Signature Style 6

1 SS6

SS6 2

SS6 3 SS6

6 coast to coast 8 1920's screen siren makeup tutorial 10

a word from our editor

12 13

trash to treasure: the rise of vintage sustainable fashion: how do we carry the load?

TABLE OF CONTENTS SS6 4

14 how we clean up: 16 from our vanities to yours 18 studio 54 industry spotlight: sarah haylon

24 meet the e-board 26 kickin' it old school 30 juta shoes

32 34

fashion abroad: paris behind the cover: laura chong

5 SS6

contributors hannah morse editor-in-chief

creative director hannah fink

editorial directors samantha donohue, gwyn sise, ali zildjian layout director julie lin photography director olivia fuller stylists suzanna hamer, david dacres, hannah honan,

margaret riordan, jean shim, & kennie zhou stylist assistants christine rosato & annaliese mugele social media director sarah haylon beauty directors georgia miller & noelani stevenson fashion consultants polly bruce & areej haroon photographers kaitlin dunne, bryan edwards, olivia fuller, sharif shrestha

writers kaitlin dunne, emily eisler, anne homans, jessica jogodnik, hannah morse, margaret riordan, suzanna hamer, ruthie schmidt, john schisler, noelani stevenson models laura chong, lili christie, areej haroon, sarah haylon, jojo jones, ken lopez, branden miles, jana prudhomme, tyler ridley, annelise vought, lashawn ware

founders taylor healy, emily malter, ryan ong

SS6 6

letter from the editor Putting this issue together has been bittersweet—it is both the capstone of my time with Sig Style and the marker of the end of my Hamilton days. While I am so excited to pass off the magazine into the capable hands of our amazing e-board, it will be hard to say goodbye to something that has defined my years on the hill.

When we started Signature Style three years ago, our founders were in search of a place on campus where fashion-obsessed students could thrive and showcase their talents. So much of the campus culture focuses around academics, and while they certainly play a formidable part in the Hamilton experience, it’s important to recognize that outside-the-classroom talents are just as impressive and worthwhile. We’ve worked really hard to create an inclusive, style-centric community that expands far beyond the physical magazine itself, and I know that the founders would be really proud of what Signature Style has become.

In the spring issue, we are exploring all things retro; from makeup inspired by the vibrant and boundary-pushing 1920s, to the wild nights of Studio 54. We turn the clock back in time to days of diners and knee-high stockings, as well as explore the rising trend of vintage and upcycled fashion. Additionally, we have also incorporated content that looks to the future. Visionaries like Joanna Hamer, founder of Juta Shoes, explain to us the challenges and rewards of starting a company that helps both the environment and women. Keep reading to see our E-board modelling some of our own retro outfits, as well as our fave skincare products!

As always, stay fashionable.

7 SS6 7 SS4

coast to coast SS6 8

by john schisler

February 23rd was set to be just another winter day at Hamilton College, but students were in for a surprise.

Throughout campus, students awoke to blue skies and the calm breeze of an early June morning. Oddly enough, temperatures would hit the high 60s and Hamilton’s campus would turn into a very unfamiliar scene for February.

T-shirts and shorts (yes, you read that right) could be seen on Martin’s Way and throughout campus. For just a day, west-coast summer styling had returned to Hamilton and replaced the common east-coast winter styles that had already frequented campus for numerous months.

Many students on Hamilton’s campus are constricted by the weather in terms of style. West Coasters are often required to give up their beachy-relaxed styles for more of a modern/clean East Coast look. However, for Senior LaShawn Ware this rare Thursday in February would surely be seen as a delight. When asked about how location determines style, the Southern California native was quick to point out his flexibility in clothing choices due to the west-coasts moderate temperatures. It wasn’t until he came to Hamilton that he was forced to adopt the winter styles of the east coast. This convergence of styles has led LaShawn to look for interchangeable styles that can fit into one wardrobe.

Convergence of styling in general is an emerging theme on both coasts. For the west, the beach has always been a place of influence but elements of urban styling are also entering the periphery.

While the relaxed “look” is certainly present, a more clean-cut look is starting to garner attention. The mix of the gentleman-surfer is an excellent way to describe this emerging style.

As always, look for the casual blue jeans and white tee, but for 2017 try pairing that with a sleek leather jacket and something a little more dressy than your classic Vans.

As for the East Coast, urban trends continue to dominate. Senior and New York native Tyler Ridley exemplifies his command of this style. The classic cuffed jeans, beige sweater, rounded off with brown boots knocks this urban East-Coast look out of the park. While Hamilton College is 255 miles away from New York City, urban themes are certainly ever-present on campus.

Another East-Coast trend here to stay is athleisure. In Signature Style’s 2nd issue, athleisure was the focus of a 4 page spread. Almost a year later, this trend has stuck and male students can be seen trading their baggy sweatpants in for slim fitting joggers. The attractive element about athleisure is once again its ability to be interchangeable. It can be worn in the gym or in the office on a Friday or Saturday. For 2017 on the East Coast, look for a pair of New Balances combined with chino joggers and a camel colored overcoat to complete the perfect mix between casual and dressy.

As students on Hamilton’s campus ponder if spring is actually here, it is clear that students are ready to break out their spring and summer styles. Even more exciting is the fact that L.L Bean boots will be packed up and neglected till next winter! These boots, while iconic, serve to remind Hamilton students that the winter months are upon us and once again our style has become constricted by the elements. Soon enough however, the warm and breezy days of spring will be upon us and once again students will be able to take up the age-old debate of West Coast vs. East Coast style.

9 SS6 photography by sharif shrestha

1

9 2 0 's

screen siren makeup tutorial by noelani stevenson

SS6 10 model: jojo jones

photography by bryan edwards

1

Apply a creamy aqua shadow across the entire lid with a flat brush. Then, layer a deeper teal into the crease with a round brush, using a circular motion to contour the shape of the eye socket. Use the deeper shadow to lightly outline the lower lash line as well. Tap a bit of glittery gold shadow onto the inner corner of the eyelid and blend. Add a thin line of black gel liner to the top lid, and finish with a heavy coat of black mascara on both sets of lashes.

2

Brush the brows with a clean spoolie and fill in any sparse spots with a soft brown pencil. Then, sketch a solid line along the bottom of the brow and continue the tail out towards the temple, making a long crescent shape. Comb a brow gel through, sweeping out along the arch, to add depth and fix the hairs in place.

3

Cover the face with a liquid or mousse foundation and pack on a clear matte powder to set and neutralize shine.

Layer a bright peachy-coral blush on the apples of the cheeks in a circular motion, brushing it up towards the temples. Tap a pale crème highlight onto the upper cheekbones, nose, and chin.

4

Overline the lips with a cherry red pencil, particularly exaggerating the upper lip and Cupid’s bow to mirror the crescent of the brows. Fill in the lips with the pencil, and then layer on a creamy ruby-red lipstick. Blot with a tissue.

Add a bit of highlighter to the center of the bottom lip and the Cupid’s bow to make the lips look fuller.

Finish off the look with pin curls or finger waves, and you’re ready to hit the nearest speakeasy!

11 SS6

the rise of vintage

by ruthie schmidt

V

intage clothing is like trendy hand-medowns. You scavenge for your mom’s original Levi Jeans, beg your dad for his old flannel, and comb through your local thrift store for cool cat-eye sunglasses. It seems that fashion’s new fascination with vintage comes from a sense of nostalgia for the past as a way to revive past decades of fashion trends. For a moment, they can live again under the guise of “vintage.”

“Vintage” technically refers to something older than twenty years old (so anything made before 1997), but it’s only recently that people have started referring to fashion as vintage. It used to only be used for jewelry or furniture, but some decades of fashion have resurfaced under this label. But let’s keep it to the more fashionable parts of the decades--some things are don’t need a comeback.

The social climate seems to affect the styles brought back. Staples from the 60s and 70s, two decades that were critical for activism in this country, have been on the rise lately. This rise mirrors the growth in activism surrounding civil rights issues in America today around topics like sexual orientation, race, and women’s rights. By wearing clothes reminiscent of previous periods of influential activism, change, and improvement, perhaps people are linking themselves to those who wore those clothes and fought similar fights.

SS6 12

So where will vintage go next? Already some things from the 90s are beginning to resurface.

Chokers anyone?

sustainable fashion

how do we carry the load?

by jessica jogodnik

F

ashion has always had the reputation of being one of the most wasteful industries. With new trends, styles, and designs percolating at all hours of the day and night, it’s hard for it not to be. Additionally, to make mass producing clothing more costefficient many companies use cheaper, lower quality materials that ruin within a few uses. But the penultimate example of waste in the fashion industry doesn’t come from weak materials or new trends but the red carpet.

The red carpet. The Colosseum of the fashion world, where gladiators of all designers and styles come together to duke it out for the coveted title of best dressed. If you have ever seen an awards show you know that there is a very slim chance of you ever seeing the celebrity wearing the same dress ever again. Typically, after being worn, the dresses are either gifted to the celebrity or returned to the designer in a way that celebrity stylist, Tanya Gill, likens to the tale of Cinderella, where “you wear it to the ball and at midnight it has to go back”. Upon being returned, these dresses usually sit untouched in the back of a storeroom as they are custom made and unable to fit anyone else.

To rebrand the industry, a sustainable alternative has been introduced in the form of Red Carpet Green Dress. Red Carpet Green Dress is an international design competition created by Titanic director James Cameron’s wife, Suzy Amis Cameron. Each year, starting with the competition’s creation in 2010, aspiring designers and renowned brands are encouraged to submit dress and now tuxedo designs, composed

Fast Facts about the Need for Sustainable Fashion

• The number of textiles in U.S. landfills has increased more than five-fold since 1950 while rubber and leather have tripled.

• Each year it is estimated that cotton producers use nearly 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 10% of the world’s pesticides.

• The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 97% of post-consumer textile waste is recyclable.

• Consumers in the United Kingdom have an estimated £30 billion ($46.7 billion) worth of unworn clothes lingering in their closets.

• Millions of tons of unused fabric at mills go to waste each year when dyed the wrong color.

largely of sustainable materials. All designs must encompass the principles of positive fashion, the term assigned to this latest movement that is rooted in social responsibility. Winning designs will be brought to life by established designer brands and worn by one of Hollywood’s elite. Past winners include Michigan State University senior, Jillian Granz, (2010); Ghanaian designer, Samata Pattinson, (2011); Venezuelan designer, Valentina Delfino, (2012); SCAD alumnus, Michael Badger, (2013); ESMOD student, Alice Elia; Jomnarn Dul; ESMOD-ISEM student, Tingting Chen, (2015); and ESMODISEM student, Manon Gabard. In 2016 Red Carpet Green Dress introduced an internship with Vivienne Westwood as part of the winning prize. Celebrities who have collaborated with this competition include Kellan Lutz and Gina Rodriguez.

So, what makes these dresses and tuxedos sustainable? It all comes down to the materials that are used to make the outfits. Such materials include peace silk, hemp, rPETs, natural dyes, and once even candy wrappers! Peace silk differs from regular silk in that it is sourced without killing the worms that make the silk. Per PETA, 3000 silkworms are killed to make every pound of traditionally-sourced silk. rPETs are plastic bottles which have been recycled and repurposed into fabric.

While fashion has always been the epitome of a wasteful industry, new movements such as Positive Fashion are encouraging designers and brands to be more socially responsible, and therefore pushing back against fashion’s traditional wasteful reputation.

13 SS6

industry spotlight

by anne homans

After graduation, Sarah Haylon ’17 will be returning to TJX as an Allocation Analyst after interning as a Planning and Allocation Intern there last summer. She is a Government major with a minor in Education and is Signature Style’s own Social Media Director. Signature Style sat down with her to learn more about working in homegoods.

photography by olivia fuller

SS6 14

How did you get your internship with TJ Maxx?

My cousin works at TJX; she started their training program after college, worked her way up, and is now a buyer for TJ Maxx.

I also searched Hamilton’s Peer Internship Network and found out that Hannah Morse, the Editor-in-Chief of Signature Style, did an internship there going into her junior year as a Buying Intern.

What does buying entail?

Buyers talk to a ton of different vendors throughout the world. For HomeGoods, I was focused on decorative accessories.

HomeGoods Buyers do a lot of international travel to places like Nepal and India to try and negotiate deals. Our primary selling point is that we’re “off price.” We can sell vendor’s goods quickly and we have a ton of stores that aren’t at risk for closure and we are constantly opening new stores. Because of this, we’re often able to get goods for lower prices than would be sold directly through the vendor or at competing stores.

What does a typical day on the job look like?

I was in the decorative accessories section including trays, little boxes, statuary, globes, and things like that. Within decorative accessories, the objects are classified by ‘lifestyle’ or ‘themes’ rather than types of objects. These categories include Coastal, Organics, Transitional, and Library, just to name a few. Organics includes a lot of agate, stone, bright colors, and gemstones. Transitional includes golds and blues, with a sleek and modern feel.

Coastal is more organic glam, such as coral sculptures. There’s also Beach, which is directed towards decorating a beach home, including decor in shades of blue and green and materials such as seaglass.

We would look at how quickly categories were selling the previous week and how much of the inventory was sold. Then we’d look at this data based upon category and distribution center and calculate the

shipping goals we wanted to meet for the week. Our planning manager would give us a monetary sales goal and we had to figure out how much product we needed to ship in order to hit that. We would also take the efficiency of distribution centers into account, because some of them would get really backed up with a flow of inventory coming in. Meeting the monetary sales goal was an interesting problem to work out since it was both analytical and creative.

A huge part our job was shipping the actual products. We had a system where we could see what the Buyers bought and then distribute the products manually based on what stores we thought they should go to. We would also create selling reports, compiling information for our Buyers in terms of what types of items, such as specific colors, were selling well.

Did you find that certain colors or styles sold best?

Absolutely! Animal statuary, and in general anything with animals, sold really well. In HomeGoods, “Pets” was one of our biggest selling departments; things would fly off the shelves. People also really loved our Himalayan rock salt lamps, which are part of the Organics collection. Our biggest categories were Transitional and Organics.

What do you think your average customer would be?

For HomeGoods, the average customer is a woman around 35-55 or so. While our products target that customer, we are always trying to figure out how we can appeal to other customers, such as reaching a younger demographic. When I first started interning they asked the interns about the wants and needs of college students. For example, I remember talking to the head of a Buyer division and telling him about brands for bedding that college women like, such as Serena and Lily and Roberta Roller Rabbit.

I felt like my input was really heard and that they valued what I had to say.

ler

15 SS6

how we clean up from our vanities to yours So it’s 1:15 AM and

by margaret riordan

I’m spinning on a chair of the second floor perch of Burke.

In front of me seven to ten safari tabs glow in my face and I resemble all the other Hamilton students around me. But am I researching, writing, and editing? Not quite.

I’m on Sephora.com, or maybe a Buzzfeed article telling me “12 Ways To Look Like You Woke Up Like This,” but it’s definitely not my lab report. Finding products that work for your skin and your budget is like diving into an abyss without knowing how to swim. Luckily enough, some people at Signature Style have favorite products they’ve been counting on and are willing to spill their secrets.

“All of these products are great because they work well together and are very gentle on sensitive skin. To keep my skin healthy I use the Kiehl’s Purifying Foaming Cleanser and Brightening Exfoliator once a week and finish with the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. At night I always remove my makeup with Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes.”

georgia miller beauty editor

“I love any product that is two-in-one so the Trillipiderm Broad Spectrum SPF 30 with Vitamin D sunscreen is my go-to – I put it on in the morning every day to protect my face, even in the winter (and it smells good too!).

My “holy grail” product is the Biologique Recerche Lotion P50 PIGM 400. It is described as a “facial in a bottle” and seriously, this stuff is amazing because it tones, exfoliates, and balances for a clear and glowy face. After, I spot-treat any redness or acne with the same brand’s Serum Complexe Iribiol; it clears up problems rapidly and prevents future acne.

Finally, my hair gets weighed down because I’m growing it out, and I’m obsessed with the science behind Living Proof’s Full Thickening hannah morse Cream – It really works!”

editor-in-chief

SS6 16

“I have been obsessed with looking glowy recently and the Mario Badescu Rose Water Spray does the job! I use it right after my moisturizer and I love it because of its immense hydrating quality. To continue my glow I like Fresh Skin Care for their Rose Mask. Though on the pricer side, it provides a unique moisture and glow that I haven’t found in other facemasks.

It’s infused with real rose petals that add to its moisturizing and toning qualities. Garnier SkinActive Cleansing Water is a great dupe for marked up brands and works just as well as both a makeup remover and a cleanser. I typically use it after removing my makeup to keep my face from irritation. And last, but not least, I love the Clean and Clear Dual Action Skin Moisturizer because it hydrates my skin while simultaneously fighting acne. I find that matching moisturizer to skin type is the most important component of skin care!” christine rosato

assistant stylist

“My best skincare advice is to pamper your skin instead of fighting! I spent so long using harsh products like salicylic acid to get rid of zits but they kept coming back. I cannot stress enough the importance of a pH-balanced cleanser so now I use Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Cleaner to help with dryness and dullness. The skin’s natural pH is around 5, so your cleanser should be slightly acidic to match this. For spot treatment I suggest Differin Gel because it is a lifesaver for acne and great for anti-aging. As for masks, I use the L’Oreal Exfoliate and Refine Clay Mask every Thursday to prep for the weekend; it makes my skin fresher and tingles a little! And to kick off each week I use the Glossier Mega Greens Detoxifying Mask to avoid dryed-out skin and recover from the weekend”.

gwyn sise co-editorial director

17 SS6

STUDI

STUDI photography by bryan edwards

SS6 18 penny tornes ‘18

DIO 54

models: ken lopez, branden miles, jana prudhomme, areej haroon

DIO 54 19 SS6 aaron oh ‘18

SS6 20

21 SS6

SS6 22

23 SS6

juta shoes How two female entrepreneurs are solving problems of waste and underemployment in London’s Shoreditch area by hannah morse & suzanna hamer

C

o-founder Joanna Hamer describes Juta Shoes as a “social enterprise that supports marginalised women in London by providing sustainable, flexible and supported employment, training and opportunities”—an impressive goal for a ten-month-old brand started as part of a graduate program in social entrepreneurship called Year Here. The product is handmade and environmentally friendly leather espadrilles, and Joanna and her business partner, Sabeha, make them from scrap leather that would otherwise be thrown out as waste. We spoke with Joanna to find out some of the unique challenges that come with running a social enterprise in the fashion world.

How did you get started?

Sabeha has run the Boundary Women's Project at St Hilda's East Community Centre for over ten years. We both love making things, think that craft can build community, and wanted to find a way to connect the new wealth and opportunities springing up in Shoreditch - London's new tech and start-up hub - with the creative and resourceful women Sabeha works with at the community centre.

We first ran a Kickstarter campaign in November 2016, and since then, we've had amazing interest from retailers, so at the moment we sell a lot of shoes wholesale in collaboration with our stockists. This spring we are also launching Make Your Own Shoes workshops, in which people can spend three hours with our makers learning to make their own pair of bespoke leather espadrilles.

SS6 24

Who makes Juta Shoes?

We teach women how to make the shoes, and run weekly workshops where they can come to the community centre, spend time together, and make shoes. Our makers can also take kits home so that they can earn money on their own time. We pay a London Living Wage for their work, connect them with other initiatives at St Hilda's, and support them to learn about any other part of the business they're interested in, from customer service, to design, to accounting.

We employ women who face barriers to accessing traditional employment, such as lack of experience, employment history, English language skills or confidence. Many of them are primary caregivers for their children or relatives, and for a variety of reasons aren't able to take regular 9-5 jobs. In Tower Hamlets, the borough of London where we work, over a quarter of residents are underpaid or underemployed, and this percentage is higher among women and minorities.

For our makers, being part of Juta Shoes gives them a chance to make money on their own terms and on their own time. One of our makers lost her job when she had a child because they wouldn't take her on part-time, and appreciates the flexibility we provide. Our partnerships with retailers also mean that our makers can see their work in high-fashion pop-up shops and high-end retail websites, and feel valued for their skills.

How are the shoes sustainable?

Juta Shoes are made from jute soles and reclaimed leather. Jute is a fast-growing, low-impact crop that's fully biodegradable, so it’s environmentally friendly at both ends of its life. The leather we use is either offcuts from factories - the pieces left over after a larger pattern is cut out - or post-consumer waste - meaning we cut up old coats, bags and boots that charity shops can't sell!

We know that our shoes are still not as sustainable as they could be. We import the soles from Spain, so our carbon footprint includes this transport. The soles are vulcanized with rubber to give them a sturdy base, which is not biodegradable and needs

to be separated from the rest at the end of its life. Though we aim to support local leather factories, which provide good employment to the local area, by giving them charitable tax deductions for their donations, the global leather trade is far from ethical or sustainable.

What are the issues and challenges of sustainable fashion?

Fast fashion is one of the most polluting and dangerous industries on the planet. Ethical and sustainable fashion provides an alternative approach, one where consumers can know exactly where their clothes were made, who made them, what from, and for how much.

There are plenty of benefits - workers get paid a living wage, we ruin the planet a little less, and customers can avoid wearing clothes treated with dangerous chemicals.

It's not a total solution. It is much more expensive than fast fashion, because the price tag includes the real cost of paying workers fairly and trying to mitigate environmental pollution. However, if

the choice is between a new pair of Chanel leather espadrilles who routinely rank at the bottom of the table for transparency of their supply chain - and a pair of Juta Shoes, we'll be out there everyday trying to convince people to choose us.

If you're interested in ethical and sustainable fashion, Fashion Revolution Week is coming up at the end of April, which is a great opportunity to ask your favorite brands #whomademyclothes and push them to become more ethical and sustainable. Also, “The True Cost� is a great documentary available on Netflix.

Where can readers buy Juta shoes?

You can buy limited edition shoes and slippers and bespoke gift cards at www.jutashoes.com/shop, and you can find our collaborations on our stockists websites:

www.aerende.co.uk www.thisbecause.com www.sanchosdress.com 25 SS6 www.thesmallhome.com

meet the “ “

I didn’t own a pair of jeans until fourth grade—I was obsessed with these patterned dresses with matching leggings and I wore them every day. My dad took me to Old Navy one weekend when my mom was away and we got these stretchy denim pants with embroidered butterflies and rhinestones (I know, I’m cringing too) that I proceeded to wear 24/7, even to bed! I also had red suede boots with trucks on them so yah, I was pretty cool.

hannah morse

editor-in-chief

I like to pay attention to the trends and only try the ones that fit my overall style. The looks that have interesting details such as different textures attract me the most! Also, I love outfits with 70s or 80s elements.

”

kennie zhou

stylist

SS6 26

”

e -board

photography by olivia fuller

“

My style tip is to invest in a pair of cool white sneakers because they can go with any outfit from casual jeans and a tee to a dress for a night out! I would recommend looking for a pair that are a little different from the norm but are staple enough that they can be worn everyday.

”

christine rosato

stylist assitant

“

My favorite style tip is to set trends instead of following them.

People remember individuality, and style is a fantastic way to convey that. Also, never overlook the importance of accessories, from scrunchies to anklets, and the chance to try a piece outside your comfort zone.

”

annaliese mugele

stylist assitant

27 SS6

“

”

I’d describe my style as baggy and comfy! My favorite clothes are all from the men’s section at Goodwill.

olivia fuller

photography director

“

My favorite style advice is to find a go-to piece that you feel fabulous in. Wear it whenever you're feeling down and it'll be an instant mood-booster!

”

samantha donohue

editorial director

SS6 28

“

My style has definitely evolved over the years! I used to be very much into bows and dresses, and then suddenly it was only black Henley long sleeves and capris – yes, I know.

Nowadays, I find myself drawn to tapered trousers, baby tees, and cropped sweaters. Oh, and making a bold statement: red lipstick is my go-to.

hannah fink

”

creative director

“ ”

My style has evolved from being a Hot Topic and Limited Too devotee - so a cross between a basic preteen and Goth lite - to a more classic and edgy style. I still swear by black and gray, but now I use them as a base for experimenting with textures, patterns, and pops of color. I think it's important to play around with trends to see what works for my style - you can never know until you try!

polly bruce

fashion consultant

” 29 SS6

kickin' it o

photography by olivia fuller

SS6 30

old school

models: lili christie, annelise vought

31 SS6

fashion abroad:

paris by kaitlin dunne

Paris: the city of love, the home of the croissant, and the leading fashion capital of the world. Including designers Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Jane Birkin, and Jeanne Dumas, Parisians influence every sector in the fashion world from haute couture to prêt-àporter. They’re effortless and easy, nonchalant and cool. They roll out of bed with perfectly tousled hair, throw on a pair of jeans, and leave their chic apartment to grab an espresso at the café next door. Needless to say, as an American who can barely speak French, doesn’t drink coffee, and lacks the innate ability to appear composed yet carefree at the same time, I was beyond nervous to move to Paris for the semester. Not wanting to stick out like a sore thumb, I attempted to dress the part and managed to figure out how to feign my way through the Parisian fashion world.

Here are four easy steps to emulate the elusive style of a Parisian.

1

Dress head to toe in all black.

Virtually no one wears color. Only neutral colors are acceptable: think greys, blues, and browns.

If you wear your bright red North Face or your Persian blue Patagonia, everyone will know you’re an American.

2

Sport a long coat.

Halfway between your knees and your ankles is ideal, but anything around knee-length will do. Either leave it open to showcase the rest of your outfit or tie it closed to keep an element of surprise.

SS6 32

3

Accent pieces!

Let’s be honest, wearing black or grey all the time gets a tad monotonous, so you need to spice it up a bit every now and then.

Add a pop of color with a burgundy bag or a hot pick sweatshirt, change up texture by sporting a fur coat, or mix up prints by adding camo into the equation.

4

Carry a straw bag à la Jane Birkin.

After Jane Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas were seated next to each other on a flight and all of her belongings fell out of her straw bag, the Hermès chief executive created the famous Birkin Bag so that the French actress could have a go-to leather bag to travel with. Even though she was the inspiration for the bag, Jane Birkin refuses to carry them. To this day, she opts for her traditional straw tote. So follow in the footsteps of Ms. Birkin and carry straw bags instead—they’re not only cute but you’ll also save the $50,000! Use it to hold a straightout-of-the-oven baguette or a bouquet of freshly cut flowers and you’ve truly adopted the Parisian lifestyle.

And voilà! Just add some wine, cheese, and cigarettes and you’re officially a Parisian.

33 SS6

by emily eisler

behind the cover

According to stylist Margaret Riordan, picking Laura Chong as the model for this shoot was a simple decision. Riordan stated that Laura’s effortless beauty made her a perfect fit for the 90’s themed cover and that she was excited about featuring someone with previous fashion experience. Laura was an asset to the shoot in every way, even supplying some of her own handmade jewelry shown in the photos. Sporting trends like turtlenecks, chokers, lingerie as daytime wear and statement jackets, Laura’s looks display the accessibility of 90’s fashion that continues to be a hit today.

SS6 34

What are your biggest fashion influences on- and off-campus?

On-campus, my friends influence my everyday style and are my go-to source when deciding simple things like what shirt to wear. Off-campus, I would say Instagram is a big influence on me. While my feed is mostly devoted to food, I do follow a few fashion brands. However, I think I am more influenced in a second-hand manner. I have Instagram friends who are more into fashion than I am, and through their style, I am introduced to new trends and inspired to try new looks.

How did studying abroad in Paris influence your style?

In the most cliché way, studying in Paris influenced by style because I now wear a lot more black than I did before. Most significantly though, I think Paris taught me the value of having a few quality pieces of clothing that I love and can wear with any outfit. I only brought one suitcase abroad with me, so I really had to decide what pieces of clothing I liked the most, and what was the most versatile. I like the idea of having simple staple pieces of clothing and then mixing and matching them with different accessories, like jewelry. I also now wear stockings whenever I'm wearing a dress or skirt. For some reason, people did not wear bare legs in Paris unless it was over 70 degrees, so I find myself unable to be bare-legged unless it's almost summer.

What motivated you to get interested in making jewelry and how do you decide which styles you will design and create?

My mother loves crafts, so growing up I was always stringing beads to make necklaces and taking summer camp classes for jewelry making. I really got into designing my own stuff in middle school when I had an idea for a pair of spiral earrings made from wire and beads. They turned out really well and I made them for all of my friends in middle school. Since that point, I've made almost all of my own jewelry. My favorite thing to make are earrings because I wear them the most, but I've also made rings, bracelets, and necklaces, two of which are in the magazine. I like to work with wire and beads the most, and I like thread work, too. I've taught myself to crochet and tat, a series of knots on crochet thread, and have recently started making tatted chokers (one's in the magazine). I am inspired by other jewelry that I see. I love being able to figure out how things are made, and then I tweak them for my personal preference. I have a pair of pink rose stud earrings that I love but are a little too big so I figured out how to make the rose out of sculpting clay.

Now I have them in every color (the red ones are in the magazine). Sometimes I sketch and sometimes I just play with the wire. I mostly design for occasions or for specific pieces now, but it's skill that I love having.

photography by olivia fuller

35 SS6

SS6 36