Strike Magazine Volume 1

STR KE

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IN THIS ISSUE

Mirror, Mirror 7 Work Harder. Do More. 14 Millennials: The Good, the Bad, & the Elders 15 Above All: Movement 17 Power of the Platform 19

Q&A with Ryan Raines 21 Stream State of Mind 20 Electric Feel 23

Urban Essentials 24 Rapper to Runway 31

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It's a Girl Thing 63 All About Attitude 62 Blurred Lines 33 #Support Your Local Girl Gang 39

Arcade Fire.42 Beauty in the Beard 41 Hang Loose 48 Beauty on a Budget 49 Who You Are Based On What Sunglasses You Wear 50

The Next Wave 51 Being Single in College: The Move 61

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meet the editors Struck by the idea of creating a publication free of constraints, honoring our creative integrity and harnessing unique cultural values and beliefs, Strike embodies the idea that ALL individuals are striking in their own way.

Strike Magazine values the human experience, aiming to create a publication which yields a deep appreciation for fashion, art, beauty, and pop culture.

Anything great, starts out as just an idea. A single notion of possibility. A crazy, "what if," back-and-forth, "can we really do this?" IDEA. And that's how Strike was born. Actualizing this dream has been a surreal experience for the three of us. From sitting on the second floor of an apartment, chatting about creating a magazine, to presenting our concept to a group of creatives and now writing this very editor’s piece in our 73-page magazine. More than anything this process has taught us that if you're truly passionate, organized, and love what you do...your idea can become your reality.

At the beginning of the semester we had a meeting, where we showed the Strike team our overall vision for the founding issue. Creating content and photo shoots that invoke a mood and story, rather than sporadic photos thrown together, was a priority for three of us. Our staff took our vision and ran with it, coming up with truly incredible concepts that speak volumes about their talent. As directors, it was extremely important to us that each team’s photo shoot concepts and styling ideas were being executed the way they had originally envisioned during our brainstorm meeting. We worked together, during staff meetings and individual team collab sessions, to ensure the Strike brand was being brought to life through all aspects of our publication; social media, blogging, photo shoots, and all things Strike.

As co-founders, our primary goal is to inspire our Strike members to discover his or her own creative potential, while providing readers a thought-provoking and diverse media platform that transcends magazine pages or computer screens.

After interviewing extremely talented individuals, we picked our team and instantly were inspired by the members of Strike's staff.

From this point on, there was no going backwe've been on a fast track, constant grind to create all things: Strike. When developing our brand, the direction was obvious to us. Strike challenges the status quo of “acceptable” beauty, fashion, and culture by promoting the importance of individuality.

Having Strike be completely student run was also very important to us, whether that was our staff or the people we hire such as models and photographers. This provides an outlet for Florida State students to gain experience doing what they love in a professional setting. Strike thrives off of collaboration within our team, fueling the idea that we are strongest when we blend our perspectives together. We also work with over 15 local retailers, allowing us to

make our mark in the Tallahassee community.

We are eternally thankful for the support we’ve received on FSU’s campus as well as the city of Tallahassee.

Free of constructs...free of labels...free of ordinary concepts, this publication has taken our readers by storm and continues to make a lasting impression.

We believe in the beauty of realizing...

1. What is striking Striking: adjective: attracting attention by reason of being unusual, extreme, or prominent.

2. What strikes us as individuals Strikes: verb: to affect with a mental or emotional state or a strong emotion 3. What strikes us together Strikes: verb: to come into contact or collision with Strike Out, Hannah, Natalie, Ashlie

STRIKE Editor-in-Chief: Hannah Kealy Creative Director: Natalie Campion Content Curator: Ashlie Head

Art Design Director: Sophie Kemm Art Directors: Carli Solomon, Weesam Khoury

Fashion Directors: Kayla Wirth, Amber Lopez Assistant: Chelsea Percopo

Men’s Directors: Drew Loeffler, Kevin Seage

Advertising Directors: Molly Mangelly, Savannah Dakos Assistants: Yelina Davis, Ashleigh DeNeve

Castings & Bookings Castings Director: Genna Luciano Bookings: Millicent Leeds Castings & Bookings Assistant: Dulcinea Hellings

Digital Directors: Kevin Del Orbe, Nicole Tripodis Digital Analyst: DJ Condon

Beauty Directors: Maddy Cloud, Haleigh Feix Assistants: Emma Steele, Haylee Grace

Lifestyle Directors: Megan Barry, Olivia Hrbek Assistants: Millicent Leeds, Molly Cohen

Women’s Styling Directors: Lauren Johnson, Amanda Riera Assistants: Alexis Wood, Grace Alexander

Mens Styling Directors: JC Portuondo, Briana Saul Assistants: Janna McCabe, Hali Azpeitia, Margot Portuondo

Public Relations Directors: Mackenzie Carmichael, Winona Paez Assistants: Katie Laycock, Alanna Kouri Merchandise Director: Kendall Brockett

Blog / Staff Writers Blog Director: Angelique Govantes Content Editor: Ariana Jurado Writers: Weesam Khoury, Drew Loeffler, Lauren London, Natalie Ales, Emily Waters, Merritt Reed, Kami Thomas, Victoria Berkowitz

Finance Director: Macy Hayes Assistant: Amanda Ismaili

Photographers: Cover: Austin Tolchin Mirror Mirror: Daniel Estrada Urban Essentials: Marina Williams Blurred Lines: Marina Williams Arcade Fire: Kevin Del Orbe The Next Wave: Gianna Stern It’s a Girl Thing: James Zamora

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Mirror, Mirror Mirror, Mirror

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WORK HARDER. DO MORE. Katie Laylock Inspirational.

Motivating.

Adventurous.

These are just a few words to describe the infectious filmmaker, turned YouTuber, who is relentlessly driven. His name is Casey Neistat. He is also the man, the myth, and the legend behind his signature Wayfarer sunglasses. His enthusiasm and fixation on his passion for storytelling has gained him an insane reach of over 6.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, a well-deserved recognition worldwide, and is now $25,000,000 richer after CNN bought his social media platform, Beme. One of the many things

name would soon be lit up on Time Square billboards. Casey’s rise in Internet fame first started in 2003 following a short video he and his brother, Van, created about exposing Apple iPod’s battery problems.

This video went viral before YouTube was even an idea. In 2010, Casey and Van used their unique style of editing to create an 8-episode show called the “Neistat Brother’s,” which caught the eye of HBO and later premiered on the network that year. Casey then started his YouTube channel that same year where he continues to showcase his love for filmmaking and short movies.

Saying an average day in the life of Casey

popularity among all age groups. Casey has remained down to earth, family oriented, and doesn’t mind stopping to talk to a fan and take a selfie. Casey has caught the eye of brands such as Nike and Samsung, who have both created partnerships with the YouTube sensation.

He was named “GQ’s New Media Star of the Year” in 2016, and won the Shorty Award for “YouTuber of the Year.” Aside from his YouTube career, Casey launched his social media company, Beme, which was a video messaging application, in the summer of 2015. At the end of 2016, CNN bought his company, Beme, for $25 million dollars. Casey will

that I, along with many others, find most inspiring about Casey is that he is completely, 100% self-made. After dropping out of high school and raising a child at the age of 17, he moved to NYC with one suitcase and a big dream. He maxed out his credit card on his first video camera and Mac computer and taught himself how to shoot and edit video. Casey quickly became a viral sensation and his

Neistat is a whirlwind would be an extreme understatement. When you watch his daily vlogs, he takes you on an adventure as he runs 10 miles starting at 7 A.M., rides his Boosted Board up and down the streets of Manhattan, and gives you a front row seat into his extraordinarily functional studio.

The contagious energy, personality, and creativity Casey puts into all of his work, has brought him immense success and

now be hosting a live one-hour daily digital show at 5 P.M., for CNN, from his YouTube channel. Casey Neistat is an extremely unique individual who truly inspires his audience to live each day and that the right time to start chasing your dreams is right… now. And, as Casey says, “Do More,” “Work Harder.”

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Millennials: Weesam Khoury Our generation has started to enter the workforce, and as such, we have been labeled as “entitled,” “lazy,” and “narcissistic,” by many aspects of the workforce and the media. I myself worked for a Public Relations firm in college for about two years, and I noticed our side’s frustrations overhearing our back office-the attitude from higher-ups reflecting that these labels and assumptions are unavoidable and definite. I dicussed similar frustrations that arose among my generation working in a variety of fields such as the Florida State Capitol, restaurants, law offices, and publications.

Many of them mentioned feeling a lack of appreciation in their

environment or disregard for a young opinion. This is not to say all places of employment treat Millennials in this way. Many workplaces appreciate the creativity and new ideas we bring to the table. But those that label us negatively seem to be closed off to the unavoidable shift that occurs when a new generation begins employment. I read articles and watch news segments that negatively discuss our traits without any input from a Millennial because we are in a limbo where we have not yet adapted to the workplace, and the workplace has not yet adapted to us.

A video recently went viral of Simon Senek, an author, motivational speaker, and marketing consultant, discussing the reasons behind the under fire Millennial mindset. He separates its influences into parenting, technology that consumes us, impatience due to this consumption, and the workplace environment around us. Senek points out that our parents told us we could do anything we wanted, simply because we wanted to. He adds that growing up, many were praised for just participating, and parents of Millennials would complain to a school or team to make problems vanish. This takes away from

the satisfaction of personally winning or achieving a goal on one’s own. I agree and disagree with his point. Many Millennials I talk to discuss significant differences between those of our generation who were raised to solve problems on their own, and those who had parents or others solve problems for them. That difference lies within one’s innate leadership ability. Millennials that lead, solve problems on their own, and Millennials that typically follow, depend on others for solutions. I notice this watching my peers in leadership positions, and as a leader myself in positions I’ve held. Generalizing us as “entitled” is frustrating because we walk into interviews shaking, edit our resumes over one hundred times, and look for any way to seek a “good job” from those who lead us. We respect the fact we are at the bottom of the totem pole and respect those who worked their way to the top.

Perhaps a source of elder generational frustration is the desire for us, understandably, to receive the same treatment they endured when in our shoes down here at the bottom. But the environment in which we are at the bottom is no longer the environment in which our elders experienced. Because of our upbringing with factors mentioned by Senek, we have completely different expectations upon arrival to the professional realm that require development from both sides of this generational divide.

We have also grown up during a time of instant gratification because of technology. Feeling down? Post an Instagram to feel the dopamine hit as the likes rake in. Want to watch a movie? Netflix. Need a new pair of shoes

by Friday? Amazon Prime. Can’t miss the big March Madness game? Stream it on your phone. We are digital natives; meaning we have been fluent in technology since its and our own existence. This has given us longer access to new knowledge, opportunities, and growth more than those who preceded us.

In turn, this has decreased our average

The good, the bad, & the elders turn-around within a workplace to two years, from Generation X who’s average was five and Baby Boomers at seven. The point is, if we notice an opportunity for greater personal growth outside our current employment, we’re going for it.

Yes, we’ll probably leave your company if you do not provide us with room to grow, because we do not like remaining stagnant. wThink about this: Forty-eight percent of Baby Boomers were married between the ages of 18-32, and therefore needed to support a household through a solidified job earlier in life. Meanwhile, according to a study completed by the Franklin W. College of Engineering, the majority of Millennials are putting off marriage and children from the former median age, for individual pursuits in their careers or education and creating personal progress as our norm. In turn, this has skyrocketed the assumption of “narcissism,” as Millennials expect this instant gratification in the workforce.

Generation X and Baby Boomers are still running the show, for the most part, and that is not their norm. They’ve achieved satisfaction in long-term productivity, but Millennials are thinking quicker and thus expecting more in less time. We must learn to be patient. All of these things we seek to have an impact on and grow on, come with time. We will not graduate and immediately seek the summit of the mountain through an entry-level position.

But workplaces are also at fault by not facilitating an environment that will allow our new mindset to climb said mountain.

According to Forbes, we will make up nearly 75% of the workforce by 2030-only thirteen years away. How can both generations maximize productivity and energy in the workplace while simultaneously minimizing generational conflict? Garrison Snell, a twenty-three year old digital marketing entrepreneur in Nashville, employs thirteen Millennials under the age of thirty. His company has been profitable every single month, has minimal employment and client turnover, and based his company’s structure on

experiences as a Millennial himself with former employers who were “dishonest and fake” towards Millennials. His company structure is upfront and honest with employees, puts them in charge of vital projects rather than consume them with busy work, and in turn this enables his Millennial employees to feel valued and surpass their maximum potential within his company. He adds that ultimately, to gain commitment and productivity from Millennial management and employment, we need to be aware of our value specifically as human beings, not only in productivity. We want to grow as humans, not worker-bees, so every interaction within a workplace builds on that growth.

If our environment does not promote individual progress alongside team progress, we will take our minds elsewhere.

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As we graduate from college and enter the workforce at our crowning employment years, we are quickly becoming the most influential population in the market today.

Generational divides occur every lifetime, and the quicker both generations collaborate to adapt to differences, success will come. The key lies in how we will adhere to existing norms in the workforce, and how our elders will tweak management styles to benefit from our incoming flood of worker-bees.

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Above All: Movement Sophie Kemm

Gillian Newman started Above All: Movement a few years ago with the intention of reminding people to focus on what's important in life.

With the help from other local artists, the brand was created on Florida State's campus. Gillian is currently pursuing degrees in both Studio Art and Advertising, with plans to expand the company in the future.

As a creator Gillian is constantly working on new designs and collaborations. I had the opportunity to sit down with Gillian and learn all about the start of Above All: Movement as well as her visions and plans for the future.

Sophie: How long ago did you start AAM? Gillian: “I started it in 2014 as a

marketing campaign, but in 2016 I registered it as an official LLC and started an apparel line and artist and activist collective.”

S: Can you talk a little about it and why you started it?

G: “Sure. I came from a very small

school back in South Florida and I was very involved in high school with several extracurricular activities. It was kind of a culture shock coming to FSU because it has such a large student body and I kind of felt like I lost sight of my passions. I didn’t really know what was important to me anymore so I decided to put a bunch of posters on campus that said “Above all: ____” and I wanted to hear the voice of our campus, and remind people what is most important to them. To my surprise, people were very responsive, and I had encouraging feedback.

People were filling in the blanks on these posters all over campus with responses like “Above All: Love”, “Above All: Give Back”, and “Above

All: Create”.

“I’m also an art major. When you don’t go to an art school, there is a stigma that because you don’t go to an ‘art school’, you’re not a legitimate, studying artist; but there’s actually so much talent on FSU’s campus and in FSU’s Fine Art school. I wanted to recognize all of the overlooked talent that is on campus and in Tallahassee, so I work with individual artists in the art school and they model for me and engage with me in local art and culture clash events. It’s really important to me to make sure that the artists’ voices are being heard and to let people know that you don’t have to go too far to indulge in the art scene. It is alive and thriving in Tallahassee.

S: So do you collaborate a lot with local businesses?

G: “I’ve been collaborating with

other collectives, such as The Undercurrent, Keeping All Saints Odd, and recently am starting to build a relationship with Qultur – all of which put on events with live music and art that bring the community together. We all share a similar mission: to recognize, support, and get involved in the local arts scene, because it's something to be proud of and foster. I have collaborated with one artist so far in creating a T-shirt. Her name is Olivia Tinnin and she is a visual artist that does illustration and actually has her own Etsy shop (www.etsy.com/ shop/incredibleok). The designs featuring her artwork should be released within the next month for Above All: Movement’s anniversary spring release.”

S: So did you originally spread the campaign just through

posters?

G: “Yeah, so it would be the posters

around campus and I would go around campus at the end of each week and take pictures of the posters and put that on my Instagram.”

S: How did you decide to start selling clothing?

G: “Well the posters were getting

taken down, and were very hard to keep up with. I don’t want any of it to be temporary and I like the idea of people supporting a brand that focuses on supporting the local art scene and local businesses.

The brand also fosters the idea of one’s willingness to experiment and try new things, not falling into the mundane lifestyle of just going out every day and kind of blending into the crowd. I wanted a way to unify the brand and I feel that launching an apparel line was an effective way to achieve that.”

S: What has been the biggest challenge of being the creator and CEO of AAM? G: “Definitely working on it alone.

Money doesn’t come out of nowhere so I work my regular serving job to put money into the business because I believe in it. And also, because I am working on it alone, I have to do the marketing, the art, the ordering and the more serious stuff like taxes.”

S: How do you see the campaign growing in the future?

G: “I hope to continue it here at

Florida State even after I graduate. I graduate in May but I really do want it to stick around. I am beginning to start a blog and Lookbook that I’d really like to keep going with current students. The plan is to hire interns

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that are looking for the opportunity to gain experience in marketing, copywriting/journalism, advertising, and/or art direction. These students can keep up with and document the social/artistic happenings in the community and on campus.

I want it to continue to grow here and definitely bring it with me wherever I go. It’s a networking thing, so I have people in New York, California, Atlanta, Miami, and even in England who represent the brand and I definitely want it to become a strong and lasting creative network – a brand that gives people the opportunity to explore the site and blog and indulge in the art and activist scene on a local to broad scale. A place where people can see what artists, activists, and musicians close to their age are doing to forward their goals or affect their local communities in a positive/ thought-provoking way.

S: Okay so lastly, do you have any advice for anyone that wants to start his or her own business?

G: “Definitely have a clear goal in

mind and realize that your goals are subject to change, like my goals did.

I originally thought that the Above All: Movement was just going to be a social movement but then realized how much more it can be. Have that initial goal in mind and then try to surround yourself with like-minded individuals that could help you because most of the time you’re not alone in your aspirations. This team can bring a larger breadth of ideas and possibly open more doors than you could alone. It’s good to have a creative and trustworthy team that is possibly better at some things than you are, honestly. It takes a lot of weight off of your shoulders.”

*Photography by Gillian Newman

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Power of The Platform Natalie Ales

Our world has become one of many idols. We look at the actors in films with reverence because they make us feel emotions we didn’t know we could feel. We worship the models who showcase the latest exquisite collections on their perfectly tanned, toned bodies delicately placed beneath their flawlessly smooth skin and perfectly sculpted hair. We strive to be like the author or musician who is able to say everything we’ve ever wanted to say with a simple melody or phrase. We, as an audience, have the utmost respect for these artists and yet, for some reason, there is a stigma

their two cents in. While that does make sense in the respect that they do live in a very different America, that doesn’t mean that these people shouldn’t be using their fame for good. Art is a form of expression. It’s using creativity to express ideas. It is sharing opinions in the best way that artist knows. It’s using the skills these people have to make a difference just like people in government positions use their talents to try and do the same. On one hand, like everything else, there is a time and place where these commentaries are appropriate. Making a statement during a specific speech or song or

as a whole have taken on a whole new role other than swimsuit model and television host. Much like almost every award show this award season, New York Fashion week was absolutely filled with political commentary. Designers such as Christian Siriano and Ashish Gupta used their clothing to make blatant statements, while those such as Diane von Furstenberg and Calvin Klein made efforts more symbolic, like apin or bandana, rather than obvious.

Whether the designers were speaking out themselves in interviews or bringing their views to life visually through clothing, Fashon Week was about more

that they cannot and should not use their platforms to make a commentary on political or social issues. As if because these people’s careers aren’t government funded or their names aren’t followed by a series of letter abbreviations, their opinions and beliefs aren’t valid.

performance is one thing, however, turning an entire awards show into a political rally is another. On the other hand, who is to tell these artists that they cannot do and say just how they feel or what they see fit?

than simply fashion and that’s a good thing.

The idea of artists using their platform to make a statement is a controversial one.

After starring in the highly political and highly patriotic film “Patriots Day,” Mark Wahlberg made a statement to Task and Purpose Magazine, a magazine geared toward United States veterans, about how Hollywood should stay out of politics. Stating that because they live in this Hollywood “bubble” so to speak, they are out of touch with the common public. They have a completely different understanding of politics and what it’s like in average America and therefore they should not be putting

These people are exactly that: people.

Just like everyone else has opinions and beliefs,so do these famous people.

Take celebrities like Chrissy Teigan, for example. She is a model, a television show host, a wife, and a mother. But on top of all of that, Chrissy is known for her hilariously open and honest 120 character posts where she uses her platform to unabashedly and unapologetically share her thoughts and opinions on virtually every topic.

With millennials getting the majority of their information from media outlets like Twitter and Facebook, people like Chrissy who are sharing these raw statements about politics and society

There is no reason that the merging of art and culture with political and social matters should be bad or intimidating or something that should evoke fear. Art should be all about asking questions and starting conversations. If millennials are not going to listen to the people with the degrees on these topics or those who have dedicated their lives to political and social commentaries such as these, why would the people they do look up to be shamed and told to be silent for helping to inform them? The best thing that could possibly happen in America right now is conversation. What the world needs most right now is art.

Why would we silence the people who are giving that to us?

Art is creativity. Art is expression. Art is a statement.

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Stream State of Mind Tori Berkowitz With so many social media platforms and websites such as SoundCloud and Spotify, where users constantly have access to new information and music, artists have drastically changed the way they market music to their audiences. Or rather, these methods have affected the way music is delivered to such a great extent that lately, a lack of advertising has proven to be most impactful for their fans.

This past January, Ed Sheeran returned from a yearlong break via Twitter – he posted exactly one year after his goodbye message, down to the minute. While fans have patiently been waiting 365 days for new music, the only other news they were given was a silent video of the singer-songwriter via Snapchat.

Day by day, Sheeran kept dropping vague hints about his return to his loyal fanbase, but did not mention new music until he tweeted a link to a website called 6thjanuary.com, that simply stated new music was coming on the 6 th of January.

That same night, without any warning, he teased his fans with a 30 second preview of “Shape of You” that was hidden in a Snapchat filter.

The marimba-filled intro and huge circular sunglasses that appeared on your face made it seem like any other filter, until fans heard a familiar voice singing. The next day he released both “Shape of You”, which debuted at No. 1 of the Billboard Hot 100, and “Castle on the Hill”, which debuted at No. 6, making him the first artist ever to debut two singles in the top ten simultaneously. The element of surprise and release of minimal information that

Sheeran used to bring these two singles to his audience have been a growing trend in the music industry.

Last year, English rock band, The 1975, shocked their fans with cryptic messages about the counterculture movement in Paris during May of 1968, and suddenly replaced their black and white, grunge aesthetic with rosy pink and neon lights.

They immediately released three different singles, including “Love Me” and “The Sound.” Any other advertising for the album was done solely through Twitter and the band member’s Instagram accounts, and it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

contributes to his success as a musician.

With platforms like SoundCloud, which has enabled talented people everywhere to share their music without the tools or services that a record label offers, there is virtually no anticipation at all. Norwegian DJ and record producer, Kygo, is a perfect example of SoundCloud’s opportunity. He started off remixing other songs until he developed a following and later received over 80 million plays of his first single “Firestone”. Once signed to Ultra Music label, he still thanked his original SoundCloud fans by sharing previews and snippets of songs from his album Cloud Nine leading up to its release. Maintaining this relationship with his humble beginnings not only recognizes those who followed him from the beginning, but also contributes to his success as a musician from the beginning, but also

The ability to instantly download, listen, and stream anytime or anywhere, is changing the way artists are communicating with their fans. With social media taking over traditional marketing tactics, artists are creating music that is less focused on what will sell, and more catered to what will truly meet consumer demands. The best part about this new era in the music industry is that it allows the fans to have more “direct” contact with their favorite artists. Musicians are required to truly understand what exactly their fan base wants in their music and find innovative ways to give it to them - because if the audience loves it, they have the power to make it explode. because if the audience loves it, they have the power to make it explode- because if the audience loves it, they have the power to make it explode.

Considering Beyoncé pretty much broke the Internet and sent people everywhere into frenzy with the unexpected release of Lemonade, perhaps a lack of marketing and anticipation have proven to be a smart move. Providing new music as a surprise adds an exciting element to already exciting news, and without the instant access to the content that technology offers, it would not be possible.

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Q&A

ryan raines of houseparty Ashlie Head

famous, yaknow like get signed and become rockstars. It was a really good experience, we made an album which we released last year on Apple Music and Spotify. Its called “Blue Lasers.”

Anyway, we had a kind of realization that we were all on different pages.

Kelly graduated a year early and got a job in Miami and we ended up splitting up, on good terms though. No hard feelings when we split up.

FSU students, Ryan Raines and Pio Molina, created the duo Houseparty with intentions to break music industry molds and cultivate a refreshing take on producing music. Instead of being a band with a residential singer, Ryan and Pio are the only constants, while various singers rotate in and out of Houseparty through collaborations.

This allows Houseparty to continually offer fans new, unique music since no two songs made by the duo sound the same sonically. Without the constraints of having one vocalist native to Houseparty, Ryan and Pio have the freedom to create music that lifts limitations, leaving them to solely focus on producing inventive pieces with all different artists. Check out our exclusive interview with Ryan Raines:

A: So you all split up last year?

R: We split, but Pio and I still wanted to make music, we were roommates also.

So we made Houseparty which the idea is: we are the center of it but we feature different singers. The idea is just for the format to be totally open for whoever wants to collaborate. We wanted it to be project based ya know, whatever the song or album, cause we can’t sing. We sing to demo our own songs but were not good singers.

Ashlie: Backstory: how long have you been playing music for? What instruments do you play?

Ryan: Yeah so I play drums. I study drums here and major in jazz. But my first instrument was piano. My mom made me take lessons when I was nine all through high school. I started playing trumpet in band and then I quit pretty soon once I started playing drums because it was way cooler. So my main instrument is drums.

A: For starters- how did you and your partner, Pio, decide to create Houseparty? What’s the background story of you two coming together as a duo?

R: He is a year older than I am, he graduated last year. But I lived in Cawthon dorm my first year because it’s

the music dorm and we were just paired randomly to be suitemates. We didn’t hang out during the first semester but I knew he made beats cause I’d always hear him be really loud and we knew of each other. But then one morning I was listening to some weird music and he was like “what is this?” and I was like “aw it’s this band and we just started talking and then we just hit it off. It’s always been more about ideas more than just songs with each other cause we understand each other really well. But long story short we made a band called Why Not Why which lasted from May 2014 till January 2016, it was just me him and this singer he knew from middle school.

We made a lot of music, played a little bit up here and we ended up living in LA for a summer to try to like become

A: So since you and Pio are a constant, and other people rotate in to collab with Houseparty, how do you two let people know you want to make music with them? Or do these artists reach out to you?

R: It’s both! We had a few friends who we did work for before, like we produced for them. Then when we started Houseparty we told our friend, Olivia, who’s a ridiculously talented singer and songwriter “yo we have this band, you have to do this!” And then someone else was Shannon Mora who we did the song, “Childish” with which is our most popular song. She reached out to us asking if we were working on any music and sent us some voice memo recordings of her playing guitar. Then we met up and

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A: So on your website it states “Houseparty is founded on and fueled by the belief that the only limit on what we can achieve is in our own minds, and perpetuated by current thought norms.

Break it down now” and I really like that quote. How’d you guys come up with that idea?

R: I’m glad you like it! I guess it’s just... there’s a lot to say. But with what we want to achieve long term just making albums and playing shows or being a band or being a producer duo. It’s just we want to be totally free to create whatever we want to. Part of not having a singer in residence and just having people come in and out, it breaks the usual format of just being a band that’s limited by its instrumentation. So that alone is like something we want to not even have in our heads as a limit. We want to be totally free to do whatever. That’s something we ran into with Why Not Why, it was both a blessing and a curse because when you always have a singer you can always make songs. Sometimes we’ll have songs and be like “damn we suck at singing.

I want to make this song, but when we don’t have a singer.” But it also limits you to that one singer.

A: As a producer where or who do you draw inspiration from?

R: A lot of my influences are Kanye West and Vampire Weekend. Vampire Weekend’s producer for their last two albums name is Ariel Rechtshaid, he’s a big influence.I listen to a lot of jazz, like Miles Davis and John Coltrane are probably my two favorite jazz artists.

A: What’s the song you are MOST proud of that you produced for Houseparty?

And what’s the process of creating a song like for you, do you produce it solely on your laptop or how do you create it?

R: It depends, but I’ll just say “Childish” because it’s the most popular. That song was totally “in the box” as they say...meaning in the laptop. That song Shannon wrote and played it on guitar for me and Pio. Then we kinda listened to some music that we both were into, to get ideas. We knew we wanted it to be electronic, that’s the first thing, “is it gonna be electronic? Or do you want us to record you playing guitar?” Most of the time you don’t want to record them playing guitar, and she wanted something electronic. The chords were totally different before but we ended up

“We want to be totally free to create whatever we want to.

Part of not having a singer in residence and just having people come in and out, is that I break the usual format of just being a band that’s limited by its instrumentation.” just...well when Pio and I work together it’s usually me playing a keyboard and him designing a synthesizer, he’s designing the instrument I’m playing. Most of the time when we record- I’ll record some kind of guide track for Shannon to sing to, usually me playing piano. Then she records a rough take of the vocals, then we get an idea and that’s our canvas. I came up with some different chords and this really crazy synth that’s going on in the song...and then it just went from there! The main thing with that song is the bridge, we intentionally ripped off Childish Gambino…

A: We were just about to ask you about that…

R: At the time we were super into the music video for “Sober” (Childish Gambino). It’s amazing, it’s fucking awesome. I mean Childish Gambino is a big influence. We were just really checking out that song and when Shannon was playing the song I started playing some stuff that sounded like “Sober” and...how did it? What happened? I forget the order of events, but we were coming up with a bridge for the song cause Shannon didn’t write one and we were like we want a bridge.

I jokingly started playing the exact chorus from “Sober” on this synth that sounded like an electronic piano. My first reaction was like “nah we can’t do that” and Pio was like “maybe we can do two versions, one with a serious bridge and one with the Childish Gambino bridge”

and Shannon was immediately like, “that’s cool! We should actually do that.”

And so we went back and forth, but we never made the other version. I think out of laziness but also because the first version ended up being cool.

A: How often do you all perform live in Tallahassee? Like can people come and watch Houseparty perform?

R: No. We’ve only performed once. Pio moved to LA but we’re still together. We played one show last year, part of breaking the mold was like we don’t wanna just hit the bar scene and be a bar band. That’s not what Houseparty is.

Nor do we have the materials to do that, we’re not gonna go out and play “Sweet Home Alabama.” Anyways- we played one show, there’s this organization here called “Qultur” they put on art shit; festivals, exhibitions, fundraisers, I don’t know all what they do but they’re really cool. And this other organization put this event on called Harmony that we played at. It was dope, it was a really good show.

How we want our shows to be is just very meticulously planned and not just us playing to an audience. We played a Kanye remix there and we just went out in the crowd and moshed people. And we had a bunch of different singers come up, we wanted it to be more like a “house party” more than just like a band and the audience…

A: You wanted to be connected with them…

R: Yeah so we’re not looking to play a lot of shows, only really good shows. But right now we’re not cause Pio’s in LA. But I’m moving there in May or June.

A: So the future of Houseparty is for you both to make it more of a brand than just music?

R: Yeah so as far as right now, I’m producing for Shannon who’s making an album that we are going to produce.

So I’m working with her a bit. I’ve also been working with another girl who’s in this band and that will be produced by Houseparty. So we’re helping some of our friends right now while we are apart.

We’ll continue with that but once we’re together we’re gonna make an EP. A: So finally, how can people find your music?

R: SoundCloud.com/housepartypants.

All of our social media is under the name: housepartypants.

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ELECTRIC FEEL

Amber Lopez

What a year it’s been for Dutch DJ, Martin Garrix, as he has started a movement to truly blur the lines between electronic dance music and mainstream top hits.

Thanks to his newest smash hit with Bebe Rexha, “In the Name of Love”, Martin’s career has continued to sky-rocket and he has earned himself a name on the billboards. Some might even argue that he has become one of the greatest DJ’s in the world. We all know that known artists like Garrix don’t work alone; they have tons of people working with visuals, lights, sounds, lasers, and so on.

Yet, when we think of an artist and his crew, we rarely think about the person who’s constantly at his side, the one who is responsible for documenting his entire success. Strike Magazine got an exclusive from Martin Garrix’s friend and photographer, Louis van Baar, as he’s preparing to come to the States for another epic festival season. Apart from getting to attend Ultra and Coachella (which is already swoon-worthy enough for me), Louis has had the opportunity to travel the world and do what he loves, at the same damn time. I got the opportunity to ask Louis a few questions about his life, his job, and how it feels to be part of such a recognized movement for Martin Garrix.

Amber: Where is home, and how has that shaped you as an artist?

Louis: Home for me is The Hague, Holland. Where I’m from has everything to do with the artist I’ve become. It’s where I first started taking pictures, at small club shows. Nothing crazy ever happens there, yet it’s the place where I truly found my passion.

A: When did you start photography?

L: I started messing around with photos and videos at about 7 or 8 years old. Mostly, I loved making stop motion videos with my Legos!

A: How did you get this amazing gig?

L: I started taking pictures at small shows in my hometown, for

about two years, until a famous artist in Holland saw my work and asked me to join them on tour. I did this for about a year and from there, I got a reputation in the scene. More and more big shows started coming to me for bookings, and then artists wanted me to join them on tour. After a while, I got discovered by international artists, and now I’m here, touring the globe, doing what I love.

A: What has been your favorite venue for a show so far?

L: My all time favorite venue that we’ve been is Piazza del Duomo in Milano. It was such a special location. When I first walked onto the stage there, I was so amazed.

A: You’ve traveled the world on so many tours, what has been your favorite city?

L: It’s hard to say because every city has its own unique thing about it. If I had to choose I would say Ibiza, only because all of the amazing memories I’ve made there.

A: Where do you look for inspiration?

Do you have a specific photographer or artist that inspires you?

L: I mostly look on the Internet for my

inspiration, but I don’t have anyone at the moment who inspires me. Simply because I’m so busy trying to develop my own style.

A: What’s the hardest part about being on tour? Best?

L: The hardest part has to be not seeing my friends and family for extended periods of times. The best part though, is touring the world doing what I love and actually being able to call it my work!

A: What is your all-time favorite shot you’ve taken thus far?

L: That’s a hard question! I have so many shots I love! Every picture is so unique to me because of the story that is behind them so, I can’t choose.

A: Do you have any plans for after tour?

In the future?

L: I don’t have any concrete plans yet for after the tour, but I’m hoping something where I can take it easy! I’m still loving what I do now so much, so I want to make it last as long as possible. As far as in the future, I’d love to direct movies or maybe just take a different direction in my photography.

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Rapper to Runway Kevin Seage

Fashion and hip-hop have more in common today than ever before. The evolution has been steady throughout the decades and continues to make large impacts on both the fashion and hip-hop industries.

I’m going to begin with Dapper Dan, AKA “The Hip Hop Tailor of Harlem”, who served the hip-hop gods by dressing them head to toe in “appropriations” (we’ll call them bootlegs) of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Fendi’s signature prints. In the 80s and 90s, you weren’t hip-hop royalty until Dapper Dan made your Louis Vuitton printed jumpsuit. That was the point where fashion in hip-hop really took off. High-end brands caught wind of the knockoffs and sued which marked the end of Dapper Dan and Gucci jumpsuits. Ironically, jumpsuits are back in high demand by way of Alessandro Michele’s GucciGhost design, as are the once bootleg logo t-shirts that are now being sold for $420.

If Dapper Dan broke ground for fashion in hip-hop, Run DMC laid the foundation for rapper-designer collaborations.

Jay-Z and P-Diddy ventured out of the music industry and into the world of fashion as they created their own brands: Rocawear and Sean John. The early success of these and similar brands like FUBU, Phat Farm, and Wu-wear showed that rappers bring more to the table than just their music. Proving that they possessed the ability to be tastemakers, influencers, and businessmen paved the

way for future artists.

The newly blurred line between streetwear and high fashion undoubtedly helped rappers transition into the fashion industry. This is no more apparent than Pharrell’s break into the fashion industry with his own lines, Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream footwear in 2005. Following the success of these streetwear brands, Louis Vuitton tapped into his talents to collaborate on a line of sunglasses titled “Millionaire” and again to co-design a series of “Blason” jewelry. Williams ventured back into sunglasses by teaming up with the Italian Apparel brand, Moncler for a line called “Moncler Lunettes.”

In 2014, his most well known collaboration began with Adidas. He collaborated on multiple Stan Smith’s and tracksuits, the most recent release being the highly anticipated “Human Race” line featuring athletic wear and the “It-Shoe” of 2016, the NMD. Simultaneously, Dutch denim brand, G-Star Raw, collaborated on two collections that promoted sustaining oceans. In 2016 they named Williams Creative Director of the brand. Pharrell’s crowning as king of the fashion world came in 2014 when he starred in the Karl Lagerfeld-directed Chanel “Reincarnation” film alongside Cara Delevigne. If all of that doesn’t solidify Pharrell’s place on the fashion throne, perhaps his crown was officially

bestowed upon him at the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards where longtime friend and controversial rapper-turneddesigner, Kanye West presented him with the Fashion Icon Award.

Now let’s talk Kanye. His ventures started with two sneakers for Louis Vuitton in 2009, and two more sneakers for Nike— the Air Yeezy released in 2009 and the Air Yeezy 2 in 2012. West tapped Phillip Lim for his “Runaway” film for the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album.

His first solo exhibition came at Paris Fashion week in 2011 when he showed his DW Kanye West womenswear line, which was met with mostly negative reviews. His next season for the line was met with better reviews noting his much improved sophomore effort. West’s big break came when he partnered with Adidas, showcasing his first collection in 2015 along with his first pair of Yeezy Boosts. He has since released multiple collections of Yeezy clothing, shoes, and accessories including his most recent Season 5 collection, which was met with favorable reviews, even if the guy is losing his mind. While Kanye has now created his own lane in fashion by becoming a somewhat applauded, somewhat laughed at designer, other new school rappers have found themselves creating their own lanes by either collaborating with fashion brands or just making their own style choices to reflect their interest in the game.

Prominent new age style icons in rap that

32 come to mind are A$AP Rocky, Young Thug, Travis Scott, and even Lil Yachty.

Rocky’s first fashion collab came when Adidas and Jeremy Scott came to the rapper to design a pair of all black Wings sneakers—a style Rocky wore in almost every early public appearance, including his debut video for “Peso”. Rocky’s next collaboration came in 2015 with a nostalgic 90’s inspired Guess Originals x A$AP Rocky collection which featured overalls, a two-tone bomber, denim jackets and tees.

Another rapper turned fashion industry star is Young Thug, with a style very different from most in his line of work.

He has positioned himself in the genderneutral styling atmosphere that was put on worldwide display in a Calvin Klein campaign modeling womenswear line.

Wearing women’s clothing continued on the cover of his album Jeffery where he wore a women’s dress designed

by Alessandro Trincone, a participant designer in the VFiles Season 7 show.

Recent rapper collaborations do not stop there. Some people are naming Travis Scott to be fashion’s newest muse.

Only three months into 2017, he is already all over fashion websites and blogs as a constant front row guest for top designers, most notably at the Louis Vuitton x Supreme unveiling in which he was dressed head to toe in the collection.

As far as Travis Scott, the designer, he partnered up with Helmut Lang on a limited collection of graphic-heavy pieces blended with the brand’s sleek silhouettes. The rest of 2017 may prove to be Scott’s “Rookie of the Year” in fashion, so long as a red-braid wearing new wave rapper doesn’t steal his shine.

Yeah, we’re talking Lil Yachty, whose style is more nostalgic and honoring of the 90’s streetwear era in hop-hop than anyone else in the game. He has created a style lane of his own by transforming bright colored Nautica windbreakers into statement pieces mixing them with the hot brand du jour. From his love of the brand came a relationship with Nautica starting with being the face of a collection Nautica released exclusively to Urban Outfitters. After this, Yachty was recently named Creative Designer for the brand and was present at the Fall 2017 show.

Rappers are now seen for their stylistic approach and their ability to expose thousands of fans to fashion brands that would otherwise go unnoticed.

As fashion keeps evolving and the line between high fashion and streetwear continues to blur, hip-hop can only increase the impact they have already established in the fashion world.

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Recently, while browsing the internet, I ran into a quote that exemplifies what I believe to be the biggest misunderstanding among those who don’t identify with feminism: “Equal rights for others does not mean less rights for you. It’s not pie.”

Feminism, at it’s core, is an inherent American value. Not to be cliché, but rather to establish a baseline, Webster’s dictionary defines feminism as, “The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” To draw this definition close to the core beliefs of Americans, the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

It is easy to see that “political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” is paralleled to “all men are created equal,” and are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Yet, it is appalling when the results of polls are examined, and we find that both sexes have a hard time identifying as a feminist. The Huffington Post wrote

#support an article in 2013 on a study done that same year about United States citizens’ identification with the theory. Before I detail the results, it is important to know that the study was performed with 1000 adults from an online panel, YouGov (an internet-based market research firm), that is intended to fairly represent the US population that payed attention to parameters such as age, race, gender, education, employment, income, marital status, number of children, voter registration, time and location of internet access, interest in politics, religion, and church attendance.

What they found was that 20% of Americans consider themselves feminists (including 23 percent of women and 16 percent of men), 8% were anti-feminists, and 63% said they don’t identify as either. However, when asked if men and women should be social, political, and economic equals, 89% agreed of them, and the remaining 9% said they don’t.

The intention of this piece is not to address the 9% who don’t believe feminism is a core American value by clear evidence of the Declaration of

Independence, but rather to help the 89% who may believe that men and women should be social, political, and economic equals, but do not identify as feminists.

I believe that the root of this issue results from the negative connotations this theory has gained in the public eye, which in turn makes that population of Americans hesitant to identify as a feminist. The study found that 42% of men and 32% of women considered the word “feminist” a negative term.

My belief is that they have a fear of labeling themselves as “feminist” due to the recent American popularization of political correctness and the way that it intrudes on certain people’s freedom of speech.

This is not to say that political correctness isn’t a necessary social mannerism that should be enforced when appropriate.

However, political correctness, when taken so far that people are worried to speak about certain subjects in fear of others taking

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your local girl gang Drew Loeffler it in the wrong way, is when it becomes harmful to socialization. When this political correctness line is crossed, “microaggressions” are regularly used by genders towards each other.

“accurate”.

Abandoning phrases akin to them would not only help you work on training your brain to be less misogynistic, but will also help your repertoire of “jokes”.

According to Psychology Today, “Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.” Microaggressions happen every day, and are often brushed off as socially accepted norms for these marginalized groups, but also extend to genders. Misogynistic microaggressions include phrases such as, “Women belong in the kitchen,” “I’m impressed that a woman could do that,” and “If you dress like a slut, you’re asking for it.” These types of assumptions have rested in the male vocabulary for a long time, and are not “funny” or

Microaggressions are a double edged sword and extend to females as well.

Misandristic microaggressions against men exist with phrases such as, “Men only think with their dicks,” “A man wouldn’t understand,” and “Men can’t hear the word no.” While sexual assault and harassment is more prominently performed by men, female rape shouldn’t be dismissed as fiction. In an article by Endsexualviolence.org, 14% of reported rapes involve men or boys, 1 in 6 reported sexual assaults are against a boy, and 1 in 25 sexual assaults is against a man.

The de-stigmatization of feminism that carries negative connotations which are fueled by both misandry and misogyny starts with rewiring your brain to understand that sexes as a whole aren’t defined by the actions of a few. Do not let hurtful actions by someone define what you think about a sex, similar to what we as a nation have been doing with racism and xenophobia.

I am absolutely not, by any means, bringing up misandry to justify misogyny.

I am bringing it up to reinforce the importance of double standards. It is totally fine to joke about either sex, as long as it is communicated as a joke, and that jokes as a whole are more widely and socially understood as being separated from reality and not meant to hurt someone. Insults performed by the 9% of the study that are meant to be an attack on either sex should never be considered a joke, and those who participate in such behavior should be corrected by those who know better, both behind closed doors, and in public.

To reiterate, “Equal rights for others does not mean less rights for you. It’s not pie.” There is absolutely no shame in identifying with feminism. If as a man, you feel like doing so intrudes on your man-hood, understand that the only reason that it is called feminism is because the theory is working on bringing female rights up to an equal level to that of what men have had for thousands of years. Feminism aligns with being a person of morals who believes in what it is to be an American: believing in equal rights for all.

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Beauty in the Beard Emily Waters

To all the guys out there (or all their better halves that are reading this), we get it—appearances aren’t always a top priority. Everyone is noticing that you need a little grooming help and with these easy fixes, we’ll get you lookin’ like a dime in no time.

Let’s start off with those crusty chapped lips you’ve got goin’ on under that facial hair (yes, we can see them). Baxter Hydro Salve lip balm is an inexpensive product that leaves your lips looking great and even smelling nice for that special someone.

Everybody loves a little facial hair and it’s your job to keep it that way. When you aren’t feeling scruffy (or when No-Shave November is over), Mavericks shaving cream will get you looking like you mean business in a snap. For your actual head of hair, we suggest using a styling clay and shaping cream duo—Paul Mitchell has great options for both. Making your hair look flawless is difficult, trust us we know, but hopefully with these items you can get it together.

Speaking of facial hair, let’s talk facials.

An easy way to clean your face is using face wash (hello) and have we got some options for you! Kiehl’s face wash is designed for all skin types and will leave your skin feeling tight and fresh. Another choice is Lab Series’ Multi-Action Face Wash which is known for leaving skin feeling soft and conditioned. Any pick is a good one, just please do us a favor—no one wants a greasy looking guy.

When you actually pick a day to take a shower—make it count. Crew shampoo and conditioner is an affordable way to go and will make the flow happy. Once your hair is perfect, you may notice that your physique is needing an extra something, so instead of hitting the

gym harder, let’s try a body wash. The Anthony exfoliating & cleansing bar is a great two-in- one that will leave your skin soft and squeaky clean.

With newly cleaned skin comes more responsibilities: moisturizing (which isn’t only for girls, everyone has skin). Ursa Major moisturizer needs to be added to your routine to complete this shower trifecta that will help you achieve your maximum clean potential.

Having rough hands is a typical guy “must-have” myth (pretty sure no one wants to hold hands with sand paper), but using a hand cream will fix all your problems. Kiehl’s hand salve is a great protectant against dry skin that will keep them moisturized for days.

KIEHL’S since 1851

ULTRA FACIAL CLEANSER

Even if you think you don’t need these products—something is necessary, so treat yourself to at least a few of these products and we promise your life will change for the better.

ICKS

MAVER

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HANG LOOSE Hannah Kealy

To all the boyfriends, grandmas, and dads out there telling the women in your life to “put a bra on,” this one’s for you. It’s time for everyone to get on board with freeing the nip because at this point, it goes beyond the feminist movement and here’s why:

1) Comfort, duh: It’s 11:45, you’ve been suffocating in the same clothes since 9:00 am and it’s finally time to take a shower. I don’t care who you are, male, female, nonidentifying, taking off that outfit feels like shedding an old layer of skin. Now, imagine the same scenario but you have an invasive wire in the most personal space of your body and heavy straps gnawing at our shoulders. Yes, the relief pre-shower is incomparable, but with that- so is the day long discomfort.

Going braless or even choosing a soft, wireless bralette, makes all the difference. Our girls are no longer suffocating and our shoulders aren’t imprinted with strap marks. Comfort is key, people.

2) We’re just tryna be healthy: The discomfort we’re experiencing is not a load of shit. These things are tight and they suck. I did a lot of research to understand why exactly us girls hate them so much. For starters, the simple design

of a bra causes boobs to receive a lot less circulation and a lot more chaffing. Not to mention, most women don’t buy bras that are perfectly tailored to their bodies and that worsens both of those irritating constrictions.

This next one has to do with cleanliness.

Now, I’m not sporting double d’s so I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to work-out or even walk on a hot summer day with that cup size. Either way, suffocating our boobs with tight bras causes a serious build up of sweat and dirt. Not only does this make us feel crusty but it can even lead to skin fungus…no thank you.

3) If you got it, flaunt it: For starters, wearing a bra CAUSES BOOBS TO SAG- yes you read that right.

A study by Professor Jean-Denis Rouillon in France revealed that “women who did not use bras benefited in the long term, developing more muscle tissue to provide natural support.” With bras holding up our boobs, our body doesn’t

receive a natural que to build muscle to be able to do it ourselves. Outside of this perk (get it, ha), ditching your bra can also lead to fading stretch marks and firmer boobs in general.

Not to mention, nipples are high-fashion.

Kendall Jenner proudly flaunted hers in a sheer shirt as she strut across the runway in Marc Jacobs' latest show. Just like any other trend, the world has quickly noticed Kendall’s braless lifestyle and readily followed along. Speaking of Kendall and trends, another reason people are loving the idea of going braless is because they want to sport their new nipple piercings. According to Style.mic, women like Rihanna, Kendall and Bella have caused a serious spike in nip piercings across the nation. Their bold instagram posts showing off the new jewelry is not going un-noticed. As a 21-year-old living in Tallahassee, I can attest to this- nipple piercings are as popular as y-bombs here.

(Don’t worry, Mom, I don’t have my nipples pierced).

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Beauty On a Budget Haleigh Feix

I’m here to tell you that spending 200$+ on makeup is a load of crap.

Look, I get it. I love makeup as much as all the other beauty gurus out there and I can’t afford half of the things they use and I am totally okay with that. I’m a 20-year-old college student without a job and walking into Sephora kind of gives me a heart attack. I walk up and down the aisles drooling at the highlighter that is blinding me and try not to trip over the person in front of me because I can’t take my eye off the Too Faced “Prismatic Highlighter.” Then the lady comes up to me and asks if I need any help, and I think to myself ‘Yes please, can I get a loan or work off the makeup I want to buy?’ After about an hour I walk out of Sephora/Ulta empty handed with a tear forming in the corner of my eye. BUT I realize that I am heading to my local drug store to spend less than half on makeup there than any department store.

First and foremost is the brand ELF. I swear to you; these beauty products will become your best friend in no time. I would compare ELF as the drug store version of Estee Lauder and Chanel, if I may be this bold. I can find eyeshadow as shimmery and metallic as Pat McGrath, and highlighter than can make Jeffrey Star gasp (also check out his full face of

ELF cosmetics YouTube video). ELF was one of the first beauty products I ever used, and there are products that I still swear by to this day and the best part is they are more than affordable!

Their products range from eyelashes to foundation to eye pallets to bubble masks and under eye massagers with prices from 2$ concealers to 75$ brush kits. As an amateur, professional, hobbyist or even mildly in between, these products will satisfy your makeup fetish without breaking the bank and are also cruelty free!

So many beauty bloggers say that they can never actually do a full face completely with drugstore makeup.

I scream at my computer every time they say this because they are WRONG and I am going to tell you my little routine of what I do that results in a beautiful natural face of makeup.

I start out with a hydrating or luminous primer. My favorite is the lightweight ELF hydrating primer that feels like a cloud on my face and hides my pores. The other primer was introduced to me by my dear friend Jaclyn Hill, which is the Magic Lumi/ Light infusing primer by L’Oréal that I use for special occasions or when I’m feeling facey. I use just one pump and apply the pearlescent liquid all

over my face and I instantly feel as radiant as a Mother Pearl. After, I use either Garnier’s BB cream when I know I’ll be out in the sun because of its light feel and high SPF count or L’Oréal’s Luminous Foundation (also thank you Jaclyn). Then I move onto my dark circles using Maybelline Instant Age Rewind and go over that with Covergirl’s Ready Set Gorgeous concealer to highlight the high points of my face. I set my whole face using the best loose powder I have found at a drug store which is the NYC Smooth Skin in translucent. When I feel like contouring I use the MegaGlo contouring pallet by Wet and Wild.

Naturally, ELF has multiple amazing bronzers that don’t have red/orange undertones (which are hard to find in drug store bronzers) and I also use their eyebrow cream/powder kit and clear mascara for my eyebrows.

When it comes to mascara, I always hop around but have been using the Revlon mascaras with the colorful caps. I have them in every single color if that says anything. Now I cannot forget the most important part: highlighter. I like to put down a layer of ELF’s facial whip first to lock in the top coat of, once again, ELF baked highlighter and VOILA! Full face using only drug store makeup!

XOXO Good Luck!

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Who You Are Based On What Sunglasses You Wear Ariana Jurado

The Hater Blockers: If you wear these blacked-out shades that cover a large portion of your face, you are a cunning observer. You are isolated from the world behind these dark shades and your eyes are free to wander where they please.

You live for making others feel intimidated by your edgy mysteriousness.

People watching and judging are a few of your favorite pastimes - Shades on world out.

The Clear Colorful Tint: People who have started wearing this newer trend can be seen at every music festival. Hippies at heart, these people bring good vibes only. They will try to hug you if the opportunity presents itself and you can’t help but appreciate their loving and optimistic attitude. If you’re lucky enough, their radiance may even rub off on you!

The Cat Eye Diva: If you wear these, you are one sassy kitten. You know that every door should be held open for you and your days are consumed of capturing the perfect snap selfie video that shows you simply feeling yourself-Kylie Jenner style. Your confidence is admirable and while most of us can’t figure out where you acquired so much sass, we can’t help but love you for it… so keep doin’ you boo boo!

The Reflectors: If you’re rocking this look you are for sure the chill one of the crowd especially since everyone deliberately using you as a mirror doesn’t tick you off. These glasses scream, “Yea I’m a stunna who knows just what I want and where I’m going.” Nothing can stop you and there are no worries in the world because everything is reflected in your eyes.

Graphics by Carlos Jurado

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Being Single in College:The Move Ariana Jurado

We are in our 20’s my people. Haven’t you been told that this is the decade of change for just about everyone? We are in the awkward process of abandoning our childish behaviors and becoming adult professionals. Why limit yourself from all the possibilities you can encounter as an unbound, free bird? Why sacrifice your precious time for someone who probably isn’t going to be in your life forever? Why commit yourself to one person now when you have the rest of your life to pick up your future spouse’s dirty laundry? There should be no rush to settle down when we’re this young and good-looking. Being single in college is the best thing you can do for yourself and I’ll tell you why.

hold you back. Each and every one of us is deserving of an amazing life-long relationship and the process of getting there is all a learning experience; each new relationship is a new lesson. By listening to our needs, we also learn how to love ourselves. Something I’ve learned is that when you have accepted yourself, that self love illuminates from the inside

and you are so much more likely to capture the attention of someone great.

Self- love and happiness are two of the strongest attractions a person can have.

So stay single, work on being the best you, love yourself, make lasting friendships, don’t seek and you shall find.

For me, the best part about being single in college is the chance to develop lifelong relationships with your friends.

We all have that friend who gets into a relationship and then disappears off the face of the planet only to recall their college experience with painful memories of something that once was.

Whereas all my single comrades have a camera roll full of ridiculous, drunken shenanigans that will probably be shown at weddings or future reunions… God bless because I know some of my videos should probably be burned and then buried … But 100% worth all the laughs.

We also really don’t know what we want at this age. It’s important to spend time getting to know a bunch of different people so that we can confirm the things we want and need in a relationship. I’m not talking about becoming a serial dater with countless boyfriends or girlfriends, but more so getting to know a person for who they are; this is much easier to do as a single person with no one to

Graphic by Carlos Jurado

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ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE Macy Hayes Great news! Attitude is in style, and it’s here to stay. Don’t feel pressured to buy what’s hot and trending because it’s just that: hot and trending. Fads don’t last forever, but the picture of you in a Pink Floyd t-shirt on Facebook does. Name a Pink Floyd song. Do not Google search.

Do not ask Siri. Still waiting...

Money. Style has nothing to do with money. You’ve been drooling over an expensive pair of jeans, so you buy them.

The first time you wear them, you don’t receive a compliment. Same with the second time. And the third. You feel like you’ve wasted $150 bucks. Now you’re online shopping instead of studying for your next big exam, or your next big interview, or you’re just addicted (don’t feel bad – we all are). You find a top on clearance. Every other shopper has overlooked it, every other shopper’s mother has overlooked it. The first time you wear it, you get a compliment. Same with the second time. And the third. Not only do you have a rockin’ attitude in your new kick ass top, but you snagged it for only $10. Say bye to being broke. And when people ask how much you paid for it, you make them jealous. Win-Win. Wear what you want. You can rock any clothing item, accessory or shoe as long as you have confidence. Take my highlighter yellow sweater for example.

Highlighter yellow is not an over exaggeration. The first day I wore it, my mom stared at me and said, “You could direct traffic in that thing.” Accurate?

Yes. Did I take it off? No. I wore the damn thing. I still wear the sweater. And I wear it well. Oh, I also make sure not to wash it too often so the color doesn’t fade. And no, it doesn’t smell either.

Wear it when you want. Wear white after Labor Day. Wear your Birkenstocks with knit socks in the winter (close-toed shoes are so substitutable). Wear that “Blue Monday” graphic sweatshirt on Tuesday. Yes, Monday’s still suck on Tuesday. Who cares if your clothes are in-style or in-season, wear what you like, when you like. With confidence.

Wear it how you want.

There’s no need to follow the rules. Rules are meant to be broken anyways. Can’t wear horizontal stripes because they make you look fat? Can’t pair navy and black? Can’t wear heels unless you’re wearing a dress? The absolute worst – Never let your bra show (I successfully break this rule every day). Whoever made these rules, buhbye. Let’s all put our middle fingers up to the rules, am I right?

Be confident. Be you.

Rock it with attitude.

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