAOLÁIN - DAPPER SAPEUR
FASHION
How to Ball in Style This Winter If you’re looking to be more stylish this winter and impress everyone as soon as you walk into a ball then this is the perfect place for you to see how. These are simplistic suits that you can put together very easily. And you can always be guaranteed that you’ll look great in them.
Black Tie Suit This suit is very specific. It’s the classic look that we all think of when we think of a suit. It’s a black blazer, white shirt, black tie/bowtie and a white pocket square. It looks brilliant for any kind of ball or formal function in any season. Only style tip I can offer is make sure your suit fits. If the suit is too big then get it to a tailors to fix it. It’s inexpensive. If the suit is too small then donate it to charity and buy a new one. Nothing looks worse than an ill fitted suit.
Black Tie Creative Suit This type of suit is very similar to the classic black tie suit but it allows for more colour and diversity but you don’t want to go overboard with it, stick with good colour combinations for the tie/ bowtie.
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MODELS COURTESY OF: DAPPER SAPEUR & VERSO FASHION
FASHION
How to Ball in Style This Winter by Jess Ni Mhaolain
So it’s that time of year again in college - ball season! When you buy your ticket, you’ll swear your outfit will be on point and your assignments will be done, but in reality it’ll be a last-minute buy or rent for the ball in question. To help out with this search for an outfit worthy of an Instagram post, here are some ideas we’ve put together on how to look good, and to be unique while doing so! All pieces below are available from Verso & The Dress Bar, located in Douglas Court SC. The award-winning store is a fusion of a local boutique offering clothes from the casual to dressy, and a gown rental service. Remember that a dress code is what you make of it - it’s your style and no one else’s. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd and express yourself with an outfit a little different than the rest.There are some great ideas for setting you own style for the next college or society ball. And that assignment you have to finish? ... Well, I’ll just leave that to you!
Option One Let’s start with this beautiful rental from Verso, which would be perfect for the more formal balls such as Strauss or a black-tie ball. The best feature about this particular gúna is the lack of jewellery which would be needed with it too - all that beading in the top is more than enough! Also a very flattering fit on you taller ladies who don’t want to wear a dress with one design flowing throughout MODEL: Claudia Kelly, PHOTO: Verso & The Dress Bar
Option Two The ‘Lily Black’ is a perfect piece for the less formal events, or the afters of a Ball. While the dress itself is a simple LBD, it’s jazzed-up studded arms give it that added WOW! While it is a body con style dress, the detail on the upper part of the dress can be very forgiving. Well worth a look! MODEL: Lisa Mac. PHOTOGRAPH: Verso
Option Three Another LBD here a beautiful sequin and bead effect - again, perfect for the less-formal Balls or the afters. For those of you with a keen eye, you’ll spot straight off the mark that this is a trademark Virgos Lounge piece - known as the Veronika. Minimal accessories with this would be best, and its a great fit for those of us who are conscious of our shape in certain dress styles. MODEL: Lisa Mac. PHOTO: Verso
Option Four Yes - you can wear a jumpsuit to a ball! After all, its YOUR style! The Darcy has a cullote finish to the pants, and is a great alternative to a ballgown. It’s an amazingly comfortable piece to wear all night long, and is perfect for all types of college balls, including the more formal ones. Best paired with some statement jewellery and stilettos that’ll give you a bit of toe cleavage. MODEL: Lisa MacPHOTO: Verso
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Option Five This final piece is a perfect wear for those wanting a statement look - there’s no taking your eyes off someone wearing this eye-catching gown! While being a comfortable wear for a ‘fulls’ ticket-holder, it fits well in all the right places - the bust and waist. Best paired with a statement neckpiece and bracelet, It’s also a perfect wear for shorter girls - one bold colour will help to lengthen your body in photos. MODEL: Claudia Kelly Photo: Verso
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: DAPPER SAPEUR & VERSO FASHION
FASHION
Reimagining Old School by Dapper Sapeur
SO this is the suit that we’ve all seen our grand parents wear but we weren’t sure whether or not we were allowed to wear it but guys its winter and nothing looks better than a properly fitted tweed contrast suit. Throw on a fitted brown tweed blazer and pair it with a nice pair of black skinny jeans and automatically you’ve got a great winter suit and you’re guaranteed that it will stop people in their tracks when they see it.
Navy Revolution Nothing looks better in winter than a Navy suit if done well. It’s versatile enough to be worn with any combo and it’s not too specific and it’s easy to find navy suits. It’s the most stocked suit in stores after the black suit. With the navy suit. You can be as dapper as you want. Go all out, wear a nice lapel flower that puts your suit on another level.
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MUSIC By Holly Cooney - Music Editor
Norwegian 19 Year Old Expected To Set The World Alight Another year, another John Lewis Christmas advert trying to make you cry and this time it’s the turn of Norwegian singer Aurora to put her voice to this year’s Christmas ad to. Following in the likes of Lily Allen, Ellie Goulding and Tom Odell, at the tender age of 19 Aurora is the youngest artist to be featured in the now famous John Lewis Christmas advert. Having already sold out shows in London and across Europe, as well as having a song featured in FIFA 16 her quick ascent should not be surprise to anyone. Aurora, full name Aurora Asknes, began playing piano at the age of six, inspired by classical music. She began writing songs at the age of nine but kept her talents hidden for many years in order to develop her skills away from the watchful eyes of others. She was
convinced to play her songs live by her mother who said that her songs could help people. Her own memories of her first live performance are “Horrible” as she sang a 9 minute song with no chorus that was about the environment at her high school graduation. She remembers thinking that “All the kids fell asleep because the song was so long, without a chorus [and] about something they didn’t care about”.
who after hearing her sing in a school assembly asked for a copy of one of her songs and then uploaded it onto a Norwegian streaming website. The management company, Made Management, heard the track and quickly went about trying to sign the young singer which they did when Aurora was just 18. Very soon afterwards she was signed to Glass Note, Decca and Petroleum records.
obvious SIA influence, even in the way she dresses.
Her talents would have forever gone unnoticed had it not been for a friend
Since signing for a label, Aurora has released only one EP entitled “Running with the Wolves” which was released in May of this year. The songs are sparsely instrumented, with in-depth and sensitive lyrics portraying the common theme of escapism. There is a lot of emphasis on using her own double-tracked vocals as the most audible instrument and there is a very
Aurora is guaranteed to have a busy 2016. She’s being tipped for success by the likes of NME, The Sunday Times and The Independent newspapers and her first album “Winter Bird” is scheduled to be released in February. The world expects a lot and only time will tell if she can fulfil her expectations but this Oasis cover song is a step in the right direction.
Top Christmas Albums for 2015 By Zoe Fitzpatrick
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Slay Belles- RuPaul
Kylie Christmas - Kylie Minogue
It’s A Holiday Soul Party - Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
One of the most highly anticipated Christmas albums of 2015 is Rupaul’s “Slay Belles”. This album, which was released in October, features collaborations with Michelle Visage, Todrick Hall, Markaholic, Big Freedia and Ellis Miah and has received a huge amount of cover in the media already. This festive release comes 18 years after RuPaul’s last Christmas LP, Ho Ho Ho, and has a 90s sound throughout. Some of the hits from the fun, upbeat album include “Jingle Dem Bells”, “Christmas Cookies”, “Christmas is about Love” and “You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree)”.
This release from pop icon Kylie Minogue hit shelves in November and features a mixture of original songs and covers of already popular Christmas songs. The album features duets with sister Dannii Minogue, punk icon Iggy Pop, Frank Sinatra and comedian and actor James Cordon. “100 Degrees” is set to be a disco Christmas classic, while some other hits off the album include “Let it Snow”, “Christmas isn’t Christmas ’Til You Get Here” and “Santa Clause is Coming To Town”. This album is in keeping with Kylie’s traditional sound, and while it may not be a “wow” moment, it will be a cheerful addition to our festive playlists this Christmas.
This is the first holiday release from the soul/ funk group, and it features both traditional Christmas covers, such as “White Christmas” and “Silent Night” and funk interpretations of Christmas classics such as “Funky Little Drummer Boy” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gents”.The group’s original hit “Ain’t no Chimneys in the Projects”, which was originally released in 2009, is also included in this album alongside “Big Bulbs” and “8 Days (Of Hanukkah)”. This is a happy, upbeat Christmas album which also has its soulful moments and deeper meanings at certain points. All in all, definitely one for the Christmas party!
MUSIC
EDITOR - HOLLY COONEY
How Kanye West created Modern Hip-Hop Cailean Coffey explores the influence of Kanye West on the modern hip-hop scene Kanye west has claimed to be many things: The new Steve Jobs, Walt Disney and the “greatest rock star in the world”, he’s claimed on numerous occasions to be the messiah, with songs like “Jesus Walks” and “I Am A God” expressing just that, and that’s before even mentioning the infamous Rolling Stone cover photo of him with a bloody face, staring into the distance wearing a crown of thorns, but he has a rightful claim to be called the creator of modern Hip-Hop.
Some would regard Kanye’s 2008 album “808’s and Heartbreak” as merely the album that threw auto tune at the masses, but in saying that you’d be missing the whole genius and authenticity behind the album. “808’s” is one of the most heart-breaking albums of the 2000’s, with Kanye putting his heart into every word, every detail, every drum beat and every auto tuned note on the record, because this is ,first and foremost, a plea for help. It was Kanye asking for help, in the only way he knows how, through music. In 2007 and 2008, Kanye was hit with two life altering experiences. Firstly, on the 10th of November 2007 Kanye’s mother Donda passed away following complications from cosmetic surgery. Donda had been Kanye’s inspiration, she had raised him as a single mother in one of the poorest areas of Chicago. She was one of the only people who constantly supported him as he received constant criticism from the media and
the internet in general. His claim on a Hurricane Katrina fundraising TV telethon that “George Bush hates black people” had received an understandably violent backlash from the US public and ever since Kanye’s name has been something that raised the disgust rather than respect. Mere months after his mother’s death, Kanye’s engagement to Alexis Phifer ended, along with their 6 year relationship. Kanye, for one of the first times in his life, was truly alone.
filled with times of emotional loss and loneliness for everyone, no matter how high on the social or economic ladder you may be. Kanye was the first rap artist to show true emotion for what it was, painful. He spoke his feelings and didn’t hold anything back, He put his career and reputation on the line and would most likely have been questioned at every turn but he strove through for what he believed in; a change of mind set.
He threw himself into his music and in the space of 3 weeks him and fellow producers Mr. Hudson and No I.D perfected the minimalist approach that would define 808’s . Kanye fell in love with the Roland TR-808 drum machine and felt that its sound expressed his emotion at the time. Kanye later said in interviews that he found that, for this album, rap was too “limiting” and instead used auto-tune and his own singing voice to express his pain and anguish.
So how did this make Kanye the master of modern hip hop? Well if you look at the artists working today, who are top of the charts or who are selling the most albums, you’ll see 808’s influence everywhere. From Drake to The Weeknd, J-Cole to Kid Cudi, B.O.B. to Wretch 32 . Drakes whole persona, and internet meme, of the emotional rapper would not have been possible or even thinkable had it not been for 808’s. The links between Drakes “Marvins Room” and Kanye’s “Coldest Winter” are stemmed in the emotional and psychological background. Would the Weeknd have been able to release “Wicked Game” if Kanye hadn’t released “Bad News” first and paved the way?
If you listen to songs such as “Heartless” and “Bad News” it’s difficult not to feel for the man. In other tracks, such as the song “Street lights”, with the lyrics repeated throughout with added instrumentation at each repetition, it’s easy to see what headspace this tormented soul has been thrown into. The final fade out of the line “Life’s just not fair” on this song really shows the harsh reality of what Kanye had been through. He went from having it all to having no one, from riches to rags emotionally and what did the public do? Just hate him more. If anyone has the right to say“ life’s just not fair” it’s 2008 Kanye.
This album was a breakthrough for music. This was one of the first “Rap” (Kanye resented calling it a rap album, preferring to categorize it as pop) albums to show that it was ok not to be okay, that life wasn’t always about women and sex, money and murder or fame and fortune but that it was also
see his influence, and despite others hatred he continued to break through the perceived norms after 808’s, with “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” continually lauded as a modern classic, and his latest release,” Yeezus”, punching harder lyrically than anything he’s written before, fronting up to modern commercialism and the power of corporations in the modern world. The man often titled and idiot and meaninglessly famous paved the way for change and innovation in the same way Steve Jobs did with technology and Walt Disney did for film. Maybe he wasn’t too wrong after all….
No matter how much you may love or loath the entity that is Kanye west you need only look at the charts to
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FILM & TELEVISION Blockbusters that Almost Missed the ‘Block’ By Sadhbh Corkery Jack and Rose on a big boat; a really long walk in Middle Earth; spaceships, Wookiees and gold bikinis- Nowadays, these are all iconic images of cinema, bringing to mind instantly images of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. However, there were times during the creation and production of these much-loved films when the powers that be came close to pulling the plug altogether, or a crucial casting decision was made that changed the face of our favourite blockbuster forever. As it turns out, there’s a fair few speed bumps between ‘lights, camera, action’ and happily ever after. Nowadays, the idea of the film Titanic being anything less than a recordbreaking success for its director James Cameron is, to use the words of another troubled classic, The Princess Bride - “Inconceivable!” But because of its ballooning budget, risky casting choices and Cameron’s perfectionism leading to serious delays in shooting time, Titanic came scarily close to staying at the
bottom of the ocean forever. I, for one, am very happy it became the runaway hit it is today- a world where I can’t cry about Leonardo DiCaprio while listening to Celine Dion is a world I don’t want to live in. The Star Wars films, a source of some serious nostalgia, and with the new addition to the franchise being released in December, could have stayed on the cutting-room floor, were it not for George Lucas’ vision and drive. Hardly anyone would take the project on in the beginning, saying it was too risky, as scifi just wasn’t popular in the 1970s and it would never be a commercial success. If that wasn’t enough, towards the end of the shoot as they were running over time, the studio gave Lucas an ultimatum- finish the entire film in two weeks, or it would be shut down forever. Luckily for the fans, Lucas rose to the challenge and created a classic. The Lord of the Rings trilogy faced similar problems when it was
trying to get backing in the early 2000sthe production company Miramax took it on, but proposed a ‘condensed’ version of the story, with the events of the three books crammed into two films, and minor characters either rewritten or cut out altogether. For many fans, including the director Peter Jackson, this was worse than no film at all. But Miramax stuck to their guns and insisted that if Jackson didn’t find a different backer by the end of the month, they would fire him and make their condensed version with a different director. Luckily for him (and for us!) New Line Cinema stepped in at the last minute to save the day, and Jackson got to make the beloved trilogy the way he had always wanted- nearly three billion dollars and seventeen Oscars later, who’s complaining? And then there are some films that just don’t want to be made. The original Omen film was plagued from beginning to end with freak accidents, mysterious deaths and natural disasters, so much
so that they became known as ‘The Curse of the Omen’. This ‘curse’ allegedly caused cast members to be on planes that were by struck by lightning, the crew to narrowly avoid using another plane that later crashed, and a special effects assistant being killed after the shoot wrapped in an almost identical manner to one of the characters in the film. Whether it’s spooky goings-on, pedantic production companies or just plain bad luck, Hollywood blockbusters have a lot of hoops to jump through before they ever make it to the screen. So the next time you’re on a trip to the ‘flicks’, I hope you enjoy whatever film you end up seeing, and you’ll join me in raising your popcorn to the ones that didn’t make the cut.
Mental Health On Screen By Olivia Brown - Film & Television Editor The power of the screen in modern life is undeniable. TV and Film each partake in a joint power-sharing arrangement over our lives. Both have the power to influence and manipulate how we see the world, impacting how we then interpret certain issues. With all this in mind it is time to examine the role of the silver screen in the discussion on mental health.
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Over the years there has been many a film on mental health, usually portraying a particular mental illness. The 1988 flick “Rain Man” sees Dustin Hoffman playing the role of Raymond Babbitt an autistic, savant man. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is based on the novel by Ken Kesey and introduces us to a variety of disorders as free-spirited con Jack P.McMurphy is admitted to a state mental hospital. Even the last decade has brought with it a stream of films which also deal with issues surrounding mental health. “ Silver -Linings Playbook”, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Still Alice” are just a few films which highlighted these
issues and brought them to forefront of the public domain. With the medium playing such an influential role in our day-to-day lives it’s not hard to see the potential of the screen in attempts to destigmatise and raise awareness of mental health. When she accepted her Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Tiffany, a young widow with depression, in “Silver Linings Playbook”, Jennifer Lawrence highlighted the stigma surrounding mental health. “I think that there’s such a huge stigma over it [mental illness], that I hope we can get rid of, or help… I mean, people have diabetes or asthma and they have to take medication for it. But as soon as you have to take medication for your mind, there’s this instant stigma. Hopefully we’ve given those people hope, and made people realize that it’s not -” TV can also be praised through its efforts to ensure an accurate and
just portrayal of psychological wellbeing. Researchers at the Glasgow Media Group found that shows such as “Homeland” and “Orange is the New Black” are successful in promoting a better understanding of mental health and in some cases, encourage sufferers to seek help. The sensitive portrayal of illnesses such as bipolar disorder, as experienced by Carrie Mathison or depression, of which Corrie’s Steve McDonald is a sufferer, are helping to combat some of the negative depictions of mental health which have previously graced our screens. The Bafta award-winning screenwriter Peter Moffat has said: “In a television era when too many documentaries are essentially freak shows written, shot and edited to ask an audience to laugh at people with mental health issues, writers of television drama have a special responsibility to work against stereotyping and to create characters who are complex and engaging.”
It’s clear that the genre appreciates this new task as it has come a long way from the extreme portrayals seen in Hitchcock’s “Psycho”. Even this Summer’s blockbuster, “Inside Out” again presents us with a new way in which cinema is encourage an open discussion of emotions and psychological well-being.
EDITOR - OLIVIA BROWN
FILM & TV
Christmas Films Are All Around Us by Zoe Fitzpatrick Sleigh bells ring, church bells chime and Christmas classics are played in abundance. Many of these festive favourites are sickeningly cheesy, so what is it that keeps us watching them on repeat every year? These films allow us to escape from our hectic christmas schedules for 2 hours, and provide a means of uniting the whole family in a universally appealing activity. This leads to the most obvious conclusion that it is the act of watching christmas films, rather than the quality of the films themselves which makes us enjoy watching films that are mediocre at best every year.
‘These overly cheesy moments that are interspersed throughout these christmas hits disguise the basics plots and distract us from the truth: The majority of these films are passable at best’ Many of these films contain beautiful moments - when the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes after a young Taylor Momsen shows him the meaning of Christmas (The Grinch), when Mark turns up at Juliet’s door in a slightly stalkerish but definitely romantic bid to win her affections(Love Actually), when the snowman and the boy go flying while “Walking in The Air” plays (The Snowman). However, these overly cheesy moments that are interspersed throughout these christmas hits disguise the basics plots and distract us from the truth - the majority of these films are passable at best. They follow a formula in which Christmas is approaching, someone or something provides a threat to Christmas, it seems all is ruined, and then an unexpected hero saves the day so everyone can go on with their lives and have the beautiful, mushy christmas they were all preparing for at the beginning.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying that following a formula is necessarily a bad thing. After all, don’t all films follow a basic formula? The problem comes when we take a predictable formula, and combine it with a tolerable execution and production. It makes me wonder what it is that makes us continue to watch the same run-of-the-mill films every Christmas without fail and come away feeling like we have gained something. My opinion on this is that we love
Christmas as a concept, and that anything related to Christmas automatically gets to piggyback off of the love we already have for this time of year. As a result, we don’t criticise these films the way we do films that we watch at other times of the year. “Deck The Halls”, for instance, follows two neighbours who are having it out after one of them decides to decorate his house so that it will be seen from space. If this isn’t an example of mediocrity, I don’t know what is. Also in this genre of festive favourites is the christmas films with a more modern day setting, aimed towards teenagers and adults. Four Christmases, Love Actually, The Holiday - all of these seem to focus more on the characters’ love lives than anything else. These can be compared to the classic rom-com without the Christmas theme, where we see pretty much the same storyline without the crutch of the holiday season. Even rom-coms, which are infamous for being sappy and predictable, don’t have this excuse to be satisfied with average. While many are still fairly undistinguished the “When Harry Met Sally”s of this genre are miles ahead of their counterpart in the christmas genre.
It stands out as alarming to me, also, that a holiday with such an important historical and religious context has a lack of films in this genre representing this aspect of it. A Christmas film based on the birth of Jesus does not exist (unless you count Monty Python’s Life of Brian, of course.) There are above average classics, such as “A Christmas Carol”, but none which actually cover where christmas came from, or even give any significance to the historical context of this holiday. The importance of giving is a running theme in every christmas film, which is a good message of course, but we feel so good getting this message from them that we don’t look for any more from them, and they don’t feel the need to go any deeper than this. As a result of this, a whole aspect of christmas is lost in these movies.
These christmas films are undeniably enjoyable, but the problem arises when we mistake “enjoyable” for “good”. They are enjoyable, as Christmas is enjoyable, and I certainly like watching them. I like allowing myself to escape from my own chaotic Christmas, mindlessly revealing in 2 hours of ideological cheese. However, this does not mean I will go as far as to ignore the commonness of this genre and claim it to be “good” in any way. A fitting analogy is that they are the McDonalds of the film industry - we know what we’re going to get, we expect a lower standard and we are therefore happy with what we get. Just like we like McDonalds, we like Christmas films. This highlights the reason only 5 films in an overpopulated genre have been nominated for Oscars - because they are reaching the standard they have set for themselves, but this standard is not in keeping with the bar set by the rest of the industry.
A Christmas film based on the birth of Jesus does not exist (unless you count Monty Python’s Life of Brian, of course.) At the end of the day, mediocrity aside, I’m looking forward to continuing the annual traditions of watching The Grinch, The Santa Clause, Home Alone. I’m looking forward to the act of watching these films. I’m looking forward to the feeling that when I do watch these films this year, it will well and truly be Christmas.
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