Closet to Classroom SAVE ON YOUR STYLE Everything you need to know about looking like a million bucks- without spending it!
PREP IN YOUR STEP Has Woodford officially gone preppy?
SO WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? The confidential on the unofficial dress code for every event
SPRING 2015
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table of contents letter from the editors
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what woodford wears
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make a splash with less cash 10 invasion of the preps 16
Dear Readers, Hey there! So glad you decided to open up our magazine. We made this magazine for the Woodford County girl- always classy, never trashy, and a lil’ bit sassy. To those girls who love pearls, monograms, and all things southern, this is the magazine for you. We set out to keep the Woodford County population in the know of all things fashion. What to wear, how to save, and everything you could possibly want to know about preppy fashion- it’s all here. So grab your favorite Starbucks drink, sit down, and get ready for a roller coaster ride through the fashion culture of WCHS. -XOXO C2C (aka Mikayla, Reagan, and Jorden)
What Woodford Wears
You’re sitting on the floor of your room, piles of clothes surrounding you. You’re getting stressed, “What will everyone else be wearing?” “Am I too dressed up?” “Too casual?” It’s a scene in every cliche teenage movie, and no matter how embarrassing it is to admit, you’ve done it too. Finding the perfect outfit is hard, no matter what the event and let’s be honest, big fashion magazines aren’t helping. Vogue and Cosmo always cover The Oscars what to wear and never misses New York fashion week, but what about bowling with friends? Or how to dress for a football game? That’s where I come in.
Time out for Fashion
It’s time to finally have a source of fashion inspiration for people like you and me in Versailles, Kentucky! Very popular events to attend in Woodford County are the sporting events, but what is acceptable attire? Should you always go “all- out spirited attire”? The number one rule is always be comfortable and have confidence in what you’re wearing. So if the theme of the game is beachwear, but you’re not feeling the popular bikini top and shorts look, wear a hawaiian shirt or a lei. As long as you are comfortable, however, I do suggest at least wearing a Woodford shirt- it shows school spirit! Besides, black and gold looks good on everyone! This year there was a beach theme at a football and basketball game. Here is what Emma Sandman wore to the football game: sandals, pastel colored shorts, a white tank top, a lei, and sunglasses. The game was early September so she didn’t have to worry about the cold, that’s when shorts are acceptable. What does a girl wear when the beach is actually in 20 degree weather? Emma wore leggings, a hawaiian shirt,
Old Navy V-Neck
Flower pants from Aerie
Lei from Dollar store
Leggings from Pink
Freshmen McKenna Jobe and Gloria Mullins show off what they wore for basketball Beach night.
and sunglasses. “I always do the themes because it shows school spirit. I think everyone should,” said Emma. No matter the weather outside she enjoyed pretending it was summer inside! Another theme we had was “Prep-out”. Everyone dressed in their preppiest attire. This game I wore a Vineyard Vines pull over and a bow in my hair. Some of the guys took it a step further, wearing full suits with bow ties. Most girls wore well know brands like Vineyard Vines, Ralph Lauren, and Lilly Pulitzer.
First Impressions
Okay, so it’s the off season: no sports games tonight but you are going out with some friends, so you still need the perfect outfit! Or an event that causes even more anxiety, a first date. I’m here to help! First step assess the situation, where are you planning on going? If it’s a common date/ hang out place you have probably gone before,think about the activity and what most
Off to the Races
Sample date oufit ideas. Modeled by Senior Kristian Harlow and Myself.
people would wear. Once again remember to be comfortable. If dresses aren’t your thing, don’t feel pressured to wear one. Jeans can always be dressed up by adding a cute top and heels. Say you’re going bowling- what’s the perfect outfit? Most bowlers there will be pretty casual so if you don’t want to stand out I’d go with jeans and a cute top. Since you have to wear bowling shoes don’t spend too much time on the shoes. You will just take them off (but bring socks!). If its a first date and you want to look your best, play up your best feature. Wear the style top that fits you best. My grandmother always says “You’ll never regret being overdressed”. I interpret this as always put your best foot forward. When in doubt- dress it up!
And they’re off! If you know this popular phrase, you know about Keeneland. It’s a Kentucky tradition, fun for the entire family. Most importantly, it’s a place to wear your cutest outfit! What to wear to a place where there will be definite photo opportunities? When I go to Keeneland I make sure to plan for the weather. You’ll spend most your time outside so just because it’s a cute doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. Watch for rain. There has been more than one instance where I’ve been caught having to walk through the muddy parking lot trying not to let my heels sink into the ground. I should have planned for the weather better! Keeneland is one of the few places that has a dress code when going. If you’re in general admission then try to look nice, but there isn’t the risk for being kicked out. If you are lucky enough to go to the top floor or “VIP area” there is a formal dress code. Women can’t wear pants and men have to wear a tie. The last time I went I wore a Lilly Pulitzer dress with nude heels. I was in dress code and it looked great!
The Night you Feel like a Princess
One of the biggest events for a high schooler in Woodford county is prom. It’s a whole day devoted to getting your hair done, nails painted, “I’VE HAD MY DRESS and pictures taken. It’s planning months SINCE JANUARY” before and finding JANE WATTS the perfect date and dress. Last year, Jane Watts bought her dress in January. That’s four months before prom! Prom is an event that you’ll look back on during high school. You’ll have hundreds of pictures you will eventually show your kids. That’s why it is so important to find the PERFECT dress! When shopping for a prom dress it is important to know what type will look the best on you. Even if the model in the magazine looks amazing the dress might do you more harm than good if it doesn’t make you look amazing. Always take a friend or even better your mom (she will be brutally honest, its a fact) to tell you their opinion of the dress. Play up your best feature! I can’t stress this enough, if you have curves show them off with a tight dress. Or if you have nice legs go with a short dress. This prom season the big thing are twopiece dresses. Sherri Hill, a popular dress designer, designed an entire collection of them that have been released for prom. I was lucky enough to try a few on when I needed a prom-style dress for a pageant I was in last fall. The two- piece dresses are perfect for the girls who don’t want to show off a lot of cleavage, however, you need to be confident enough to expose your belly a bit. I tried this dress type on and really liked
the amount of skin it showed, enough but not too much to where I felt uncomfortable. I ended up getting a different style but only because it wasn’t “pageant perfect”. Senior Kaity Coleman rocked a two- piece at prom last year. “I really liked the way it looked on me. I don’t really have a lot of cleavage to show so I thought it was perfect for my body type,” said Kaity. Just because something is “in this season” doesn’t mean you have to wear it. Classic style dresses are definitely good too. Ballgown style dresses are the classic go to dress for prom. These dresses have a simple neckline or strapless with a poofy bottom. These dresses are perfect for those who don’t want to show off too much skin. A few well known designers are Jovani, La Femme, and Tony Bowls. They have a wide variety of classic prom style dresses. Make sure to always try them on! When ordering them on online, be cautious! Lets be honest, you’re not a rich celebrity so a prom dress budget is important. The most expensive dress isn’t always the best one. Finding an inexpensive dress might be hard but is definitely doable. Some tips: Look in the sale room first. When dresses from last season go unsold the store will keep them in the back. If they don’t have
an official room don’t be afraid to ask the sales clerk if they have any with price cuts. Fact, dresses at the mall are less expensive than those of boutiques and separate stores. Always look at stores like Macy’s and Cache. I bought a dress for my Teen Woodford pageant at Cache. It was less than all the dresses I tried on at MIss Priss in Lexington and I liked it even more. I saved so much money on the cost of the dress that I had enough leftover to have the dress altered to fit me perfectly. This is also the dress I wore when I won Miss Teen Woodford. It looked great and I felt confident. The price tag doesn’t always make the dress. This year for prom I’m wearing a two piece Sherri Hill dress. It’s black and has a high collar. I’m in love with the beading and the open back. The bottom is solid black with a strip of jewels around the top. It is my perfect prom dress! Except, it is too big and long on the bottom. I’m getting it taken in and bringing the back up higher. I know I will feel even more confident about the dress when I get the alterations back. Simple fixes are always doable when it comes to perfection! Always remember when dress shopping that your alterations can help the dress you loved on the hanger look equally as stunning on you. Woodford is a great place and I’m glad I can
call it my home. There are many things that happen in our community which means many events to plan for! Hopefully you found the information and tips helpful and will use them in the future.
Reagan
Kendall Stratton in her dress from last year. Her advice, “Make sure you can move in your dress!”
By: Reagan Jobe
Jobe
Make a splash with
h less cash
H
ave you ever been online shopping and found yourself saying "yo. That's fifty dollars for a t-shirt," because some stores bring out my inner Macklemore. The real question that most of us seem to eventually ask, is when is it appropriate to splurge on fashion and when you should save that money to do something actually productive. Some things are worth throwing your money at and others just aren't. What I'm aiming to clear up is where we do and should draw the line. While I don't think we all need to resort to thrift shopping, there are alternative ways to get the same super cute looks. Money is a fashion that will never go out of style, and with my help, you can have at least twenty more dollars in your pocket-or maybe in your trendy new coach purse.
Selective Shopping
One of the most frequently faced problems for young trend setters is trying to create full outfits at ridiculously high priced stores. Rookie mistake, honestly. Unless you were blessed enough to be born into a wealthy family (which is not a bad thing: more power to you), you most likely can't afford to buy tops, bottoms, outerwear, and accessories all at an outrageous price. To avoid this I like to buy clothes that I can wear with multiple outfits, and I normally feel more comfortable spending more on those items. However I would not advise splurging on things that you could easily find at lower prices elsewhere. Students at my school agreed. When asked about what they feel the most comfortable splurging on, more than half of them said they are most comfortable spending more on basic articles of clothing.
“If you really love something, wait for it to go on sale.� -Mikayla Spencer
that we share a love for Forever 21 and H&M, her saying that they are “great for trendy items, as well as super cheap basics like tank tops and button downs.” When asked on her views on where to splurge and where to save, she believes that basics will last forever and if you need to buy low quality trendy items, thats okay. “By the time they wear out, it probably won't be in style anymore” Mikayla so wisely states. Man do I wish i had that wisdom before my Abercrombie and Fitch stage in middle school! A WCHS student surfs the web for killer deals
So it can safely be concluded that the best things to splurge on is basic clothing such as solid color cardigans, nude pumps, or black flats. This is great if you want a classic and simple look to your outfits. Another strategy that people use is to splurge on items that will be the focal point of the outfit. Examples of that are brightly colored scarves, statement necklaces, vests, etc. Why pay a ton of money on something that no one will be paying attention to? This strategy is best used for people with vibrant fashion styles that love to stand out.
Talking Trends
Being the people person that I am, I decided to go out into my school and ask fellow fashionistas what they think about bargain shopping. Mikayla Spencer, my trusted voice in preppy fashion says “If you really love something, wait for it to go on sale.” I couldn't agree more girl! I also discovered
Stick to the Click There are so many ways to get the look that you want without breaking the bank. One way that I think is probably the most universal is online shopping. Why spend a ton of money on name brands in stores, when you could get the same things online for so much cheaper. Most brands actually have more sales on their websites than they do in stores. The only downside to online shopping is that you have to use a credit card, but honestly if you or your parents don't have a credit card, you have a little bit of catching up to do. Being curious about whether students in my school had the same love of online shopping as me, I decided to put a question about it in my survey. Around 70% of people said that they online shopped.
E-mails or E-sales?
Nothing is more annoying than the sales rep who ask the obnoxious “so have you signed up for emails or given your mailing address?” Most people just say yeah, whether the have or not and don't think anything more of it. But honestly it only takes a few seconds to type out your email address, and the benefits are well worth it.
I promise that most stores aren't just getting these things to creep on you, they actually do help you save money. I can not tell you how many times I’ve gotten 1040% off coupons through the mail or digital coupons through emails.
Thinking out- lets
Another strategy that I recommend is shopping at outlets. Here in Kentucky we are blessed enough to have a newly built outlet mall in Simpsonville. You can save no matter what fashion style you identify with. There are stores with discounted name brands ranging from Hot Topic and Converse,Nike and Under Armour, all the way to Ralph Lauren and J.Crew. The most popular responses I got when I asked about people's favorite outlets, were American Eagle, J.Crew, and Nike. Outlets are often drastically cheaper than traditional stores. When asked about the outlets in Simpsonville, fewer than 10% of the students surveyed said that traditional stores were cheaper. Another great thing about outlets is that some stores put both retail price and their price on the tag for comparison.
“so even if the quality was a little bit worse than retail (which it’s not) it would still be worth it to drive to the outlets and pay the lower price.” -American Eagle sales rep
One of these stores is Polo Ralph Lauren. Original price for basic Oxford shirts is $85.00 and the outlet store price is $69.00 with an extra 40% off. I took a weekend out of my busy schedule to go to said outlets. Poor me, right? But I decided that if you couldn't believe me about the outlets, maybe you would believe workers who are there every single day. But between me and you, I just really wanted an excuse to shop (I got the cutest hat that was almost as cute as the guy behind the counter. But that's a story for another time.) Sales reps from both Ralph Lauren and American Eagle said that they would rather shop at outlets as opposed to retail stores. When questioned why they thought outlets were better, they both said that it was because of the price. Secondly I asked the sales representatives was if the quality of outlet products was any different from retail, and the collective answer was no. A very spunky girl who worked at American Eagle told me "well I'm poor, like the majority of the world, so even if the quality was a little bit worse than retail (which it's not) it would still be worth it to drive to the outlets and pay the lower price". Because I was genuinely curious, as I'm sure a lot of people are, I also asked a sales representative at J.Crew if she knew how they get outlet products to be offered for so much cheaper than retail. The insight she gave me was super helpful. She explained "the clothes come from two completely different distribution centers, and the outlet distributors use different fabrics and supplies." So the mystery has been solved! It has recently been released that the outlets are going to be adding eight new stores! Go figure, one of them is
Abercrombie. These include Limited, H&M, and five other stores. Not only will this add to the seemingly endless diversity of the outlets, give so many more opportunities to save money!
Patience Pays
This is also stated in that old phrase "good prices come to those who wait" or something like that. If you really like something but it isn't in your budget, don't you dare think about buying it anyway. That's just bad shopping strategy. Most stores have sales pretty often, so it shouldn't be too long before you can get your hands on what you want. If it's gone before you get back to it then it just wasnt meant to be. Singing “gotta go my own way� usually helps to get over your loss.
Chin Up, Its Cheap!
The last tip that I can give is to not be ashamed of bargain shopping. It seems like in today's world people scold others for getting stuff on sale. That's something that I just don't understand. My advice is to hold your head up high when you walk up to give that clerk your coupon. No one should be too proud to get something at discounted price whether it be clothes or anything else! And if anyone insults you about it, well you have more clothes for less. So who's the real winner there?
BY: Jorden Crowe
invasion of the preps
G
irls in bold Lilly Pulitzer dresses and Jack Roger sandals, Guys in Vineyard Vines tee shirts and colorful chino shorts. Ralph Lauren, pearls, and Kate Spade everywhere. Welcome to Woodford Prep School (totally kidding!). It seems everywhere you look, somebody is clad in this bright, clean cut, “I obviously have my life together” style. It’s official, the preps have taken over Woodford. But where did this style come from? Has it always been here, or did it just recently enter our school? And then there are those people who don’t buy into it. They say it’s just another trend, that it’ll be gone in 10 years. But will it, or is preppy style here to stay?
“Preppy isn’t really a fashion, it’s more like a lifestyle. It sounds stupid, but it’s true.” -Jorden Crowe
Defining Preppy
But today’s southern belles put a When you see people dressed in this twist on this idea. Full of happiness, spunk, preppy style, you might notice some striking and love for Lilly Pulitzer, it seems like every girl in Woodford County wants to be similarities. They usually come from famone. ilies with an appearance of wealth, those who can more easily afford the splurges that tend to come with preppy fashion. With preppy fashion, there is the Just look at the term itself! “Preppy” image of a polished, put together look that comes from prep schools, private instituseems to appeal to nearly everyone. If you tions where richer families used to (and look like you know what you’re doing, other sometimes still do) send their children off to get them ready for life after high school. people will start to believe that you do. Everyone needs to feel like that from time The uniforms these students wear, to time, and nothing makes you feel as the plaid skirts, button down shirts, and together as a crisp button down or a sharp khaki pants, are the original basis for blazer. preppy fashion. Although this style has Even people who don’t identify with evolved, these elements can still be seen in a preppy style may find themselves wearit. ing these key pieces when they need to Another similarity between most “look the part”. It’s an undeniable fact, prepsters roaming our hallways, particularly in the girls, is the southern belle ideal. these styles give the person wearing them When you think of a southern belle, some- a sense of power. And who doesn’t like to feel powerful? one like Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With If you scroll through Pinterest, it’s the Wind comes to mind. Southern belles almost impossible to not see a polished, have a loud, colorful personality and a preppy outfit. Almost everyone has pinned fashion sense to match. one of these at some point or another.
Why Preppy?
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be preppy, go look at what you’ve pinned. I’ll bet there’s some element of preppiness in it. There’s even a subcategory under women’s fashion just for preppy fashion, and it has 78k followers! Obviously there is a booming interest in this fashion, but why? And who exactly are the girls behind the oxfords and riding boots? Why they’re the bloggers of course! Blogging is a growing hobby, and for some, a career. Women can post their daily outfit stylings on a blog and get paid for it? Sounds like a dream job to me. They follow trends, as well as start new ones, and bring them to their loyal readers. Then the outfits make their way over to Pinterest, where girls and women everywhere lust over the pretty, put together perfection. It seems like everyone uses Pinterest, so being influenced by the preps is nearly unavoidable. Yet another factor that has played into the rise of preppy fashion are the historical and public figures that represent this style. Historically speaking, the biggest example would be First Lady Jackie Ken-
The Preppy category on Pinterest, which includes subcatagories such as Vineyard Vines, Jack Rogers, and Lilly Pulitzer. (via pinterest.com)
nedy. In the 1960s, Jackie embodied what it meant to be preppy. Her style of clean cut lines, simple shift dresses, and neutral colors ushered out the bigger, bolder 50s. Instead, she brought simplicity and class into the 60s. In fact, Jackie is the one who made the Lilly Pulitzer shift dress an iconic piece, which has lived on even today. When Jackie’s good friend from high school, Lilly Pulitzer, created her shift dresses, Jackie wore and, and, “they took off like zingo”! Jackie O had everyone looking at her, and everyone wanted to be like her. More recently, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has made headlines for her head-turning preppy style. Just like Jackie, Kate is always in the public eye, and she always dresses to kill. With her understated shift dresses and cardigans, you would think she came straight from the New England coast. (Even though she actually came from a prep school in old England- even better!) Kate might as well have single handedly brought about the rise of the fascinator ca. 2011. Anything she wears sells out within hours, and even what she dresses baby William in flies off the shelves. With her position in the spotlight, the influence of Kate’s preppy style in undeniable. Then of course, there are the pop culture stars that spread preppy style. From Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl to Emma Pillsbury from Glee, “prep culture” is everywhere. Chances are, even if you haven’t watched one of these shows, you’ve heard of them from a friend, or seen pictures of these characters on the internet somewhere. Blair and her headbands and tights, Mrs. Pillsbury in her sweater sets and pencil skirts, these characters ooze classic preppiness.
Every time we log into Netflix, we’re greeted with these preppy pop culture icons. Everyone knows that pop culture shapes our society, so how could we not move towards preppy fashion with these influences? While it may seem like the preps are everywhere, this isn’t necessarily the case. Just think about it. Different areas have different prominent styles. You’re more likely to see a girl with long, messy hair, a sunny tan, and casual shorts in LA than you are in NYC. And good luck finding someone in LA wearing a classic pea coat and scarf. It just doesn’t really happen. And in the south, you see big hair, big attitudes, and monograms everywhere. Style in the south is the epitome of preppy. Of course there are always exceptions to the rules, but the general consensus seems to be that preppy style was born and raised in the south.
preppy style, both those who meet the “criteria” and who do not. If you asked for the definition of a prep, many people at our school would direct you towards Rachael Kral. Style wise at least, Rachael seems like a perfect preppy fit. However, she doesn’t like to call herself that. “I don’t know if I personally would walk around calling myself preppy but I’m sure others say that my sense of style is categorized by the word preppy. I wear want I want to wear and what I like,” Rachael says. My new life motto? I think yes. And as for the stereotypical prep, she says, “I think a stereotypical prep comes off as rich and snobby just because they present themselves nicely with their clothes... But in all actuality I think being preppy is more than just fashion, it’s so classy and classic and its a state of mind/ a lifestyle.” And while she hopes people don’t think of her as a snob, she does agree that But what does our student body in there can be judgment around wannabe particular think of preppy style? Do they preps, but it’s seems to her to be more just think it’s to die for, or that it should just die? a part of high school. Well, I surveyed my choir class, and I found some interesting information. While 57 percent of them said they were at least somewhat preppy, only 21 percent said they actually liked the increasingly preppy style of our school. But why is that? With such a wide variety of people in the class, I believe the results to be accurate. So, while it seems that the preps are everywhere, not everyone wants them to be.
Woodford Preps
Fitting the Stereotype
Because I’m clearly a qualified scientist, I decided to do some experimenting. I interviewed people who identify with a
WCHS student Keegan Elvidge sports a preppy look on Easter Sunday. (photo by Beth Elvidge)
My outfits of the week from April 6th- 11th. Am I preppy yet? (photos by Barbara Spencer)
Of course there are always people who don’t fit the mold, especially in fashion. One outlier is Jorden Crowe. While she does consider herself to have a preppy style, she doesn’t think she has the lifestyle of a stereotypical prep. Jorden says, “Preppy isn’t really a fashion, it’s more like a lifestyle. It sounds stupid, but it’s true. When aspiring to be preppy you find yourself trying to look like you are wealthy, watch certain things, go to certain events, and act a certain way.” She also says that she sometimes feels judged for being a ‘fake prep’. “People who don’t fit the stereotype are often judged and sometimes seen as fake, or judged because they didn’t spend as much
money to get their clothes or don’t do the same activities as most people who identify with a preppy lifestyle.” So, what’s the word on preppy style? How much longer will it stick around, or is preppy forever? In my survey, I asked if they thought preppy style was here to stay, rated on a scale of 1 to five. In the end, 30 percent of people said they thought it would stick around. (Rated it a 4 or 5) Of course, not everyone agrees with the explosion of preppy style, but you can’t deny it’s endurance. You may have heard that history tends to repeat itself, and fashion is no exception to the rule. Preppy fashion was a result of the 50s, and here we are, 60 years later, still talking about it. With it’s classic, timeless key pieces, it seems to me like preppy simply can’t go out of style. They say that being well dressed is a beautiful form of politeness, and preppy style embodies that idea. Dress to impress, show people you mean business, and always remember your pearls.
By Mikayla Spencer
The Cuties Behind the Clothes Born and raised right here in the Bluegrass. Reagan knows Kentucky will always be her home, however, traveling is a big part of Reagan’s life. Some of her fashion inspiration comes from the fashion of different world regions. She likes to think of herself as a master of disguise because her fashion choices are in such a wide range. Either preppy when wearing one of her many Lilly dresses. Or free spirited when wearing a signature boho headband. In the future she plans to travel more. Her advice: “wear what you like! Make your own trends!”
Diversity might as well be Jorden’s middle name. While she loves to hurdle and run for the woodford track team and watch UK basketball, she has a passion for pageants, modeling and all things fashion. Her style is a mix of athletic, preppy, and classic girly. Growing up with four older brothers right here in Kentucky has been a great experience, but she cant wait to get out and explore the world on her own. She loves trying new things and meeting new poeple, which is why her dream school is Stanford University where she hopes to study law.
Born and raised in the heart of the bluegrass, Mikayla has a passion for fashion, coffee, and U.K. basketball. Mikayla participates in theatre, choir and honeybees. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and appreciating the arts (aka watching Gossip Girl). With such a deep involvement in music, it may come as a surprise that she actually hopes to go into either politics or fashion after high school.