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Washington Square news | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2012 | nyunews.com
features
D.I.Y.
Be frugal with flats By Rachel Sanderson
With January’s blustery winds forcing me into a heated mall, I wandered through the hordes of post-holiday shoppers until I reached my quiet oasis: Free People. As I gently grazed through the racks of maxi skirts and sheer shirts, something perched on a table in the middle of the store caught my eye. The Sam Edelman flats that I rushed over to hold were versatile, edgy, fun and sophisticated. The popularity of the slipper flat this fall was undeniable. The shoe is available in an array of styles from cheetah print to sequined, but I had never seen a crystal and spike adorned version. Ready to call these shoes my own, I was immediately saddened by the $150 price tag. Although I left the store empty-handed, the image of the shoes lingered. While I scoured the Internet in search of a cheaper version, the idea hit me; why pay such a steep price when I can embellish a pair of black slipper flats for a fraction of the cost? After a trip to the craft store, I was ready to make my own Sam Edelman-inspired flats in just a few simple steps.
Materials: A pair of black slipper flats ($19.99 from Target) A variety of different sized black crystals Small black spikes or small pyramid shaped black stones/beads A hot glue gun with hot glue sticks
Rachel Sanderson for WSN
Cut the cost of couture flats by being your own designer. Directions:
Rachel Sanderson for WSN
Studded slippers for less.
1. Start with plugging in the hot glue gun to warm up the glue. 2. Begin with the spikes. Squeeze a small amount of hot glue onto the part of the spike that you would like to adhere to the shoe and then quickly place it on the shoe. Spread the spikes randomly on the shoe and leave room for the crystals. Be quick with the hot glue gun because the glue can become fairly hot and it dries fast. Also, hot glue is very stringy, so be aware of the strings it may leave behind and be sure to remove them. 3. After having strategically placed the spikes on the shoe, fill it in with larger and smaller black crystals. 4. Repeat for the other shoe. Rachel Sanderson is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
IMPRINT continued from PG. 1
A fusion of fashion and history provided us with invaluable support and guidance throughout the whole process.” Each garment, on loan from its designer, was selected by the curators to represent the significance of the motifs throughout history, as well as their use in contemporary fashion worldwide. “When selecting fashion designers, we sought to choose work that demonstrated innovative interpretations of traditional motifs by designers that represented the strength of New York fashion culture,” Huber said. Huber chose a sleeping-bag coat designed by Norma Kamali to represent the functionality and widespread use of camouflage. “The motif demonstrates the symbolic strength that dress represents to us as social beings,” Huber said. “The concept of camouflage is one that comes from nature, and it is something that surrounds us all regardless of geographical, political or aesthetic considerations.” Tanya D. Wilson, another graduate student in the program, explored nature motifs using the concept of animal patterns. “Since prehistoric times animal skin, fur and leather have been a form of protection as well as a sartorial statement of social status,” Wilson said. “The essence of animal is the freedom to explore the wild side, and the message comes across as witty, playful and bold.”
Rachel Kaplan/WSN
A stunning suit by Anna Sui was on display. Wilson represented her work with a striking Diane Von Furstenberg leopardprint wrap dress. Other pieces displayed in the exhibition include a bright pink houndstooth-check dress by Marc Jacobs, a black-and-white striped women’s suit by Anna Sui and a wool and mohair tartan ensemble by Thom Browne. Imprint (NYC), which has been well-received by visitors according to the exhibition’s curators, opened to the public on Jan. 12 and will be on view through Feb. 4. Nicola Pring is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
NYU alum builds houses and community
By Jessica Littman
Breaking down barriers between cultures while servicing communities is no easy feat. One CAS graduate has proven that acts of generosity can bring people together with an organization that provides a niche in the disaster relief field: the Jewish Disaster Response Corps. Alumnus Elie Lowenfeld was inspired to help his community after going to Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2008, where he offered aid to disaster victims with federal government program. AmeriCorps. “All these volunteers came from Christian organizations or churches, and there were no volunteers from Jewish organizations,” Lowenfeld said. “For me, it seemed like a place where my community really needed to be, so I decided to start [an organization].” A year after that trip, Lowenfeld returned to Iowa with a group of Jewish volunteers. “It was really exciting to finally
have a group in the place where I had felt so alone — to be able to come back and be able to bring members of my community there,” Lowenfeld said. This was the first trip he organized for Jewish volunteers, marking the start of JDRC. Since he founded the organization in 2009 with help from the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, over 300 volunteers have been sent to disaster sites. Lowenfeld wants the organization to be both a service for Jewish students and young adults to find volunteer opportunities, specifically for Jewish communities affected by natural disasters. “We want to be a resource for a local community in their desire to help the community recover,” Lowenfeld said. Despite its dedication to helping both Jewish disaster victims and Jewish relief workers, JDRC welcomes all volunteers. The NYU club Bridges, which seeks to foster relationships between Jewish and Muslim students, organized an al-
ternative break with JDRC to help with tornado relief efforts in Alabama over winter break. The Bridges volunteers worked alongside Lowenfeld, who still does hands-on disaster relief work like rebuilding houses in Birmingham, Ala., in addition to running the organization. “We take anyone with a desire to work hard and help,” Lowenfeld said. Gallatin senior and Bridges member Dalia Shapiro also participated in the trip to Alabama. “I was always inspired,” Shapiro said. “There’s not a lot of spaces for Jews and Muslims to work together, and here we are literally building houses together, literally building bridges.” Lowenfeld hopes to continue mobilizing individual volunteers and the Jewish community and to inspire young people, regardless of their religious affiliation. Jessica Littman is features editor. Email her at jlittman@nyunews.com.
Courtesy of JDRC
JDRC volunteers rebuild damaged homes in Alabama.