MUSE Magazine Issue 2

HELLO FROM THE PUBLISHERS Y U MAD? Okay, we know we used the internet funnies (our attempt at an an old-spice-guy-rant) as a gateway to our previous Letter form the Publishers and you’re probably thinking UH... REALLY? “Y U MAD”? WELL THATS JUST REAAAL ORIGINAL, MUSE - but considering our second issue is available online only, we think it’s pretty damn appropriate.

So why the shift towards an online only issue 2? And what the #%$& is with the crazy delay? Well, here goes; we consider ourselves to be the new kids on the Queen’s publishing block, and have no problem admitting that we still have a lot to learn. It’s been a crazy year, and as an alternative arts publication which is trying to keep pace with, capture AND showcase all the fantastic things happening around campus within the limits of a print publication... well, it’s the biggest challenge we’ve come across so far. There is an exponential amount of blood, sweat, tears and effort involved in creating a publication that can appropriately pay tribute to all the student initiatives on our campus - and the truth is, the only reason we have a shot in hell at keeping up with everything that the Queen’s community shoots our way is purely because of the awesome team of writers, administrators and artists behind this publication.

So tilt your head to the right, check out all the names under the “yours truly” section, and know that every single one of those people played a vital part in ensuring that word of the underground arts community at Queen’s is heard, regardless of whatever challenges came our way.

And hey, if you’re STILL mad, who’s to blame for that other than you guys for being too awesome?

Sincerely,

ZTC

ZAHRA JAMSHED, TAMARA NAVARRETE, CHERIE TSANG

Our Dose of Inspiration CRAFTING CONNECTIONS

STRUGGLING WITH QUEER IDENTITY / an interview with professor Michael D Snediker DREAM CATCHERS / changing the game ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK / a book review

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06 22 32 40

ARTS 05 Thoughts from a Young Artist: Dealing with Art Paralysis 09 Shutting Up 11 Remember, Remember 12 Exposure at Queen’s 14 We All Play Synth 16 Music as Therapy

LIFESTYLE

25 The Dirty ‘R’ 26 Hood Cats 28 The Audacity of a Food Budget 30 A Global Manifesto

ENTERTAINMENT 34 Pretty Little Party 35 Skins Party 36 M(You)SE 38 Spotlight: Redroche

FASHION 40 Book Review: Orange is the New Black 43 Highlights from New York Fashion Week 46 A Shoe Story: Men’s Footwear on Campus 48 Androgyny 50 Mad Style 51 Costume Department 52 From Libraries to Watercoolers 54 Streetstyle 56 One Item, Four Ways 58 One to Watch 59 Fashion Editorial INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING? CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK GROUP AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MUSEATQUEENS FOR DETAILS

:YOURS TRULY Co-Founders/ ZAHRA JAMSHED TAMARA NAVARRETE CHERIE TSANG Creative Directors/ NICHOLAS CHONG FALLON COLLETT Arts Editors/ JACQUI PLAYFAIR ELISE BOUSQUET Lifestyle Editors/ DEREK LACHINE AHRUN THIYAGARAJAH Entertainment Editors/ JOHN YOO NATASHA KUCERAK Fashion Editors/ GILLIAN MAYS STEPHANIE RUDYK Layout/ CHARLOTTE SO Illustrations/ ANYA MIELNICZEK Photography/ CYNTHIA OH KYLIE BIGNELL ALEX MANSOURATI Make up (Issue 1)/ We would like to thank Moonsun Jang for her amazing creative contribution to the Fashion Editorial in our First Issue Business Team/ ANGELINDA CHEN HUSAIN GILANI CHRISTINA KUNST MENSA WANG JOY YANG BECCA O’DONOVAN KATE HORVAT Contributors/ ANDREA NAZARIAN JIMMY FITZGERALD CHARLOTTE FICEK ANDREW BURROWS PAIGE WILSON DAN EITUTISS HILARY LOUGHEED DAN SEGUIN

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Thoughts from a Young Artist: Dealing with Art Paralysis AN ARTICLE BY CHARLOTTE FICEK

I’M

thankful… and aside from the obvious things such as good health, a loving family, and stellar friends, I’m grateful to be able to be here at Queen’s for something that I truly love: making art. For as long as I can remember it’s been the most natural and efficient way to express myself. There is no fear in art, no limits – anything you could possibly imagine can be brought into the world through thousands of brushstrokes, or layers upon layers of wet, shiny ink.

To be completely honest (and very corny) I think it’s kind of magical.

I’m the type of artist who truly admires art that has a purpose, a deeper meaning. Going into a gallery and seeing artists who bravely display personal commentary on anything from the environment, human rights issues, or their own deep struggles with their lives, I can’t help but feel it’s my duty to contribute artwork that could provoke someone to see the world in a new way, or encourage a different way of thinking.

I fully appreciate art that is intended to be simply beautiful or that enhances the atmosphere of a room, but I can’t ignore the persistent voice in my head pushing me to take advantage of the fact that I’m part of a generation where I’m able to voice my opinion, to question and critique the way of the world. Every time I create, I can’t help but think, should I not use my art as a vessel for this?

Here lies the struggle: What are these deep, personal values that I have such an urge to express? For the

most part I haven’t got the slightest clue. I call it art paralysis, and from my experience it’s something many artists, young and old have encountered. It’s not that I don’t have things I strongly believe in, I think the fact lies that in life so many things are unsure.

In a world so dynamic, complicated, constantly rearranging…how can I be sure that what I’m saying today, I’m still going to believe in a year from now?

What do I want to tell people about who I am as an artist let alone a person? In what part of culture or counter-culture do I fit?

If I’m beginning to stress you out, don’t worry… this isn’t some “woe is me” bullshit about being a tortured artist.

Although I’d be ridiculous to claim I have an answer, if I’ve come up with any antidote to this conundrum, is that it’s simply okay to not know… but not to stop. Sometimes the most astonishing and sincere types of art come when you simply take from your imagination, a part of yourself that maybe as you grew up you stopped displaying to other people.

Just draw, paint, sculpt… whatever you choose, and try not to over think things. There’s a lot that makes up who we are and what we stand for. But sometimes it’s just not obvious. We’re products of our environment, which is composed of millions of things in which inspiration can be found. So, if you can relate to this feeling of paralysis in any way, don’t fret. From my own experience it’s often the art created from somewhere with no beginning, that becomes something with the most meaningful end.

CRAFTING CONNECTIONS AN ARTICLE BY JACQUI PLAYFAIR

T

here is a certain sentiment in my mind that I can’t seem to shake. It spasms often, jolted by spontaneous catalysts of the emotional and political sort. Sometimes I can feel it wake the ants in my veins and as they flurry my blood there is no calming the irritation. Too dramatic? Perhaps. I owe this sentiment to a shriveling regard for the public arts. Until I am able to draw some sense from absurdity, it is a feeling I will continue to grapple with. Funds reserved for art programs in educational facilities are being redirected. Handhidden whispers blame Harper. But blame, to me, is irrelevant now in the context of this appeal. Instead we should focus on our ability to facilitate creativity, both as individuals and as a collective. Art isn’t just a preoccupation. It can be an outlet for otherwise repressed responses to the world around us. It is both personal and communal. Above all, it is therapeutic. To elaborate, I thought what better way than to involve a committee member of ‘Canvas’, a team dedicated to restoring the enthusiasm and importance of art in the public sphere.

As a committee member, Charlotte Ficek happily agreed to shed some light on Canvas’s involvement in the Kingston community.

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M: First off, what is Canvas?

C: Canvas is an ASUS organization composed of committee members, chair members, and volunteers. I am a committee member. We meet once a week to plan art-based volunteer activities, currently with Kingston elementary schools, the Alzheimer’s Society of Kingston, and in the past we’ve also worked with H’art School of Smiles—an organization that works with adults who have intellectual disabilities.

M: What prompted your interest to get involved with Canvas?

C: I love working with kids, so that appealed to me right off the bat. Personally, art has always been a form of therapy. It’s a good way to express yourself, especially things that aren’t as easy to communicate. It’s also a good stress reliever; it brings a sense of accomplishment. I think those kinds of benefits are really important for kids to experience, and for elderly patients to get to re-experience.

M: How do you incorporate art in both the elementary school and Alzheimer’s programs?

C: Well, in the school setting the programs run for an hour during lunch recess. It’s an alternative for kids who would rather stay in, and it’s cool because the activities are brain stimulating and encourage creativity. We work ten to twenty-five kids, and depending on the week we will cater the craft to specific grade levels, which alternate every week between primary and intermediate groups. We try to have one committee member there per session, and we encourage as many volunteers as possible to come along as well. Usually about four or five tops.

The Alzheimer’s program is different: You have to cater the activity to whichever stage the patient is experiencing, so either the early or late stages.

Sometimes if someone is in the later stages, it’s quite difficult to participate in more in-depth activi-

ties. But in this case, the best thing you can do for them is to be there for company. Just spend time with them. That’s an equally constructive use of time. With patients in the earlier stages of the disease, I mostly do painting and drawings with them.

They’re able to gain a lot out of it, and it’s fun to help facilitate that.

M:What are the most memorable experiences you’ve encountered?

C: I like working with the kids a lot because so many of them have really bold personalities, and kids tend to have less of a filter. Their creative levels are less inhibited, and I think that’s so cool to see.

Some things they say sometimes are so hilarious and often pretty inappropriate.

M: I remember she started laughing as she recalled this one: C: Wait there was one kid who made a scarecrow paper bag and it was supposed to be Justin Beiber.

Basically it was just a bag with a ton of pipe cleaners sticking out of it, it was so funny I loved him.

I realized at this point that Beiber Fever (to grudgingly use the term) is officially inescapable.

M: What would you say is most rewarding about your involvement in Canvas?

C: It’s rewarding to see kids doing something they like, and it’s a productive alternative to going out to play. It’s something they can take home and show their parents and friends. It’s just great to meet the kids and spend time with them. In terms of the Alzheimer’s patients, a lot of them come into it with nerves, which I think is a symptom of their illness.

Often by the end, even if it’s temporary, they really start opening up to you and it’s really great knowing you’re bringing some more happiness and company into someone’s life.

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M: You’ve expressed an interest to me before in Art Therapy as a career option. Your perspective through Canvas seems to complement this interest. Would you say it’s a stepping-stone toward pursuing that option?

C: Definitely, the experience is invaluable. The connection with art therapy would be seen mostly with the Alzheimer’s Society. It’s a good way to keep someone’s mind active, especially because it helps build the relationship between drawing something and being aware of what they’re drawing. It’s a calming exercise. I’ve looked into different elements of art therapy – a lot of it now is free-lance.

You have to take the initiative to go into different types of facilities. In this sense, Canvas is really similar. The committee is always looking for more volunteers, and it’s a great experience for those who are thinking of teaching at an elementary school or working in a senior’s home. I think it’s really useful in helping to understand if it’s a good fit for you and your capabilities.

Canvas’s efforts continue to promote the value of arts in our community. The initiatives show that artistic programs are something of necessity, not something to be neglected. With art programs being cut and funding being slowly phased out, Canvas’s enthusiasm toward supporting the arts is a commendable example to be followed.

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E A SHORT DOCUMENTARY

BY MATT DESLAURIERS AND BENJAMIN TURNBULL Produced for FILM355 with the help of Queen’s University FILM and MEDIA Department

ver since I was a child, I’ve been told that I talk too much. And you know what? I do. I really talk more than I should. I speak before I think, I babble incoherently, and, yes, I sometimes talk to myself. I’m also a film student. Yeah, I know what you’re all thinking: The only thing worse than a film student is a film student who never shuts up.

Hey, at least I’m a self-aware asshole.

Anyway, I’m in a third year documentary theory and production course and our final project is to produce a 7-10 minute short documentary film. My co-director Matt DesLauriers and I were searching for ideas and, somewhat at the last minute, we decided that we would film me as I engaged in a week-long vow of silence. I could use social medias, SMS, and text-to-speech, but I absolutely could not speak. We figured this would be an interesting enough premise for a comedic short film, as long as we focused on everyday activities and accurately portrayed how difficult they became when speech was impossible.

The week began uneventfully. At first I wrote on cue cards and used computer text-to-speech to communicate with people, but eventually I ended

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up communicating a lot more through facial expressions and a system of whistles. On a side note, ‘System of Whistles’ would be a pretty decent band name. Ok, back on track. The first major inconvenience I ran into was getting my haircut. Up until that point I could pretty much get by with cue cards and thumbs up or thumbs down, but not with the haircut. The only instruction I gave to the barber was a cue card that said “Shorter All Around”. And boy did I get what I asked for. My haircut looked like a Dragon Ball Z character drawn by a drooling, lazyeyed five year old.

A few days after the barber incident I went on a date with a girl who I only vaguely knew from first year Politics. I’m no cave troll as far as looks go, but I’m no Joseph Gordon-Levitt either...basically the only success I’ve had with women is when they find me charming and funny—which are hard to display when you’re completely silent. Geneva Crêpe Café was delicious. That’s the only nice thing I can say about the date. Seriously. It was easily the worst experience anyone has ever had. Ever. I sat and tried to be funny while crying on the inside, inhaling crêpes to soak up my inner sadness. It was pathetic, but (as I learned while editing the film) pathetic often makes for good entertainment.

The night after the date I had an awful nightmare.

I had duct tape on my mouth and I kept ripping it off to no success. When the tape finally came off my mouth was bloodied and torn. It wasn’t exactly the most subtle dream and its message was clear: I need to talk now.

Ah! I’ve said too much. I don’t want to give away the ending to my movie, so instead I’ll plug it here!

Watch out posters and Facebook groups about the Film 355 documentary screening occurring in midMarch. My documentary will also be up on YouTube later this month.

If you’re interested in getting a copy you can contact me at 7bt8@queensu.ca.

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REMEMBER, REMEMBER

AN ARTICLE BY ANDREW BURROWS

H

e dressed in the clothing of an ex, and in crusted boots that have lost life to the salt of the sidewalks. He locked his little house and ate a pear on the way to the Grad Club to meet his friend, gifted and specializing in printmaking, with new glasses, presumably prescription. It hurt, not wearing mitts, but the Kingston cold is known for that. The cream given to him as a “cheer up, new friend” gift was ineffective, as his knuckles bled and revealed an obvious display of cracks comparable in feeling to toxic wounds, kidney stones, and a tumor all combined, but at least he smelt of Sundays with Nan. After grabbing a couple pints at the club, they declined the opening band to talk for a little, and then agreed upon taking full advantage of the bar that served tea. He poured himself a Chinese Breakfast, and his friend some sort of sexy mango fusion.

They sipped their black mugs and swayed around their space in their black jeans to Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans, from Winnipeg.

There were two obnoxious women behind them who cursed the opening band, drunk, making known that their husbands were, “like, the biggest Weaker-thing fans.”

There were couples, him tickling her ear with his nose from behind her, spooning her vertically. There were the elderly, probably their parents, or the locals, interactive as always. There were those who were projections of friends from back home in the suburbs, older and finally free spirited, waving their loopy arms in no pattern. The clappers. The bartender and her husband. The families. The sense of community, all of them holding onto the same string of fishing lure, their eyes fixated, from various areas, on Jim. He noticed a blending of the lights, red and blue. If you were to put on 3D glasses, you would smoothly enter into a soft state of perpetual jubilation, and wonder. Everything was in its right place, and everything was gold.

It was here that he realized the importance of the moment. Although he can only remember an eighth of what the band said in between songs, or the thoughts he thought, or the words he uttered, it was the whole moment of February 12th, and all of the ones of which it consisted, that were significant. They still hold a place in his heart, but he no longer feels the need to hoard tangible memories to remember how he once felt, and how at ease with being alive he was, aside from the mug that he borrowed for future oriental breakfasts at home.

This is a reminder to remember how your memory works. You sponge in more of the world than you’re aware of, and then reflect. The experiences that you currently remember in full detail will dim, but I would like you to please feel confident in the fact that loving memories last forever, whatever colour they may be.

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EXPOSURE AT QUEEN’S O

n Queen’s University campus, February is a whirlwind of creative activity. With several arts festivals and events taking place, the arts community is in its element.

Exposure Arts Festival took place during the week of February 7th to the 11th at several different venues across campus. The week after the Festival, I sat down with Tamara, Michelle and Deirdre, three of Exposure’s co-chairs. Their positions as co-chairs are to oversee the general planning and coordination of the events as well as to delegate specific portfolios to the twelve committee members.

I asked the girls, “Exactly what is Exposure Arts Festival”. As much as I saw the advertisements for specific events during the week, I was curious to know more about the festival in general.

“How it works is it’s a week long Arts Festival but it is aimed at promoting the arts on campus through several different events,” says Deirdre.

Tamara added, “that the aim was also to expose student art work and creative talent to a greater student body as well as bridge the gap between the Queen’s arts community and the Kingston community”. The three girls explained the structure of the week’s events to me saying that every day had a different theme. Monday was the Art and Design Fair at Common Ground Coffee House, as well as the wine and cheese

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AN ARTICLE BY ELISE BO

opener at the Union Gallery that evening.

Tuesday held the music events including the Battle of the Bands event at Clark Hall Pub, Wednesday held a film screening, Thursday a photography display and Friday was the finale at Wallace Hall where the winners of the Battle of the Bands, known as The Ten O’clock People, played a celebratory set. The three girls ambitiously attended all the events throughout the week: “It was busy and stressful, but also a lot of fun. It was great to see people come out and to see the talent that exists in the Queen’s community, because you don’t get to see it very often as a busy student,” Deirdre explained.

The festival has been running for around six years, beginning as a two to three day festival and then expanding over the past four years to a complete week-long affair. By the time Tamara, Michelle and Deirdre were co-chairs for the festival, they inherited the job of maintaining the standard of performance for the week. The girls wanted to help improve the festival as much as possible.

“When I was hired last year, I met with the cochairs and commissioner to hear from them on what they would like to improve for the upcoming years. One of the main goals for me personally was to see that the week was streamlined a bit more so that there was more

OUSQUET

of a structure to help people know what to expect.” Tamara further explains to me that this added structure included categorising the days with different art forms such as fine arts, music, and film. Another improvement to the yearly affair was marketing, which Tamara adds was a priority to connecting with audiences who were previously not directly involved in the arts community. “We also decided to add the wine and cheese event at the Union Gallery on the Monday to help kick-off the week with a more solid opening,” she says.

The festival holds many reoccurring events that take place every year, a fan favourite is the Battle of the Bands on Tuesday evening. This event brings together the musical side of Queens’s campus as well as lively night-entertainment.

“The bands do change every year depending on who is still on campus and available to participate, but this particular event does hold a big fan following and gets a large number of people out and involved,” says Michelle.

I ask the girls now that they have successfully finished off this year’s festival, if they have any new ambitions for next year. Deirdre explains to me that marketing is still a big priority on their list, and that they still find people who are unfamiliar with the festival. It is a new festival, so it is important for it to be promoted across

campus as well as Kingston to ensure a wider audience. The girls also say that it would be nice to include day events on Wednesday and Friday next year to ensure a full and balanced schedule as well as perhaps expanding the design fair and holding it for a longer period.

The festival held its closing event at Wallace Hall on Friday evening, where many of the performers, including Queens’ Improv, and supporters were able to convene and celebrate the end of the week’s events, where the Ten O’clock People closed the ceremony. The girls seem happy with the entire week’s events and were positive about how the finale turned out.

As our discussion ended, I asked them how others students could get involved in the following years. “We tend to hire committee members in March, and by April we have a majority of our members, although we do leave space so that if in the fall anyone wants to apply they can,” says Michelle. “For performers, we always like to hear from people and are continuously looking for groups to perform,” she adds. Applications for committee members can be found in the AMS offices as well as online at the website.

For more information on Exposure Arts Festival, please email: exposure@ams.queensu.ca.

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WE ALL PLAY SYNTH AN ARTICLE BY PAIGE WILSON

M

y high school identity can only be defined as ambiguous. I was a self-identified nerd and a moody closet poet with an eclectic taste in music. I had no definite fashion statement, and delighted in the cheesy romcom girl’s night. Sometime in first year I received an email from an acquaintance in high school, who had been carefully following my university life via the credible Facebook. The email consisted of a single line calling me out for being a “converted Queen’s hipster robot”. I was completely enraged.

I’ve begun to think about what it means to be a hipster and why I disliked being associated with this term. Straight out of urban dictionary, hipsters “value independent thinking, counter culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, and creativity”. My own interpretation has merely been: An alternative mode of expression that rejects the “mainstream” norm. Embracing the weirdoes, nerds, and art lovers of the world and deeming us cool again. Alternative dress, art, music, lifestyle.

What’s so bad about this?

There’s no denying that being a hipster is negatively perceived. I have yet to meet an individual who defines him/herself as hipster despite wearing those iconic symbols that proclaim otherwise. I dare you to walk up to a fixed bicycle user in skinny jeans, Ray Bans, and a vintage tee while blasting grungy garage band music and call them a hipster. I doubt you’ll get a positive reaction.

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My own negative perception of the term comes from the associated “holier than thou” mentality. This definitive part of “hipsterdom” scoffs at those who are outside of their counter-culture; especially the mainstream.

Maybe we need to take a more open-minded approach to “hipsterdom”. From this counter-culture it’s now socially acceptable if we don’t love this year’s top 40. We can take part, and be proud of our nerdy passions like photography, painting, literature, and film. This “culture” has introduced people to artistic and cultural interests they may never have previously explored: 1950’s horror movie lovers, new musicians, abstract art, worldly exploration, and most importantly a freedom to self express outside of the “norm”.

Being hipster has become less and less “alternative” as more people start to take on particular habits as trends.

Maybe you shouldn’t be upset that the Abercrombie-wearing gal is jamming out to the Local Natives or Passion Pit years after you fell in love with them. Perhaps the abstract photographer also loves Cake Boss, or the indie musicologist has a secret soft spot for Taylor Swift. Isn’t the point of art culture to be able to share and appreciate all artistic passions, mainstream or not?

The freedom to self-express seems to be the core element of the origin of “hipsterdom”. Somewhere along the way that element has been forgotten. The positive ideas here were lost amidst the negative connotations.

Maybe we need to be less judgmental of all forms of self-expression. Maybe it’s time to take away the labels and just be. Or maybe that’s just the so-called hipster in me talking

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music as therapy.

A

few weeks ago, with midterm assignments looming over my head, and the possibility of yet another lonely Valentine’s ‘table for one’ quickly becoming more and more of a reality, I decided I needed a bit of personal therapy. I walked myself to Clark Hall—not out of desire for the warm company of a close friend, or even for the alcohol, but with the specific intention to immerse myself in a room filled wall to wall with live music. After a few songs, I began to ponder why I was so pleased to be sitting there, steeping in the noise surrounding me. I found it fascinating that so much could come from just a few fellow students left alone with their instruments and their ideas. Surely this was art. But how did those on stage feel about their work? A few days later, I had the opportunity to sit down with three popular figures in the Queen’s music scene, to hear their take on music as an art form.

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AN ARTICLE BY JIMMY FITZGERALD As a medium, what does the use of sound offer you and your band? What about music specifically helps you get your point across as an artist?

At this point in my musical career I have not yet tried to send any clear statements or messages to people. I’m sure that lyrically, I will start to mature in the next few years. The only message I have ever sent to the audience members at shows has been “grab a beer and start dancing”. I’m sure there have been many implications sent over the years as well.

- Shayne Godin, guitarist/vocalist – EL ASADOR Sound is an emotional thing. It can change you.

There’s something we call an eargasm, where, in a jam, everything blows up and you feel like you’re in

heaven, just for an instant. You can’t necessarily get that with a more tactile art form, and with just one person. Music is collaborative, and when several minds converge on a single piece, sometimes you get... well, the eargasm.

- Adam Izsak, vocalist – NATURAL ANTHEM Music differs from other forms of art in that the musician has the opportunity to stand in front of his or her audience and perform the piece in real time.

What does this intimacy mean to you?

I think that the presence of a live band generates energy in a way that a stereo never really could, and I think it’s very important that the band or musician in question is committed to their performance in a way that will make generating this energy possible.

No one wants to watch a group of musicians on stage swaying lazily around and staring at their shoes; people come to a show to be entertained and they should get what they’re promised.

- James Gilbert, guitarist/vocalist – THE TEN O’CLOCK PEOPLE

The intimate setting of a live performance is important to me as an artist because I have the power to control the emotional pull on the crowd.

The physical environment constructed at a live venue is also conducive to positive energy within the audience. Rocking out onstage is an important element to live shows that you can’t experience from simply pressing the “play” button. It’s all about the emotional pull.

- Shayne Godin, guitarist/vocalist – EL ASADOR It’s quite clear that the production of a piece of music is very much a personal, artistic process.

At the same time, what makes music unique is its potential for collaboration—and as anyone who has witnessed a performance by these musicians knows, a perfect community for nurturing our collective ability has been established through Queen’s. We’re amongst a well of talent, and while each musician I spoke to approaches his work differently, the composition seems to be just as therapeutic for the artist as it is for the gallery. And aside from the music, that’s the best thing a fan can hear.

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KINGSTON UN-SC

A PEEK THROUGH THE LENS OF AN AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER: AL

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CENE

LEX MANSOURATI

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Struggling with Queer Identity AN INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR MICHAEL D SNEDIKER

I

t’s grade eleven, you are walking down the main hallway in your high school, and you look around and admire the array of characters that are wandering aimlessly to and from third period class. You notice a grid-like pattern among these characters, a way in which they form a union, a clique that differentiates them from the rest of the crowd—the band geeks, the dance team, the emo kids, the pot heads, the hockey players, the football team, the cheerleaders, the metal heads, the drama kids and the nerds. You notice the subtle, and sometimes violent display of ignorance circumnavigate the stark-white tiled floor and the lockers that map the subsections of a high school.

Trust me, it’s not only your school that consisted of mindless assholes exercising their self-conceived right to yell profanities—homo, fag, flamer—at unsuspecting students, it persisted across the entire continent. In retrospect, it’s easy to argue about how easy it may have been to stand up and

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AN ARTICLE BY DEREK LACHINE help ease the process for struggling and confused teens. The majority of us watched on from afar, secretly wanting to act out, but too frightened of the potential consequences.

For Michael D Snediker, a Professor of English at Queen’s University, such tensions were perhaps all the more acute, as he weathered middle and high school, a generation earlier than ours, in a conservative suburb of New York City: “I went to a preppy all boys’ school; homophobic jokes were how we spoke to and surveilled each other.

Frightened of both them and myself, I played Sega hockey like the other boys, choreographed my body to be as unintelligible and heterosexual as possible.” Trying to “ignore the gay” isn’t always an ideal compromise let alone solution; yet during Snediker’s adolescence, the mere idea of queerness and coming out were nearly unavailable and therefore all the more anxiety-making: “I was

petrified; my imagination was paralyzed. At the same time, acting on any specifically sexual impulse was far from my mind. Queerness wasn’t and is not a question merely of erotic preference. Queerness, in high school and beyond, constellated around adjacent notions of normativity and flamboyance.

Being part of the school had less to do with being actively engaged or not engaged in heterosexuality, but with a larger aesthetic culture, down to our striped ties and blue blazers, down to whether and how one crossed one’s legs.”

Times, at least in some ways, have changed. What was once taboo in popular culture has now grown nearly ubiquitous in television shows, music videos, movies. Awareness has spread through the voices of Lady Gaga and Ellen de Generes, and others. In shows like “Will and Grace,” and “Glee,” written characters like Kurt shed light on the numerous struggles a closeted and openly gay teen encounters. But despite the evolutions of gay rights activism and public spotlights, the difficulties of coming out and being a queer adult continue to have as much to do with political debates as they do the less explicitly politicized arena of popular culture.

The politicization of gay rights has led to recent rancorous debates about marriage, as in those concerning Proposition 8. As Snediker suggests, “Cultural and social matters become taboo by being politicized, and vice versa; if things were merely cultural (if this were possible), the stakes involved in marriage rights wouldn’t feel so legistlatively critical. Were our governments actually able to separate church and state, we wouldn’t have politicians and pundits pontificating about gay marriage.” In Snediker’s opinion, “marriage, whether heterosexual or homosexual, ought not be a governmental issue—governments can deal with civil unions and partnerships, as these affect fundamental governmental questions of healthcare, taxes, et cetera. Leave marriages— questions of fidelity, flavour of wedding cake— to the persons who want to get married.” In this regard, the problem isn’t necessarily that queer couples can marry, but rather, that the government officiates over marriages, at all.

Again, continued media attention to the issue of same-sex marriage is but one aspect of the constantly evolving representation of queers in popular culture. Lady Gaga, like Grace Jones, Madonna, and others before her, rose to fame on account of flamboyance inseparable from an ardent anti-homophobic political message. While such celebrities—Gaga and DeGeneres, even Ben Affleck—constantly make their advocacy of gay rights known, does this advocacy necessarily have a positive impact on the gay community?

Better representation than no representation.

Furthermore: why not choose Gaga as a role model? It’s not that she is simply an extravagant superstar, but rather that she uses her flamboyance and sincerity as a way of reaching out to her fans, many of whom see her extravagance not merely as provocative, “but as some radioactive version of their extravagance, their sense of neither fitting in nor wanting to.”

As Snediker pointed out, “Gaga is a threshold of tolerability; if she can accept awards wearing a meat dress and maintain an enormous devoted following, then it suggests if not an absolute end of non-acceptance, then a dream of accepting and potentially being anything. If we can accept Gaga then we can accept anyone. Not that anyone merely wishes acceptance or tolerance. We tolerate mosquitoes. We ought demand more for ourselves and each other. Queer persons, like all persons, wish to be loved and admired—not for being queer, but for their own singularities as people.”

And yet…. every day, closeted and non-closeted gay teens turn to suicide as a desperate means of advocacy and escape. Snediker offered his own insight and interpretation: “We are all sometimes sad, and all sometimes feel alone. Feeling such sadness and anxiety in the midst of feeling disapproved of by one’s family, one’s culture—to paraphrase WEB DuBois, feeling less like a person, for other persons or one’s self, but like a problem— can be unbearable. Even the most resilient children and adults internalize others’ loathing as their own.

Nodody likes feeling like a problem; which is to say in feeling like a problem, one forgets the extent to

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which one is a person.” Ironically, as Snediker notes, such questions of being or not being a person—as these queries relate to questions of suicide and death—have informed the past decades of queer theory.

Queen’s, even at its best, is less diverse and liberal than other academic cultures. Such an atmosphere can make a gay or closeted student’s transition to university all the more stressful. It’s not that persons at a place like Queen’s are merely homophobic, but that they’re ignorant—although as Snediker points out, “ignorance is neither an excuse, nor so easily separable from homophobia, as such.”

As a young boy, Snediker knew he was gay, yet as he was maturing into a young man, he didn’t seek outside help, he didn’t search for emotional support: “I was too scared to think of finding outside help. I wasn’t brave enough to think of talking to someone about my imminent queerness. So I somehow figured out how to be a confident, queer person on my own. Coming out in college was relatively easy, I had a network of queer and nonqueer persons who delighted in the flamboyance I’d taught myself for so many years to repress and self-censor. In high school, even if there had been someone to talk to, even if there had been peers or teachers who were queer-friendly, I wasn’t even close, psychologically, to taking the steps to find such people.”

“Looking back, I honestly feel that I would’ve been a happier child if I’d been able to think about finding one person to connect with. And in retrospect, I feel I could’ve found someone, but I didn’t want to face the problem; I was so concerned with teaching myself how to be heterosexual that I just let all other queer tendencies lie dormant. Now that kids are coming out at younger and younger ages, the ways one comes out may well be all the more fraught, even as kids may well be coming out earlier because of a pop-cultural system that suggests being queer is, at very least an option.”

When Snediker, for instance, was a kid, “there were no persons, anywhere, that were openly gay.

Except, say, Liberace. Not even George Michael had come out.”

Snediker insisted, as the interview progressed, that as persons are coming out at earlier moments in their lives, it’s all the more important for them to

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feel supported, if only by just one other person. “A twenty-year old is more emotionally capable than a 13-year old, a thirty-year old is more capable— emotionally, financially, and otherwise—than a twenty-year old. Why would coming out at 13 feel any less terrifying? Why, Gaga notwithstanding, would it not feel more so? All the more, when the younger the queer person, the more beholden (for instance, financially) to parents who may or may not approve of coming out, who may disown the child who dares to do so.

Eventually, as Michael reiterated, perhaps queerness will devolve into its own form of normality: “gayness may end up being boring, as little a deal as any other erotic preference. Maybe one will be able to be extravagant and flamboyant and not be frowned upon, and maybe the public will be delighted in it.

Maybe, in being bored of extravagance, we’ll grow attached to the provocations of normativity— hence our culture’s love affair with the 1950s closet culture of ‘Mad Men.’ It’s as though repression, in the context of a more tolerant culture, is more glamorous than glamour. Not that a fetishistic attachment to normalcy of any sort will do any one any good.” One can only hope that someday homophobia, racism, and sexism will end. But until then, one struggling with one’s self-identity has to persevere and attempt to understand that there is a large support system—family, friends, help-lines, health resource centres, teachers, and guidance councillors—that can ease the process into an acceptance of one’s sexuality.

“Try not to be afraid of who you were, are, and are becoming. Not that believing in a brighter future doesn’t unto itself make bad feelings subside. Try to find an external support system that you can trust in any way possible: someone who works at a bookstore, a neighbour, a relative, a professor.

Having even that one person might make a difference. It’s hard enough to do anything alone, so at very least think about feeling alone with other persons who likewise feel alone. The world is full of persons in similar, nerve-wracked positions.

Knowledge of this isn’t an ultimate consolation, but it is better than nothing.”

Y T R I D E H T

R

AN ARTICLE BY DAN EITUTIS

E

ver since people could communicate, they needed a way to say ‘fuck you’. The history probably went something like this: Neanderthals, in the times of dinosaurs, used to draw symbols on the inner cavities of their cave dwellings. They would create truly shocking images; perhaps a roaring tyrannosaurus, or the recent invention, fire. In ancient Rome men would expose their nipples out the side of their Togas. Genghis Kahn would have sex.

Genghis Kahn’s followers would get Genghis Kahn to have sex for them.

As the Western World established itself as the most developed, advanced, and powerful countries, their symbols became refined.

The United Kingdom used the middle finger and index finger, a quasi-peace sign. Russia and bordering countries would make a fist, pushing their thumb up between their middle and index fingers. African countries would extend all five fingers and open their hand towards another individual, like a glowing sun radiating a whole bunch of ‘fuck you’ rays. SPF 50 can’t protect you from that.

In Egypt four fingers are pointed with the palm face down. Shakespeare writes about ‘biting his thumb’ towards others. I’m sure the French had something in mind, but never had the guts to use it.

But the big one is the middle finger: the bird, the highway salute, flipping someone off, or simply the finger.

Nowadays, since we talk much more on Blackberrys than in person, there is an even greater, stronger, and more shocking obscene gesture. A little thing called we like to call the ‘dirty R’.

BBM sent.

BBM delivered.

BBM read.

“Fuck this, I’m not answering..”

R R R Another BBM sent… maybe their message isn’t sending.

R R R The dirty R… nothing hurts more.

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Toby wakes up at the foot of my bed, yawns, and hops down to the cluttered dirty-clothingcarpet on the floor. He paws and meows at my door incessantly for forty-five minutes before I finally roll out of bed, hung-over and like a zombie, and open to let him out. As he winds his way like a slalom skier down the stairs between half empty beer bottles and mismatched shoes, he thinks to himself “what a beautiful Saturday morning.”

HOOD CATS AN ARTICLE BY DAN EITUTIS

Under the pantry shelf in the kitchen is a cereal bowl full of water and a small heap of dry cat food on a piece of paper. “Delicious,” Toby thinks to himself, “time for breakfast.” After eating he’ll make his way into the adjacent living room and cozy up beneath a Bob Marley poster on ‘Chewbacca,’ the brown couch. He will wake up hours later to the sounds of screaming fans and hockey pucks, and the sight of four twentyyear olds in sweatpants, t-shirts, and backward baseball hats, controllers in hand; with an almost disturbingly deep gaze on the television.

He meanders over to their feet, and lightly taps their ankles for attention.

“Ahhh, it’s Toby!”

“What’s up, Tobes?”

“Dude, feed him. He is hungry. Look at him. He looks hungry.”

“No way, man. He’s your cat.”

The hungry feline is finally given his second meal of the day.

He walks, again, into the living room. Four guys are still around the television, no longer holding controllers, they’re all leaned back eating frozen pizza, and sipping on Kool-aid. A mysterious vase sits on the table, Planet Earth plays on the screen and a strange smell lingers in the musky air. “This is nice,” thinks Toby, as he relaxes on the arm of the couch, “but why am I so hungry again?” “Haha! Look at Toby,” the boys laugh together. He cries at his plate until someone gets up and replenishes his food

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stock. Another meal done. Sleepy, Toby makes his way back upstairs to spend another night at the foot of my bed.

And so ends another regular, normal Saturday for a housecat in the Queen’s ghetto.

Toby convinces himself this is a normal life.. But it is not a normal life for a housecat. He yearns for a proper bed, a soft oasis to nestle up in and call his own, a suitable dish, name brand food, and clean floors to walk upon. Sometimes he looks out the third storey window of the house, out beyond the Mac-Corry horizon, past Albert and Collingwood. He looks to a world of families and of love. A world of clean litter boxes and playing children, and alcohol being consumed in moderation.

The student pet is an abused creature that deserves attention and appreciation. If you really think about it, a cat is better than a roommate in a lot of ways.

WHY HAVING A CAT IS BETTER THAN HAVING A ROOM MATE It isn’t weird to cuddle with your cat after a bad exam.

Your cat’s lack of thumbs also means lack of dirty dishes.

A cat will watch a man moisturize his hands with Body Shop Grapefruit lotion without ever once questioning his sexuality.

Your cat won’t bring girls home at two in the morning and make it sound like somebody is doing the laundry in the paper-thin walls of your 100 year old ghetto house.

Take your cat to the bar, look sensitive. Wuddup.

My roommate can’t jump from the table to the counter and land on his feet...

Been trying to get my roommate to shit in the litter box all year…

Your cat will play with your piece of string if you dangle it in front of them.

My roommate is not a distant relative of the saber tooth tiger.

9 lives > 1 life. That’s called science.

PLEASE, RESPECT YOUR HOOD CATS

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The Audacity of a Food Budget ARTICLE BY AHRUN THIYAGARAJAH It’s December 20th, and it’s my last day of exams.

Having just experienced a myriad of emotions, I’ve been through the ringer. Never have I held the cliché home is where the heart is to be truer than at this moment.

Born and bred, I’m a Torontonian and excited to be back, and for the first time in memory I’ve come strapped with cash. Having worked during the semester, I’ve saved for this. Needless to say, I’m ready to go wild, ready to splurge on clothes, movies, and most importantly...food.

As the break begins, I soon find myself reconnecting with my twin cousins, who, just a year apart from me, are some of my closest, albeit crazy, friends. Any time we’re together, it’s a memorable experience, mainly because I know it will involve a lot of laugh-

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ter and bickering, a mix of pseudo and intellectual conversation, and a lot of eating out.

Simply put, I have grown accustomed to prepare for the unexpected whenever they are around, knowing only one thing: it will be a hell of a good time.

This time around, Boxing Day, in particular, turns out to be an eye-raiser. Picture this: it’s the end of the day and I’m at home reminiscing with my family. My feet are pressed up against the sofa, and I’m multitasking by watching Transformers, which some genius – from a network I’ll choose to leave unnamed – has marked as the perfect holiday movie.

I’m tired and lazy. Almost instinctively, my sister chooses this moment of weakness to bug me about paying for my new phone.

Then, like an orchestra, the rest of my family chimes in, as if to poke fun at my pettiness, which somehow turns into a conversation about my days as a chubby kid, and my now notorious accomplishment for having once consumed three Big Macs in one day. It’s funny how life works out sometimes.

Anyways, as I’m listening to a fleeting row of commentary, something, almost in perfect harmony, dawns on me: I just spent $120, over a span of a few hours. So how is it possible that I have nothing to show for it? Impulsive as I may be, this is something I can’t fathom. Yet, slowly, as I begin to recall the day’s events, I find myself summoning my inner Marty McFly (less the Delorean of course, which, if I’m being honest, is a lot less cool), gaining speed as I race through my memory for signs of where I went wrong. Fittingly, like lightening on the Clock Tower, the ‘Aha!’ moment hits me: food.

If you need some context, here it is. For as far back as I can remember food has always been the domain of my existence. I love indulging, and have never really felt any shame in it. Even as I’ve shed the pounds over the last few years, my fondness for food has never wavered. The funny thing is, my cousins are the exact same way, which makes for a fun and dangerous combination. So, in reality, it’s no surprise that our day went something like this: 11AM: I Arrive at Tequila Bookworm on Queen St., a cute café, albeit with a name I still don’t understand. After some waffles, there is some light reading, followed by lunch, and ensuing conversations ranging from sexual exploits to sports and the idiocy of family politics.

Three days later, I’m back in Tequila Bookworm. Roaming TorontoStar, I soon find something that is utterly poignant, as if made specifically for my experience over the last few days. A few months old, it’s an article discussing the OSAP Diet, detailing more specifically the fact that students are expected to survive of a stipend of $7.50/day. Tragic irony? Well, let’s just say this: with a budget like that, this particular student would not make it one day.

Some things are destined for change. This should be one of them.

3PM: We arrive at Nadesh bakery, where my cousin is dying to try sweets hand-made by French pastry chefs. Almost immediately, I abandon my sense of dietary control, and head for the macaroons.

4PM: Movies, here we come. Somehow, we still have the stomach to have some popcorn and drinks.

8PM: Late dinner at Ravi’s Soups.

BREAKDOWN Tequilla Bookworm = $30 Nadesh Bakery = $20 Movies = $40 Dinner = $30 (I am really amazed that we could eat) Spending Time With Family = Priceless...umm yeah, not really.

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A GLOBAL M H

AN ARTICLE BY AHRUN THIYAGARAJAH

ip-hop is a lifestyle. Bred in the Bronx, and lifted to notoriety by the likes of The Sugar Hill Gang, KRS-1, and Naughty By Nature, its essence, more than anything, embodies the rebellious nature of free and uninhibited artistic expression. Conventionally linked though to a brand of music that, at times, can display acts of both shockingly poignant storytelling and misogynistic entertainment, it is often unfairly blacklisted.

Criticized for its perceived message, hip-hop, in reality, is something so much more. Far past the eclectic divisions of music exists a global development; a way of life that has made its way into forms of fashion, dance, and free speech. Forever changing and evolving, hip-hop has becoming a self-sustaining movement that deserves to be celebrated, and Canada is helping lead the charge.

Five years ago, hip-hop in Canada remained somewhat of an underground movement. Before the Drakes, Kardinals, and K’naans of the world, the music was alive but segregated, living in an obscure and undervalued market. Still though, traces of a subversive culture were constantly emerging. Its global appeal was beginning to shine, and with it came the Manifesto Festival of Community and Culture.

Perceived by many as Canada’s largest hip-hop festival, Manifesto has come a long way from its inaugural launch in 2007. Held once a year, it brings together thousands of attendees, who band together to support the non-profit organization. Above all, the Manifesto Festival is a platform for the advancement of Toronto’s arts and music community. Expanded to a seven-day event, it is simply a celebration of talent.

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MANIFESTO Each year, urban film screenings, workshops, pitch contests, and speaker series help make up just some of core events that headline the festival.

Whether it is journalists, filmmakers, artists, or musicians being highlighted, it’s safe to say that each group is well represented. Even b-boys are given the chance to shine, where top crews across North America are able to strut their stuff and compete in the Canada Pro Championships. However, perhaps the most anticipated moment of the week is the “main event” – an outdoor concert held at Young-Dundas Square. A shining success each and every year, the list of previous formers is nothing short of spectacular, with artists such as K’naan, K-Os, Dead Prez, J. Period and Talib Kweli having all graced the Manifesto stage.

Suffice it to say, the Manifesto Festival of Community and Culture is truly an experience like no other. With a rare and genuine focus to showcase the urban arts community, it celebrates the positive essence of hip-hop, where free expression is encouraged and celebrated. With expanding movements in Barbados, Colombia, and Jamaica on the horizon, Manifesto is clearly well on its way to becoming a global movement. For Canadians, it is a crowning achievement of artistic ingenuity. As HipHopCanada.com puts it, “Manifesto is Canada’s go-to event for all things hip-hop.” Simply put, the Fall 2011 Festival is not something to miss, bringing together hundreds of young artists, philanthropists and music aficionados for another weeklong series that is sure to be success.

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Dreamcatchers:

CHANGING THE GAME AN ARTICLE BY JOHN YOO

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anything that may supplement their talent, it can get hard. But it’s when you see them coming from a rough background, you respect and are inspired by their dedication and talent.

These innovators are found in their parents basement pounding out beats from an old midi controller they bought off kijiji, or in a small apartment in the heart of a city trying to soak in their surroundings to inspire their music. Whilst music may be in their heart, reality takes control. Working jobs to pay for

The Best Rapper you’ve NEVER heard. Sticking true to home talent, this young up and comer is from Brampton Ontario. Still in High school he started by making rap videos and uploading them to YouTube.

Now he’s signed to MARS Music Group and is being flown all over the world to participate in music festivals. D-Pryde is nothing short of the best rapper you’ve never heard and creates originals as well as cover’s of songs. With lyrical flow that keeps the song so balanced, it’s a challenge to keep your head from nodding to the music. #flow Producing covers synths, drums, bass, melodies, harmonies, essentially so many components that it isn’t something that can be learned overnight.

astemakers, more like innovators. Everyone these days has some sort of musical talent in them. Whether you can dabble on the piano or sing, musical knowledge is knowledge. What bridges the gap between skill and talent is a natural gift of innovating musicality to bring in a new style or persona original to the artist. You can play the piano and sing, or you can play the piano, sing, and beat box all at once to raise your sound to a whole new level. These dreamcatchers aren’t doing this for a hobby or to kill time, but to chase their dream.

Dreams of following their passion of music.

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Mike Kalombo (aka Klassic) is a producer who can be compared to the musical genius of Ryan Leslie.

He started by producing music in his bedroom with a keyboard and recording software. Uploading his production process and final pieces to the internet enabled him to get the exposure needed for people to see his talent. Now signed to SoSoDef music, he is producing beats for both YouTube celebrities as well as some of the biggest names in the game. #technicality If you’re spending a day chilling, maybe going to the beach, you have to check out this acoustic genius Gabe Bondoc. From San Mateo, California he finds inspiration from John Mayer, David Ryan Harris, Jason Mraz, and Ryan Leslie. Currently unsigned, it doesn’t halt this talent. Already having released 3 EP’s this YouTube sensation is “woo’ing” the hearts of girls all over the world. Listen to his originals, covers, and renditions, you won’t be disappointed. #originality Repping my hometown of Vancouver, Eebsofresh (Eebrahim) quotes “my sound is something you’ve never heard before.” Listening to his tracks, true to his word it is nothing I’ve heard before. What amazes me is not his capability of beat boxing, playing the piano, producing, and singing but how well all of those sounds mesh together to create his ‘sound.’ He’s got the laid back R&B vibe but a bumping hip-hop sense to his beat boxing. You have to check out his video on making a beat in reverse, it’s something I’ve never seen before and actually blew my mind. #musicality.

Of course there has to be a DJ in the mix of this article. While many are thriving off of electro and house which I admit is dope, what I came across is one DJ who can scratch, mix, juggle, all off the fly with a musical knowledge of songs that collaborate perfectly one after another. YouTube artist billy18bm has the freshest cuts, crabs, transformers, jabs that I’ve heard from an amateur turntablist. Going by the name of DJ Wildcard he is undoubtedly one of the most talented DJ’s I’ve heard on YouTube who isn’t pro. Tributing to the

late DJ AM and to the current Jazzy Jeff, you can definitely hear their styles prominent in his mixes. #style It’s an era of Internet born superstars. While artists such as Justin Bieber and the Cali Swag District are creating their dynasty in the music business, remember that they were found from the sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. From the outside looking in, it would be easy to confuse these talented artists with any other singer on youtube – yet when you listen to their tracks and realize that they’re coming from nothing, then you can say they are much more.

Dreamcatchers are the under-noticed musicians who deserve the spotlight. They create some that has #flow with #technicality, but still #original and full of #musicality and #style. Working at their career’s whilst going through personal issues, they never falter with their music. Some may be recognized more than others, but all share the same love and passion, music.

CHECK OUT: ARTIST: D-Pryde YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/DprydeMusic ARTIST: Klassic YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/KlassicMaster ARTIST: Gabe Bondoc YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/gabebondoc ARTIST: Eebsofresh YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/eebsofresh ARTIST: Billy18bm YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/Billy18bm

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PRETTY LITTLE PARTY

Cancer lps Women With He ue iq ut Bo ty rt Beau Shoppers Drug Ma TASHA KUCERAK AN ARTICLE BY NA

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his April 1st, Shoppers Beauty Boutique on Barrie and Princess will be celebrating beauty, health & hope with its annual ‘Pretty Little Party’ Spring Gala; Offering free makeup and skincare consultations throughout the day and some spectacular surprises along the way! The exciting event/ fundraiser will be held in support of the Look Good Feel Better Charity. With the purchase of a $5 ticket, donators will be provided with a special key- one being the key to unlocking a special treasure chest full of fabulous beauty supplies!

First established in 1992 by the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CCTFA), Look Good Feel Better has become Canada’s only cancer foundation committed to improving the self-image of women whose appearance and quality of life has been affected by cancer and treatment. An organization aimed to help women face their illness through the lifting of spirits and the fostering of inner strength; its goal is to “help women face their illness with greater confidence.” Through a complimentary two-hour skincare and beauty workshop, or, ‘a makeover for the spirit’, Look Good Feel Better helps women look and feel a little more like themselves and provides each woman with her own personalized cosmetic kit, compliments of CCTFA, to help women manage and care for the affects that cancer and treatment have had on their outward appearance while raising morale and encouraging female empowerment.

With a network of volunteers across the country offering complementary makeup, wig, and skincare sessions as well as a number of supporters from the beauty industry including: L’Oreal Canada Inc.,

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Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Inc., Proctor & Gamble, and CAREpath Inc. just to name a few, Look Good Feel Better has grown into a charitable community nurturing strength, support and courage, helping well over 100,000 women through its workshops and services.

What a fun and great way to lend your support and shop for a worthy cause!

If you or anyone you know would be like to order a ticket for Look Good Feel Better, contact: 613-544-5733 www.shoppersdrugmart.ca www.lgfb.ca

SKINS:

A PARTY THAT YOU CAN’T REMEMBER, WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WON’T FORGET AN ARTICLE BY ANDREA NAZARIAN

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dirty, sexy, underground party-a Skins party. The controversial British TV show by the same name was the inspiration for two close girlfriends to throw a rave themed after the out-of-control, all-night jams seen on the drama. Skins, a show now in its 5th season, focuses around the lives of a group of British teenage party animals and their nights filled with dancing, drinking and dropping…classes.

The first Skins party, known on facebook as an after-party for the Deadmau5 show in Kingston on November 19th, showcased the musical talent of local DJ’s the Karvello Brothers and DJ A-Ray. The party was thrown in a laundry room basement, with low ceilings, grimy walls and covered-up windows. The girls blacklit the entire basement, making everyone’s clothes glow, covered the walls in glow-paint and steamed up the place with fog machines and strobe lights. They rented out speakers from a local sound shop and hooked them up to the DJ equipment. The basement was almost entirely soundproof, letting the music go as loud as ever without any problems from the neighbours or cops. A five dollar cover allowed for just about anyone to come and party. DJ A-Ray (whose real name is Aaron Riley-check his sh*t out) started off the night with some hard-hitting electro and house to keep the crowd dancing. Aaron included some hip-hop

in his set and showcased his scratching talents as kids rave n’ rolled to the beats pulsing from the speakers. The vibe was bumpin; everyone was dancing, sweating and grooving to the beats in a party environment that the girls liked to call “the rave jungle”. Around 3:30 am, the real ravers showed up and kids really started to lose their minds, in more ways than one. Chris and David Carvalho (aka the Karvello Brothers) started spinning their classic sound: a medley of funky, groovy and tribal tech house that kept everyone dancing till 6 am. Their efforts paid off and Skins was such a success that the girls threw a second party-Skins 2.0-during frost week, with a new DJ-Maxime Malou added to the set and a massive turnout of ravers from all walks of Kingston. They plan to throw party in the coming months. Still don’t understand what all this Skins party stuff is all about? Check youtube or urbandictionary, you’ll get it.

To hear the tunes that were played, check out: The Karvello Brothers at: http://www.facebook.com/ KarvBrothers A-Ray’s tracks at: http:// aaron-riley.podomatic.com/

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For more: www.wesavetherave.com and www.musemagazine.tumblr.com

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edroche, one of Canada’s hottest house production pairs, has been getting their feel-good, booty-shakin’ sound out for a decade. Soon after the 9/11 disaster, brothers Gio and Antoine built a small studio in their basement and began producing music under the alias Redroche. Achieving Gold status on their now accomplished record label, Eyezcream, the brothers have rocked the clubs with hits like “Love has Gone” (found on the Ministry of Sound 2008 album) and “Make Your Move.” Despite their international success and undying support from house music heavyweights such as Pete Tong, Armin Van Buuren, Laidback Luke and Carl Cox, these Kingston natives still make a point to keep levelheaded and stay true to their roots. Over lattés at Starbucks, I had a chance to catch up with this dynamic duo.

M:If there were an opportunity for you to work with any artist (dead or alive) in the music industry, who would it be and why?

For living artists, we’d have to say Madonna. She’s always up to date and current and she’s a trendsetter for sure. As for late artists, definitely Michael Jackson. He’s the king. No matter what work you do with him, it would be loved by millions. He has more fans than anyone in the world. Plus, we’d get wicked at the moonwalk!

M: Who are your biggest musical influences?

GIO: Jacques Lu Cont aka Madonna’s producer-just

listen to her “Confessions” album and you’ll know what I mean.

Antoine: I used to be a drummer in a band and my influences stemmed a lot from rock and heavy metal-bands like led zeppelin, the doors, motley crue etc... For me, rock music’s influence on my musical taste grew into my getting into house music through daft punk. I also grew up loving disco.

M: What’s the top track in your ipod at the moment?

ANTOINE: Olav Basoski – New Day. We did a remix of this on Defected Records and it will be coming out soon. It’s large!

SPOTLIGHT:

REDROCHE AN ARTICLE BY ANDREA NAZARIAN

GIO: Chromeo-Hot Mess (Duck Sauce Remix) Check it out!

M: What can we expect from Redroche in the future?

Definitely follow-up singles to “Make Your Move.”

We can’t say what label it’ll be with yet but stay tuned! We’re working towards an album and labels have been fighting over us. We’re signed to 15 different labels worldwide and each label expects a different single (talk about pressure!).

M: What advice do you have for up-and-coming producers and djs?

Be patient and make sure the quality of your music is good. We get demos on a daily basis and the problem is everyone is in a rush to get their music out. A lot of kids start off with free software in their bedroom, which is great-but gives a lot of people a confidence and ever cockiness that shouldn’t be.

It’s a craft, experiment and play around with it. It’s

always exciting to get something done, but 9 times out of 10 its not properly made for commercial success. These huge record execs at Ministry of Sound or Ultra will give you one shot. “Give You More” took us 4 hours to make but “Love has Gone” was 2 years in the making-it really changes and the creative process needs to be perfected before you try making it big.

M:Finally-The question everyone wants to knowwhat are your thoughts on dubstep?

We respect everyone’s sound but for us, it’s not our favourite. For us: music needs a melody, there’s a point where you’re going to dance to the music or listen to it on your ipod and go jumping around.

Some people think that our sound is stupid for appreciating melody and musicality. When we play music we want to see girls dancing and having a good time instead of sweaty dudes throwing themselves around, just sayin’. orange is the new black

ORANGE IS THE NEW

BLACK

A BOOK REVIEW BY GILLIAN MAYS

A few weeks into her 13-month jail sentence, Piper Kerman received a newspaper clipping and a note from a friend on the outside. The clipping, torn from Bill Cunningham’s weekly fashion column in the New York Times, featured a full page of women wearing brilliant orange on the streets on NYC. The note read, “NYers wear orange in solidarity w/ Piper’s plight! xo K.” Kerman stuck the column on the inside of her locker door, as a reminder that, according to the upper echelons of fashion journalism, orange was the new black.

Kerman’s memoir of her time spent in prison for a decade-old drug trafficking charge reads at times like a the reflections of a preteen at summer camp. She spends considerable time detailing the scores of women she met in prison, who fall into three narrow categories: women mistreated by their male significant others, women mistreated by the justice system, or women with mental issues. For all its shortcomings, however, Kerman’s novel reveals a small part of the silent reality women face in prison. At 34, on track with a promising career as a freelance TV producer and a stable, loving relationship, the federal government prosecutes her for her activities in a drug-trafficking ring shortly after graduating from college. Trading in her business suits for an orange jumpsuit, Kerman is a well-educated, Caucasian woman with an unfailing support network, plenty of reading material, no children, and a guaranteed job at the end of the ordeal. She may not be the classic female inmate, but she does have the means to articulate her experience.

From the opening page, Kerman is constantly aware of the role clothing plays in all sectors of society. As a university student, she feels at home in the bars where black is a wardrobe staple and vintage finds scream individuality. On her first drug run she dresses up as a professional; her “Doc Martens had been jettisoned in favor of beautiful handmade black suede heels. I wore black silk pants and a beige jacket, a typical jeune fille, not a bit counterculture, unless you spotted the tattoo on my neck”. Ten years later, her lawyer advises her to wear a pastel skirt suit from the fifties, to remind the sentencing judge of his own daughter, niece or neighbour. Kerman is aware that every day, whether she is going to work or to work out, an acceptable uniform rules her choice. That fact hits home when a scratchy, khaki, elastic-waist prison suit transforms her into an inmate, one of thousands of women interacting with society and government solely through an eight-digit number. Even the breast-pocket of the uniform has someone else’s name on it; Kerman barely recognizes herself in the bathroom mirror.

In the face of possibly the most unflattering wardrobe ever, the inmates at Danbury prison create their own style system. They refer to the enormous, tent-shaped nightgown as a ‘muu-muu’, and they prize the nifty, burgundy smock that inmates working in the kitchens got to wear. Most women set aside one well-fitting, stain-free uniform for weekend visitors. There is a thriving underground market in contraband nail polish and men’s pajamas.

In prison, Kerman argues, what an individual wears becomes even more important than a sense of style in the free world. She feels completely out of place in her original, state-issued scrubs, aware that they brand her as a newbie and without a job in prison. When she is finally given heavy, steel-toed work boots for her job as an electrician, she writes that she hadn’t been that excited about shoes since finding a pair of Manolo Blahniks on sale for $50. One of the book’s most emotional moments depicts Kerman and two other inmates temporarily left unsupervised ‘on the outside’. They stand frozen, conscious of how they stood out and terrified of the reaction to their prison uniforms.

When choice is limited, the fashion choices one does make gain even more importance.

HIGHLIGHTS / New York Fashion Week An article by Keith Niine

What are rules if you can’t break them?

Duckie, Antonio and Junya are a trio of designers who are throwing the rulebook out the window and every boring look along with them. New York and Paris fashion week has recently displayed their fall 2011 ready-to-wear collections and they could not have been more different from one another or more perfect in their own ways.

Duckie Brown// Duckie Brown’s collection consisted mostly of tall and graceful silhouettes paired with monochromatic colours (almost like wild gazettes running through the African planes on a black and white television). He took the wide top, narrow bottom approach by dressing models with extra large sweaters, cardigans and blazers and then wrapping up their legs with silky textured pants. Fashion shows, especially at the caliber of New York or Paris usually calls for intricate detailing and an array of patterns and colours but D.B chose the subtle theme and it paid off. Sometimes, less is more, much more. This is also starting to be the trend on campus with several students wearing oversized scarves, oversized sweaters and basically anything oversized. As long as you are wearing the clothes and the clothes aren’t wear you, you are golden.

DUCKIE BROWN FALL 2011

ANTONIO AZZUOLO FALL 2011

Antonio Azzuolo//

44 | MUSE

A newcomer hailing from our sister city of Toronto is Antonio Azzuolo. His fall collection plays with proportions, unexpected colours and a bit of avant garde designs.

He left conventional at the door and redid how everything should be worn. Cardigans are left unbuttoned at the bottom instead at the top, sneakers are paired with tweed jackets and weird half cropped coats are put on top of sweaters. Some of the outfits are still too conceptual to be seen walking through the streets of Kingston but tweeds and sneakers are a combo that can quickly become a go-to look. Antonio’s use of colours reflects the diversity of the city he grew up in (Toronto) quite well and they all coalesce perfectly. The fitted silhouette is also exceptionally well formed and little details bring each outfit together.

TOP: JUNYA WATANABE F/W 11, COURTESY OF TRES BIEN FLICKR

Junya Watanabe//

JUNYA WATANABE FALL 2011 Â

Finally the strongest show of the season goes to Junya Watanabe. If consistency and relevance are the keys to fashion, Junya is able to unlock this door with every single jaw-dropping collection he makes for each season. This designer is not only there to set the bar for all other designers but he really knows how to cater to his clientele while keeping his own aesthetic alive in every thread that weaves through he apparel. His styling and knowledge of street fashion is at such an expert level that the designs can literally walk off the show and into the street. The designs for the fall 2011 collection include the classic American sportswear inspired silhouettes with drops of Parisian chic scribbled all over it. The jackets are beyond amazing in colour, pattern, shape and design. There are solid colours on the jackets and somehow he still manages to include patterns into them without making it look like a drunken student from Alfies made it.

The pockets are placed at the right locations, and the subtle shades of the trousers really define what modern and sophisticated men should look like today. Take note gentleman, you can still look incredibly attractive and smart wearing bizarre plaids and sport coats if you know how to dress yourself like Junya does.

Fashion | 45

BACKGROUND IMAGE: JUNYA WATANABE, OURTESY OF TRES BIEN FLICKR

46 | MUSE

A SHOE STORY: Men’s Footwear On Campus AN ARTICLE BY SHANNON GILL When Sex and the City aired for the first time in 1998, the first thing the fashion industry noted were shoes. Carrie Bradshaw was the ultimate perpetrator of shoes as a woman’s weakness and attached to the word ‘shoe’ a very feminine ideal.Far from getting left in the dust behind the Manolo-print flag of female shoe fanatics, males have risen to join women in their footwear-related frenzy. From the brogues, loafers and wingtips of Mad Men to Entouragemember Turtle’s ridiculous access to limited edition Air Force 1’s, the scope of men’s shoes in fashion media is just hitting its stride. In keeping with the onslaught of men’s fashion media, we turn to three undergraduate Queen’s students for their perspective in shoes.

Dave, a third year mechanical engineer, is very happy with his shoe collection. Never to be called excessive, his thirteen pairs of shoes cover all categories of footwear and weather conditions. A recent addition to this impressive collection is the classic white Ked look-alikes from Aldo. When pointed out, Dave picks them up and scrubs them with his palms, “Ugh. I have to wash these before you take a picture of them.” It works a little.

Strictly for summer and already been through the wash once, this is a definite appreciation of proportion in style: lighter clothes, lighter shoes.

“Most of my shoes are like, 4 years old. I’ve had these since high school,” Dave indicates the mid-rise, thin-soled Adidas, white with green detailing, that are slightly scuffed but clearly well made. He turns to a distressedlooking pair of Etnies, “These I’m really pissed about because I bought them in second year, and they’re already [falling apart].” The sole is fully detatched from the arch, as demonstrated by folding in half.

Garnet, another 3rd year mechanical engineer, has a smaller repertoire of shoes. “I just bought these three online. The black [DVS] one’s are exactly the same as my old ones.”

His attachment to this style is apparent in the second purchase, which differ only in subtle orange decals. “I wanted to get something a little more flashy, you know? But these were a disappointment. …Who puts orange detailing on a shoe without including orange laces?” These shoes have been worn minimally, and disuse will continue until such laces are found.

Mat, a third year Film major, is superbly faithful to one shoe at a time (the last pair were brown leather loafers), and attaches to each pair a distinct personal importance.

“I guess once you develop enough history with any article of clothing, but more specifically a shoe (since you can get away with wearing it all the time,) it gains a personality and is in that way a comforting constant...”

From a closet-full of staples, to adherence to a single style, to distinct attachment, attitude towards footwear in men and women is the same in its huge variation. Love shoes or hate them, they remain a vessel of selfportrayal to all those who would use it.

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS: Pollock, the editorial director at Elle.com, has an eye for the artistic angles of a guy’s closet, hooker-blue Duckie Brown brogues included -- http://www.thecoveteur. com/Keith_Pollock: Ever wondered about upcoming sneaker release dates, or the history of Nike ACGs? This site is a sneaker-lover’s haven, with a dictionary, a pricing guide. and envy-inspiring photos. -- http://sneakermestupid.com/

FASHION | 47

ANDROGYNY:

AN ARTICLE BY KEITH NIINE

ANDROGYNY// AN·DROG’Y·NY. Being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in dress, appearance, or behavior.

F

emales for the most part of the fashion history have been associated with femininity and structured silhouettes. Clothing in colours such as pink, red and white represent the ideal image for feminine beauty. Wearing apparel shaped in the hourglass outline and extenuating certain assets also represents what women should look like. However, the era of Betty Boop has come and gone and the new era of a more hardcore and provocative women has emerged.

Women no longer follow the archetype of the trophy wife living at home, making pot roast for her beau and taking care of her perfect nuclear family. Women are now out in the world, strong, con-

48 | MUSE

fident and ready to take care of business. And with this change comes a new chapter of style and aesthetics. Needless to say, this does not mean a complete transformation from femininity to masculinity, but an adaptation and openness to individuality and experimentation. A hundred years ago, there was a certain level of expectation to what women were supposed to dress like, regardless of what or how she felt. However, today, the female population in most countries has the freedom to escape from that caricature and dress how she pleases.

A new and exciting style that is quickly becoming popular among the female population is using men’s clothes as a reference to dress and accessorize. The look is called androgynous and with the right touches, it can be the best outfit that any women have ever stepped out of their house with. This look is also turning up on a lot of runways in the recent fashion weeks; Rag and Bone’s spring/summer 2011 collection is a perfect example, or the wardrobe of style icon Alessandra Colombo. Not only does she embody the strength of the masculine look but still retains touches of femininity that makes her a complete package for a style icon. Every photograph that is taken of her defines confidence, chic and sophistication.

She does not follow the rules to a feminine silhouette and likes to either make her bottoms or tops baggy but somehow, the looks are still incredibly sexy. Furthermore, contrasting this oversized look with a fitted piece completes the ensemble and allows admirers to continue gawking at you from head to toe.

As with all other pieces of art, being able to pull off androgyny also requires fine detailing and smooth transition from each part of the outfit.

Throwing a long necklace with some of your favorite bracelets or wearing a nice set of pumps makes a statement that you are still in love with feminine elegance but aren’t afraid to switch things up. Colour schemes are also important and can play a role in shaping the outfit. As opposed to the traditional shades associated with feminine apparel, androgynous looks can experiment with a variety of neutral colours, patterns and designs. Shapes, articles of clothing and accessories are no longer restricted and the freedom to build an arsenal of awesome outfits is at any women’s disposal. So for the coming spring/summer months, forget about those pencil skirts and pink floral summer dresses, bring out your metallic coloured leather jackets or burrow your guy friend’s chino pants and rock the campus saying “Man, I feel like women.”

TOP AND BOTTOM: Alessandra Colombo

Source: http://thesartorialist. blogspot.com/2009/11/style-profilealessandra-colombo-milano.html

FASHION | 49

MADSTYLE

// AN ARTICLE BY MAGGIE BOWIE

SOURCE: MARK ROTHKO PAINTING, WWW.TRANSATIONAL.ORG

“When you look at it, you do feel something,” remarks a pensive Ken Cosgrove on his initial reaction to a Mark Rothko painting in episode seven of Mad Men’s second season. He stands in awe, contemplating the newest artistic addition to Bert Cooper’s office. To him, Rothko’s avant-garde abstractism is difficult to understand as he peers into a new world of modernism.

In the same way Rothko’s art was a revelation in the 1960s, Mad Men is a cultural phenomenon in the 21st century. As viewers, we share Ken Cosgrove’s wonderment through the moving frames of Mad Men. Recreating everything from the cocktails, to the hairstyles, to the casual adultery, Mad Men grants us insight to life in the 60s. Of the show’s many feats, the fashion has been my obsession since episode one.

Each character’s personal style is so well put together that the recent explosion of 60s trends is hardly surprising. Little by little, I see more boys dressing like my grandpa, and more girls in my grandmother’s fur. When the old look suddenly became the new look, fashion runways were quick in adopting a fresh angle on 60s style. The Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection appears to be made for a modern-day Joan Holloway. Bustier models grace the catwalk in empire waistlines, long gloves, full-skirt dresses and structured jackets, capturing the true image of sexiness and sophistication that Joan brings to the screen. The men in the show, perfectly tailored in their clover-leaf lapels and skinny ties, have had major appeal to our male population, getting them back into their classic suits and away from the disposable fashion of today.

To dress glamorously is to live glamorously, a motto confirmed by the fabulous portrayal of 1960s lifestyle in Mad Men. Sophisticated smoking, martinis galore, impromptu sex and classy parties all make for a very cool representation of the 60s. Looking good was bet-

50 | MUSE

ter than feeling good, and a lady never lit her own cigarette. Occasionally, I find myself wishing life was still like that... Wait, what?

I’ve been duped by the beautiful facade of the 60s! Upon closer inspection of Don Draper’s perfectly pressed white button-up shirt, I spotted a stain. Ignorance was bliss in this intoxicating time: consumption was at an all-time high, extra-marital affairs were accepted and performed without guilt and women were merely decorative objects in a male-dominated world. Life was messy, to say the least.

So why do I, among other followers, feel a sense of longing for this lost age of misogyny and uncontrollable chain smoking? Having being raised in a society obsessed with political correctness and healthy living, I’m intrigued with the way they lived life on the edge. We choose to indulge in Mad Men because we’re given the opportunity to relive the racy past in the safety of the present. Some of us decide to embrace the 1960s through its fashion, but as classic style re-emerges with a modern-day twist, it’s best to leave the self-destructive but bewitching behaviour confined within the glass of the television set.

COSTUME DEPARTMENT AN ARTICLE BY GILLIAN MAYS Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 movie spins a beautiful tale of fantasy and escape, chasing a jewel thief across the south of France. It features only the best-dressed French women, Cary Grant in exquisitely-tied scarves, dramatic silhouettes, enough diamonds for Marie Antoinette and a costume ball.... need we say more? One of the most memorable scenes shows Grace Kelly speed-driving down a country road, supposedly the same road she died on when she suffered a stroke while driving thirty years later.

Polka dot tunic dress Marc Jacobs $1115.00 www.ssense.com Alexander Wang 1C5 Sunglasses $252.00 www.ssense.com Floral tribal scarf Something Else $61.62 www.shopbop.com Crinkled silk-blend dress Moschine $329 www.theoutnet.com Saint Augustine Academy Blues From a Gun Single Button Suit Jacket $234.00 www.revolveclothing.com Thorocraft The Williamson boat shoe in Light Oatmeal $198.00 www.revolveclothing.com

FASHION | 51

FROM LIBRARIES TO WATERCOOLERS:

Taking your wardrobe from cam AN ATICLE BY ALISHA KASSAM

A

midst a sea of lululemon yoga pants, Uggs, and American apparel hoodies, I have spent a good portion of my four years at Queen’s using my closet to set myself apart from the crowd. Personal style can be as volatile as deciding on a career path. Trends can come and go more quickly than ideas like “doctor” and “lawyer”, but like most career choices, we begin to settle on a recurring theme eventually. It has taken me a long time and several fashion faux pas to develop my personal style, and I have to say, I am not keen on changing it. Personal style shows the world who you are and who you want to be. Style becomes part of your “brand”, which, for those of us who are attempting to crack the job market, is becoming an important part of the hiring process. Human resource representatives are looking for individuals with personality, but limited eccentricities. Learning how to market yourself as a brand has a lot to do with personal style, but also, knowing how and when to tone it down.

Does this mean we have to pull Hilary Clintons and work the power suit on a regular basis?

Hardly. You might have to scrap the Uggs, slouchy pants and graphic-tees, but there are ways to take your current wardrobe and make it work for you in the workplace. Investing in conservative suits from Ann Taylor is not necessary; all you need is to invest in a few key pieces.

For instance, blazers in neutral tones like nude and muted rose have been all over the Spring collections, and you can pair them with items from your wardrobe to dress things

mpus to the office

up. They are easy to pull over a V-neck tee or crocheted cami and sit perfectly on pencil skirts, pleated trousers, A-line skirts and skinny jeans for more casual days. Blouses are a staple, but they don’t have to be boring. You can buy them a bit oversized and pair them with a pair of high-waisted, form-fitting camel trousers for an updated spin on a classic work outfit. For extra flare, grab a funky belt to spice things up, or express your desire for colour with bracelets in bright, engaging shadesYou don’t have to get rid of your strappy tops, either. Tank tops can be worn under blouses, cardigans, loose blazers and capes.

Flowing, floral tops can be worn with more structural pieces to achieve a balance of fun and serious. A key piece for the upcoming season is a structured leather bag. Bring one along to give your look a practical but mature, on-trend feel. If your work place has a strict, suit only policy, don’t worry, you won’t get lost amongst the suits if you know how to be yourself when you wear them. Playing with colour alone will help keep your outfit up to par and on trend. Keep an eye out for the trending colour pallets, and bring try and work those tones into your outfit. You’ll be keeping to code and fashion simultaneously.

Don’t let the transition from campus to office bog you down, your style is part of who you are. Make your step into the real world with a few key, on-trend pieces and mix and match them with your existing wardrobe. You might have to leave your hoodies and Chuck Taylors at home, but that might be for the best.

54 | MUSE

MUSE STREET FASHION We always keep our eye out for bold, beautiful and unique on Queen’s campus.

Photography by Cynthia Oh. For more, check out Facebook @ Muse Magazine at Queen’s and our blog at [www.musemagazine.tumblr.com].

FASHION | 55

ONE ITEM FOUR WAYS TO WEAR IT AN ARTICLE BY STEP HANIE RUDYK

M

ost of us have staple items in our closets. That is, tried and true items that never seem to fail us in a wardrobe crisis, and always seem to pull an outfit togetherno matter how frantically it was thrown on in the morning. The blazer reigns supreme among these items of versatility and closet basics. The blazer will take you from morning to evening, from class to club, seamlessly. Dressed up or down, it just takes a little creativity to turn one simple item into four fabulous looks

STAPLE ITEM//

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JOB INTERVIEW// ◄ ADAM

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D-frame acetate glasses $265

BLAZER: http://www.lagarconne.com/store/item.htm?itemid=10305&sid=19&pid= ● SKIRT:http://www.theoutnet.com/product/62673# ● PUMPS: http://www.aldoshoes.com/us ● GLASSES: http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/108129 ● DRESS: http://www.costumenational.com/COSTUME_NATIONAL/detail/tskay/B9BA1227/cod10/34177543JG/mm/19 ● nIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33060&storeId=13052&productId=2142442&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208705&parent_categoryId=208582&sort_field=Rel ge=3&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Coral&mporgp=L0NoZXJ5bC1Db2xlL0Fzb3MvQXNvcy1QZWFjaGVzLVN1ZWRlLVBsYXRmb3JtLUNvdXJ0LVNob2UvUHJvZC8 ● LEATHER SHORTS: http://www.harv uct/88672# ● WHITE TEE: http://us.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=&storeId=13052&catalogId=33060&productId=2212432&categoryId=2301 eginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33060&storeId=13052&productId=2093549&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=209879&parent_categoryId=208641&sort_field=

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s/clearance/womens-shoes/heels/80607637-botkins/37 ● TIGHTS: http://www.theoutnet.com/product/76189# ● JERSEY TANK: http://www.theoutnet.com/product/222071# WEDGES: http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/women/boots/wedge-boots/82369759-luzier/37 ● CLUTCH: http://us.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?begi levance&pageSize=9 ● PLATFORM COURT SHOE: http://us.asos.com/Cheryl-Cole-ASOS-PEACHES-Suede-Platform-Court-Shoe/rx3m9/?iid=857362&cid=4172&Rf-200=9,7,1&sh=0&p veynichols.com/womens/categories/designer-shorts/short/s354037-leather-shorts-with-lapel-pockets.html?colour=BLACK ● BANGLES: http://www.theoutnet.com/prod163&parent_categoryId=230162 ● TANK: http://www.theoutnet.com/product/207252 ● SKINNY JEANS: http://us.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?b =Relevance&pageSize=9 ● ARMY BOOT: http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/women/boots/boots-100-under/83336940-orlena/22

ONE TO WATCH Chantal Stafford Abbott is taking the fashion world by storm AN ARTICLE BY STEPHANIE RUDYK

F

resh off the runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris, where she walked shows like Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, and Jason Wu, Chantal Stafford- Abbott agreed to an interview on her experiences as a model, her insights into the industry, and her love/hate relationship with fashion.

A stunning red head from Montreal, she got into the industry around fifteen years old and quickly became a regular fixture in Canadian publications like LouLou, Flare, and Elle Canada. Now nineteen years old, she has travelled around the world to pursue her modeling career, spending time in Tokyo, Australia, and of course the four biggest fashion capitals. Recently, she appeared in the February 2011 issue of American Vogue, shot by Mario Testino, as well as gracing the pages of I-D, Pop, and Flair. Like most models, the success that Chantal has today can be attributed to a combination of hard work, and luck. In an industry notorious for being fickle, aspiring models have to compete with co untless other new faces to make a name for themselves. Her vibrant red hair and freckled skin set her apart from other generic Eastern-European blondes and brunettes who often earn comparisons to drone-like clothes hangers. She also has a solid head on her shoulders that allows her to navigate the politics of modeling successfully. Keep an eye out for this girl in runway reports and editorials this spring. She is one to watch for sure.

How did you get into modeling?

I have always wanted to act since I was little, and I guess modeling seemed like some sort of alternative.

I can’t really remember what I thought of modeling before I started… It’s a really weird industry.

What is the hardest part about modeling, or the way the industry works?

I really dislike the politics of modeling and how easily you can be ‘’out’’ and ‘’in’’.

Which designer have you had the best working experience/relationship with?

I guess I haven’t had the chance to work with the designers themselves that often. I am usually working more with the makeup artist and stylists and so on.

Although, I do really admire Marc Jacobs for the way he works.

what would they be?

My dads eagle shirt, a one-piece bathing suit and yoga pants What is the best swag or contra you’ve ever received for a job?

An awesome beige trench coat from Derek Lam. What’s the interaction like between models backstage? Would you be nervous to go up and talk with some of the really successful girls, like Natalia Vodianova, Jessica Stam, Natasha Poly, etc?

I personally don’t think there’s any reason to be nervous around girls who are doing the same show as you. The best thing about shows is that you get to meet a bunch of people (from around the world).

Do you follow any fashion blogs in your spare time, or do you generally just detach yourself from fashion when off duty?

I go through fazes of hating and loving fashion. Right now I’m trying to stay away from it all and enjoy time with my family and not worrying about what I look like.

Do you enjoy doing fashion week runway or print work more?

Print can often be long and boring (though this is not always the case). I really like how fast runways are.

In a couple of minutes a whole new collection is revealed to millions of people! So I have to say I prefer runway by far!

Looking back with experience, what advice do you wish you were given when you began your career?

For those who don’t know, just briefly explain the Everything is only what you want it to be. life of a model during fashion week.

Picture this: four hours of sleep per night, nasty back- If you never began modeling, what would you be dostage food, getting your hair ripped out (by hair styl- ing right now? ists), getting screamed at all day and running around I would be finishing up at Dawson College in Montretown jet lagged and exhausted. You are running on al, probably in a language program. adrenaline and are emotionally unbalanced FOR A MONTH! It’s amazing and I’m so lucky that I get to What has been your most memorable job to date? experience it!

It was this cheesy wedding shoot that I did in Australia for a week. It was so great! I remember being so mad How do you stay sane during the crazy pace of fash- at my agency in Tokyo because I didn’t want to go! (I ion week? left from Tokyo to Australia) but looking back it was I don’t. probably one of the best weeks of my life!

What is the most useful lesson that being a model You recently did a shoot with Mario Testino for had taught you?

American Vogue. Can you share a little bit about that Don’t take ANYTHING personally. experience?

It was fast. There was good food and great people.

If you could only have 3 clothing items in your closet,

Faculty Fashion CREATIVE DIRECTORS/ Nicholas Chong Fallon Collett EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE/ Zoe Lewis Ben Silverstein PHOTOGRAPHY/ Kylie Bignell MODELS/ Daniel Skrba Hank Zheng Sara Lewis Ming Zhu Meryl Acker Nicola Craig Charlotte Ficek Erika Moll SPECIAL THANKS/ Adam Hall

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VISUAL CREDITS// Please visit the following pages or contact the following artists/photographers as they are not directly affiliated with Muse and Muse Magazine does not take credit for any of their visual artistry that has been used within this issue.

CRAFTING CONNECTIONS// Image Page 6 - Hilary Lougheed Image Page 8 - Sean Foreman of flickr.com/ photos/3rdfoundation WE ALL PLAY SYNTH// Image Page 14 - Alex Mansourati of flickr.com/ photos/amansourati MUSIC AS THERAPY// Image Page 16 - Erika Iris Simmons of http:// www.iri5.com/ STRUGGLING WITH QUEER IDENTITY// Image Page 22 - Myrmidon Formicidae of http://www. flickr.com/people/coblat HOOD CATS// Image Page 27 - From icanhascheezburger.com/ DREAM CATCHERS// Image Page 32: Dan Seguin of http://www.eperel.com/