Intimacy

THE AVENUE Spring 2018 Vol. 7 Issue 2 10th Printed Edition

intimacy

Spring 2018 Vol. 7 Issue 2

President Danny McGorry

Treasurer Meredith Fisher

Editor-in-Chief Shelby Robin

Head Photographers Louise-Audrey Zenezini, Alec Suthy and Ellie MacLean

Senior Creative Director Samantha Isaacs Creative Director Tova Lenchner Communications Director Halle Butler Communications Associates Victoire Cointy, Kaitlin Jahn and Mikaela Amundson Deputy Editor Dana Dworkin Beauty Editor Morgan Chemidlin Lifestyle Editor Phillip Zminda Men’s Fashion Director Michelle Rodriguez Women’s Fashion Director Valerie Butler Senior Graphic Designer Fernanda Fiszner Associate Graphic Designer Sarah Porter Graphic Designers Karina Masri, Phoebe Lasater, Claudia Bracy, Hannah Wolfenson and Sarah Ceniceros

Photographers Alexis Kaneshiro, Drew Tay, Fernanda Lopez, Lisa Richov, Claire Cramm, Jill Kligler, Sofia Bergmann, Kasey Arko, J Brimeyer, Riley Robinson, Katie Margiotta, Angela Pyne, Catherine Argyrople, Lindis Barry, Simran Gvalani and Diya Khullar Writers Sade Adewunmi, Salma Falah, Sofia Bergmann, AJ Addae, Madison Casey, Alexis Kaneshiro, Madelaine Millar, Annie Koessler, Jessica Varner, Melissa Wells, Brittany Clottey, Amanda Dupell, Michelle Weth, Dipshika Chawla and Cheyenne Tang Stylists Catherine Barna, Abigail Manos, Moana Yamaguchi, Alexa Portigal, Emma Cubellis and Jackson Wang Models Alexandra Hung, Sarah Feldman, Bryan Williams, Mary Najibi, Elise O’Reilly, Valentina Torres and Obinna Cabilaz Makeup & Nail Artists Dana Dworkin, Karli Brush and Halle Butler

letter from

the editor What does intimacy mean to you?

With each article in this issue, we attempt to unfold and smooth out the creases of the definition of intimacy. We wanted to illustrate a range of intimate relationships without placing judgements or added value on any one form. The central categories of intimacy we talk about in this issue are friendships, romantic relationships and physical relationships.

We can say with almost certainty that authentic intimacy with others comes after intimacy with yourself. A significant part of intimacy with ourselves is intimacy with our thoughts, then our bodies and lastly how we choose to present ourselves to the world. Our fashion and beauty choices have a huge impact on how we view ourselves and view the intimate moments and relationships in our lives. Hopefully you find comfort in the familiar and excitement in the unfamiliar experiences within these pages.

This is The Avenue’s 10th printed issue, and my 6th and final issue as Editor-in-Chief. With each issue we try to highlight a different aspect of the human experience through fashion and I feel that we achieved that in this issue to a new extent. I am humbled and proud of all the hard work and talented people that I have gotten to work with because of The Avenue and can’t wait to see where it goes from here!

Shelby Robin Editor-in-Chief

table of contents

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48

4

Single and Thriving

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VETTA: Launching a Fashion Brand with Your Best Friend

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An Intimate Look at Intimates

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The Importance of Slumber Parties

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Drama Queen

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How Your Significant Other Affects Your Style

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My Roster of Men

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The Scent of Seduction

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Henna: A Symbol of Love

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The Comfortable Side of Intimacy

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Lessons from a Toxic Friendship

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Rihanna: More Than a Sex Icon

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Cozy

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Loving: Race and the Modern American Couple

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Bras or Bare?

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Standing the Test of Time

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Promiscuous Girl

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Paradise

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Getting Intimate with Insecurities

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Intimacy Playlist

&

Single Thriving written by Salma Falah photographed by Simran Gvalani

When meeting someone new, the first question I always ask is, “What are your favorite TV shows?” I often hear Game of Thrones, Gossip Girl, Friends, Riverdale, Grey’s Anatomy and The Office. Those shows do not have many things in common, but they do share one crucial element: romance. From Blair and Chuck to Meredith and Derek, people are often arguing who takes the crown as television’s best couple. These couples are surrounded with so much enthusiasm that they have fans writing fanfiction about them or making YouTube clips of their “best moments.” While romance and love is great, why do the single characters generate less enthusiasm?

There have been increasingly diverse portrayals of women in the media, and women are now playing doctors, lawyers and even presidents. Women are no longer being portrayed as the weaker sex, and we now see women taking on stronger roles than they used to. However, we rarely see women (or men, for that matter) single.

I know what media producers will argue: romance sells.

While we want our media producers to think morally, the honest truth is money always comes first. So, why does romance sell? Are we manipulated by the media or is the media following our lead? Why is our society so fixated with romance? We are taught from the endless television shows, movies and books about love that being single is being alone. While that is not true, it seems that in many cases romance is combating loneliness, and, while there are friendships, there is something different about being in a relationship. You can have multiple friends, but only one partner in a monogamous relationship. That person chooses you. Moreover, we like the validation of being in a relationship. It makes us feel special because typically only one person can be in a romantic relationship with another.

However, society should teach us that we are special on our own. We do not need another person’s validation and love to appreciate ourselves. The media promotes this because most characters are either in a relationship, a sexual tension period, a break up or miserably alone.

Why are there no single characters who are just happy? model: Keely Craig

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I, for one, am single and happy. No, I am not bored.

As a little girl, I watched a lot of fairy tales. The problem No, I am not jealous of my friends in relationships. with those stories is that they teach women they need a No, I am not actively looking for a relationship. However, man to survive and that is false. Romance and love is great the thing that makes me feel bitter is that the media makes when it is right but horrible when it is wrong. There are me feel I am supposed to be bitter. These so many women and girls in bad relationships messages transcend the TV screen, too—my because the media taught them that being in a My biggest issue friends often tell me that my time will come relationship is better than being single. A real, soon and that I might meet someone in the with the media is healthy relationship is not about need, survival dining hall, in class or at a party. The thing is, or even happiness. Nobody should put their the belief that a though, I like my life as it is. I like my friends. happiness in the hands of another person.

I like my family. I am not in a relationship but person needs to Happiness comes from within. You can survive I still have love in my life. I dislike the notion on your own. A healthy relationship is beautiful be “in love” to be that my happily-ever-after is a prince. To me, but it is not everything. I do not believe happily-ever-after is my dream job and I do happy and full. we were put on this earth to find romance. not need a partner to be happy. I think finding Our dreams should be our hobbies, job a partner is important but it does not define my happiness aspirations, families, friends and romantic relationships. as a person. My biggest issue with the media is the belief My future partner will not be my life; I believe I am more that a person needs to be “in love” to be happy and full. than that.

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VETTA

Launching a Fashion Brand with Your Best Friend

written by Alexis Kaneshiro photographed by Alexis Kaneshiro & Lisa Richov

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who is making their clothing and at what cost. VETTA produces its garments in their ethical New York and Los Angeles factories, which are regularly audited to ensure that the people working within them are being treated with dignity. Each piece is also made with sustainable or surplus fabrics.

model: Kelsi Kobata

Since meeting in high school, Cara Bartlett and Vanessa van Zyl have maintained a 17-year friendship. Like many best friends, they share the same passions: creativity, the environment, serving their communities, spirituality, traveling and drinking wine. While the two might seem like your average pair of fashion-forward friends, Bartlett and van Zyl share a commonality that not all can say they have: a clothing brand that they built from the ground up.

“Vanessa and I had been talking about starting a company together for over 10 years,” Bartlett explains. “Even back in college, we knew we wanted to start a fashion company that helped people in some way, but we weren’t sure exactly what that would be and when that would happen.”

After spending years working for and learning from clothing companies and human rights organizations, they finally brought their very own ethical fashion brand, VETTA to life. In 2016, the co-founders launched a Kickstarter campaign for their first line, eager to see if customers could get behind their concept and designs.

VETTA’s mission is three-fold. The brand seeks to help women create a more thoughtful wardrobe, all while manufacturing in ethical factories and sourcing ecofriendly fabrics. With each collection, they create five versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched into 30 different looks. The clothes can be worn in multiple ways, allowing each stand-alone piece to easily integrate into any existing wardrobe. Beyond making minimalist-chic pieces, the brand also wants consumers to understand

Bartlett and van Zyl sought to get their business off the ground through crowdfunding. “The months leading up to the Kickstarter campaign were intense,” recalled Bartlett. “We came up with the concept of VETTA and launched the Kickstarter within six months. In that short time we came up with the name, worked with a graphic designer to design our branding and logo, designed our first capsule collection, sourced the fabric, found a factory, had samples produced, photographed the clothing and came up with a marketing plan–among other things!”

Their efforts paid dividends, though—they reached their pledge goal of $30,000 in five days and nearly tripled that amount by the end of their 30-day campaign.

When asked why the brand is called VETTA, Bartlett explains that the name is simply a partial anagram of the founder’s last names. “We were sketching a million ideas in a notebook, but nothing sounded quite right. Then we thought of an idea: using letters from both of our names to make up a new word. We eventually landed on VETTA. We liked the way it sounded and looked visually.” Whether it was a conscious effort or not, the company name alone serves as a testament to Bartlett and van Zyl’s friendship.

It’s rare to be able to say that your relationship with your best friend has shaped your business and vice-versa.

VETTA as a company has undoubtedly benefited from being founded by two women with the same morals and passions. Conversely, launching the brand has given Bartlett and van Zyl a new bond within their long-standing friendship. Since its initial launch two years ago, the brand has produced multiple meticulously curated collections, plus two new lines to launch in the spring of 2018.

The minimalist brand has become a cult-favorite in the ethical fashion space and has earned a spot in the greater fashion industry. But no matter how much the brand has grown and will grow, at its core, VETTA will always be the previously distant dream of two high school best friends.

To learn more about the ethical fashion brand, visit www.vettacapsule.com and follow them them on Instagram and Facebook @vettacapsule.

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An Intimate Look at

I N T I M AT E S THE FEMINIST HISTORY OF UNDERWEAR written by Madelaine Millar photographed by Kasey Arko

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Underwear is a topic that is literally near and dear to many of our hearts, and one we may think we understand fully.

However, underwear is more complex than cotton and spandex. The history of lingerie is tied closely to the history of American feminism and women’s social and sexual liberation.

For most of history, rich women wore corsets and petticoats while poor women didn’t bother with undergarments. Although there were slight stylistic shifts over the centuries, there were no major changes in how women wore underwear until the late 1840s and early 1850s. It was then that early feminists such as Elizabeth Smith Miller, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Amelia Bloomer, after whom the style would later be named, began wearing shorter, knee-length skirts and baggy, ankle-length pants instead of layers of petticoats.

This let them walk, run and even ride bicycles without difficulty. Many of these women, most notably Elizabeth Cady Stanton, used their newfound physical and social mobility to organize the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, which is widely recognized as the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States.

In the 1910s, women began to cast off the corset in favor of the more comfortable and flexible brassiere, a term first coined by Vogue in 1907. Although the first patents for bra-like devices can be traced back to 1859, the first widely popular bra was invented out of necessity in 1910 by Mary Phelps Jacob. 19-year old and on her way to a debutante ball, she found that her corset didn’t sit neatly under her

slinky evening dress, so she fashioned the first backless bra out of two handkerchiefs, some cord, and a pink ribbon.

After receiving compliments on her graceful mobility all night, she decided to pursue a patent, which was granted in 1914. With a better option available and a pressing need for the metal from corsets to support the war effort, bras took off in the 1910s and gave women more freedom to move than ever before. The shift also saved enough metal to build two full World War I battleships. In 1920, women gained the right to vote and while that victory can’t be attributed solely to bras, it was certainly made easier by the freedom of movement they afforded.

The prevailing trend in the 1940s and 1950s—pronounced and even pointed breasts, made fashionable by actresses like Lana Turner, Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe—was a dramatic departure from the boyish look of earlier decades. Bra technology was advancing, bringing the advent of cup sizes, bullet bras, nursing bras, training bras and even a plastic hard-shell bra called the SAF-T-BRA, meant to protect women working in factories. Training bras were a particularly striking development: before the 1950s, girls had worn loose-fitting camisoles until they grew into adult-sized bras. Now, with ever bigger breasts en vogue, going braless as a tween was considered

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unattractive and possibly a health risk. According to a 1952 article in Parents’ Magazine, girls who didn’t wear bras risked sagging breasts, poor circulation and difficulty nursing later in life. As women were pushed back into the home and into sexualized housewife roles after World War II, their bodies were also pushed in more directions and at a younger age than ever before.

The reaction to this unrealistic body image came with second wave feminism in the 1960s and 1970s.

Many women began wearing looser and more natural bras, like Rudi Gernreich’s “No Bra,” which debuted in 1964.

More radical feminists abandoned their bras altogether, throwing them in “Freedom Trash Cans” along with high heels, cosmetics and other symbols of oppression. This is where the image of the bra-burning feminist originated, although almost no bras were actually burned.

While some women were rejecting bras altogether, others simply traded them out for more comfortable and personal options. In 1977, jogging enthusiasts Hinda Miller, Lisa Lindahl and Polly Palmer-Smith developed the early sports bra by sewing together two jockstraps. The garment gained popularity with the exercise movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Panties were also becoming smaller and more versatile; they shrunk from short pants in the 1950s, to briefs and bikinis in the 1960s, to hip-huggers in the 1970s and finally thongs in the 1980s. As the 1990s and third wave feminism broached the horizon, women found themselves with access to more undergarment choices than ever before, reflecting the breadth of choice they were fighting for in their day to day lives.

Modern underwear hasn’t changed structurally since the early 1990s. New and better materials are continually giving women more comfortable choices, but no really revolutionary new garments have developed. But as for the garments that we do have? We owe our boy shorts and bralettes to a century and a half of feminism.

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the importance of slumber parties written by Jessica Varner photographed by Riley Robinson

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Although I still dream of the type of love Taylor Swift sings about, the greatest loves in my life are my friends. I would say friendships like these are not forged overnight, but in a sense they were. Since elementary school my friends and I have worked on perfecting the slumber party, evolving from whispering our secrets way past our bedtime to a face mask-clad, up-all-night sisterhood. There is nothing quite as intimate as laying around in pajamas at 3 A.M. surrounded by your best friends as you laugh and share secrets that would never be spoken in the light of day.

Starting in middle school and ending around sophomore year of high school, every birthday party I attended was a slumber party. More often than not it was with the same group of girls, each having a unique spin on the party theme but with the same integral aspect of “truth or dare” coercing us to reveal our crushes and other secrets.

We would start the night dancing to curated playlists of our current favorite songs, followed by watching a romcom that took us way too long to choose. We’d always end up laughing about something stupid one of us

did or comforting each other on the stresses of school.

I’m sure this experience is not unique to my group of friends. Our jokes and stressors may vary, but overall the bonding experience of staying up too late holds the same effect of forging strong trust in friendships regardless of where you are from.

Going off to college, I thought I would leave slumber parties in my past. I have since realized the face masks and movie marathons were not what made slumber parties the bonding experience they are, but rather the relaxed atmosphere and quiet conversation that make sharing your deepest thoughts and secrets seem comfortable. Slumber parties don’t need to be a planned event between a group—they can be as simple as staying up too late talking to my roommate about boys, family and challenges in school. I have seen how a perfect stranger can become one of my best friends within a few weeks due to the intimate setting of sharing a room and being open to talking about our lives. There is something about darkness and being awake when you know should be asleep that allows

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“

“

the face masks and movie marathons were not what made slumber parties the bonding experience they are, but rather the relaxed atmosphere and quiet conversation that make sharing your deepest thoughts and secrets seem comfortable.

models: Jessica Varner, Emily Grinberg, Medha Shah and Sarah Weihl

people to let their guard down. Having someone else stay awake until 2 A.M. listening to your life aspirations and relationship troubles provides the comfort of knowing they genuinely care and want to learn about your life. I asked my best friends what they feel makes sleepovers so special and my friend Izzi really summed it up: “My favorite aspect of a sleepover or slumber party is that there’s an inherent trust within the whole group. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been friends with the people your whole life or just met them a week ago; what happens at the sleepover stays at the sleepover.”

Although fashion was an integral piece in my group of friends, it is practically forgotten at slumber parties.

Showcasing an eclectic mix of sweatpants, concerttees and flannel pajamas, we are not concerned with impressing each other—our only goal is comfort. In the case of a spontaneous sleepover, my friends and I share our collections of pajamas, ending up in variants of the same outfit depending on who is providing it. Slumber parties create a positive environment without anyone to

judge what is said or who wears what. There, a sense of intimacy is born and a group of friends is perfectly candid.

Between braiding each other’s hair and laughing at how we all look in face masks, slumber parties help forge deep bonds. This “sleepover mentality” does not apply only to sleepovers, though; the same degree of closeness can be formed through a mix of intimate conversation and lighthearted jokes. Slumber parties are not the only way to form and keep close friendships, but are certainly a tried and true method.

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Drama Queen Bold, attention-loving looks for the spotlight-seeker in all of us

photographed by Alec Suthy nails by Halle Butler

How Your Significant Other Affects Your Style written by Madison Casey photographed by Fernanda Lopez

I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend, Luke, for three years, years which have included a lot of trips to the mall. More trips than might be normal, considering his obsession with the Auntie Anne’s and my obsession with spending my entire paycheck on shoes I already have in three other colors. We are both passionate about clothing and how we dress, so we have been huge influences on each others’ way of dressing over the years. However, our personal styles are still completely different. Luke went to an all-boys prep school where the only acceptable way to dress was, well, J. Crew prep boy, whereas I have never been one to follow the fashion of my peers. Over the years, I have gotten him into more “trendy” clothes, which is what I gravitate towards.

In return, he has added a preppy twist to my usual outfits.

Other couples vary too—some couples look like they jumped out of the same catalogue, while with others you might wonder how their clashing clothes don’t mean clashing personalities. It can have you wondering what exactly about their partner’s style influences people.

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Besides the one time we bought matching spaceship underwear together, the ways Luke and I have influenced each other’s way of dressing come from just living life together. First of all, we go shopping together pretty often. This leads me to go into stores he likes that I normally wouldn’t, like Patagonia. This goes the other way too—one of my favorite stores is Urban Outfitters but he didn’t own anything from there when we started dating. Now, though, after I’ve made Luke come in so many times, he’s become obsessed with their socks and he’s the one dragging me in! We also ask for each others’ opinions while shopping. When I see something I like, I always ask him if he likes it. I’ll still buy things that he doesn’t, but his opinion definitely sways me one way or the other. Once, when we were shopping at a thrift store, I saw a jacket that was really cool, but really bright and a little out there. When I showed it to Luke, he told me over and over how cool it was and how much he loved it, and completely convinced me to buy it. Today, it is one of my favorite jackets, so he definitely understands my taste.

Something I tell him a lot while shopping is, “This would look great on you!” He says the same to me, and that definitely broadens our horizons to look at pieces that could fit closer with the other’s style—but that still compliment our own personalities.

Another way that Luke and I influence one another is through shopping for each other. Being in a relationship, you buy gifts for each other quite a bit, and for us that often means clothes. Since the other person is choosing the gift, even if it is something we have talked about wanting, it is usually something the other person likes as well. For Christmas this year, Luke wanted a jean jacket, so I got him a unique one with color-blocked fabric on the torso, and he loves it! It’s different from what he’d normally wear, but helping each other branch out is definitely a positive of our relationship.

Lastly, giving each other advice and just talking about clothes and fashion influences us. As with anything else in a relationship, your fashion choices and sense of style can just rub off through exposure and conversation.

This especially shows when we are talking about specific clothes we want, because our personal styles are always going to cause a bias in those conversations. Any advice we give each other about fashion, then, will come from the lens of that bias.

models: Kaela Anderson and Roman Distefano

For those wondering how significant others influence each others’ style, it varies from relationship to relationship, of course. For me, Luke and I have started dressing more like each other over the course of our relationship, but our senses of style still remain distinct. In the case of personal style, I believe that naturally changing how you dress because of how much time you spend around your significant other and how you influence each other is not a bad thing. However, as with telling anyone to change anything about themselves, forcing your significant other to change the way they dress because you don’t like their style is a very, very bad thing. Even just making rude comments about the way your partner is dressed is awful.

Making someone feel bad for expressing themselves is never okay, especially as their significant other.

A relationship is about accepting one another for who you are and embracing and loving each other’s personalities and differences. Allowing your significant other to be completely themselves around you is one of the most amazing parts of a relationship, and you should never do anything to hurt that. Still, being in a relationship will probably change the way both you and your significant other dress, so have fun with that! Go shopping, talk about your styles and learn more about each other. Fashion is a great way to get even closer to your partner.

my

ME ME roster ME ME of

written by Sade Adewunmi photographed by Diya Khullar

MEN MEN

N N N N

I’m sure you have heard the term “side chick” and “main hoe,” but has it ever occurred to you that these terms are only used to describe women? That there is no male equivalent? Women are not afforded the same privileges to explore and experiment with their sexuality. How many women have multiple sexual partners and are celebrated for it? Not that many, whereas their male counterpart can boast about his conquests to his friends without issue. As a woman in today’s modern world of swiping right, buzzing on Bumble and casual hookups, I think it is safe to say there is a double standard. Women can’t get too clingy, yet we are either labeled as sluts or prudes if we don’t fulfill a man’s fantasy of casual sex with no strings attached.

I rebuke this double standard by introducing the idea of a rotation—the idea that a woman can enjoy the freedoms that come with being single yet still enjoy the company of as many sexual partners as she desires. My mother always told me that a woman should have enough men for a fullroster basketball team. Although that might be a few too many, the sentiment still rings true. Women should not have to put up with the societal expectations that Sleeping Beauty laid out for us.

models: Grant Auber, Jephte Alphonse, Noah Adamson, Olive Toren and Steven McKinless

There is no reason we have to sit idly by and be some guy’s side piece when we could easily play the same game as them, and do it better, too.

This rotation of men allows women to better refine what qualities we desire and what values we hope for in both a romantic and sexual partner, and not to mention how best to please ourselves.

Sleeping Beauty and the litany of other damsels in distress in the Disney Universe taught girls at a young age that the prince only comes to us by waiting for him. Within the context of hookup culture, these lessons manifest with women feeling uncomfortable initiating not only sex, but also the conversation around it. In most heterosexual relationships, men initiate contact, dates and sexual foreplay, leaving women waiting by idly.

To this dynamic, I say no more.

Having a rotation of men grants women a greater level of control of their sexual pleasure. If you want to enjoy the company of your girls and dance the night away, then go for it! But if the night is winding down and you aren’t quite ready for it to end, why not turn to a partner you know you will enjoy yourself with instead of waiting for a man to make a move? And if one is being stubborn or doesn’t answer, your options are not limited to just him.

Your rotation can be whatever you wish. As a woman with her own rotation, mine has evolved as my needs and desires have. Each of these relationships are their own and have grown into so much more than just sex, yet always maintain their passion. With one of my guys, we enjoy exploring different restaurants around Boston and discussing politics, whereas with a different guy it’s all about the little things from being in each other’s presence to baking banana bread together.

Nevertheless, no matter if the men within my rotation change, the premise never does. I know who I am and I know what I want. I want a man that can handle my intellectual ferocity just as much as my sexual ferocity.

I want a man that is willing to explore my personality just as much as my sexual cravings. My rotation is my own and evolves to fit who I am and what I need as a woman—but most importantly, I’m never waiting for any man.

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THE SCENT OF

seduction

written by Michelle Weth photographed by Katie Margiotta

model: Salma Falah

With the power to evoke an individual memory or experience, scent acts as an identifier on both a personal and social level. Perfumes have become a subjective experience—not due to the scent itself, because almost everyone will smell the same thing, but due to the individual experience one will associate with it. The floral scent of roses might bring up memories of a first date for one person and a beloved grandmother for another, thus creating a spectrum of values that one might associate to one particular scent, like love or even decay.

Society often ascribes personality traits to a scent, as is the nature of advertising; like it or not, the perfume you wear functions as a social cue to those around you as to what type of person you may be. Perfumes originated with the Mesopotamians in the form of incense, but travelled to Egypt where it was first used in rituals for the gods or pharaohs. It was so ingrained in their culture that Ancient Egyptians even had a God of Perfume, Nefertem. Egyptians were the first to wear perfumes for personal use, and did so by putting natural ingredients into wax cones they wore on their heads. As the wax melted, the aroma perfumed them.

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As time passed, the science of perfuming evolved, inventing processes to consolidate natural materials such as flowers into a liquid.

The musky odor extracted from animal pheromones were used up until Chanel No. 5 was released, which contained secretions from the perineal glands of the civet cat.

While some past perfume fixatives included anal secretions from the Himalayan civet cat, musk deer and beaver, and vomit from sperm whales, perfumeries were forced to switched to synthetic musks due to protests from animal rights activists. Animal musks are rarely used today as it is easier and cheaper to use synthetic musks within fragrance.

But what exactly constitutes a scent?

As in Rachel S. Herz’s book Neurobiology of Sensation and Reward, there are various types of perfume groupings. For the detailed observers, there are four major perfume concentration classifications. Herz noted that “parfum contains between 15 percent and 30 percent aromatic compounds; eau de parfum contains 8-15 percent aromatic compounds; eau de toilette ranges from 4-8 percent aromatic compounds; and eau de cologne contains 2-5 percent aromatic compounds.”

The origin of cologne is widely different from its modern definition as a generic term for a men’s fine fragrance or a weak perfume.

The main scent families in mainstream fragrances are: Floral, Fresh, Warm & Spicy and Earthy & Woody. Within these large fragrance families are further families and scent family subtypes. Descriptions of perfumes are reminiscent of how music is described; the ingredients in a perfume is known as a “composition,” and the term “note” is often used in perfume reviews. Each perfume contains three “notes”: a top note, which is experienced first, a middle note that emerges two minutes to an hour after perfume application and base notes, which evaporate the slowest and remain apparent the longest. It takes about 30 minutes after application for the wearer to perceive these notes, and some base notes can be detected 24 hours after application.

The secret of perfumery is the chemistry involved in the creation of a scent. According to biophysicist Luca Turin, scents are able to be mimicked through the vibrational similarities between two different molecules.

Vibrational frequencies occur and vary due to molecules and the bonds that connect them. In this way, the nose functions as a machine would, parsing out scents that are similar to commonly recognized fragrances.

The primary olfactory neurons are able to detect these scents, and the ensuing

sources: ted.com, inference-review.com, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

information is then sent to different parts of the brain—thus predicting which molecules have a similar vibrational frequency without having to use a spectroscope to view electron activity. As the vibrational theory is still undergoing research, there is obvious criticism surrounding it with alternative theories present. While considered rather new, scientists tend not to experiment to prove or disprove the theory as they view perfumes as subjective rather than a valid field of scientific study.

Looking at contemporary niche fragrances, perfumers are deliberately trying to recreate the scents of natural body odor. For example, Tom Ford reportedly told Estée Lauder executives that he wanted Black Orchid, his first fragrance, to smell like “a man’s crotch.” This trend brings up the question of human pheromones and whether perfume houses are able to release a fragrance that can influence a human’s sexual motivations.

This train of thought, though interesting, has inconclusive research that does not support either human pheromones or menstrual effects. For now, forget about getting a partner through scent alone and wear a perfume that makes you feel great.

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Henna

A Symbol of Love

written by Dipshika Chawla photographed by Angela Pyne

The traditional practice of henna art has been in existence for over nine thousand years, yet continues to uphold its glory as a temporary tattoo with significance beyond what meets the eye. Henna paste is derived from powdered dry leaves of the lawsonia inermis plant, also known as the henna tree. In the past, henna was initially used to cool down the bodies of people of the desert. As people began to notice the ways in which henna left stains on their bodies, it sparked the idea of henna designs. The art of henna has historical roots around the world and a striking presence in multiple cultures, all stemming from henna’s various medicinal, fragrant, cooling and dyeing properties.

Henna is a part of many cultures: Hindu, Arabic, Egyptian, African, Palestinian, to name a few. While its symbolic meaning and uses differ, henna is a prominent symbol of love in some cultures. A henna party, also known as a “Mehndi ceremony” or “Rasm-e-Henna,” is traditionally a wedding must-have in these cultures. This event involves the bride having her hands and feet covered in henna designs, stretching up to her elbows and knees, while other women of the family also get henna tattoos, dance, eat or play games. The specifics of each Mehndi party differs family to family, however the focus remains on the bride’s henna and its beauty.

Henna dye stains the skin very easily, which requires the bride to avoid any movement whatsoever during application due to the intricacy of designs. The application followed by a long wait for the henna paste to dry and flake off the skin, which calls for the bride’s patience and cooperation—two traits directly associated with marriage.

The designs themselves have many hidden messages

and are typically personalized. Some commonly seen bridal designs feature peacocks symbolizing beauty, swans symbolizing success, flowers symbolizing growth and happiness, eyes meant to reflect the evil eye and therefore deflecting any evil wishes towards the bride and marriage, and birds symbolizing togetherness or messengers between heaven and earth.

The comprehensive significance of henna as a prewedding ritual remains constant with the ideas of beauty, joy and a happy marriage. Other beliefs associated with wedding henna are “the deeper the tint, stronger the tie between the husband and wife” and “no household work for the bride until the stain washes away.”

While traditional henna is for anybody that it appeals to, the twenty-first century gave rise to various non-traditional and innovative versions of henna. White, black, colorful and even holographic henna that are now trending and

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used for fashion purposes in pop-culture. Over the years, western culture has positively adopted henna for its aesthetic appeal, infusing personal designs and being further popularized by celebrities such as Madonna, Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner and Zendaya.

Using a henna-filled cone with a fine tip and making designs is an art that takes years of practice to master and it is difficult to get henna tattoos without access to a professional henna artist. However, the widespread popularity of henna has resulted in the creation of readyto-use henna stickers that take seconds to transfer from paper to the body and henna stencils that only require you to fill the henna paste onto a peel-off patterned stencil.

From a global perspective, the increasing familiarity of henna has expanded across borders and continues to attract people to its novelty of being a temporary tattoo made from natural ingredients. Although modern uses are a far cry from its traditional use as a symbol of love, the rich history of henna lives on in all those who know its significance.

models: Bukhaari Farah, Muylin Loh and Arushi Sood

sources: linkedin.com, silknstone.com

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The Comfortable Side of

Intimacy

written by Annie Koessler photographed by Claire Cramm

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According to media historian Moya Luckett, this iconic symbol was a response to the backlash women faced in the workforce after World War II and how women’s sexuality was a more acceptable topic of conversation during this time. By wearing this dress-shirt, women felt a sense of independence and an elevated status as a man, a short yet satisfying feeling during the sexist culture of the 1950s.

Men adored the way their shirts looked on their partner’s bare body since it emphasized how physically different the two were.

This dress-shirt image is the perfect embodiment of how intimacy is not just limited to lacy bras and sheer teddies; it extends to comfortable and practical clothing. Anyone can look intimate wearing comfortable bras, crop tops and high rise underwear. This trend is extremely popular today, as seen with Calvin Klein’s iconic intimates collection and Tommy Hilfiger’s similar yet more nautical look. Wearing a set like this, such as a cotton sports bra with matching high-rise boyshorts, is more intimate than we think.

Exuding confidence in something so simple illustrates how anyone can be intimate in comfortable attire and how comfortable situations lead to intimate moments.

model: Hanna Cormier

It’s no surprise that we have high expectations when it comes to intimacy. Most romantic movies and novels follow the same plot: a couple falls in love and effortlessly ends up in lavish situations that are anything but realistic.

While lacy lingerie and sexy bodycon dresses typically embody intimacy, I believe in a different view of this world of love and sex. It’s simple: for me, the most intimate moments occur when we are most comfortable.

A perfect example of this comfortable side of intimacy is illustrated in the trope of a woman wearing a man’s dress-shirt after sex. Most movies and TV shows use this wardrobe choice as an implication that the couple have been intimate without showing the explicit act.

But this dress-shirt cliché goes beyond the scope of a wardrobe choice; its roots in the late 1950s appealed to both women and men.

source: racked.com

Likewise, the tiny thongs that once dominated the 90s have seen better days; granny panties are back in! Despite its name, this underappreciated underwear is not only limited to grandmas and is now rocked by a wide variety of people. Not only is dressing for yourself amazing enough, but granny panties are significantly more comfortable, practical and durable. Forget how society labels barelythere thongs as the “appropriate” type of intimates all women should wear—wearing these sexy thongs solely for the pleasure of others is pointless if you don’t feel comfortable wearing them. So strut in stretchy granny panties if your heart desires it; there should be zero judgement and great self-empowerment when it comes to dressing for yourself.

I find the most memorable moments with someone I care about are when I am my truest self. While I do admit that dressing up in eye-catching dresses can make me feel like a million bucks, there is still something missing when I don this special look. The moment when I can relax in a soft pullover and oversized sweatpants after a perfect day with someone I love brings out the best and truest parts of myself.

The longer you know someone, the outer layers of physical expression start to mean less and the more natural inner layers of comfort and trust become more apparent.

Here, in this cocoon of comfort, intimacy blossoms and strengthens your connection with loved ones to a stable core. When someone calls you beautiful at your best, it’s not always truly memorable or special. But when someone looks you in the eyes at your most natural self and genuinely calls you beautiful, this becomes a moment you will never forget.

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lessons from a

written by Cheyenne Tang illustrated by Sarah Porter Friendship is a funny thing. It’s taught at such a young age and can be simple or extremely complicated. The older we get, the more our friendships seem to mean to us but that doesn’t mean the friendships we had as children didn’t impact us. One friendship in particular still haunts me to this very day.

I made my first long-term best friend, Kat, in second grade.

I didn’t realize it at the time but our friendship was toxic.

She would manipulate me and my friends to do trivial things for her and would threaten to end our friendship if we didn’t follow through. I was more like a servant than a friend of hers. I had to run to get her lunch box, buy her drinks from the cafeteria and even perform in front of the whole school when I didn’t want to. She ignored me multiple times throughout the three years we were friends. She blackmailed us into mistreating our peers And despite all the negativity Kat orchestrated, she never got in trouble for it.

What was worse, though, was that her influence on us was so strong that we worshipped her despite her toxicity.

I adopted her opinions and didn’t know how to form my own. I found myself criticizing other people based on what I thought she felt about them. Kat transformed me into a person I never wanted to be. At the time, though, I thought I was rolling with the cool kids. I thought I was building status for myself and becoming someone everyone knew.

Little did I know, people only knew me because of how mean I was.

Our relationship was more of a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome than a real friendship. Even after I realized that she found joy in controlling my happiness, I couldn’t “break up” with my friend. Time after time I would get frustrated with how she treated me but I stuck by her side and even defended her because I feared that she would end our friendship if I didn’t. Maybe it was this fear that secured the bond between us, or maybe it was because I felt like I had no other friends without her.

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friendship It wasn’t until she physically left the country that I was able to let her go. If her family didn’t move away, I don’t think I would be the person I am today. Her departure made me realize that she put me in a box and had no plans to let me out. I was manufactured to be her mini-me and I didn’t know how to be anything different. It took me a few years to fully develop as an individual because I was so used to basing my life on her.

I’ve grown out of her control but some parts of me still hang on to this toxic friendship. The fact that I still think about this friendship says a lot on its own. Years after she left, I still felt the pressure to write a long, heartfelt birthday message for her on Facebook to publicly show the world how much I still worshipped her. I was scared that she’d get mad at me if there weren’t enough cute photos or inside jokes included in the post. The Daily Mail says that 6 out of 10 people stay in unhealthy relationships, and while there isn’t a definite reason why we do this to ourselves, it’s more common than you’d expect. While Kat and I weren’t romantically involved, our relationship became so close that we operated as if we were family. I got tied into her family and was essentially adopted as another child of her family. I felt like I would betray her family if I ended our relationship. It was more than just the two of us at this point; ending my friendship with Kat would mean I would lose my second family as well.

There is a silver lining in this situation, though. Because I wasn’t allowed to consider myself ahead of her, I learned to be selfless. The hardest decisions for me to make are those that affect anyone other than myself. Being in her shadow taught me how to be modest. After finally realizing that I had the ability to be a leader, I felt as if I was trying to prove to her that I was her equal, even if she wasn’t around to see my growth. After being confined by her rules for so many years, I was able to break out of the box she put me in. While many people may be bitter about their Kat for the rest of their lives, I prefer to look at it this way—she shaped who I am now because she taught me everything I didn’t want to be. And I want to thank her for that.

Rihanna:

More Than a

written by Amanda Dupell photographed by Jill Kligler

Sex Icon Throughout the generations, we have seen the rise of sex symbols in women’s fashion. The term “sex symbol” was popularized in the mid-1950’s through Marilyn Monroe’s lifestyle and legacy. Although many came before her, she is regarded as the most well-known sex icon in history. But what makes her one? A sex symbol is someone in popular culture that is regarded as sexy, alluring and charming.

They sell sex through both their looks and personality.

While there are many modern celebrities who fit this description, Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty has gone beyond the standards of a typical sex symbol by using her reputation as a platform for creating successful fashion and makeup lines and even participating in social activism.

Rihanna rose to fame in 2006 when she released her second musical album, A Girl Like Me, which included famous singles such as “Pon de Replay” and “SOS.” The album reached the top ten of US Billboard’s Top 100, and Rihanna’s career has been on the rise ever since.

Throughout her career, she has been nominated for 653 awards in various categories including fashion, beauty, and music—and has won 166. She was also named the “Sexiest Woman Alive” by Esquire Magazine in 2011. All of these awards are not the only reasons that Rihanna is regarded as a modern sex symbol; her personal style, successful apparel line, and personality contribute to her reputation.

The saying “It’s not sexy until Rihanna wears it” appeared in a viral tweet late last year and is a testament to Rihanna’s ability to transform a simple look into one that radiates sex appeal. This can be said for several of her outfits— the most famous being her transformation of the sheer turquoise dress in DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts” music video. She amps up the outfit by letting the fabric fall off of her shoulders, exposing her collarbones and chest. Her red lipstick and bold green eye shadow add a bewitching effect to the look, as does her lightly tousled, loosely curled hair. Another famous Rihanna outfit was at the CFDA awards show, when she wore the iconic Adam Selman all-Swarovski crystal, see-through dress. This outfit can be analyzed in many different ways, from the diamond do-rag and sparkling gloves to the fur shawl and smokey

“IT’S NOT SEXY UNTIL RIHANNA WEARS IT”

sources: artandpopularculture.com, imdb.com, hollywoodreporter.com, mashable.com, youtube.com, rollingstone.com, vogue.com

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eye makeup. As one of her most daring red carpet outfits, Rihanna simply tweeted that she took the risk of wearing the dress because “I took advantage of my titties before they go south. I saw my window, and I took it.”

Growing up, Rihanna was always a fan of fashion and style. “I grew up on a really small island, and I didn’t have a lot of access to fashion,” she said in an acceptance speech during the CFDA awards show. “But as far as I can remember, fashion has always been my defense mechanism. Even as a child, I remember thinking ‘She can beat me, but she cannot beat my outfit.’” Rihanna went on to say in her speech that what she loves most about style is the ability to see a person’s attitude in their look. In terms of her own fashion sense, she said, “I just have fun with it. Fashion is fun.” Her casual philosophy on trendsetting adds to her overall charming reputation as a sex icon. In 2016, Rihanna released the Fenty x Puma clothing and shoe line. In an interview with Vogue, she described the line as “super regal and a perfect mix of street and sportswear.” It features various textures of cloth: soft velvet, silk, fishnet and leather. The pop singer is known for her dangerous looks and risk-taking tendencies, so it’s no surprise that her collection features looks that test the bounds of fashion trends. Fenty x Puma encourages wearers to feel confident in what they wear, and to feel sexy even in a pair of fashionable sweats.

models: Brianna Walters and Megan Hong

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Undeniably, Rihanna’s alluring style and personality are able to captivate an audience’s attention. However, Rihanna does not feel like her image is one that simply sells sex. In an interview with Oprah, Rihanna mentioned how little she thinks about herself as a sex icon. “That’s not my goal, it’s not my label,” she said. After being named the “Sexiest Woman Alive” in 2011, she said that the title was flattering, but not accurate or an accomplishment.

Outside of the pop culture world, she views herself as a normal human being trying to help make a change in any way she can. Last year, she was awarded the Humanitarian of the Year award by Harvard University. In her acceptance speech, Rihanna outlined the importance of aiding those less fortunate than ourselves. “Anyone can be a humanitarian,” she said. “You don’t need to be famous or rich.” Through her Fenty makeup line, she established herself as a leader in diversity by including foundation and concealer tones for all ranges of skin color. Her clothing line advocates self-confidence by combining comfort and sexiness for a variety of body types. In the music and fashion industry, Rihanna is regarded as one of the biggest sex symbols of our time. While her confidence, poise and character emulate sex appeal, her influence on pop culture has deeper roots that make her more than just someone who enthralls millions with her looks.

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cozy photographed by Louise-Audrey Zenezini

LOVING

Race and the Modern American Couple

written by Melissa Wells photographed by Catherine Argyrople

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side. People assume that the challenges interracial relationships face have been overcome, but it is now that the conversation is more important than ever.

There is a type of love that is on the rise, no longer illegal or taboo but still seen as unusual: the love between people of different races. In part due to growing public acceptance on a generational level, the modern couple of today is more and more likely to be interracial.

Despite how common multiracial and multiethnic relationships and families have become, many in this country would refuse to enter a relationship with someone outside of their race. Surveys across the country show that intermarriage sees support, but different ethnic and racial communities throughout the United States tend to oppose racial mixing, especially within one’s own family.

Loving beyond boundaries is an act that may have seemed radical, even unfathomable once, but is changing America nonetheless. Progress, at any rate, should be celebrated.

But as much as America has evolved, so have the manners in which racism, sexism and homophobia thrive within American society. With society advocating for same-sex love, navigating the modern dating scene and changing the ways love is represented in the media, conversations concerning interracial relationships are pushed to the

This segregation also lends itself to socially acceptable discrimination within modern dating. Men and women alike cite racial stereotypes and/or struggles of dating someone outside of one’s race to justify their personal preference for dating within “their own,” yet citing that same reasoning for why one wouldn’t want a neighbor of color is unacceptable. In other words, both are discriminatory and should be equally unacceptable in American society.

Although same-sex dating is slowly becoming more accepted in America, it is still informed by the same systems that create racism in heterosexual people.

To be in both an interracial and same-sex relationship is particularly meaningful as it challenges American society to confront how it views same-sex relationships on top of narrow-minded notions regarding racial divisions.

Interracial couples intrinsically counter antiquated social attitudes, yet the popular assumption is that multiracial children are the antithesis of white supremacy. A clear example of this was when Chrissy Teigen emerged seemingly victorious from a Twitter spat with neo-Nazi Richard Spencer for the mere fact that she had a “black/ Asian/white baby.” But upholding multiraciality as the antithesis of racism allows racism to thrive, a sentimentality evoked by mothers of multiracial families within the media like Ellen Pompeo and Chrissy Teigen. Moreover, both are quick to applaud their children meanwhile reinforcing racial misconceptions and tropes.

identify as such. Yet, in spite of a growing population of self-identifying multiracial people, Pompeo defends existing definitions and presumptions of race and identity that continue to prevail.

Pompeo isn’t informed to act any differently and America hasn’t evolved its system of rigid racial categories to account for the expanding multiracial population for her to do so. She merely contributes in solidifying its reign under the antiquated need through which it was created: to maintain whiteness among miscegenation.

In other words, this refusal to reclassify racially ambiguous identities upholds a hierarchy of race that has always placed whiteness or those white-passing at the top, as superior. The voices of multiracial people who cross color lines but are still affected by cemented racial stereotypes this system sustains are drowned out; they do not fit into the aesthetic multiracial population of expanded racial identities this system allows for.

America’s view of interracial relationships and families is In Ellen Pompeo’s case, confronted with backlash accusing indicative of how America continues not only to battle her of being racist after using black emojis to applaud an with deep-seated notions of racial difference but also A&E decision concerning a show fails to acknowledge that accepting about the KKK, Pompeo made a interracial relationships does not series of statements that defended exempt white people of racism. The “It is through loving and these tropes and misconceptions truth is, even with a growing number more than she did herself. She of interracial marriages and elevated activism going hand-ininformed her followers that racism birth rates of multiracial children, the was not just a “black problem” and landscape of racial oppression and hand that America will that she was saddened to see racism hostility that exists within America dismantle embedded “still alive on both sides.” Pompeo will not change unless families and seemed stunned that she could communities alike confront race structures birthed still be a “target from racist white from a different perspective. through supremacy.” people,” suggesting not only that “reverse racism” was real, but that Pew Research shows that whites she was a victim of it. and blacks are the least likely to intermarry, but increasing rates of As if that wasn’t enough, Pompeo ended her Twitter tirade intermarriage today between these two races lends to by weaponizing her black husband and biracial children this confrontation. For white people particularly, intimate as a joke. She is a prime example of white people blind contact translates into reduced prejudice. Unlike the to their use of the people of color around them as tokens. popular narrative Ellen Pompeo fell victim to, intimacy It is with sorrow that Ellen Pompeo should be informed with people of color helps shift the worldview of white that it is a “thing”—being the white mother to biracial Americans into one similar to that of many minorities. children with a black man does not give you a get-out-ofIn fact, white Americans are more likely to support policies racism-free card. that target racial inequality with this changed view.

Teigen and Pompeo’s use of their children demonstrates why prejudice and anti-blackness are how America has dealt with facing racial ambiguity—they would protect corporate entities that help circulate interracial representation yet hesitate to support “Black Lives Matter” until it is culturally valuable to do so.

Alongside increasing immigration, diverse demographics, and generational change, the surge of cross-racial friendship, romance, and adoption has the potential to make up a new community of culturally dexterous whites and people of color that will make American society more inclusive.

Not only does Pompeo make it seem as though her matrimony and her children absolve her of racism and privilege, but by calling her children solely black, she contradicts herself and upholds racial boundaries by absolving her own children of the inherent privilege their lighter skin tone gives them. They are both races and can

In this transition from colorblind to culturally “woke,” Sheryll Cashin believes interracial love plays a role in saving America: “From blindness to sight, from anxiety to familiarity...love can make people do uncomfortable things...Culturally dexterous people have an enhanced capacity for intimate connections with people outside

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their own [race], for recognizing and accepting difference rather than pretending to be colorblind. And if one undertakes the effort, the process is never-ending.”

White supremacy cannot be removed from all the aspects of life it permeates by the mere diversification of the American populace. However, those who pursue interracial intimacy provide America’s greatest hope for racial understanding.

Racism may be both persistent and adaptable, but heterosexual and homosexual interracial couples provide the changed narrative needed to challenge it: their existence forces people to confront how their love transcends entrenched ignorance. Teaching cultural competency, fostering conversation, and demanding inclusive representation are some ways that Americans remain steadfast in a conviction against racism, homophobia, and sexism the country still struggles with.

Furthermore, by translating popular belief into a celebration of interracial love and “multiracialness” that doesn’t reinforce racial hierarchies, America can potentially evolve from the system of racial categorization and the inequality, oppression, and stereotypes that come with it.

In the face of the same sentiments that thwarted Richard and Mildred Loving’s relationship fifty years ago—along with some new factors that reduce their love to narratives for aesthetic purposes—interracial intimacy continues to increase and serves as living proof that nothing will keep

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people from loving one another. They are testaments to the power of a love that refuses to stand down to anything.

They are the result of progress; as love evolves into seeing beyond racial constructs, the upswing of interracial couples gives way to an inevitably multiracial future undeterred by the political and racial discourse in the world around them.

America needs to recreate the image of how interracial love is portrayed in politics, in the media, in pop culture, in classrooms, and in history.

Every generation is bettered by a love that makes America a more diverse and beautiful place. Interracial intimacy reaches people across all racial lines, fostering empathy for the value of relationships. But they can’t be on the front lines alone. It is through loving and activism going handin-hand that America will dismantle embedded structures birthed through supremacy. And it is through these efforts that we can paint a better future, a future in which headlines twenty to fifty years from now do not reflect a violent history towards interracial couples that continues to repeat itself.

Loving is a good start.

models: Rob Mark, Becca Kraines, Cameron Woods, Sarthak Sachdeva, Jeremy Conway and Alexandra Belzie

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Bras or Bare?

written & photographed by Sofia Bergmann

The best way to approach bras in fashion has always been up for debate, whether you want to flaunt it, show a peeking strap, hide it at all costs, or give up on bras all together. Many find it tasteful to have a small sliver of lace visible, while others leave nothing to the imagination with completely sheer tops exposing it all. Many, however, might feel uncomfortable with bras as a whole and feel embarrassed to even admit to the world that they’re wearing one in the first place. Others find it classy to go au naturel, for either fashion or comfort or both. Bras are confusingly stigmatized in some settings while encouraged in others, yet completely necessary in the everyday lives of many women.

Whether bras are stigmatized or encouraged, it is because they are always considered either inappropriate or sexy. Society is just now starting to normalize them, as before they’ve always had to imply something about that person—good or bad. Even in situations where a bra might be tasteful and fashionable, it is because we find it daring and provocative that we like it—it’s never treated as an everyday thing, although it truly is an everyday thing for most women. Girls reluctant to show some bra are stereotyped as prude or reserved, while those less

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conservative are scandalous and bold. Although nearly every woman has breasts, we constantly have to apologize for having them in fashion.

But don’t worry ladies, it’s getting better. Now, we are starting to see open-backs, sheer transparent tops and bras so cute that we want to show them off. The journey of fashion liberation for women has taken us into the world of unapologetic intimacy, with no intention of going back.

Not only has it become a trend to be more cutting-edge with bra exposure, but the braless look is huge. Bodysuits, tops and even sundresses often show the whole back, and flaunting a bra, a backless bra or wearing no bra is necessary. The notion that exposed bras are “trashy” has slowly evolved into a more liberal, unwritten rule that dictates when and where a bra-revealing outfit is suitable.

We have had to learn these rules through social cues, constantly deducing whether bra-leniency is warranted.

Although the rules of bras in fashion have bent in our favor, we must give the revolution a little more time before we can stop apologizing for them in every setting.

Even today, there are situations where the tiniest bit of bra strap or an exposed lace pattern is completely inappropriate—namely in the workplace. It’s purely gendered and generational; this wave of bra liberation will soon seep into professional settings, where natural things like breasts would not interfere with the impression of someone’s skills. But of course, we always have to keep it “classy.” The bra-embracing women of this generation are everywhere and it is only a matter of time until they take over and break the stigma for good.

show it off, give a tease, hide it, or flaunt it Perhaps it is those who thrive by standing out and breaking the rules that rock the bra-aesthetic the most.

Or perhaps, the diversity in ways we can now style bras has opened doors and given women of all personalities the option to show it off, give a tease, hide it, or flaunt it.

Maybe we’ve come to a point where women don’t have to feel restricted with how they might or might not show off what is underneath. The good news is, however you might feel about bras, there is a place for you in the fashion game—and the ball is in your court. model: Adriana Yozzi

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standing the

Test of Time written by AJ Addae photographed by Lindis Barry

It is believed among trend forecasters that fads come and go in waves, and these phases ultimately shift on a 20—or 40, depending how you look at it—year cycle. The world of fashion and beauty go hand-in-hand in popularizing the trends that run like clockwork, yet show up a bit differently each time around.

Fashion moguls from the early 20th century that were once considered “outlandish” have shaped the popularization of garments that have morphed into modern streetwear; fashion faux-pas of the past have inspired couture houses of the present—and it is always thanks to an individual or a group that pushed the commonly-accepted aesthetic boundaries.

Trends are put in place by the amalgamation of society, politics, art and culture; they tie together generations of individuals who have never met, yet possess the intimate bond of a desire to display self-expression. It is invaluable to recognize the roots of our favorite makeup tricks and garment styles in order for individuals to continue the legacy of fashion innovation.

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NATURAL HAIR The natural hair movement is usually claimed to be an extremely empowering movement for women, specifically for those that are black or of afro-identities. The movement was solidified in the 70s when political icon Angela Davis wore her afro to relay the message of “carefreeness,” which then turned into a political symbol. Since then, black and afro-diasporic women have been widely set on the embrace of natural hair through timeless black hairstyles such as braids, afros, and many other natural styles.

In present day hair culture, the natural hair movement continues to ring loud and true, not just for the sake of trend and style, but for the sake of making a statement.

Like many other trends in black culture, the embrace of natural hair began to seep into worldwide fashion and beauty culture, as natural hair of all textures and types are becoming more and more embraced everyday. After all, Erykah Badu once said, “How you wear your hair is a political statement.”

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MENSWEAR AS WOMENSWEAR

MOVE OVER, MONOCHROME!

The definition of “menswear” has blurred throughout the last couple of decades due to the ever-increasing awareness of the long-standing gender spectrum. In fact, androgyny is a timeless concept in social culture as well as in the fashion world. Actress and fashion icon Katharine Hepburn brought plenty of attention to this trend when she became the face of “menswear as womenswear” in the 1930s, frequently wearing pant suits and men’s casual wear which popularized the look for all bodies.

“I put on pants 50 years ago and declared a sort of middle road,” she said in an interview in 1981. Almost 80 years after Hepburn’s breakthrough, runways have been continuously filled with women wearing trousers, culottes, pant suits and all kinds of menswear that challenge the typical gender binary.

Every femme-presenting person’s wardrobe contains the essential monochromatic staples such as the little black dress and the basic white tee. However, animal print is undoubtedly a fashion staple that is unlikely to go away.

Although it seems to cycle in and out of runways, nobody can argue against the fact that animal print is a strong force in the world of fashion. Some can say Cruella de Vil did it first, but animal print has roots as presenting a symbol of status for royal families. In recent decades, leopard print came into fashion in 1947 with Christian Dior’s spring/ summer collection. Up until now, leopard print has cycled in and out of fashion seasons, showing its face in large name designer handbags, coats, accessories and shoes.

Some call it tacky; we call it fashion.

models: AJ Addae, Lucrezia Senesi and Patrizia Cadel

DRAG HER It’s no secret that drag makeup has become highly accepted in modern beauty culture. In fact, throughout the mid-1900’s up until now, the practice of drag culture has skyrocketed in the beauty and entertainment industries.

Although its roots begin in early 15th century theatre, drag makeup has been widely practiced in society to the extent that many methods of applying drag cosmetics has seeped into everyday makeup wear. A common example includes contouring and highlighting, drag queens in Chinese and Roman theatre have been practicing the art of contouring for many generations. The same can be said for other popularized makeup techniques including dramatic false lashes to widen the eyes for a more feminine look, cutcrease eye makeup for accentuating the dimension of eyelids and overlining the lip line for a more plump and fuller set of lips.

sources: blacknaps.org, sosandar.com, peacockplume.fr, thefalconflyer.com

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Promiscuous Girl written by Sade Adewunmi photographed by J Brimeyer

Clothing is a promise to your own ideology, because once you leave the house, you give your clothes the permission to speak for you. Promiscuity is an ideology most do not understand and one that few chose to embrace. Nevertheless, when did showing a little skin translate to a woman’s character? When did choosing her sensuality equate to begging for sex? I accept that clothing speaks for you, but I wonder, what does promiscuous clothing say on a first date?

On dressing promiscuously on the first date I once wore a plunging pink top with a cut-out on a first date that flaunted more than just a little cleavage.

My date absolutely loved it. His approval wasn’t why I wore it or what made me feel like I should, although I do appreciate when I am in the company of a man that embraces my sensuality instead of objectifying it. Often on a first date I enjoy showing more than just a little leg or a little cleavage. Despite people commonly associating promiscuous clothing with nighttime, I have more fun wearing promiscuous clothing on a first date no matter the time of day.

I am a firm believer in embracing a woman’s sexual prowess and finding ways to make the everyday woman feel confident. However, there is a stigma around dressing in a revealing manner in any scenario, let alone on a first date. Some men see provocative clothing to mean that I am easily attainable, while other men find it disrespectful.

I rebuke both of these notions. In fact, showing a bit more skin is more of a power play in my eyes. I find it incredibly empowering to use my sexuality for my benefit. I utilize my femininity to regain power in a society that constantly undervalues me as a woman. I don’t think the guy will desire me more because I am dressed promiscuously per se; he will be more attracted to me because I exude confidence in both myself and my body.

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On wearing lingerie on a first date I like to make both risqué and risky clothing choices, especially on first dates. I am the type of woman that will wear red lingerie under a trench coat because I am secure in myself, so I would never shy away from taking the risk one step further. For a first date, I would gauge how our conversations have been leading up to our date first, because I understand the message lingerie sends.

If I was still on the fence about whether I was completely interested in the guy then I would wear it underneath my clothing, as I want to use this date as a test to whether I see more dates to come. However, if I was already intrigued by a man and knew that he has captured my attention, I would wear it to match my bold and brazen personality. Although I may be intrigued by our conversations, I would want to test our passion and chemistry in both an intellectual and physical way. And although lingerie implies sex, it never implies unconditional consent. By wearing lingerie on a first date, I make a statement. I state to my date that he has caught my attention, and I hope he can hold onto it.

models: Sade Adewunmi and Sydney Wise

On what promiscuous clothing means about one’s character It all goes back to confidence. A woman can say so much with her body language and her clothing, but she is always in charge of what she tells the world. I personally never see a woman in promiscuous clothing and think “Wow, she’s dressed slutty.” Instead, I compliment her as I see her confidence radiating through. How we dress is yet another form of self expression which reflects and expresses how we feel about ourselves and our bodies. No one person should have the authority to take that away. If a woman wants to embrace her sensuality, she should be able to do this freely, whether that is through her clothes or her body language. She should never have to answer to society’s critiques or demands of her character and choice. Simply, looking at a woman and making assumptions on whether she is a slut or a prude is not how this artistic form should be interpreted. We are constantly policing women on the proper ways to dress, behave and exist, and quite honestly it’s exhausting. I exclaim my confidence through my wardrobe choices, and no matter how promiscuously I may dress, it is never an invitation for anyone’s own preconceived opinions and judgements of me.

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Paradise photographed by Ellie MacLean

getting written by Brittany Clottey photographed by Drew Tay

with insecurities When we think of the word intimacy, a sexual undertone is often attached to it. However, intimacy can also be a personal connection with yourself and your own energy.

Two women get intimate with themselves by analyzing their deepest insecurities and speak about what this word means to them.

Amanda, 18, Nursing

What part of your body are you most insecure about?

I am most insecure about my breasts, because they’re very big.

What kind of social norms made you feel this way, and why?

In middle school, I had C cup boobs. While everyone else was still in their training bras, I had to go to Lane Bryant.

Growing up, I felt limited in the way I can dress and that it was my fault for having big boobs. For example, I can’t wear tank tops because whenever I would try, others would tell me (especially elders) to go and change, while other women who had smaller boobs could wear the same thing and, for the most part, it would be more acceptable. I was being sexualized and my chest was seen as a distraction as a result. I’ve always been conscious about what I wore to not attract attention. Growing up in a Nigerian culture, especially in church on Sundays, women are told to cover up and be modest and that our bodies were a favor to men, as if my body is something that has to be chosen for a man rather than it being my own.

models: Amanda Onyeyeml and Kay Ibidapo

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What is something you have learned from your experience?

I have come to see my boobs not as a disadvantage, but instead as an advantage. I feel as if they were probably jealous about how sexy they can make me feel.

Not necessarily jealous of me, but jealous or disturbed as to how I was able to flaunt something they felt that I should be ashamed of; of my confidence, basically.

What is something you want others to adopt?

OWN THEM! Work with what you have, because I’ve learned that there are many instances in which my boobs have made my outfit more interesting. I learned to work with them, not around them as if they were a burden.

Recently, push up bras have become my thing. My boobs are literally an accessory to my outfits.

What makes you feel confident?

My hair and my skin. It’s a feeling I cannot explain.

When my hair is done and my skin is smooth, I feel I can literally change anyone’s life. I feel the most beautiful when I enhance other features that people have forced me to erase.

What does intimacy mean to you, and how do you get intimate with yourself?

Knowing everything is just how I want it. The conversation between the style of my hair and my skin and my outfit, and just making sure everything is cohesive. With others, I find intimacy to be the same thing, when everything flows correctly. I guess in the broad spectrum, it’s about having control over your situation and feeling empowered and comfortable with where you are and who you are with on a deeper level.

Kay, 18, Fashion Design

What part of your body are you most insecure about?

I am mostly insecure about my teeth, or my smile.

Why is that?

I’ve always been interested in modeling due to my stature and my unique features, but I feel as if my smile sets me back. I mean, especially nowadays, you see on social media these models with their great big smiles, and it’s been normalized that people are attracted to straight teeth and nice smiles. Like Cardi B, she was insecure about her teeth and she felt as if her teeth held her back from her career. I kind of felt the same way. Having perfect teeth is linked to being clean and put together, as if you take care of yourself. However, I’ve also realized that my social stance is a melting pot of my personality and my personal style.

What is something you have learned from your experience?

I don’t care anymore because the same people that came at my teeth when I was younger are the same people praising me for my personality. It goes to show that if you’re strong enough and have personal qualities that outshine the superficial ones, people will look over the physical qualities that aren’t exactly the norm. People are fickle. When you’re young, everyone is insecure about themselves and they are stuck on pointing out flaws in others. I realized that what people used to tease me about was a result of their own insecurities. Smiling, no matter what it looks like, is a gateway for showing your personality. When you smile at what you like, people can tell a little bit more about who you are.

What makes you feel confident?

My personal style and my personality. Going to college, I was scared about my style. However, I have been approached by many people who have appreciated my personality and my style, and it makes me feel confident.

I get to dress however I want, and even if I don’t personally feel confident in it, people still see me as credible for my style. Having my personal style has allowed me to define myself for who I am, rather than others do that for me.

What does intimacy mean to you, and how do you get intimate with yourself?

It’s basically an interconnection with myself, understanding my feelings and accepting myself. I feel like you can’t experience intimacy with others, to its fullest extent, without experiencing it with yourself first. Dressing up is a form of intimacy with myself. I also find intimacy by going out by myself. For example, by eating out or shopping by myself, I learned more about who I am and my feelings, which is something I can’t always do when I’m around other people. This allows me to be very focused on my path without others affecting my own intuition. Intimacy is getting to know yourself and what you like.

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intimacy written by Phillip Zminda and Morgan Chemidlin illustrated by Sarah Porter Intimacy may bring to mind a whole day in bed with your hypothetical boo, but for us at The Avenue, we don’t believe that intimacy is reserved for just our romantic relationships.

We celebrate the closeness of having a low-key wine night with your besties, forgetting the boy of the month by dancing it out, and even just getting ready to go out with our friends. And what better way to accompany all of these glorious moments than with some amazing tunes?

Scan the QR code on this page to access this playlist whenever, wherever.

Night In Pink & White by Frank Ocean Girl by The Internet Imposter Syndrome by Sidney Gish ‘Cause I’m A Man by Tame Impala Townie by Mitski Those Were the Days by Angel Olsen

Spotify and Chill LOVE by Kendrick Lamar ft. Zacari No Angel by Beyonce Take Me Apart by Kelela Yeah, I Said It by Rihanna Simple Things by Miguel Nothing Even Matters by Lauryn Hill ft. D’Angelo @ * % #

F*ck That!

! ? $

Doves in the Wind by SZA ft. Kendrick Lamar Maneater by Nelly Furtado Boy Problems by Carly Rae Jepsen New Rules by Dua Lipa Potential Breakup Song by Aly & AJ Woman by Kesha

Getting Ready Out of My Head by Charli XCX ft. ALMA and Tove Lo You’re the One by Kaytranada Love Galore by SZA Losing You by Solange Fantasy by Mariah Carey Fergalicious by Fergie, will.i.am

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