SARTORIAL MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY SPRINGFIELD, MO ISSUE IV | DECEMBER 2020
Black is in Fashion On the Cover: Armani Eason
CONTENTS Black is in Fashion
4
Everything Jaded
8
Men in Makeup
10
The Blonde Bear Boutique
12
Artist Feature: Joe Saan
14
Artist Feature: Guinevere Sheaffer
16
Designer Feature: Deb
18
Soap Refill Shop
20
Sartorial x Lightbox x Modern Society
22
How fashion fails trans bodies
28
STAFF Executive Board Zoe Brown | Editor-in-Chief Nia Harrison | Artistic Director Camryn Mahnken | Director of Events Kathryn Dolan | Copy Editor Staff Members Marissa Bannigan Skye Palmer Macy Abernathy Reagan Roper Cassidy Leighty Liam Hill
Leanna OrdoĂąez | Graphic Designer Katie Chandler | Director of Inclusion Kayla Curry | Copy Editor Candace Wu | Treasurer
Lucas Figenbaum Conner Orgill Piper Goff Abby Garrett Caroline Duboef Christian Holferty Emma Towers
Kelsey Zimmerman Lindsay Myatt Miranda Bess Nicole Imo Sinjin Delmore Sarah Nash
A Letter from the
Editor-In-Chief If you asked my 11-year-old self what she wanted to do when she grew up, she undoubtedly would’ve said her dream is to work for a fashion magazine. I think that girl would be proud of me now as I’ve become Missouri State University’s Editor-in-Chief of our student-run fashion magazine. But assuming the position of Editor-in-Chief for the 202021 school year was met with unforeseen circumstances. During a typical year, Sartorial is a place where I let my imagination run wild. This semester it has been my escape. The production of this publication has not been easy. We’ve had to create new protocols for photoshoots and conduct interviews remotely. Many of us have had to battle new or amplified anxieties. But despite this semester’s circumstances, we’ve produced more content than any other semester. A big part of this is because we’ve needed this outlet more than ever. In our attempts to escape the fatigue of the world, school, and work, we’ve created such beauty together. We’ve had to collaborate and coordinate in new ways. This zine is the culmination of months of shared work among students at MSU. Even in the face of a global pandemic, we were able to connect with our campus
and the Springfield area to highlight the greatness of our community. To me, this zine shows that even in the worst of times, human ingenuity shines through. Artists, musicians, designers, photographers, writers have continued creating. That is what this zine is here to showcase. Everything you see in this zine has been vetted through our year’s theme which is “The Magazine We Needed Growing Up.” For our staff, this meant creating content that is as diverse as we are. As you flip through our publication or scroll through our website, we hope you see someone who looks like you. We hope you are inspired by the stories of our community members and enchanted by the images we’ve created. We hope you read something that resonates with you or challenges you. Most of all, we hope you enjoy it. As Editor-in-Chief, I want to thank my brilliant executive board for all their dedication and talent and our incredible staff for all their hard work. I’d also like to thank our featured designers, artists, and creatives for letting us tell their stories, as well as our community contacts who helped make our ideas a reality. - Zoe Brown, EIC.
Photo by Katie Chandler
Black is in
Fashion Written by Nia Harrison, photos by Nia Harrison. Models (in order of appearance): Armani Eason, Marco Fitz, Imoni Douglas.
F
rom the top of their afros to very bottoms their newly purchased all-white Air Force 1’s, Black people have made a tremendous impact within the fashion and beauty world. Not only are they designers, but they have effortlessly set some the biggest and long lasting trends throughout history. Despite how some of these trends may have been negatively viewed by outsiders, a lot of trendsetters are starting to engage in these fashion movements. Trends once only popular in Black culture have expanded to many other races. There are clothing items and looks that continue to be recycled over and over again. To showcase these trends, I decided to hit up a few of MSU students for a Black fashion photoshoot. I gave them a list of items and themes that are popular in Black culture such as: shoe game, hats, nails, hair, oversized, and more. Sneakerheads Is it really a good fit if there is not a good pair of sneakers to go with it? It is necessary to have some heat on the feet. The Air Force 1 is one the staple shoes in Black culture. Athleisure shoe brands like Nike and Jordan are widely collected. Bucket hats Bucket hats come in many different colors, styles, and textures. Something originally used for fishing became a fashion statement in the 90’s. They became popular in hip hop and often associated with artists like LL Cool J and Missy Elliot. Fro’s before bro’s Hair that was once labeled as
Fa s h i o n 5
nappy and unprofessional has started a movement to prove that is untrue. Hair that was hated is now being embraced and accepted. Instead of straightening it out, picking it out is the new style.
We all know how the saying goes, the bigger the fro the bigger the‌ HOOP! When accessorizing, hoops are the way to go. A pair of gold hoops will never betray a girl. Track suits Why run the track when you can wear it? Just like bucket hats, tracksuits, especially velour, were popular in hip hop. Tracksuits by Baby Phat was a brand popularized in the early 2000’s. Nails
Almond, stiletto, or coffin shape? It is never easy to decide your next nail look. The options are limitless. Although black women with long acrylics were once seen as ghetto and tasteless, the trendy nails today are long acrylics with bold colors or crazy designs. Oversized clothing: Go big or go home. Baggy clothing started from many factors within the black community, but as mentioned previously it was popular in hip hop and even R&B.
The singer Aaliyah was known for her iconic baggy fits. A few more Honorable mentions: Gradient shades, snapbacks, and durags. Black is revolutionary, never out of style, fresh, inspiring, creative, beautiful, and in fashion.
Fa s h i o n 7
EVERYTHING
JADED Fa s h i o n 9
Written by Zoe Brown, photos by Zoe Brown. Pictured: Allyson Ly.
Allyson Ly, a junior marketing kind of had to kind of abandon my male-dominated job or career,” Ly major at Missouri State University, creative side when it came to draw- said. “Women need to use their can do it all — she’s a photographer, ing, painting, and all that because I artistic ability if they have it. I think designer, and artist with ideas to became musically talented. So I had it is extremely important not only spare. Earlier this year she incorto focus on that stuff. I still doodle women but also women of color to porated her many talents into one here and there, and I'm really good get into that, to show that we are brand called Everything Jaded. at looking at something and just able to do such things as well.” Right now she is focused on phodrawing it on the shoe.” Ly encourages other women to tography and shoe customiput their talents to use in zations. whatever ways they can. “It's kind of just an exper“The first thing that I would iment to kind of see what I do if you did want to know would like it to transform start your own brand is go into,” Ly said. headfirst,” Ly said. “Do your The lockdowns in the early research, watch YouTube vidpart of the pandemic left Ly eos, see how other people did with spare time and loads of it, and then attempt it too.” inspiration. For Ly, this was Ly has taken her advice and the perfect opportunity to tap is diving headfirst into her into her artistic side. She did brand by planning to quit her just that. It was at this point day job. that she realized no one in “I'd rather be broke and Springfield customized shoes, love what I do than be fiso she stepped up to fill the nancially stable and work for Pair of sneakers worn and customized by market need. someone else that has nothing Allyson Ly. “Just recently, though, is to do with what I want to do.” when we started racking up But Ly also recognizes that more orders, and now it's on starting your own business is a consistent basis,” Ly said. “Back She takes orders for customized not for everyone. then it was kind of just for fun.” Nike Air Force 1s through the “If you have the mindset that you Ly being the self-motivated perbrand’s Instagram account, @every- don't really want to start your own son she is, taught herself to custhing_jaded. brand, you want to work for sometomize shoes by watching YouTube While learning how to customone and climb that chain, if you like tutorials. But she’s always been ize on YouTube, Ly realized that the challenge, I say go for that too. artistically inclined in more than there were almost no women in the We need more women as CEOs and one way. industry. even more women in higher posi“I've always been good at draw“We need to have more womtions of other companies.” ing, I would say,” Ly said. “Then I en out in that field. It's not just a
Written by Katie Chandler, photos by Sinjin Delmore. Makeup by Macy Abernathy, Lucas Figenbaum, and Miranda Bess. Models (left to right): Devin Randolph, Roman Herries, Michael Chapman.
Beauty 11
M e n in Makeup
Men wearing makeup is not a new fashion fad. Men wear makeup because they want to. There doesn't have to be a specific reason, and it doesn't always require an explanation for how it defied gender roles. Men wearing makeup are allowed to exist unapologetically and on their own terms. Makeup is not limited to one gender, or to one style. Makeup is a tool for self-expression and creativity and has a different impact on
every artist and every wearer. It can be used to elevate a look, or to be the look itself. Our shoot features three men, styled by different artists, in different styles. Glam - Radiant. Eye-catching. Refined. While some may say the look is too much for every day, it's just enough to make a statement. A crisp liner with pops of jewels adds an extraness that can transform any normal day.
Editorial - Bold. Unique. Brave. The sharp edges and in-your-face colors aren’t something you would see walking around the grocery store, but they are runway ready. Natural - Soft. Sweet. Effortless. Not every day calls for a cut crease with false lashes and a bold lip. A natural look enhances one’s natural beauty. While makeup can be loud and out there, it can also be used for everyday purposes and men are not excluded from this use.
Fa s h i o n 1 3
The Blonde Bear Boutique
Written by Camryn Mahnken, photos by Marissa Bannigan, styled by Lindsay Myatt. Pictured: Emma Keifer wearing clothing from her boutique. Growing up with a love of fashion and a dream of one day becoming a designer, Missouri State senior acting major Emma Keifer, owner of The Blonde Bear Boutique, has stayed true to her roots. Emma founded The Blonde Bear Boutique amid the pandemic in May of 2020. In her childhood, she recalls having an obsession with Project Runway and designing her own clothes. During quarantine, she decided she wanted to rekindle that old love and start her own boutique. She talks about how her childhood interests influenced her decision to start the boutique. One of these interests was a fascination with Jane Goodall, an anthropologist and activist for conservation and animal welfare. Goodall was best known for her 60-year study of chimpanzees in Tanzania but she has also worked tirelessly on behalf of environmental issues, including founding the Roots & Shoots program to encourage youth conservation. Goodall’s connection to the environment, and specifically the rainforests, was inspiring to Emma. Though fashion and rainforests don’t necessarily go together, Emma found a way to combine her love of both with her boutique by partnering with One Tree Planted, an organization that makes it easy to help sustain rainforests around the world.
“Now every order from my boutique plants a tree in the rainforest. The most simple thing was choosing to partner with them.” Beyond that, Emma also plans on transitioning to compostable packaging soon, making The Blonde Bear Boutique even more sustainably-minded. When asked what the goal of her boutique was, Emma said she wants all girls to be able to express themselves through her clothing. She said that Blonde Bear offers styles that are “more bold and unique, feminine, but also strong and comfy and cozy,” so there’s really something for everyone. She also aims for size inclusivity, and is expanding to make sure her boutique offers all sizes “so that all women can feel comfortable.” Though the boutique is new, it’s found customers from all around the country, from Chicago to Florida to Los Angeles. Emma’s favorite part about running The Blonde Bear Boutique is the relationships it’s allowed her to make with hundreds of customers. “I’ve connected with so many incredible women and heard their stories, it’s really crazy. I never thought clothes would connect me to the many people that it has,” Emma told us. With nearly 1,000 followers on Instagram and items that frequently sell out due to demand, Blonde
Bear has been quite successful in its 6-month duration. When looking towards the future, Emma sees new opportunities for the boutique outside of online shopping. “I’m moving to L.A. in May, when I graduate, and my goal is to have a pop-up at the Melrose market every Sunday.” The Melrose Trading Post is an open-air market that has vendors of all types. Along with the pop-ups, Emma wants the boutique to have new products every three weeks and incorporate more of her creativity into the brand. “I want to have a lot more of my own designs,” Emma says. “It’s so new, but I want so many things [for the boutique].” Though she started a business in one of the most difficult times to do so, Emma believes in going after what you want. When asked what advice she’d give to someone looking to start their own small business, she said, “Do it! Do it. You can start with 50 dollars. It is hard but it is so worth it to be doing something you love every day… It is a lot of work, but it will pay off in your soul, your mind, and your life. My friends have seen the biggest change in me, I’m so much happier doing something I love.” The Blonde Bear Boutique is available to shop by Instagram and by website.
REWIND
Joe Saan spends much of his time dreaming of living in New York or Los Angeles, living off of making music and taking every present moment with grace. To Saan, every daydream is a potential song, and every season of his life is a learning experience. Hailing from Puerto Rico and Orlando, the 24-year-old musician decided early in his life to pursue music, with no backup plan. He decided to move to the most random city he could find, Springfield, Missouri where he recently graduated with a degree in Music and Recording from Evangel University. Now, he works part-time as a barista while recording dreamy R&B melodies from home. Before the global pandemic hit, Saan planned to pursue his dream of moving to Brooklyn, but his plans were held back, forcing him to stay in Springfield a little longer. He decided it wasn’t the worst place to be— the city holds a special place in his heart. “I’ve leaned into being a Spring-
field artist just because I came here when I was 18, I’ve lived most of my early 20s here, I’ve developed my sound here,” Saan said. His appreciation for Springfield comes from the vibrant creative community as well. Despite being one of the only alternative R&B acts in a town where folk, indie, and alternative music is the norm, he feels an attachment to it. “There hasn’t been much collaboration,” Saan said. “It’s been hard trying to find people who are under the same genre. In terms of
the music community, it’s pretty vibrant, the people here are super supportive.” Springfield is where Saan wrote his song “REWIND,” an otherworldly rhapsody about a dreamt up love from the past. “It’s just funny because the more clout and attention the song gets, people are like, ‘Oh, a Springfield artist?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I guess I am,’” Saan said. The song surpassed 1.3 million streams, making it his first hit. Saan wrote “REWIND” as part of his
Culture 15
Artist Feature:
JOE SAAN Written by Kayla Curry, photos by Katie Chandler. Pictured: Joe Saan.
senior capstone project, a mixtape titled “FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.” “I showed my best friend this song,” Saan said. “She was like ‘This is the one.’ I was like, ‘It’s fine. It’s a good song,’ but I never felt like it was anything. Then, it blew up. My manager actually had been pitching it to playlists and it was catching on.” Along with millions of streams, Saan has over 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. As impressive as the numbers are, Saan’s confidence doesn’t come from numbers. Saan is a soft-spoken artist with as much humility as he has confidence in his music. “I never lost motivation to keep making music because there has never been anything else I wanted to do,” Saan said. “I don’t care what I have to do. I will be making music. Being self-taught and having my own equipment, I can make music from anywhere. Right now, I record from my home… Ideally, yes, the dream is for music to pay the bills, but at the same time, I don’t care how long it takes because it’s the dream.” Saan’s relationship with music
has always been deeply personal to him. He uses music as a way to cope with situations life throws at him. From the day his mom bought him his first piano, he has always turned to music. As he began to produce music professionally, he gathered a team to help him develop his sound, but he hopes to keep the songwriting uniquely his own. “Songwriting is the process I’ve been most possessive over,” Saan said. “It’s funny. Someone asked me who I write music for, and I was like ‘I don’t know. I write music for me,’ but I would say my music is for anyone who relates to the crazy situations that I’ve been in. Most of them are just about love...in the most non-cheesy way.” As more listeners pay attention to his music, Saan, while excited, also feels overwhelmed by the complexity of the music industry. Saan’s friends and mother make up his strong support system, and keep him grounded. Saan says he often worries about the toxic sides of the music industry. . “I think you just have to realize you’re not as big of a deal as people make you out to be,” Saan said. “I’m not that cool. There’s always going
to be someone better than me. “I just think being reminded of your own humility and realizing that there are millions of songs on Spotify and anyone is interested in listening to one of my songs, that’s what should motivate you as an artist.” Saan’s current focus is releasing his debut album which is set to hit Spotify in early 2021, with hopes of a nation-wide tour next fall. He’s excited to produce his first cohesive piece and take the front seat of creative direction for this project. “I just want to punch people in the gut with this album,” Saan said. “It’s going to be sad, but it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be sexy, but it’s also going to be super depressing. It's a hurt album. It’s about being hurt, so it’s going to be good.” While Saan plans on finally making the move to either Brooklyn or LA soon, he owes much of his growth as an artist and person to a mid-sized, midwest city. “I met all of my best friends in Springfield,” Saan said. “I kind of found my sound here, so I don’t regret any of it.”
Artist Feature:
GUINEVERE SHEAFER
Written by Kayla Curry, photo by Zoe Brown. Pictured: Guinevere Sheafer.
Culture 17
G
uinevere Sheafer used to with my music,” Sheafer said. “It’s folk music so much is that it truly is feel embarrassed to admit always been kind of something that a story-telling art,” Sheafer said. “I her love for country muI’ve been able to do. I’ve never restrive to write songs that are exsic. Now, the 22-year-old Springally felt like this is my life’s purpose tremely genuine. I have a hard time field-native plays gigs around the or my passion, so I really do think writing in poetic terms, so I just city as a self-proclaimed folk artist. it’s been my friends pressuring me.” like to sing about what’s happened. Inspired by 90s country and icons Although it was never the plan to I really want people to hear my Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and pursue music, Sheafer moves about story through my music because Emmy Lou Harris, Shea spends her her life without too much expectaI think story-telling is an art that free time covering folk songs on her tion because she realizes nothing is lost in our culture, so I want to guitar and writing her own. ever goes as planned. A black snake cultivate that more.” Like many young, local artists, tattoo curls around her forearm to The local music scene and other Sheafer balances music with a busy remind her of “perpetual change female folk artists have inspired school and work-life. Most of the and rebirth” and accepting things her, but Sheafer still faces creative time, you will find her working as for what they are. Her love for blocks. As a self-proclaimed “slow an HR intern for an architecture music is enough to keep her pursu- song-writer,” she hasn’t released firm while working towards her many originals, so most of the business management degree. found on her Instagram “I think I just really enjoy videos While it may seem unrelated are covers. She is adamant about being a part of the to her love for music, she sees not forcing anything. As a fairly herself using her degree to bring new musician in the scene, she music scene, and I’m “vulnerability and connection” is still exploring herself as an encouraged to continue to a work environment, and artist, but she is open to finding being vulnerable and making other local artists to collaborate being a part of that connections is exactly what muwith on original music. community because of sic has taught her. Her new single, “Daughter,” “There is so much amazing is set to release this month or my other creative friends content and so many talented early January, and she garnered in Springfield.” people here, so I’m just continusupport from her friends in the ously inspired by working with music scene to make it a reality. those people,” Sheafer said. “I learn ing it, but she sees no reason not to In it, Sheafer tells the story of how so much about myself and about earn her degree and make an imbeing raised by her parents has the world and Springfield by having pact in other ways while she’s at it. shaped her into who she is today. those conversations and getting “It’s not my goal to be widely This is her debut single, and she into very vulnerable creativity with known,” Sheafer said. “I think I says she is excited to share her story other people.” just really enjoy being a part of the for the first time. For her, it comes Sheafer wasn’t always so involved music scene, and I’m encouraged at the perfect era in her life as she with her music. In fact, as a high to continue being a part of that stands at the beginning of a path schooler, Sheafer sang for tip mon- community because of my other towards a potential career in music. ey at Ebbets Field, but she never creative friends in Springfield.” But as always, she refuses to presplanned on taking her music any By ensconcing herself in the local sure herself to meet expectations further than that. Then, one day music scene, Sheafer found herself and welcomes whatever may come the manager of a local club saw her falling in love with the art of stoof it. perform and booked her for a show. ry-telling. Recently, she has written “If there’s a story that needs to be Others began offering her gigs as more about her own experiences told, I’ll sing it,” Sheafer said. “I just well. For Sheafer, becoming a local not only for herself but also to help give those stories patience, and let musician happened by total accithe reputation of country music them come out when the time is dent. which she used to be afraid to love. right.” “I have a really weird relationship “The reason I love country and
Designer Feature:
DEBRA ZERR Written by Reagan Roper, photos by Nia Harrison. Pictured: Debra Zerr.
Fa s h i o n 1 9
M
y partner Nia and I had the pleasure of meeting with Senior Fashion Designer, Debra Zerr. During our interview we were able to take a closer look into her personal life as well as her professional life. Zerr is originally from Colorado, and studies Fashion Design and Product Development at Missouri State University. Apart from her fashion-focused interests, Zerr is a part of the Catholic Campus Ministry and takes ballroom dancing classes in her freetime. Zerr is currently in the process of launching her very own blog and business, “Corner of Sunshine,” which will include products from her personal portfolio along with personal information about herself like where she is from, how she got started as a designer, where she has traveled to and so much more. During Zerr’s junior year at MSU, she served on the Executive Board of the Association of Fashion and Design as the Co-Director of Membership. When asked how being a part of AFAD shaped her into the senior she is today, Zerr said, “It helped me connect with other designers and merchandisers so that I could really build the community.” She explained how, in the fashion industry, it’s all about community and connections. Zerr’s role on the executive board for AFAD helped her develop her leadership skills and, “take what I’ve learned and apply it in more of a professional sense.”
Zerr received a sketch pad at the age of 11, and that’s when her creativity took off. “I kept designing and fell in love with it and wanted to pursue it as a major and career,” she said. The MSU fashion program helped Zerr build her skill set through hands-on experiences. Some key skills she learned are: basic sewing skills like french seams, invisible zippers, precise hems, pattern making and draping. She mentioned a piece of advice that was given to her by one of MSU’s fashion professors, Sandra Bailey, “No amount of money can make you happy in a job.” Finding a job that makes Zerr happy, regardless of pay, is what she values most. That being said, her ideal job in the fashion industry would be to design a bridal line or work for Rue de Seine Bridal— a bridal shop in New Zealand,— as an assistant designer. As a senior, one of Zerr’s biggest projects is to independently design an entire collection. During our interview, I had the honor of seeing her creative vision firsthand. Her collection falls under the line of bridal, but is beautifully unconventional. I asked what inspired the collection and she said it was the song, “Fuego'' by Eleni Foureira. Zerr says she pulls inspiration for her designs from music, trend research and nature. As a Colorado native, Zerr says the outdoors are a huge inspiration for her. When designing products, Zerr appriciates, “being able to be creative without having
any limits.” Taking her ideas, bringing them to life and seeing people’s response to what she’s created is very important to her. Her creative process can often be time consuming with her longest design time totaling over 250 hours! Zerr’s all-time favorite design is her Little Black Draping Dress. The dress, one of the first formal pieces she had completed, stood out to Zerr because it included embroidery, 3D florals and tulle. The Draping Dress was one of the first projects that had come out how she expected it to. Apart from her hand-made designs, Zerr’s style has a Bohemian Chic vibe. She purchases most of her clothing from Olive and Ivy Boutique here in Springfield, Altar’d State and thrift stores. Zerr leaves younger designers this advice, “start strong, start with challenging things that will push your limits to see what you can do. Really work on your sewing skills and attend classes- even if you don’t want to.” As a newer designer I found her advice very helpful and was very glad I got the chance to speak with her. It was such an honor to be able to meet an experienced fashion designer and see into her creative process. Her senior project is outstanding and the amount of work that has, and will go, into her collection is a reflection of her extreme dedication. Deb is an extremely hard worker. She is constantly in the studio perfecting herself and her collection, putting in countless hours and I’m excited to see the end result.
Shop sustainably at...
SOAP REFILL STATION Written by Cassidy Leighty, photos by Macy Abernathy
Have you been looking for ways to live a more environmentally conscious life? Look no further because the SOAP Refill Station is a one stop shop for all things sustainability! SOAP was opened by Anne Dezort in the summer of 2018. It’s a quaint and welcoming local business located downtown on South Campbell Avenue. The mission at SOAP is to offer clean household and beauty products, and they are dedicated to reducing packaging waste. You can bring in your old, empty containers of any shape or size and refill them with whatever product you desire. SOAP even keeps a count of how many containers have been given a new life and saved from the landfill each time a customer makes a purchase. I had the pleasure of being able to
interview Dezort about her experience opening her own business, and I got some insight on her in-
world,’ so we did it.” When you first walk into the SOAP Refill Station, you are greeted with a bright and positive energy as well as the lovely scents of their various products. Dezort knows how important it is to provide products with transparent ingredient lists because she experiences allergies and sensitivities herself. This is the main reason why it is so important to her that all of their products are natural and organic. SOAP offers a wide vaspirations and motivations. When riety of household and personal asked how she got the idea for hygiene products. From shampoo SOAP she responded by saying, “It's and conditioner, to hand soap, to not an original idea, other counpractically every oil you can think tries have been doing this for a long of, the SOAP Refill Station has got time and it was just taking too long you covered. At their oil bar which for ours to catch on. They say ‘Be is located in the back of the shop, the change you want to see in the you can even build your own face
Culture 21
mask! The possibilities are endless. They also sell other sustainability products such as reusable produce bags, bamboo toothbrushes, diva cups, reusable cotton face pads, and much more. And according to Dezort, they are constantly adding new products and taking product requests! Dezort is passionate about reducing her environmental impact on the world, and she encourages others to do the same. Her advice to people who are interested in living more sustainably is “DO IT! Stop heroizing people doing good, and do some dang good already! It's easy and rewarding and less expensive. One step at a time. Even if it's something as small as refilling your laundry soap bottle — It's a baby step in the right direction. It all adds up.” Since the pandemic, SOAP is now offering many different ways to get your goods. If you want to browse the options and fill your containers yourself, this is still an option for you (masks required). If you are a returning customer and already know what you want, there are a few additional ways to get SOAP
products. One option is to drop off your containers and come pick them up at a later time, and the SOAP employees will do the filling for you. They also have a delivery option to Springfield residents every Friday. All you have to do is call in your order earlier in the week or fill out the form on their website. Finally, they offer curbside service as well. The SOAP Refill Station has adapted to COVID, and they strive to keep their customers safe during these trying times. Through this interview, it has been made very clear that Dezort is a humble leader in the community. When asked about the challenges of owning the business, Dezort modestly said, “It's Springfield's Soap shop, not ours. We just keep it clean and pay the bills. If anything I feel like dodging the spotlight as individuals is the hardest part. I don't want to be the face of refilling. I'm not the star of the show. The people refilling their containers are. A lot of media wants to put a face and name to it and that's just not important.” The SOAP Refill Station is the per-
fect place to start if you are wanting to learn more about sustainability. This business stands for selflessness and accountability when making choices about how you live and how much you are contributing to our country’s problem with waste. Dezort put it perfectly when she said, “It’s not difficult to make empathetic decisions for our friends and families, right? So why should it be any different for our planet?” We only have one Earth, and we can all find ways to be kinder to her.
SARTORIAL x
LIGHTBOX
Featuring
MODERN SOCIETY
Photos by Marissa Bannigan. Styled by Zoe Brown and Nia Harrison. Models (first photo from left to right): Emma Towers, Callandra Hudak, Skye Palmer, Imoni Douglas. Clothing sourced from Modern Society.
Opinion 28
How fashion fails trans bodies... R
eady-to-wear clothing is the term used for clothing that is mass manufactured in pre-measured sizes. This is the clothing we wear every day—a pair of jeans you bought at the mall, or a jacket you bought at a trendy boutique. Sometimes, finding the right size in ready-to-wear clothing can be frustrating. It can be even more frustrating when your assigned gender at birth differs from your gender identity or gender expression. For many transgender individuals, fashion is an essential part of their gender expression. But it can also be a challenge. Ready-to-wear clothing is cut and designed with cisgender people in mind. This often leaves trans people without appropriately sized clothing. Trans men often struggle with clothing being too large, and trans women often struggle with clothing items being too snug in unflattering areas. Most ready-to-wear doesn’t fit correctly, and ill-fitting garments can cause dysphoria for some trans individuals. This leads to many people in the trans community feeling as if they don’t have a place in fashion, and are only allowed to focus on finding what fits. At the same time, the constant war with the closet can end in a euphoric victory once the right clothing is found. Members of the trans community may struggle with
Written by Liam Hill
the conventional gender expression that some clothing conveys, but they may also use it to blur the lines of what gender is. Clothing companies like Androgynous Fox, Tomyboy Toes, and WILDFANG cater to people trying to break away from classic gender norms. However, these stores aren’t always an option as prices can climb above $100 per item. Thrift stores have become an affordable haven for people who wish to shop for unique clothes that affirm their gender expression without having to face possible judgment from other shoppers which often occurs in mainstream stores. Trans representation in the fashion industry is scarce, but there is a rising number of trans models and LGBTQ+ inclusive runway shows all around the world. Coverage of nationally recognized voices like Laverne Cox, and Elliot Paige. The advocacy of trans models Hunter Schafer and Nathan Westling is shifting the industry towards acceptance. These are just a few prominent people within the fashion and entertainment industry who have helped to increase trans representation in popular culture. However, much of society’s understanding of trans identity seems to rest on only one or two of these well-known voices. In reality, any person can work to advocate for trans representation in the fashion
industry by supporting brands that promote inclusion. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA, roughly 1.4 million Americans identify as transgender. This study doesn’t include those that identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming, but it begins to give us a good idea of what the overall population of trans people is. This is a population of people that are largely uncatered to by mainstream clothing companies. The fashion industry as a whole has not been able to keep up with the cultural shift towards acceptance of trans bodies. When asked by Vogue in 2018 about including trans models on the Victoria’s Secret runway, Ed Razek, the company’s chief marketer answered, “Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should … because the show is a fantasy.” It is important to note that the term ‘transsexuals’ is improper. Most trans people do not use the word transsexual, the proper terms are transgender woman or transgender man. The fashion industry has a lot to improve on when it comes to accommodating those who don’t dress in accordance to their assigned gender at birth. But by existing and expressing themselves, trans people are driving the fashion industry towards acceptance.