IS SUE NO. 33
FW 2021
R E CL A I M
IN THIS ISSUE
COVER photographed by Chloe Masys styled by Lilly Landenwich & Grace Willson hair + makeup by Liv Pangrazio modeled by Annie Henrichs & Priyanka Navalurkar
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06 - 07 I NT RO D UC T I O N introducing Reclaim
38 - 41 P U T YO U R D A M N P H O N E D O W N written by Regan O'Brien
08 - 09 T H E V I N TA G E A P P E A L written by Emma Enebak
42 - 45 JUVENESCENCE photographed by Olivia Wilson
10 - 15 F LU I D I T Y photographed by Amanda Schweder
46 - 47 B O Y S D O N ' T C RY written by Grace Killian
16 - 19 CONFESSIONS OF US w r i t t e n b y A bb y Fr i b u s h
48 - 51 THE BALANCING ACT w r i t t e n b y K a y a Yo u n g
20 - 23 F R O M S W I G T O S AV O R written by Nina Schumann
54 - 57 I N K E D. written by Mihaela Manova
26 - 27 HEAD TO TOE photographed by Annie Henrichs
58 - 63 WA N D E R L U S T photographed by Brittney Ehret
28 - 31 BEGIN AGAIN ph o t o g ra ph e d b y Iv y Ri ch t e r
64 - 65 ALEXA, TURN IT UP! written by Alice Momany
32 - 33 T W I G G Y: I T ' S A L L I N T H E E Y E S written by Alyssa Ayers
66 - 67 BACK TO BASICS written by Carolyne Croy
34 - 37 OV E R T H E P I LL written by Grace Callahan
70 L A ST WO R D S from the editors
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Grace Callahan
STYLISTS
Nina Schumann
Brennen McGill
Kelli Amburgey
Emely Villalba
Diana Mejia
Katie Ellsworth
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Annie David
PUBLISHER
Olivia Owens
DIRECTOR OF FASHION
Alyssa Jones
DIRECTOR OF HAIR & MAKEUP
Julianna Spina
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Ivy Richter
DIRECTOR OF VIDEOGRAPHY
Yaxin Mao
DIRECTORS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Jessie Dolby & Kelsey Lewis COPY EDITORS
Carolyne Croy & Nina Schumann DIRECTORS OF EVENT PLANNING
Marisa Sandoval & Alex Walker
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Kate Buckley
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Kate Horvath
SENIOR BLOG EDITOR
Regan O'Brien
BLOG EDITOR
Emma Enebak ADVISORS
Annie-Laurie Blair & Sacha Bellman
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Molly Mosby
Sophia Fujimaki
WRITERS
Brenna Naughton
Lilly Landenwich
Alyssa Ayers
Taylor Shockley
Halle Maskery
Emma Enebak
Olivia Spencer
Sarah Oldford
Abby Fribush
Maggie Walther
Grace Willson
Grace Killian Mihaela Manova
SOCIAL MEDIA
HAIR &
Alice Momany
PHOTOGRAPHERS
MAKEUP ARTISTS
Regan O'Brien
Tia Benson
Chrishay Miles
Kaya Young
Marina Carey
Sophie Mone
Monet Cavanaugh
EVENT
Hannah Daris
Sarah Oldford
PLANNERS
Kenneth DeCrosta
Liv Pangrazio
Gaby Benjamin
Deanna Hay
Gabriella Findley
Annie Henrichs
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Morgan Jeewek
Kaitlyn Lucente
Monet Cavanaugh
Lilya Smith
Yaw Osei-Tutu
Tory Noble
Kenneth DeCrosta
Max Rionda
Brittney Ehret
COMMUNICATIONS
Annie Henrichs
Anne Marie Arnold
Kaitlyn Lucente
Nikki Benjamin
STYLISTS
Chloe Masys
Molly Blue
Daisy Agne
Clare Mazzei
Liz Bregman
Annie Dima
Jake Ruffer
Caroline Evans
Kate Hopkins
Amanda Schweder
Sarah Holman
Lilly Landenwich
Olivia Wilson
Alexa Hoover
Halle Maskery
Julia Laginess
Tessa Robinson
VIDEOGRAPHER
Erin Larner
Lindsay Russo
Olivia Wilson
Claire McGivney
VaLanDria Smith-Lash
Jordan Saunders
Grace Willson
LAYOUT DESIGNERS
Kelsie Tomlinson
Abby Zielsdorf
BLOGGERS
Lindsey Brinkman
MARKETING
Annika M. Baldwin
Eliza Bush
Maggie Arden
Anaka Bretzke
Katie Buecker
Mia Brillhart
Jackie Cameron
Grace Callahan
Charlotte Budge
Lizzie Hardesty
Macey Chamberlin
Julia Corna
Grace Klebe
Caroline Cilley
Giade Ensley
Natalie Luci
Gracie Glickman
Caroline Evans
Molly Monson
Madelyn Liedel
Madison Frindt
Ava Shaffer
Laurin McNulty
Lauren Kelley
Kendra Stiers
Ellie Levy
Emily Stisser
Letter from The Editor
We often witness disdain about “the world we live in.” It’s commonly noted that the current state of politics, art or culture is simply confined to historic precedent, or, “the way things are.” However, we often forget that each social standard or practice passed down to us is subject to our consent. This truth grants us the capacity for invaluable growth and transformation. Annie, Olivia and I set out to capture this idea that we, as individuals, have the potential to shape or redefine our present realities. Reclaim highlights this collective ability to revolutionize moments, perspectives and conventions to better reflect a world that echoes our ideals. We’ve each endured a monumental shift in life, as we know it, over the past two years. Anyone with access to the internet has been inundated with stories about how COVID-19 has transformed our workplaces, culture and habits. Many of us, at UP, have watched, almost helplessly, as our lives slipped into a new normal. However, Reclaim aims to inspire our readers to take back control in some area of their lives – whether it’s in retreating to routine or demanding contemporary customs and mindsets. Through bold, intentional styling, captivating photography and boundary-pushing articles, Reclaim, itself, truly embodies the idea that we can – and should – be in constant evolution, reclaiming and redefining our story along the way. Shot by Ivy Richter on page 28, the compelling photo editorial “Begin Again” offers a stripped-down glimpse into current fall trends to encourage and celebrate new beginnings. Nina Schumann’s piece, “From Swig to Savor,” on page 20, highlights an evolution in mainstream drinking culture from beer guzzling to refined cocktail mixology – representing an apparent cultural shift in American youth and alcohol indulgence. The anonymous interview piece titled “Confessions of Us: People of Oxford,” written by Abby Fribush and found on page 16, highlights the stories that line our small, rural town in a truly raw, human way through intimate insights from the minds of six unnamed individuals. They were given a liberating space to reclaim their story. “Fluidity,” photographed by Amanda Schweder on page 10, presents the blurring, if not disappearing, line of gender-specific fashion through stunning, visual juxtapositions. The article on page 54, written by Mihaela Manova, spotlights the lack of freedom for self-expression granted to models working in the fashion industry. Though, Manova highlights several notable, high-fashion models who have reclaimed their individuality in the industry through ink. As we reflect on the present, borrow from the past and look to the future, I hope Reclaim empowers you to repurpose, revive and reimagine the world around you.
Much UP Love,
Grace Callahan EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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RECLAIM to take something back; redefining purpose & demanding new conventions
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modeled by Laurin McNulty & Mallory Stiles
hair + makeup by Sophie Mone
styled by Sarah Oldford
photographed by Amanda Schweder
W R I T T EN B Y
E M M A ENE B A K
The Vintage Appeal
My grandparents have a closet in their basement full of forgotten items – rows of shelves filled with ragged stuffed animals, old medals and trophies, boxes of film photographs and dusty, old letterman jackets. Somewhere deep in the mess of this once treasured, yet no longer serviceable, junk laid a pair of Tommy Hilfiger slingback sandal sneakers that once adorned my mother’s feet in the ‘80s. It’s unlikely that my then-teenage mother could have predicted these sneakers becoming “cool” again in the eyes of her future daughter, more than three decades later. But such is the cultural mystery of the vintage appeal. What is it about these 40-year-old sneakers that hold such an allure to me? The longing to decorate oneself with snippets of the past fulfills a multitude of human desires. The act not only serves as a cure to the potent emotion of nostalgia, but it also allows us to dismiss the unsatisfying aspects of our present realities. When we develop film from disposable cameras, tie back our hair with printed silk scarves or listen to The Beach Boys on vinyl, we are engaging in what media and culture professor Ron Becker would call “acts of counter culture.” We demonstrate refutations of our present realities through a longing for the “good ol’ days” of the past. But how can one long for an era they’ve never lived through? When I slip on my mom’s Tommy sneakers, some small part of me is jolted out of the 21st century and into the dazzling, iconic pop culture of the ‘80s. Shoulder pads and polyester. Madonna and Freddie Mercury. “The Breakfast Club” and “Dirty Dancing.” But that’s not exactly an accurate picture. At least not entirely. The 1980s were also defined by the height of Cold War tensions, the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, the assassination of John Lennon and the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. It's no surprise we conveniently leave these parts out. According to the American Psychological Association, there are decades of cognitive research to suggest “memories are not accurate...we pick and choose. The memory process is not only selective but it also distorts to some extent.” In essence, the reality of a particular time period will always be different from the romanticized version that’s been rewritten by our own hindsight. We see the past through a pair of rosetinted glasses, everything appearing lighter, simpler and merrier than it likely was in real time.
element of the postmodernist movement,” which arose near the end of the 20th century. Around the time that my mother was lacing up her fresh Tommy sneakers, the world around her was crumbling in its modernist resolve. Amid the progresspushing rush of the Space Race, society began to realize that no advancements in science and technology could fulfill the innate human desire to “make things better.” Instead of pushing for progress, an emerging culture was constructed around the idea that, maybe, things were simply better before. This postmodernist viewpoint breathes validity into the vintage appeal. We can see it scattered all across modern culture today. Take, for example, runway model Bella Hadid stepping off a jet at the New Orleans airport with a pair of wired headphones dangling from her ears. Whether Hadid knew it or not, in that moment, she was sparking a vintage revival of an otherwise obsolete technology. Hadid’s browraising selection of the wired headphone, of all accessories, represents a modest demonstration of postmodernism. Not only do Hadid’s wired headphones nod to the nostalgia of the 2010 street style headphone aesthetic, but they also unapologetically reject the status symbol that wireless Apple airpods have come to signify. Portrayals of the vintage appeal within our culture don’t end there. Increasing numbers of Americans are turning to second-hand thrifting as a rejection of U.S. capitalism and to stand out among fast fashion donning crowds. Film photography has surged in popularity as a denial of the instant gratification of iPhone photography. Whereas film photos drip with character as truly unique, vintage glimpses into moments in time, mobile phone cameras feel mundane in comparison. The movement of these trends becomes almost continuous. Consumer culture borrows from counterculture and revives once obscure vintage styles. Is the vintage appeal an inherent attraction our world can't shake? Thankfully so, it may be. Blending, borrowing and beginning again is still beautiful. While vintage may entail the adoption of old styles, these old styles become new again, as they are reborn within new contexts and cultural landscapes. Without even noticing it, we are constantly creating rose-tinted visions for future generations to someday feel nostalgic once again. My Tommy sneakers will continue to sit atop my closet shelf in the same way they did in my grandparents’ so many years ago. Something tells me they’ll be useful again someday.
It turns out these rose-tinted visions have the power to drive movements. As Becker put it, “nostalgia is an essential
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photographed by Amanda Schweder styled by Katie Ellsworth hair + makeup by Katie Ellsworth modeled by Alexandra Leurck & Fiyin Akomolafe
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CONFESSIONS OF US: illustrated by Katie Buecker
PEOPLE 16 | FW21
OF
OXFORD
WRITTEN BY ABBY FRIBUSH Each day, we brush by hundreds of unknown individuals — somehow, even in this small, quaint and sometimes strange, rural town. Every passerby quite literally represents a lifetime’s breadth of human experience — in all its nuance, trauma and challenge. Amid the hazy chaos and distraction of complicated personal life, we tend to get so lost in ourselves that, in the process, we forget to appreciate the sheer complexity of those around us. Each classmate, professor, peer or stranger we brush on the street is no simple extra, or background character. Instead, they are an intricately multifaceted human, with millions of plotlines of their own. We set out with the mission of probing these unknown faces that not only inconspicuously line the fabric of our every day, but the storyline of this rural town itself. Here are the confessions of us, the people of Oxford.
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W H AT W O R D S D O YO U L I V E B Y ? “Anything can be fixed. Or accomplished, I guess. It’s just time and money.” “I think everything you say and do and put out into the world, whether it’s good or bad, will come back to you at some point. Maybe not in equal ways, but it’ll come back in increments in your life, whether you’re young or old.” “Do everything from a place of love. When I was in undergraduate school, I dated someone for a very long time. We were together for four or five years and we ended up breaking up. That was probably the most difficult time in my life. Well, not probably, it was. I knew there was so much more to gain from life to appreciate and enjoy, but I didn’t know how to have that on my own. Eventually, I realized I couldn’t wait for happiness to just show up, so I learned how to make it myself.”
W H AT ’ S T H E B E S T P I E C E O F A D V I C E YO U ’ V E B E E N G I V E N ? “You have to understand that the people around you are going to affect the person you become. The longer you keep someone around, the longer their personality or traits are going to rub off on you. I guess that’s the thing I’ve had to take to heart most in my life. Reducing interaction with negative influences, negative people, negative things.” “If someone ever hurts you, whether it’s friends or family or a partner, their punishment is that they have to live with themselves forever, while you don’t. You get to leave them, but they never can leave themselves.” “Learn how to let go, in all the forms that it can take. How to let go and see the good.”
W H E N ’ S T H E L A S T T I M E YO U W E R E O U T O F YO U R C O M F O R T Z O N E ? “Right now.” “I sometimes have out-of-my-comfort-zone fatigue, to be honest. I feel like I have to go out of my comfort zone a lot and it gets really tiring. I appreciate it, and a lot of good comes from that, but sometimes I just want a break.”
W H AT M A K E S YO U S P E C I A L ? “God, I hate that question. Nothing against you, of course. I just wonder: why do I have to be special? Why does everyone want to be so damn special all the time? We spend so much time and energy trying to be ‘different’ or ‘special’ that it plagues our entire life and we just end up feeling inadequate in the long run. I’m special because I’m me. You’re special because you’re you. It’s as simple as that.” “I’m never afraid to tell the truth. It’s also probably my biggest flaw, because I don’t know when not to say something. I am painfully honest.” “Oh boy. What makes me special? I could tell you good traits, but a lot of other people have those traits. I’m resilient and I’m honest. Generally.” “I tend to notice things more than a lot of people. I really do tend to notice every single detail of my life,
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whether it’s tone, words, body language. Everything around me, I’m fully aware of. I don’t necessarily stand out, but it is something that is very unique to me.”
W H E N ’ S T H E L A S T T I M E YO U C R I E D ? “I actually don’t think I’ve cried since coming to college this year, which is crazy. Last semester I cried pretty frequently because of school. I mostly cry when I’m overwhelmed, but I guess I haven’t gotten to that point in the semester yet. That’s gotta be a record. I’m a junior now, and I guess as the years go by, I realize that it’s not the end of the world. It’s not that deep, no matter what happens, I’ll be okay.” “Just tearing up, a week ago. I probably should cry harder, but I don’t.” “I cry a lot. What comes to mind is probably a week or so ago. My partner and I decided to get married, which has been a difficult decision for both of us. It’s scary – it’s something that we’ve always wanted, but getting to that place has been a journey. So finally arriving there has been a relief. To finally feel accepted and accepting of someone else is a pretty big deal.”
W H AT A R E YO U M O S T A F R A I D O F ? “Tight spaces.” “Wasting my life away. Like, realizing at 80 years old that I didn’t do anything I enjoyed with my life and that I squandered the one opportunity of consciousness that I will ever get. Not to be morbid.” “Being tricked or deceived. That’s something you may not recover from. You may never know that you were being deceived, you’d just be deceived forever.” “Losing my health. So far, that seems to not be an issue, but I don’t think I'm gonna like the day that someone takes away my car keys, or I can’t see well or I’m not thinking straight and I don’t know it.”
D O YO U B E L I E V E I N S O U L M AT E S ? “I don’t. Not in a pessimistic way, I just think that we don’t have one other half, we have a lot of different halves. I feel like there are many people in your life that complement different parts about you.” “No. Well, maybe. I don’t want to say yes, especially if this question is just regarding romantic relationships. I do believe in the concept that it’s possible to find your person, whether that is romantic or platonic. I think people trick themselves into thinking that they like other people so they don’t feel alone. Not to sound edgy, but there’s 7 billion people in the world and you’re only going to interact with a handful of them. Even if there are soulmates that are randomly assigned, the chances of you meeting yours are so slim that it wouldn’t even matter anyway.” “I do. I think we have more than one. I think there are those people that we do just click with on this human level. In some ways, I’d say there are different kinds of soulmates, you know? I’d say my partner and I are soulmates, but not in this kind of way where we just completely jive. Sometimes we have to work at that.”
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from
g i w s
to
WRITTEN BY NINA SCHUMANN
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The 21st-century cocktail is dressed to impress. It, quite literally, drips in vibrant hues – from rich oranges to frothy pinks and purples to smoky browns. It is underpinned by exquisitely layered flavors, delicate aromas and carefully crafted textures – all of which are often adorned with a rosemary sprig, dehydrated fruit or another stunning garnish. The elevated expectation for polished presentation is not the only notable, recent shift in cocktail culture, however.
While Budweiser, Coors and Miller Lite dominated earlier decades, increasing numbers of the American youth are calling mature cocktails like the espresso martini and Aperol Spritz to center stage.
There was a time when the dominant American youth drinking culture was a rowdy celebration – often a clash of two sloshing, plastic cups, filled with cheap beer, against one another in cheers.
So, given this emerging fascination for intricate cocktail mixology, it’s no coincidence that niche content creators like Evelyn Negri-Albert exist, much less garner such a following in the digital age.
Today, however, there seems to be a gaining pull toward a much more restrained, dignified approach to drinking: a social gathering, nonetheless, but one where elaborate cocktails are, instead, delicately clinked together and slowly sipped over intimate group conversation.
26-year-old “Evie”, or @drinksbyevie on TikTok and Instagram, has recently risen to cyber stardom for her digital cocktail recipe content across social media – which features her eye-catching, lavender Aviation cocktail, lemony whiskey sour, fiery blood orange Paloma and everything in between.
Not only are drinks becoming more elegant and palettes sophisticated, but drinking as an American social ritual, itself, might be in evolution: it is no longer about taking a large, hurried swig, but about slowing down to truly savor.
Negri-Albert has been expertly concocting and embellishing her drinks for over a year now, amassing nearly 615,000 TikTok followers and 10 million total likes since she posted her first cocktail recipe video in October 2020.
The 1970s and 1980s typified the American house party “rager” as we know it. The ‘80s drinking culture was ruled by wild keg stands and record-high numbers of teenage drinking.
That first cocktail TikTok went sensationally viral, seemingly overnight.
Yet, many of today’s young adults are opting for the soft jazz or indie records that hum through hushed cocktail bars rather than the booming resonance of the ‘80s synth their parents enjoyed while partying at their age. “The past 15 years have been a rickety, terrifying roller coaster for the U.S. alcohol industry,” Amanda Mull, staff writer at The Atlantic, wrote. “Millennials have [rejected] the former cash cow of cheap, mass-market beer to [move] among a series of unpredictable booze trends including … craft beer, rosé, whiskey and fancy cocktail bars.” Older generations were hardly passing up affordable lagers for fancy flavor profiles. “Baby Boomers were drinking Budweisers at this age,” Eric Schmidt, the director of alcohol research at the industry consulting group Beverage Marketing Corporation, told The Atlantic.
The picturesque and vintage-inspired clip featured NegriAlbert’s deft hands, calmly preparing the rich, silky flavors of an Old Fashioned while overlooking a gorgeous view from her New York City apartment window. The honest inspiration behind the creation of this initial TikTok was sheer pandemic boredom, according to NegriAlbert. The then-Apple employee was desperate for entertainment around the 10th quarantine day of a false COVID-19 scare and spontaneously decided to film an aesthetically pleasing video of one of her all-time favorite cocktail recipes. “All of a sudden, it just sort of took off. I just tried to keep the momentum up as much as possible, and here we are, about a year and a week from when my first video went viral and my life has completely changed,” Negri-Albert said, laughing. Negri-Albert nurtured her longtime passion for culinary and cocktail creations through her extensive background in the
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food and beverage industry. From the age of 14, she worked for her family’s restaurant in Pittsburgh, before eventually graduating on to work in a fine dining establishment where she truly honed her masterful hand in cocktail mixology. Now informed firsthand by the nightlife of her 20s in the iconic, sociocultural hub of New York City, Negri-Albert has also observed this newfound romanticization of a finer cocktail experience among the American youth culture. “I definitely think things have changed for drinking culture,” Negri-Albert said. “I just think, as a society, people are wanting to go back to that more refined experience.” These civilized sipping and savoring sessions seem almost antithetical, Negri-Albert pointed out, to the red Solo Cup culture that commanded the drinking ragers of the ‘70s and ‘80s. “From what I’ve seen, it was once more [of a party scene], with kegs and chugging, drinking disgusting vodka,” Negri-Albert said of earlier decades. “I know that’s still true of what many college kids do, but I definitely think it’s shifted.” Negri-Albert makes no claim that binge drinking has been eradicated from American society, but instead believes that adults of younger ages are increasingly turning to more sophisticated social rituals of drinking. “I mean, I remember growing up and being exposed to the red Solo Cup culture, you know?” Negri-Albert said. “Part of that has sort of died, I think.”
Negri-Albert would certainly say so and even speculates the implications of our pandemic year may be partially responsible. Perhaps while cooped up inside during the pandemic, NegriAlbert hypothesized, Americans were forced to adopt new hobbies and generated a pent-up demand for a post-pandemic, Roaring-’20s-esque social life – leading to a reemergence, or glorification, of Prohibition-style cocktail savoring and drinking culture. “I feel like we made so many parallels between the 1920s and the 2020s,” Negri-Albert said. Just as 2020 Americans were confined to their homes for all non-essential activity – causing many to innovate at-home cocktail nights – 1920s Americans, too, were forced to confine all alcohol consumption to the private quarters of their homes or speakeasies following the nationwide ban. “That whole speakeasy vibe is making a huge comeback right now, and those Prohibition-era cocktails are really popular again,” Negri-Albert said. The feeling of sophistication and vintage appeal of nostalgia hold a powerful allure, Negri-Albert noted. “I think, over the past 15 years, it’s just gotten gradually more matured,” Negri-Albert said. “You look at something, for example, like the Vodka Red Bull. That was something the generation before me was drinking and, now, my generation is gravitating toward the espresso martini. The espresso martini is, essentially, a mature version of Red Bull and vodka. It’s still the same thing, at the end of the day: alcohol and caffeine.”
“There is definitely a shift happening.” Has part of the American youth’s historic attraction to violent beer guzzling died at the luring hands of more personal, stimulating conversation in vintage-inspired, niche cocktail houses?
If there is a window into this modern reclamation of inventful, 20th-century cocktail making, Negri-Albert is our view in – with her affinity for vintage barware, smooth jazz and classic cocktails from the Negroni to the Manhattan. Luckily, she has no interest in keeping this cocktail wisdom to herself. In fact, she hopes to be a voice of accessibility for her audience in the otherwise foreign world of fine cocktail mixology. “It’s a weird term, but I feel like a lot of knowledge was gatekept by the [cuisine and cocktail industry] for a long time,” NegriAlbert said. “But, now, we have all these kinds of social media like TikTok and Instagram. These reputable people with skills and knowledge about food or beverage are sharing and making it more available to people.”
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“I think the whole idea that food and drink content creators are trying to drive at is, ‘This isn’t intimidating, you can do it at home. Watch me do it, I’ll explain to you how.’ It’s all kind of making it less intimidating.” The true way in which Negri-Albert prefers to view cocktail mixology is as liberating as it is attainable: she calls the experience of cocktail making “a happy intersection between art and science.”
they don’t want to make a mistake, and I think that’s rubbish, you know? You just have to start somewhere.” So, despite the intimidation factor that discourages many from delving into the nuanced, aesthetically driven, often confusing and, admittedly, sometimes snobby world of fine cocktail mixology, Negri-Albert’s relatable perspective offers that it can be much simpler: experiment and explore cocktails creatively, like an artist, even if you must start slowly – and always remember to savor.
“I mean, there really is no right or wrong, it’s like art,” NegriAlbert said. “My grandmother always told me that there are no mistakes in art.” In her New-York-apartment-meets-cocktail-art-studio, NegriAlbert thoughtfully selects shades of liquor and liqueurs, plays with textures, and highlights flavor notes with a skill that mirrors those of a traditional artist. “All you really have to do is just start experimenting,” NegriAlbert said. “I think people are so afraid to do that because
photographed by Ivy Richter styled by Sarah Oldford modeled by Hannah Indyke
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head to toe
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photographed by Annie Henrichs styled by Halle Maskery hair + makeup by Liv Pangrazio modeled by Tate Reno & Sophia Fujimaki
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begin again. 28 | FW21
modeled by Katie McIlroy & Katie Ellsworth
styled by Lilly Landenwich & Sophia Fujimaki
photographed by Ivy Richter
makeup & hair by Katie Ellsworth
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twiggy:
it’s all in the eyes WRITTEN BY ALYSSA AYERS It’s a hauntingly beautiful image. Big, bright, baby blue eyes stare back, almost as if they weren’t captured in a photograph, but looking right at you. The eyes, animated and brilliant, twinkle, even on paper. The face behind them: Lesley Lawson, better known as Twiggy, the iconic face of the 1960s. At 16, Twiggy walked into the House of Leonard, a posh salon
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in London, with the intent of purchasing shampoo. After the owner convinced Twiggy to cut her hair, fashion photographer, Barry Lategan, snapped her photo and, in a matter of weeks, her iconic pixie cut and striking eyes dominated the media. Soon, she would become one of the most recognizable faces of all time. Even in her eventual rise to superstardom, Twiggy, in her own words, once described herself as “very shy.”
While the model’s thin, 5-foot, 6-inch stature might not have been the picture of intimidation, Twiggy’s prosperous career built her self-esteem and transformed her into a bold, though still polite, British badass.
Somehow, the British sweetheart managed to accomplish all of this despite only posing in front of the camera for a mere four years.
In a 1970 interview, Twiggy snapped back at a reporter who claimed that her look was out and that she could no longer compete with upcoming models.
After putting modeling in her rearview, Twiggy embarked on a busy acting career. She went on to win two Golden Globe awards, perform on Broadway, present on television, record albums and even try her hand at fashion design.
“Bosoms have never been out,” Twiggy said in response. “That means that women have been out, which is ridiculous.”
Today, the 72-year-old is onto her next move: her recentlylaunched podcast, “Tea With Twiggy.”
Clearly, Twiggy was no stranger to bravely expressing her opinions, even when embellished with European charm or a smile on her face.
Though she is no longer as closely connected to the fashion industry, the ripples of her influence are still felt with a force, even in mainstream culture.
This unique ability to retaliate against reporters, oddly enough, starkly contrasted the sweetheart imagery that society paired with Twiggy’s darling, doll-like appearance.
Nods to the “Swinging ‘60s” have been made by prominent celebrities like Kaia Gerber, model and daughter of Cindy Crawford, who recently channeled Mod inspired, highly stylistic makeup looks in her recent glam.
With a truly unique look that French fashion magazine L’Officiel called “simultaneously childlike and androgynous,” Twiggy’s iconic face proved the antithesis of any feisty demeanor.
Even pop diva Ariana Grande has resurfaced the beauty of 1960s glamour and the Mod era aesthetic in her recent work.
Adorned in baby blues and pinks and emphasized by her sweet, doe-like eyes, Twiggy was the picture of softness and innocence despite her fierceness.
In her presidential-themed, buzzworthy “Positions” music video, released in 2020, not only did Grande pay homage to ‘60s fashion with countless fitted silhouettes, bubble earrings, pearls, gloves and little hats, but she also directly emulated the iconic 1960s Twiggy makeup.
Those eyes did more than simply juxtapose her personality, though. Before Twiggy swept the media away with her stunning, deerin-headlights-esque gaze, the fashion and makeup world was raging over an entirely different, more understated, elegant look: one of pale pink washed eyes, loads of powder and overall muted naturalness. Twiggy’s thick lashes, graphic cat eye and dramatic cut crease technique, which highlights the hood of the eyelid in a pale shadow, just as sharply cut through the dominating makeup trends of her time to, instead, popularize a reversed approach to beauty.
In much of Grande’s recent promotional materials, social media posts and other music videos, the pop icon has donned the Twiggy-inspired graphic liner and shadow that scream of the “Swinging ‘60s.” Might this retro beauty trend be making a comeback of the century? L’Officiel seems to think so, claiming in late 2020 that “Mod beauty is once again the look of the moment.” With defining eyes like Twiggy’s, it’s no wonder that their sharp effect can still be felt in the pop culture influences of decades to follow. After all, it’s all in the eyes.
In other words, an unknowing teen girl, who once unintentionally stumbled into a salon, would soon be transformed into a budding model, before eventually typifying the very look that ruled mid-60s Mod era fashion and beauty. She later would be named the “Face of 1966.”
photographed by Monet Cavanaugh styled by Kelli Amburgey hair + makeup by Julianna Spina modeled by Immaculee Ingabire & Alex Walker
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over the pill
WRITTEN BY GRACE CALLAHAN
Oftentimes ovarian cysts go unnoticed. However, ruptured ovarian cysts can cause debilitating torment.
For some women, their first period was a momentous, comingof-age experience. For others, it was dreadful, embarrassing even. But for all women, a first period marks a distinct departure from blissful ignorance of their body’s reproductive power – in all its glory and horror alike.
According to LaPlante, multiple emergency room doctors advised that she switch her birth control immediately to manage her ovarian cysts. However, her gynecologist wasn’t as urgently concerned.
Once a young woman corners the milestone of her first period, an intricate path lies before her, crowded with the responsibility of making pivotal decisions concerning her health, lifestyle and aspirations.
LaPlante said her gynecologist required a myriad of tests and follow-up appointments to have her birth control changed. So, to avoid the extraneous hassle of her doctor’s requirements, she stifled her displeasure.
The introduction of oral contraception in 1960, which quickly became known as “the pill,” diluted the pressure of these critical choices, allowing women to defend their sexual freedom. Yet, it also complicated their reproductive health journeys by interposing an abundance of side effects and risks.
“It made it feel like my symptoms weren’t bad enough or like I was young and I didn’t know what I was talking about,” LaPlante said. “But I knew how I was feeling was not OK.”
Since the inception of the first oral birth control pill, scientists and doctors have worked to develop numerous other methods of contraception including the birth control implant, the intrauterine device (IUD), the NuvaRing, the birth control patch and countless variations of the oral pill. Though researchers have worked to enhance the efficacy and experience of contraception since its origin, women of all backgrounds and ages still battle a slew of symptoms throughout their birth control journey.
Through the remainder of her high school years and into college, LaPlante stayed on the same pill she was prescribed at 16. In her first year of college, rushing to the bathroom in a nauseous haze at 3 a.m. became routine. LaPlante said for days after these bouts of nausea, her head would whirl and stomach churn. She didn’t realize until months later that these woozy spells were a product of her birth control interacting with her anti-anxiety medication. Finally, she’d had enough.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 842 million women of reproductive age (15-49 years) worldwide are using contraceptive methods. These women each have a unique story to share – one abundant in physical and emotional strife. 21-year-old Meredith LaPlante began taking oral contraception at 16. Like many young women, LaPlante turned to the pill to ease uncomfortable period symptoms. Though she noticed her agonizing cramps subsided, she said she wasn’t prepared for what came next.
She switched to a different oral birth control pill shortly into college. Though she’s now experimenting with a second form of oral contraception, she hopes to switch to a third soon due to irregular periods and exacerbated emotional fits. “It’s so hard because the first one I was just nauseous and feeling a lot of physical pain,” LaPlante said. “This one, I’m like mood swings out the wazoo, which is just horrible and hard to regulate. I feel like my emotions run me more than I run my emotions.”
One year later she began to experience abnormal, sharp pain in her lower abdomen. Unsure of its cause and in worsening agony, LaPlante went to the emergency room.
Reflecting on the turmoil of her now-five-year journey on the pill, LaPlante regrets starting the medication at a young age, noting that, at the time, her options seemed limited and side effects overwhelming.
Here, she was told that she had ovarian cysts – but more importantly, that they’d ruptured.
“I wish birth control wasn’t the first option,” LaPlante said. “I wish I wasn’t on birth control at 16.”
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photographed by Annie David styled by Halle Maskery nail art by Liv Pangrazio modeled by Izzy Apple
Obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Kathleen Huston, however, notes that contraceptive methods don’t need to start with the pill. Huston adds that natural family planning, condoms and other forms of birth control are all viable options for patients looking to go on the pill. “There's benefits to all of them and there's risk to all of them,” Huston said. “So, it's just the best one for the patient based on her clinical history and her family history and which one she’s really comfortable with.” Huston outlines the gravity of her duty, as a physician, in a patient’s birth control journey. “It’s the physician's role to make sure that [patients] understand all of the benefits that each option includes, and then also all of their side effects and risks,” Huston said. “Then [patients] can make an informed decision.” Nevertheless, LaPlante said, despite the extent of counsel from a physician on birth control options, finding the right method is a tortuous puzzle. “It’s a guessing game,” LaPlante said. “But a guessing game that’s literally altering your hormones, which just can’t be good for you.” 21-year-old Katie McIlroy has had an equally convoluted encounter with birth control as LaPlante. McIlroy began taking oral contraceptives at 15 to regulate her cycle and to clear irksome, hormonal acne. From her first oral pill, in a mere five years, McIlroy went on to try a different oral contraceptive, then the IUD, the NuvaRing and finally a third form of the oral pill. Though her first attempt with the oral pill did help to regulate her cycle and clear her skin, McIlroy said, while on this pill, she was enduring startlingly lengthy periods up to 15 days. So, she switched. This time, she was on a different oral contraceptive. This one, however, spurred intense mood swings. So, she switched again. She departed from oral contraceptives and tried the IUD. McIlroy said the insertion of her IUD was a grueling process,
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but it was no match to the uncontrollable spotting that came after. About a year later, her IUD shifted out of place. It was a sudden, harrowing experience, McIlroy said. She woke up in the middle of the night in a sweaty, feverish fog with violent abdominal cramping. She rushed to an on-call gynecologist to have the IUD removed immediately. The NuvaRing came next. The NuvaRing was a part of her journey for less than a day – it felt awkward and unnatural, she said. So, in 2020, McIlroy returned to oral contraceptives. She now takes Seasonique, an oral combination hormonal pill. She said, on Seasonique, her periods are now manageable and her emotions regulated. Throughout her push-and-pull ordeal with birth control, McIlroy said she took sporadic breaks to give both her body and mind a reset.
She eventually began taking the pill again shortly after, but stopped when she knew she was ready to get pregnant. She gave birth to her first daughter in 1999 and started on the pill again until she was ready for her second daughter who was born in 2002. After the birth of their two daughters, Thorp and her husband, Jason, decided their family was complete. So, Jason decided to get a vasectomy. After his vasectomy, Thorp weaned off of her birth control pills. However, she began suffering from excessive night sweats and uncharacteristic rage – she knew she was too young for these to be menopausal symptoms. “It’s like the car was in neutral, but someone was still revving the engine,” Thorp said of her emotional state at the time. She decided to see her gynecologist, who suggested she go back on the pill, in hopes to find some relief. Ever since, Thorp has been back on oral contraceptives and doesn’t plan to stop taking them anytime soon.
Yet, her journey, in all its frustrating pivots, was still taxing. “I lost hope for a little bit,” McIlroy said. “The mood swings that would come from certain ones were exhausting. I was frustrated.” Huston said her gynecology practice is no stranger to experiences like McIlroy’s. “Oral contraceptives definitely can affect every patient differently,” Huston said. “That's why we have over 30 different preparations of the pill because everyone is different. So, I absolutely see that sometimes patients are very sensitive to it, and it makes their hormones go crazy and other patients love it and never want to go off it because they feel so much better on it. It really is just trial and error.” 49-year-old, mother-of-two Barb Thorp is one of these women who depends on her birth control to support her hormones and mood. Thorp, like LaPlante and McIlroy, began taking oral contraceptives in her early teenage years. Though she didn’t experience distressing side effects from the pill, she stopped taking it for a short period in college because it was difficult to keep up with.
Millions of women across the globe are swallowing, injecting or inserting their birth control – some to reclaim their sexual independence, some to manage hormonal symptoms and others to prevent ovarian cysts or even ovarian cancer. No matter the method or scope, birth control is an individualized journey for every woman – defined by wins and losses, trial and error, alleviation and anguish, but, most importantly, by the freedom to choose what’s best for her body and her life.
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photographed by Annie David styled by Katie Ellsworth hair + makeup by Sophie Mone modeled by Kendall Stopinski & Seth Myers
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put your
DAMN phone down finding love in a digital age
WRITTEN BY REGAN O'BRIEN Living in a digital age comes at a price.
thousands of successful love stories that come from dating apps. Beyond that, it’s an increasingly false reality that dating apps are strictly used for hookups or one night stands.
If we pause to think about our relationships, some might ask, are we making true, meaningful connections with people? Or simply hiding behind a screen?
People are finding genuine and long-lasting connections with others. Yet, questions are still posed about the legitimacy of meeting our “forever” online.
Overwhelmed by the buzzes, tones and pings of notifications against the glow of bright, white screens, being present in reality is hard to come by.
Does meeting a significant other over an app take the romance out of dating? Is it more challenging to establish a true connection digitally?
When trying to connect with others, some might say, put your damn phone down.
Might our crippling technology dependence be making it more difficult to make a connection in the “old-fashioned,” inperson way?
Given a constant attachment to our devices, it’s no wonder millions of people are turning to social media platforms to find that special someone – or just someone for the night. According to Adjust, a global digital analytics company, 270 million adults worldwide used dating apps in 2020. Apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble repeatedly rank in the top 100 free apps. It’s no question technology has transformed dating culture. Inside of our Oxford bubble, we don’t often hear of the
Miami University junior Áine Powell would say no. Powell met her boyfriend, Braden, on Tinder in December 2020. Powell said first chatting with her current boyfriend online made it easier and more special when they were finally able to connect face-to-face. “Seeing his qualities before meeting in person made me click with him even faster,” Powell said. “It took away the awkwardness. We FaceTimed before we actually met in person
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and seeing him in person was obviously so different than on a phone. It was like little baby steps leading up to meeting him face-to-face.” Despite the hookup culture stigma around Tinder, Powell said she believes, “it is what you make of it.” “I feel like you just have to find the right person. Everyone is on a different page, everyone has different feelings,” Powell said. “Even before I started dating Braden, I met people on Tinder who I have become friends with. It doesn’t have to be just for dating.” A common complaint with dating apps is that they’re thought to hinder a person’s ability to romantically meet and interact with others in a face-to-face setting. However, Powell feels there is a duality within digital dating culture. Someone who is more introverted might find it easier to establish a connection with someone online. Others, however, might thrive in an in-person dating environment. Powell expressed that there is no right or wrong way to meet someone, but a matter of who you are and who you might find. Miami University students Brad Smith* and Becca Brown* also met on Tinder in the fall of 2020. Smith and Brown both joined the app as a way to meet new people when their freshman year experience was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of the pandemic and social challenges that arrived with it, Smith and Brown managed to find something more – digitally. “I think it was easier because we hadn’t just met one night,” Smith said. “We Snapchatted for a week and a half, two weeks before meeting [in person].” Even with their success, Brown and Smith understand the negative connotation that comes with sharing the origins of their love story. Brown shared that some of her friends had unfavorable experiences with Tinder, but added that negative encounters can still happen meeting someone in-person, too. “I think in college, people just use it as a way to hook up because it’s really easy to meet people and easier than going up to someone in a bar,” Smith said. “I think that kind of initiative makes it a lot easier to use Tinder, but it also depends on
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whoever you're interacting with on the app.” When it comes to dating, negative experiences, unfortunately, aren’t uncommon. When adding dating apps into the mix, these encounters can feel even more prevalent. For Miami University student Diana Jones*, dating apps haven’t proven useful. Jones created her first online dating profile in her freshman year of college. Like most, Jones downloaded Tinder first as a way to meet people. Later on, she downloaded Hinge to potentially make a more serious connection. “Freshman year I was more so doing it for fun, but this year when I downloaded Hinge it was because I wanted to date more,” Jones said. “But I ended up deleting Hinge after two weeks. [In Oxford], there aren't enough people on it. I just kept seeing the same few people.” Jones pointed out the difference between Tinder and apps like Hinge and Bumble. Tinder is often associated with hookup culture, while apps like Hinge and Bumble are often thought to foster more genuine connections. “[After graduation], I would definitely consider downloading Hinge again,” Jones said. “I liked how [Hinge] was set up because it forces you to have a conversation with someone whose profile you like. It doesn’t feel like just a physical attraction.” While the endpoints of these romantic connections vary, they all have something powerful in common: the risk of putting yourself out there. Online or face-to-face. Tinder or Hinge. New-age or oldfashioned. A personal journey in finding connections, romantic or platonic, is what one chooses to make of it. So, if you wish to find your significant other in the so-called “old-fashioned” way of previous generations: put your damn phone down. Or, if you’re feeling confident in defying traditional dating norms: pick up that phone and create a dating profile. The choice awaits you. *Some names have been changed for privacy reasons
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photographed by Olivia Wilson styled by Sophia Fujimaki hair + makeup by Julianna Spina
juvenescence
modeled by Annie Lalonde, Ella Roberts & Yixuan Xie
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BOYS DON'T C RY WRITTEN BY GRACE KILLIAN When one considers the words ‘men’ and ‘emotion’ in tandem, many may first think of an angry outburst, a celebration at a sporting event or a lack of any displayed emotion at all. For some, it may even be difficult to imagine a man outwardly expressing emotion unless facing an extreme crisis. Many people are still under the impression that men don’t experience the same emotions as women, or, at least, not to the same extent.
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In reality, experts contend that men do not inherently experience emotions any differently than females at all. Aaron Luebbe, who has a doctorate in child clinical and developmental psychology and teaches at Miami University, said that while genetics may not play a large role in the ability to empathize, societal norms and standards may affect the way individuals express their emotions. “From before kids are born, we do a lot of gender socialization,” Luebbe said. “Those socialization pressures are in adults, who then socialize kids.”
There has been a long-lasting narrative, in our culture, that men and women fail to fully relate to one another because of this difference.
When we are born, we are all able to empathize, or have the capacity to understand and share one another’s emotions.
Consequently, many male-posed questions have become a cliché in our gender culture and history: Why are women so dramatic? Why are girls so confusing? Why is she so crazy?
According to experts like Luebbe, there is no considerable difference between boys and girls at birth or in their levels of empathy. The difference is how we use this ability as we age.
For decades, many would argue, women have been staged as the emotionally unstable characters against their emotionally avoidant, cool or casual male counterparts. The expectation for men to suppress their emotions has evolved into a belief that men can’t be sad or upset without appearing weak or like less of a man.
The societal gender expectations toward issues like emotion and empathy may be perpetuated by our culture’s stereotypical career paths as established for men versus women. Growing up, many boys are encouraged to study the sciences or to compete in high-contact sports – things often associated
with strength, logic and masculinity. According to the Census Bureau, 73% of all jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are held by men. However, men are largely discouraged from pursuing more artistic or delicate passions, such as dance or theater. Careers that are more empathy-oriented – like those in teaching, nursing or social work – are, conversely, more likely to be dominated by women. Females make up 76% of public school teachers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. “Socialization happens through peers, through friends,” Luebbe said, “as well as through the bigger, broader messages that we receive through things like media.” According to Luebbe, children often reflect the behaviors of their parents when there is an expectation to outwardly show emotion. For example, young boys may be punished or rewarded for expressing themselves in certain ways, which would, in turn, affect their emotional expression as adults. There are generally three areas where socialization occurs when looking specifically at family relationships, Luebbe said: direct responses from parents when a child shows emotions, the general emotional climate of the family and observational learning.
sadness, worry or even overwhelming happiness to their partners. Elizabeth Kiel, who also has a doctorate in child clinical and developmental psychology and teaches at Miami University, said that not all struggles to display emotion come from the way a child is raised, though. “Some children whose systems have a higher reactivity to things, in general, may find it a bit more difficult to demonstrate their empathy,” Kiel said. “They're trying to regulate their own systems.” According to Kiel, there are many factors that contribute to someone's ability to express empathy and their emotions. Kiel believes it is a combination of our own inborn characteristics which are then influenced further by our environments. Thus, in social settings, men and women may express themselves differently, causing a feeling that there’s a great divide between the emotional abilities of the two. However, it’s crucial to note that each individual’s childhood and innate personality have greater impacts on empathy or emotional expression than one’s sex does. In fact, much psychological research suggests there is greater variance within any one sex than there is between them.
Growing up, children observe how their parents show emotion toward one another, their friends, strangers and themselves.
So, the culturally popularized phrase, “boys don’t cry,” actually couldn’t be farther from reality.
“So, they are learning kinds of strategies and they're learning what emotions are okay to express because of those that are being expressed,” Luebbe said.
In truth, men possess every emotional complexity that women do, and a highly comparable capacity to express this vulnerability – and they ought to.
As children grow, they bring this understanding of how to express their emotions into their adult lives. “[When] a parent punishes a child for that expression…that child may learn that it's easiest to not show any emotions at all,” Luebbe said. The inability to fully express emotions is reflected in relationships as adults, especially romantic ones. According to Luebbe, adults who were discouraged from showing emotion as children are often unable to express
photographed by Clare Mazzei styled by Alyssa Jones hair + makeup by Chrishay Miles modeled by Ambé Caldwell
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THE ACT
WRITTEN BY KAYA YOUNG 48 | FW21
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photographed by Chloe Masys styled by Lilly Landenwich & Grace Willson hair + makeup by Liv Pangrazio modeled by Annie Henrichs & Priyanka Navalurkar
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Work-life balance is messy. The once rigidly defined line that marks where work ends and life begins is becoming blurry — leaving millions of modern American workers flailing in an attempt to find it. The phrase “work-life balance” itself seems to imply that work and personal life must coexist in perfect equilibrium. Though, the pressure of this notion — to achieve a flawless, stable balance between these wrestling aspects of life — can be challenging. Might it be time that we, as a society, strive for work-life harmony, rather than perfect balance? Instead of tethering work and life to regimented schedules, unable to bleed into one another, it may be more effective to view them as two gears working together, rather than as opposing forces. Phyllis Moen, professor and director of the Life Course Center at the University of Minnesota, explained why it might be beneficial to reimagine the term “work-life balance” altogether. “Balance seems to imply that individuals need to do a better job at ‘balancing’, a personal issue, rather than public policies,” Moen said. “Organizational policies, jobs and career paths should be changed to recognize that all adults in most households are working for pay, and have personal and family care [obligations].” Work culture in America has a colorful history of competing values between corporate and individual interests. In the late 19th and early 20th century, workers fought hard for the 40hour workweek. Prior to this, the working class was forced into long, fixed hours, oftentimes in dangerous factories. Early generations yearned for more opportunities outside of work to spend on entertainment, hobbies and leisure time with family. Later in the 20th century, the common path was to work a 9-to-5 office job until reaching the appropriate age for retirement, typically at 65. It was typical of these older generations to dedicate years to their employers, often delaying leisure time until they felt they had “earned it” later in life. Millennials and Generation Z spent much of their childhood watching parents come home well after dinnertime, tossing their briefcases after long days at the office. Through witnessing their parents’ relationships with work, younger generations are now leaning toward a more flexible work-life balance. Yet, job searching Gen Z workers are being met with resistance from companies managed by older individuals who embrace traditional corporate standards.
“When younger workers talk about balance, what they are saying is, ‘I will work hard for you, but I also need a life … Unfortunately, what leaders hear is, ‘I want to work less,’” Yost said. Given the affordances of new technology, Gen Z has rejected the idea that work has to be done in an office or between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. A survey from SocialChorus, a company that specializes in digital technology for the workplace, found that Gen Z highly values genuine communication and interpersonal connection at work. Still, Gen Z is sure they don’t need a physical office environment for this to happen. William Attwood-Charles, who has a doctorate in sociology and teaches at Miami University, encourages employers to remain flexible in response to their employees' wishes. “Employers should understand they have obligations to their employees if they want their workers to be committed to them,” Attwood-Charles said. For decades, American work culture has shown the worker that they are disposable – that their time and energy should be solely dedicated to their employer. Nevertheless, Gen Z refuses to let modern work culture dictate their lives. Attwood-Charles further explained, “Firms need to reimagine how they relate to their workers and structure work. It is the role of citizens, politicians, and officials to create institutions and structures that hold firms accountable to their workers and the public.” In an age of uncertainty, with entities like modern technology obscuring our once-conventional work-life boundaries, people are craving the freedom to fully experience their lives — rather than waiting for the clock to strike 5 p.m. Once again, Gen Z proves impassioned. Driven by a potent desire for efficiency and work culture optimization, this innovative generation is gearing up to reclaim time and peace of mind to, at last, find a satisfying harmony between work and personal life.
In a New York Times article, Cali Williams Yost, chief executive and founder of Flex Strategy Group, discussed the conflict between Gen Z workers and their older superiors.
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@thepickleandpig
@thepickleandpig
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WRITTEN BY MIHAELA MANOVA
Among the rows of fashion week shows and behind the scenes at photoshoots, most bystanders never see what it takes to be the perfect model. Rushing to casting calls and last-minute bookings are typical of a model’s weekly responsibilities. Yet, even through their hard work, a model’s sense of individuality is often stripped away. The fashion world has long determined that “a blank canvas” is what’s needed to best showcase a product. Consequently, models have little room for permanent forms of self-expression such as tattoos. The Models Kit, a blog dedicated to advising beginner models, emphasizes the need for bare skin.
The blog suggests if a model is covered in ink, they could be part of the alternative modeling industry, “where ink, piercings and colorful hairstyles are not only accepted but required.” The high fashion industry and its modeling agencies, however, prefer models with small tattoos, if any at all. Even so, many of today’s highly accomplished models boldly showcase their own ink. In 2017, supermodel Cara Delevingne graced the cover of Vogue Paris, boasting a tattoo that traces the side of her hand. Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Gisele Bündchen also have small, symbolic tattoos that have been photographed thousands of times.
ked So, does this small clan of inked supermodels signify an approaching change to the tattoo stigma within high-fashion modeling? Or, is this supermodel group simply exempt from the “blank canvas” standard due to their concrete establishment in the industry? Perhaps the former, as even some of the world’s most highly regarded luxury brands have taken an interest in body art. At Dior’s spring 2018 catwalk, the models wore temporary collarbone tattoos on the runway that read, “Au départ il ne s’agit pas de comprendre mais bien d’aimer” and “L’imaginaire est ce qui tend à devenir réel,” which translate to “In the beginning it is not a matter of understanding but loving” and “The imaginary is what tends to become real.” In contrast, international modeling agency, IMG Models, among others, discourages aspiring models from getting inked. “A large tattoo on a model will more often than not dissuade clients from choosing that particular model, as the focus will be on the tattoo more than the product,” IMG Models wrote in a blog post. Yet, fashion experts and models have differing opinions. In 2013, New York Magazine writer, Amy Larocca, wrote an article about designer Marc Jacobs’ body art. In her piece, she commented favorably on seeing tattoos displayed on the runway.
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56 | FW21 photographed by Kenneth DeCrosta / styled by Kelli Amburgey / hair + makeup by Chrishay Miles / modeled by Gabby Findley, Diana Meija & Ladonna Watkins
“There is something especially wonderful about seeing a tattoo on a model on a runway—‘I’m here,’ it says. ‘I’m different. I have a grandmother, a favorite poem, an opinion.’” Miami University Fashion & Design (MUF&D) model, Tori Rammelsberg, said modeling wouldn’t be the same without her tattoos. “They are a part of who I am,” Rammelsberg said. “ So, I would say that I wouldn’t want to model for anyone that would want to cover up my tattoos. I like to show them off.” Working as a model, Rammelsberg had concerns about what her tattoos might bring upon her career. She knew they could potentially be concealed for photoshoots and runways. “I’m definitely not a fan of that,” Rammelsberg said. “All throughout my modeling career, it has always been kind of a concern of mine that I wouldn’t get opportunities because of my tattoos.” Despite her worries, Rammelsberg also feels that the fashion industry has changed for the better in recent years. She feels that the industry now affords more body positivity and inclusion than in recent decades, but would like to see more inked models working with big brands. “I definitely think [inked models] should be included because that’s another type of diverse model,” Rammelsberg said. “People with tattoos like to model too. It doesn’t have to be [people] with blank skin.”
While many sentiments have been shared throughout this dialogue, questions still remain unanswered.
Yet, there is another side to this discourse. Head tattoo artist of Vertigo Tattoos in Oxford, Steve Cupp, said, as an artist, he can appreciate a designer’s wish for a blank canvas – a model sans tattoos. “The reason the fashion designers want to cover up tattoos on their models is because it would be a distraction from their work,” Cupp said. “If I’m showing off a T-shirt, I don’t want people looking at your arms. I want them looking at the design.”
Should the creative process remain with the designer, or should self-expression remain with the model? Does one creation truly overpower, or upstage, the other? In the end, the tattoo debate that grips the fashion industry has revealed its indecisiveness. Perhaps, it is up us, as consumers, to promote progress and encourage the fashion world to not just welcome, but celebrate the artform of ink.
Cupp, however, acknowledges that all artists are biased toward the prominence of their own work. “I have very jaded views of the tattoo world,” Cupp said. “I realize that it’s not perfectly acceptable for everyone on earth to have a tattoo and I agree with that.”
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wanderlust
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photographed by Brittney Ehret styled by Lilly Landenwich & Alyssa Jones hair & makeup by Sophie Mone modeled by Jaslyn Davis-Johnson, Taylor McCann, & Carson Polish
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photohraphed by Monet Cavanaugh / styled by Grace Willson
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Alexa, Turn it Up!
WRITTEN BY ALICE MOMANY Throughout history, technology has played a lead role in the way we consume music. As music shifts from a communal pastime to an intimate reflection of personal style, the message, artistry and resonance within the ritual of listening to music transforms. Before the introduction of the phonograph in 1877, music was an event. People gathered at the theater for the thrill of a live performance or invited an artist to play in their home.
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According to Arved Ashby, author of the book “Absolute Music, Mechanical Reproduction,” the mass production of records promoted this act of social gathering around music as well as access to different artists or musical genres. "Once [records] became mass-market commodities, Victrola, gramophones and stereo systems were advertised and sold as social aids and vehicles for communal functions,” Ashby wrote. Records, or sound devices played on Victrolas, supported
social events and allowed artists to share their music in a more deliberate manner. At this time within music history, there was little choice but to relish and romanticize an artist’s entire record and body of work, in totality. Unlike shuffling a haphazard playlist today, records were carefully and curated by artists — their art was both ordered and absorbed in an intentional manner to best tell a story. “There’s a lot of evidence that artists … thought of making an album as a holistic thing,” Ron Becker, who has a doctorate in media and cultural studies and teaches at Miami University, said. “They thought carefully about the A-side of the album and the B-side and how they relate and how one song would go to the other.” Emma Spartz, an emerging singer-songwriter, believes that every musician creates with the purpose of telling a story. Although writing, producing and marketing music is crucial in the highly competitive industry, none of it would be possible without storytelling, she said. “I’d say every album tells a story, whether it’s your story or someone else’s,” Spartz said. Spartz’s debut album “Metanoia” is set to be released by the end of 2021 and shares the story of her personal growth over the last few years. Spartz says the structure of an album evokes the art of music. She believes that consuming an album in the way the artist intended produces the genuine message behind the words. “It’s an art in its purest form when you’re listening to an album through and through,” Spartz said. “I think that’s how you get the most meaning and juice out of it.” Ashby argues the opposite, that not all genres of music are structured for end-to-end, solo listening. “If a listener hears all Beethoven symphonies in a row, the composer’s various ways of 'playing' with the sonata form ideal-type could blur together into mere idiosyncrasy,” Ashby wrote. While Spartz is a proponent for listening to an album in its entirety, she isn’t necessarily opposed to playlists and the controlling liberties they offer. She notes, however, that the
experience of listening to an album from start to finish is not comparable to cherry-picking songs that compose a personal playlist. Through modern technology, Becker also explains the phenomenon of personalized playlists. “Technologies like smartphones or headphones privatize our experience of music,” Becker said. “We can think about how you can create individualized playlists that are tailored just to your interests, which is a very different way of engaging with music than driving in the car and listening to the radio.” Also with the advent of dominant platforms like Spotify, Pandora and Amazon Music, the 21st-century music consumer is given a newfound ability to erratically bounce between topchart singles, algorithmically recommended hits and pop icons before ever slowing down to recall the beauty of consuming a record from start to finish. Now, advanced technology and music, in connection, can be so privatized that we can speak to a device like an old friend to cue our favorite tune: “Alexa, turn it up!” Has the introduction of high-tech, highly saturated music streaming platforms and their intelligence caused modern music consumption behavior to become hyper-selective, hyper-individual? Perhaps, as the years have marched on and music technology has evolved, the once-social, collective experience of music indulgence has diluted down to an intimately solitary practice — one simply better for the individual. But maybe, there is truly no right or wrong way to indulge in music. Music can be expertly crafted to capture a mood, evoke a feeling or recount a profound narrative. Regardless, there is an exhilarating freedom within its consumption: put your headphones in, or listen with others. Turn the volume all the way up or listen softly. Construct the perfect playlist or listen to the entirety of an album for the tale that it is, from beginning to end.
UP Magazine would like to extend a special thank you to Block Head Records for allowing us to use the store for the accompanying photoshoot.
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back to basics WRITTEN BY CAROLYNE CROY We embark on the world as children, rosy-cheeked and through twinkling, curious eyes. The surrounding world gleams, a fascinating subject of simultaneous interest and opportunity, yet resulting uncertainty. In our own charming bewilderment, we pose hundreds of questions to our parents, our valiant protectors — who we then equate to superheroes rather than the raw, admirable, though flawed, people they truly are.
Inevitably, as the years march on, we are exposed to more tragedy, loss and struggle. With every decade, some might argue, in spite of our joys and accomplishments, our memory and optimism may be more strongly plagued by our pains. After being exposed so repeatedly, with age, to the instances of darkness that exist within our world, the overall perception of our existence becomes all the more darker and drearier for it. One day we wake up and, suddenly, the innocence of childhood is more attractive than the freedom we once innocently believed we were working toward.
But so is the marvel of the “tabula rasa,” or the “blank slate,” as it is more widely known: as we enter consciousness, some argue, we are in the pristine original state, not yet changed, blemished or affected by people or experience.
How do we combat this emotional wear and tear inherent to the human experience? How do we slow this jading process after years of trauma, heartbreak and knowledge?
As such, children are found in a vulnerable, yet beautiful, state of optimism and naivety.
Can these rose-tinted glasses be reclaimed after the dark realities of older life rendered their vision to a dimmer hue?
Our innocent minds and hearts are a far cry from the painful tragedies that will arrive in time, or the mundane tasks and adult responsibilities that come with greater wisdom.
Where do these childlike selves reemerge in our adult selves and how can we keep them around?
The words “discipline” and “routine” have yet to even be introduced into our world. And so sets the stage for a naturally draining, jading experience of aging.
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photographed by Jake Ruffer hair & makeup by Chrishay Miles styled by Alyssa Jones & Sophia Fujimaki modeled by Will McKay, Kennedy Cosgrove & Carolyne Croy
To some, it is unfathomable that our much smaller selves could extend a simple smile or a toy to another child on the playground and, within minutes, befriend a fellow pirate or superhero. We paid no mind to the truth that this young boy or girl,
zooming along the playground, was essentially a stranger.
the Uber trip charge without a second thought.
Maybe, as cynical adults, worn down by past relationships and falling outs, opening up to a stranger becomes a much more uncommon, undesirable concept.
That little boy from the playground, who you once could befriend in less than two minutes, becomes the weekend spin class frequent who you learn to gradually warm up to after a few brush-ins.
Perhaps, the process of opening up to others is much more emotionally draining when we are all too familiar with the emotional risk we take when investing in a person to whom we grow close. We wager, despite the proven likelihood that such connection might break, either in a sudden severance or an equally painful fade-out. Those playgrounds and parks that once shapeshifted in imagination from a pirate ship to a castle and beyond may eventually become a clichéd gathering place for first kisses and underage drinking. In other words, some of the places even most characteristic of our youth can become the location where the only remaining shred of our innocence is lost.
The juvenile magic of elementary school pajama day stands no match against the cherished, peaceful, adult moment spent enjoying your crisp cup of morning coffee. This ability to appreciate life through the eyes of a child may no longer be innate in us as adults - living innocently once again might require some rewiring of our perspectives. But if you were to take a second to close your eyes and remember how it once felt to owe nothing to the world but your own untapped potential, you might find that recognizing these subtle beauties in every day is a small price to pay to reclaim your astray, younger self from within.
Countless literature, cinema and music have attempted to encapsulate this loss of innocence we all arrive at eventually. The archetypal coming-of-age film corners this very concept. The nostalgic warmth of the American classic, coming-of-age film aims to instill a familiar longing for reckless juvenescence in its viewers, yet it also begs the question: how do we live out the rest of our days not knowing if the sense of being innocently carefree will ever come back around? Perhaps the answer requires us to go back to the basics. Maybe in order to revive the childlike self deep within each of us, we ought to take a step back to cherish the simple pleasures in life. Maybe the world around us can glitter again in the same golden haze of potential as it did when we were children – just with a slight shift in perspective. Simple people, places and things once captured our innocent, curious gaze. So, maybe it’s about observing the beauty in the everyday aspects of life, as adults, no matter how mundane. The smile from your childhood bus driver is replaced by that of the unknown, friendly passerby on your morning commute. The classmate who lent a pencil is now the friend that covers
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SUSTAINABLE SKINCARE IS HERE. NATURAL INGREDIENTS
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LAST WORDS From the Executive Staff
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OLIVIA OWENS
GRACE CALLAHAN
ANNIE DAVID
Publisher
Editor-in-Chief
Creative Director
After starting on the Marketing Team which led to my role as the Director of Marketing, I am honored and humbled to serve as this year's Publisher. I am confident that joining UP has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in college. I am grateful to be alongside Grace and Annie as we work with such talented individuals who all share the same passion. Reclaim coming to life has been one of the most rewarding experiences and it wouldn’t have been possible without our staff members' unbelievable talent and dedication to UP this semester. For me, Reclaim shows how we are able to reinvent and repurpose ourselves. I hope that when you read this issue you will remember to take something back and explore new opportunities in all aspects of life.
Working alongside Annie, Olivia and the rest of the exceptionally talented UP team to develop Reclaim has been an incredible honor. As Editor-in-Chief, I have had the privilege to see Reclaim truly come to full fruition – through its trials and triumphs. I am so proud of the way our team has worked to capture Reclaim within every minute detail of this issue. For me, Reclaim emulates our potential to demand new conventions and to influence bold change. As you read through each page, I hope you discover what Reclaim means to you. Your story, like UP, is in constant evolution – demanding revival from time to time.
Serving as Creative Director has been a dream of mine ever since joining UP my freshman year. Every day I am reminded of how lucky I am to be able to help foster a creative community full of some of the most talented students on campus. When conceptualizing this issue, Grace, Olivia and I all recognized that these past two years have taught us many things. In particular, we have learned that time is precious. To me, Reclaim means that our individual paths of life are boundless. As you hold this issue, I hope it reminds you that you are capable of recovering lost time and redefining yourself, whether that be through your style, body, passions, or emotions. It is never too late.
photographed by Amanda Schweder
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