Traditions Transcend Time
Archbishop Riordan High School celebrates 75 years
By Aiden Pavon ’25
On Frida Kahlo Way sits a school–
streetcar that ran all along Ocean Avenue
Life was very different in the early school colors were almost black and gold, champions for the Crusaders, winning 13
about our history with all the banners [...]
When coming to Riordan, all students are sorted into one of the four houses: Bolts, Cana, Pilar, and Russi. These houses give students an opportunity to participate in engagement and a lot of our campus and
The last years of the brotherhood were cut short due to the Covid year of 2020. Students met asynchronously via Zoom classes. This was challenging for students, especially the graduating seniors, but it also helped prepare them for the future.
Former EIC of The Crusader Steven Risotto ’20 said, “It was tough, especially as a senior. I really wanted to finish out the year in-person and it’s a major regret that I was never able to. But you move on, and I guess a learning experience for me was to be prepared for life’s curve balls.”
“I thought the teachers also handled it really well. It’s never easy to be pushed into remote learning, but everything was super smooth — like they’ve done it before,” Risotto said.
For the teachers, asynchronous teaching was difficult because it eliminated the personal aspect of teaching. But through the work and thoughts students would give over the ZOOM year, teachers were able to discover the passions and personality traits that they had.
Directory of Safety & Logistics and Digital Media Instructor Viggen Rassam ’87 said “There’s no way to get to know students over video, especially people you never met… you never really got to know them. But through their work, by the time I got to meet them, it was like I already knew them. We would hit the ground running.”
Now, Riordan has become more than a brotherhood. With the addition of girls, Riordan’s culture has changed significantly. Besides doubling the attendance of Riordan, the girls allowed for change.
Operations manager Cara Garcia said, “[With the addition of girls] there is more conversation and more things happening on campus.”
These changes are seen all over the school, but none more than athletics. With four co-ed teams and six girls sports, the athletic department has evolved significantly, including the girls flag football team who in their inaugural season, won the WBAL championship.
First solo-female student body president Caroline O’Connell ’25 said, “Girls sports has brought new entertainment, spirit, and success to the school.” She continued, “This year was the first ever year of flag football. We went into the season super nervous, but having an athletic program with great support, and girls with great talent, led us to win the league, the 49ers sponsored Jamboree, and a 20 game win streak.”
As Archbishop Riordan evolves every year, Crusaders look to tomorrow with hope for the future. As the cycle of freshman arriving and seniors riding into the sunset continues, students look back to reflect and close the cover of the yearbook.
Behind the Businesses
Meet the minds motivating Riordan's student businesses
By Taylor Tran '25
With Riordan’s diverse population of students from all over the Bay Area, and the world, there are students who excel in many things: art, writing, athletics–but there are also an exceptional number of student innovators. Students who established businesses with their creativity, grit, and enthusiasm are everywhere on Riordan’s campus, such as 941 Streetwear, Avenue Car Detailing, and BC Bakes.
Establishing a business in just his sophomore year, Noel Marquez ’25 has had two years of experience in pioneering his clothing brand: 941 Streetwear. With over $5,000 worth of sales, we wanted to know the story behind his business. He thought of the idea while interning with The DJ Project and experimenting with graphic design, coming up with his most popular logos. But before printing them onto clothes, he found confidence in confiding with his friends about his business.
“Before I even made my first shirt, I asked my friends, ‘Would you guys wear this?’ Just having their support was just a really big confidence booster in my brand.”
The name and the logo for his brand took about two months to create–“I didn’t want to make anything that was overdone… for the logo, I knew I wanted to incorporate the bridge somehow, to represent the Bay Area.”
“I think San Francisco is known for its fog, so I wanted to include a cloud in there… and add my brand name, 941.” His brand name, influenced by the first three digits of the San Francisco ZIP code, is one of the most well known of student-owned-businesses at Riordan.
“I chose a ZIP code because that’s where you live…I figured, if I relate to everyone in that way, it’ll make the name more meaningful.”
“I chose a ZIP code because that’s where you live... I figured, if I relate everyone in that way, it’ll make the name more meaningful.”
-Noel Marquez ’25
Marquez hopes to expand his business further by continuously working on new pieces. While he currently sells shirts, hoodies, and shorts, he plans to include customer-requested items: beanies and crewnecks. Be sure to keep an eye out for new drops at his website, 941streetwear. com, or his Instagram, 941.streetwear.
Scan the QR code to watch an exclusive interview with Noel!
Video by Paul Ha ’25
From Duds To Drip
Fashion and lingo have changed over time, from "cool duds!" in the '50s, to "you got drip" today!
By Aliana Urdaneta-Rodas '25
It is not unknown that fashion has developed its own identity within the time periods of society. However, it is important to not only note the evolution of trends and clothing, but also the evolution of humans and how fashion was used to either promote a type of statement or for comfort or change in ideas.
Archbishop Riordan High School first opened its doors in 1949. This year was affected by the results of World War II, which led to the inclusion of nylon, cotton, leather, and satin being used to make military materials. This is where the movement of “workforce clothing” really began to erupt in society. With the feminist movement beginning to take its course, women’s comfort became the new normal as skirts grew tighter and shorter, and two piece swimsuits were starting to become socially acceptable along with high waisted pants.
Men’s clothing consisted of voluminous amounts of materials like zoot suits, which included oversized pants and jackets and ties, which were especially popular in black and brown communities. Hair was well-kept for both men and women, and often seen placed back in curled updos for women and slicked back hairdos for men.
This time period also introduced '50s fashion, which introduced exaggerated feminine styles that embraced the female body figure. The mainstream popularization of movies and music allowed for inspiration to be drawn from celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, James Dean, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe. Color began to be much popular in men’s clothing. This time period of fashion was intertwined with the popularization of the American teenage experience, therefore clothing was more fun and practical for a drive-in movie or lunch at a ’50s diner.
The ’60s were a time known for the combination of elegance and excitement. Women were starting to show more skin through skirts and dresses. High-waisted
pants were starting to become the new normal for women. Unique bright colors are becoming more popular in men’s clothing along with the well known unique patterns. Hair and makeup was a key part of ’60s fashion. Makeup was much darker and bolder and hair was often teased or bigger and longer, as seen with well known celebrities like Priscilla Presley, Natalie Wood, and The Supremes. Trends like pill-box hats and colored tights can often be seen on even politically associated figures like Jackie Kennedy. Men’s hair was beginning to be more freeing with the rise of The Beatles, Jimi Hendricks, and The Temptations that made hairstyles like the mop-top and short Afros popular with men. The ’70s was a key time in fashion because similar to the ’40s, we see how war can affect society into using clothing to represent a movement. The hippie movement was a direct pushback against the Vietnam War, and gradually became a part of history that history remembers as a time when people were breaking away
from societal norms. Disco, soul, R&B, and Pop/Rock was the key influence of fashion with artists like ABBA, Stevie Nicks, David Bowie, Donna Summers, and Cher. The freedom in hair was especially represented with African Americans as they were now truly being accepted for natural, free hair, which included larger Afros seen in both men and women. Seen are clothing items like fringe suit jackets, bell bottom pants, retro patterns, pants suits and blazers, and graphic tees, which can all be found on both men and women. Men often wore corduroy jeans, Cuban heels, and hair grew significantly longer. Voluminous hair like Farrah Fawcett and John Travolta with the feathered layers look taking over significantly. Denim, leather jackets, athletic wear, and bright colors were heavily influenced by the uprising of pop music. Hair grew bigger and big curly hair was not an exception. Teen movies like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Pretty in Pink, allowed for actors like Molly Ringwald to truly influence the teenage aesthetic of fashion. One of the biggest fashion icons of this time was Madonna, as she was at the center of fashion with her heavy colorful makeup, various grand hairstyles, and bold eye catching jewelry.
Michael Vezzali-Pascual ’88 reminisced on ’80s fashion by recollecting that, “It was all about rock-and-roll. The guys that looked like me were all under rock-and-roll at the time and that was our identity.” He continued by saying, “We all had that feathered hair, we all carried brushes in our back pocket.”
The ’90s shifted fashion to a more mature style, and although fashion was still influenced by teenage culture, colors weren't as bright as they were in the ’80s. With Hip-Hop becoming more mainstream, baggy denim, gold jewelry, sneaker culture, bucket hats, and flannels were largely inspired by black and brown communities. Chicano culture was beginning to become more represented, especially in our own city of San Francisco, where places like The Mission, Potrero Hill, and The Bayview were welcoming artists and culture.
’90s fashion was kept more simple in mainstream Hollywood with women like Jennifer Aniston, Kate Moss, Julia Roberts, and Naomi Campbell popularizing trends like mini dresses, plaid skirts, slip dresses, big leather jackets, and well-kept updos or straight hair.
For men, celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, and Will Smith made trends like large coats and sweatshirts, baggy pants, and sneakers significantly popular in male fashion. Hair was often paired with a hat or in a laid back hairstyle.
Women’s fashion in the early 2000s became much more feminine once again, with low-rise jeans, crop tops, and denim mini skirts, and velour tracksuits. The color pink became incredibly popular once again with celebrities like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, and Christina Aguilera expressing their styles through their pop music videos. Celebrity culture was beginning to make a huge turn with paparazzi culture and the beginning of social media.
Men’s clothing got even baggier and casual with artists like Usher and Pharrell Williams pushing for hip hop
trends to become mainstream. Teen shows and movies like One Tree Hill, The OC, Step Up, represented what teenagers were really wearing. Men's fashion was more laid back, which did not exclude hair trends and accessories.
In the 2010s social media truly began to influence fashion trends with apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook being used to express artistry, statements, photography and of course fashion trends. Leggings, stiletto heels, skinny jeans, bomber jackets, and ankle boots were found with social media influencers like Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Selena Gomez.
Male fashion remained laid back with T-shirts, skinny jeans, and casual wear becoming even more popular with men. Artists like Justin Bieber, Drake, and One Direction became a representation of what teenage males were wearing.
Today fashion cycling is at an all time high, as the early 2020s consist of people taking inspiration from past decades and adding a modern twist. Everything “old” is new again. Because of apps like Pinterest and TikTok, trends are moving at a much faster pace as fashion is no longer defined in decades but in years.
2024 fashion consists of suede and dark large leather jackets, perfect for the fall and winter. Large pants and sweaters are coming back this year along with the elegant, sophisticated aesthetic taking its course. Shoes like samba sneakers, Adidas, heel boots, and chunky shoes have taken over 2024 shoe culture. Trends like the “clean girl,” “cool city girl” and “coquette” aesthetics have influenced the simple fashion style for this year.
Fashion has become more “gender neutral,” as men and women are found sharing clothing items with artists like Harry Styles, Asap Rocky, and Tyler the Creator taking over the male fashion scene.
Elegance and sophistication is predicted to take over for in 2025 and teen fashion continues to be influenced by past trends with makeup, hair, and clothing.
Video by Paul Ha ’25
