Fashion Through the Ages with Grace and Miriam

by Grace Siemens

Fashion is an integral part of growing up. Learning to express oneself is a journey we all undergo and survive. In this picture essay we will outline and work through our own personal explorations with fashion and reflect how they encompass the broader social trends.

Learning Through Layers (Miriam, 2003)

Young Miriam was bold and fearless. They expertly layered turtlenecks, baggy shirts, and patterned vests, knowing that a hat completes every outfit. If we are being honest, this was likely their peak. This outfit truly represents the turn of the century. Showing newfound fashion bravery and the truth that as long as you are confident, everything goes together.

A True Canadian (Grace and Sister 2009)

Fashion and jean jackets have had a rocky relationship, forever on again off again. However, circa 2009, with help from crimped hair and ballet flats, denim jackets were ever present in every fashion forward closet. 2009 made the Canadian tuxedo cool again and for that we will forever be indebted.

Watermelon Core (Miriam, Grace and Friends, 2009)

Picture this. It’s summer 2009, you reach into your closet and pull out a t-shirt – the hottest pink you’ve ever seen. You think to yourself, “What will pair well with this?” Naturally you reach for your bright green leggings. This really is the colour scheme of the year.

Screaming Early 2000s Core (Miriam and Grace, 2010)

Coming off of our experimentation with colour, we were confident we knew how to strut our style in the streets. Nothing says style like knock-off Costco Uggs, a cropped tank, and low rise jeans. Whether walking in the summer heat or chilly fall air, we knew just what to wear.

Pretty in Pink (Miriam, Grace and Friend, 2010)

2010… when Disney Channel was all the rage, our iPod Nanos were filled with Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, and we were all ready for our paparazzi shoot at any moment. Whether pairing a snazzy beanie with a flowy sundress or a graphic tee with a striped long-sleeve, the start of this new decade is one remembered by all fashion enthusiasts.

Still Learning Through Layers

(Miriam, Grace and Friends, 2007)

Trying to keep warm and keep up with the hot new trends is a challenge that we have mastered. Nothing screams fashion more than hot pink camo or cuffed bell bottom jeans. The smiles may be forced but the style comes naturally.

We’re Doing…Something (Miriam, Grace and Friend, 2015)

Everyone goes through awkward stages. Often newly found independence leads to questionable decisions. No longer under our Mother’s guiding hand, we took matters into our own hands, experimenting through long socks, square glasses and athleisure. 2015 was a year of bold new beginnings, ones that thankfully drew to a close.

Delmar’s Tie Collection

by Kayden Brown

At this time last year I became fascinated with the idea that Delmar Epp (Associate Professor of Psychology at CMU) had a rather strict tie rotation. In order to test my hypothesis I employed the help of a few other students to track the ties that Delmar wore to the university each day. We compiled data (rather inconsistently) for over two months and much to our surprise, never spotted the same tie twice. In my mind, I expected a person like Delmar to have somewhere between twenty and thirty unique ties which function within a strict rotation schedule. The goal was to write a Doxa article that predicted Delmar’s future tie decisions throughout the year. It became apparent quite quickly that Delmar had many more than two months of unique ties. To this day I still have not seen any of the ties we recorded in those two months again.

My imagination ran wild with questions about Delmar’s ties. How many does he really have? Has he counted them all? How does he store that many ties? How does he decide which tie to wear amongst such a large collection? As a result of these questions, I am starting the Delmar Tie Pool, in which anyone may submit their guess of how many ties Delmar has and how he organizes/stores them. To level the playing field and provide a benchmark, my prediction is Delmar owns 180 ties and stores them in an old-school iron-clad wooden chest. To enter the pool send me an email with your predictions at BrownKA@student.cmu.ca. By the publication of the next Doxa I will ask Delmar details about his collection and publish the results of the pool.