The Renascence Issue by Vassar Contrast

CONTRAST

VOL 14 Issue 2

Spring Summer 2021 The Renascence Issue Spring/Summer 2021 The Renascence Issue Spring/Summer 2021 The Renascence Issue Spring/Summer 2021 The Renascence Issue Spring Summer 2021 The Renascence Issue Spring/Summer 2021

STaff Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Madonna Layout Editors Cameron Asharian SK Kapur Brandon Lam Treasurer Darling garcia Fashion Directors Anna Grayson Annika Heegaard Sienna Ropert Beauty Directors Sarah Kopp Dasha Lochoshvili Danielle Quick Holmes Photo Director Parker Fairfield Film director Andie berkowitz Editorial Directors Malka Fleischman Anastasia Koutavas Gina Pepitone Media Directors Claire Arndt Justin Davila Isabelle Paquette Writers Acadia Case, Maya Page, Abigail Povill, Lauren Showalter

models Satchel Bell, Tasha Hescock, Formosa Huang, Gawain Semlear; Paola Castaneda, Abigail Davis, Sadie Hackworth, Amber Huang, Dasha Lochoshvili, Pia Tate; Luna Aros, Claire BaslerChang, Mia DiCostanzo, Darling Garcia, Anna Grayson, Caleb Mitchell, Leon Moore, Clare Platt, Austin Tabouchirani

photographers Lena Dyal, Hannah Hu, Grace Rousell, Lauren Showalter, Emmeline Vickers Batzdorf

Letter from the Editor

I Remember Yesterday

The 70s Revisited

16 The Revival of

Analog Technology

18 History Repeats

Itself

30 Why Do We Turn

to 2014 Grunge for Comfort?

32 Spy Kids

42 Casual Insta

Letter From the Editor

look at the ways pre-established trends have been revived in recent years. We consider how fashion trends of the 90s, 70s, 20s and even the 1800s have been reincorporated into our fashion today. We contemplate the recent surge in analog technology during a pandemic in which technology has consumed most of our days. We comment on pandemic-induced increases in surveillance.

It has been such a treat to serve as Contrast’s Editor-in-Chief for this unconventional year. From the moment I started in this position in June, it was important for me that Contrast was able to find a balance between interacting with what’s happening in our society - from recent trends in fashion or pressing social issues - and providing an escape from the world’s stressors. Neither this issue nor the previous one does so perfectly: this will only be done with continued work and the addition of new voices To our readers and perspectives on our Board. I look The disruption of society is a portal, forward to seeing how this publication and from that portal there’s a cultural interacts with the world to come. rebirth, a revival, a renascence. Yours, Our theme for this issue, Renascence, was a logical succession to last issue’s theme of Disruption. In our previous issue, we explored ideas in fashion and culture that challenged Stephanie Madonna pre-established trends. In this issue, we

re·nas·cence

/rə’nasns,rē’nasns/ noun. the revival of something that has been dormant.

I REMEMBER Y E ST E R DAY

Reviving the 1970s in a Pandemic By Acadia Case

During winter break, I found myself spending ridiculous amounts of time online shopping (as one is wont to do during this pandemic). My screen time revealed hours spent scrolling through apps like Depop, ThredUp, Amazon, and Etsy. Upon reflection, I noticed a pattern in my searches: bell bottoms, crocheted dresses, tinted sunglasses, wallpaper prints, platform shoes, and, of course, roller skates. Before my return to Vassar, I purchased a pair of oversized blue light glasses with pink square frames. The frames aren’t exactly what I would call chic—in fact, many of the previous buyers disclosed that they had purchased these frames for Golden Girls costumes. I personally bought them because they reminded me of my childhood hero: Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince from the 1975 adaptation of Wonder Woman. There’s no denying it: trends from the 70s are back. The SS21 runways encouraged us to revive

shag haircuts and grandma-chic accessories such as scarves and funky beads. Many are trading their mom jeans for flares and their windbreakers for leather blazers, finding comfort in sequins and setting their hair in plastic rollers. But why are the 70s back? By and large, the 70s aren’t really what has been predicted in terms of the 20-year trend cycle, and the fashion world is still 90s-crazy. Still, many seem to be enthralled by the 70s, whether they prefer the earth goddess aesthetic of Stevie Nicks or the shimmering uniform of those who partied at Studio 54 (Dua Lipa seems to be a fan of the latter, dubbing her own 2020 online concert “Studio 2054”). I have an inkling that our recent 70s craze is not only because it is one of the most fabulous decades of fashion to date, but also because the circumstances that defined the 70s eerily mirror our own. Much of 70s culture is derived from the period of disillusionment that occurred after the

60s, a decade DIY flair derived brimming with optimism from the dyed textiles and and copious activist movements crocheted accents; while Celine’s that hoped to bring forth lasting runway edged much more towards the change. But at the turn of the decade, disco scene, accessorizing their looks with no end to the Vietnam War in with bold jewelry, faux furs and pieces sight and a new president—a result of a that shimmered under the catwalk lights. political movement later dubbed “The Still, you don’t have to love high Conservative Backlash”—who would fashion to see or buy these 70s trends. later resign after the infamous Watergate Trend forecasters have already told us scandal, morale became quite low in the that this summer, we’re going to see early years. some slinky halter tops and splashy It all sounds a bit too familiar, doesn’t psychedelic prints, which you can it? already spot at small businesses and To find solace, many people turned to online shops. Furthermore, we’ve seen pop culture, which was easy enough to the retro fabulous orange or yellow do with the incredible music production sunglasses take the influencer world by that happened in the 70s. Similarly, storm. And, of course, the return of the others found relief in leisure and sporting, earthy clog is at hand, bringing with it all leading to a rise in activities like yoga and types of platform shoes, from go-go boots tennis. Even more found their calling in to Mary Janes. crafting, honing their sewing skills or Whether your style is more Donna decorating their homes with macrame. Summer or Donna Sheridan, Diana Ross Finally, despite the circumstances, or Diana Prince, or even if you’re not many continued to fight for what they really into 70s fashion at all, the beauty believed in, particularly those involved of this revival is that there are so many in the Civil Rights and Anti-War ways to partake. If you’re an avid thrifter, Movements, Women’s Liberation, and keep your eyes peeled for vintage bell environmentalism. It almost bottoms or tiny minidresses. If seems like those who felt you love music, you can add “It almost seems trapped and hopeless in the some disco or 1970s rock 70s set the stage for what into your rotation. If you like those who felt many would use to cope love to dance, I highly in our modern pandemic. trapped and hopeless in recommend following @ The 70s are both familiar melissabecraft on TikTok the 70s set the stage for and alien to our current for some funky ABBA times, making it the perfect choreography. And if you what many would use decade to find comfort have a need for speed, and inspiration in. to cope in our modern consider investing in a The fashion world has pair of roller skates for an pandemic” certainly tuned in to this instant dose of nostalgia. shift, and we’ve seen many Crafting? Try your hand at high-end designers and houses crochet or macrame. answer the call for a 70s revival. Christian Whatever hobby you love, Dior’s SS21 collection quenched the whatever clothes you wear—the 70s thirst for airy silhouettes and mixed are here for you, and I doubt they textures, with a certain plan to go away soon.

The 1970s Revisited Photographed by Parker Fairfield, Grace Rousell, and Emmeline Vickers Batzdorf

From Louis Vuitton’s Spring Ready-to-Wear collection to Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, we’ve seen the resurgence of 70s style and culture throughout the past year. Although there are many different approaches to 70s fashion, some of our favorites include fur coats, funky prints, corduroy and earth tones.

The Revival of Analog Technology By Lauren Showalter

During a year of living life virtually, analog technology has become an escape from our Zoom days. According to Google Trends, searches for ‘polaroid’, ‘record player’, ‘disposable camera’, ‘cassette tape’, and ‘vinyl record’ have been spiking during the Christmas shopping season every year since 2012. More and more people, myself included, have Polaroid cameras and share their film photos online after snapping pictures around campus. While apps like Hujicam and VSCO are often used to give polaroid effects such as light leaks and film grain, I find that little compares to using the original technology that inspired these desired aesthetics. I spent a good amount of my time over quarantine learning more about analog technology. Researching different film cameras, antiquing, ordering film, and ultimately waiting weeks for my photos to develop, helped me have something to look forward to while inside for months on end. There is a certain thrill in trying to encapsulate the perfect shots within a 24 picture limit; no cloud storage, no deleting and retaking the photos countless times, not even being able to put a filter on pictures until they are stored on my laptop. My experience with older technology does not stop at film cameras. My parents also own a vintage jukebox, and we are constantly searching for old hits to add to it. I spent many nights over winter break just listening to all the old songs from a large box of vinyl records, looking out for interesting tunes. It was a grounding feeling to think that the songs I was listening to, recorded before my time, exist in the lives of others. For them, the vinyls I was holding could be their favorite, or something they couldn’t wait to get rid of. It could have been someone’s wedding song, or just something they tossed in to sing along with their friends. Apps like Hujicam and VSCO are often used to give polaroid effects such as light leaks and film grain, as well as people taking pictures of themselves in their webcams or taking pictures of the screens of old digital cameras to obtain a vintage vibe. While it may get them many likes, personally the thought of putting so much effort to obtain the trendy look of being

candid and casual is somewhat paradoxical, while just taking the photos on film or on an actually old digital camera takes out a lot of the work. It saves me from buying the next $1,000 phone that claims to take some miniscule level of higher quality images, only to use it to take pictures of myself in my zoom video settings. Because everything is online, I increasingly feel the need for something tangible. Personally this year has made me feel extremely isolated from the rest of the world, and having things like Polaroid photos, printed out film scans, and vinyl records has helped me enjoy being more present in a physical space. Having evidence of some of my favorite memories in photos and good songs physically in my hands keeps me from worrying about when my next zoom call will be—instead, I pay more attention to my present surroundings. Becoming engrossed in a record shop, or taking film to be processed, forces people to go out and have social interactions instead of sitting in their room to listen to music on their phones or be posing by themselves with a self timer. Analog technology helps people find connection in ways digital technology hasn’t quite been able to capture. With everything reduced to our phones and computers and the magical storage powers of the cloud or google drive, it makes sense we would want to use technology that feels more tangible. There is a need to hold a real physical camera and pictures or to place a record in a record player. The return to analog technology is about escape and pleasure, it is fun but sometimes it is also necessary to give us a break from the saturation of screens, blue light and the intangible world of digital technology.

History

Repeats Itself

Photographed by Parker Fairfield, Hannah Hu, and Emmeline Vickers Batzdorf

Trends in fashion take inspiration from both the recent past and time periods farther away. Productions like Bridgerton and Emma (2020) have reintroduced us to the U.K.’s Regency Era. The start of a new decade has led us to reflect upon the fashion of the Roaring 20s. This photoshoot reconsiders fashion associated with historical time periods, giving a current take on former trends.

In 2021, Why Do We Turn to 2014 Grunge for Comfort?

by Maya Page In 2014, it was a sin to leave the house without your Dr. Martens on. Pair them with a faded band t-shirt, fishnet tights, a mini skirt, and an oversized denim jacket, and you’d be the baddest bitch on the block. Add thick black eyeliner and chipped black nail polish for the perfect finishing touches. En route to your night out, it would only make sense to listen to AM by the Arctic Monkeys or Born to Die by Lana Del Rey, blasted deafeningly through tangled earbuds. In a few years, you’ll remember this night by the grainy, cool-toned flash photos your friends take in the pitch-dark streets. Seven years later, the year 2014 evokes a very specific aesthetic image for Gen Z. We define the era by its Tumblr grunge aesthetic, marked by black clothing, angsty music, and a glamorously dark and gloomy atmosphere. For most of Gen Z, 2014 grunge is the first concrete aesthetic movement we have witnessed while conscious of current cultural and style trends. In 2014, many of us worked tirelessly to tailor our looks to specific trends, using them as a jumping-off point to find our individual styles. As our generation grows into adulthood, we crave the memories of our early teen years, when we had few responsibilities and could channel our angst into dark clothing and aesthetics. Though 2014 was less than a decade ago, our nostalgia has grown to a level reminiscent of our parents’ nostalgia for the ‘80s, for it was truly a simpler time. Without the pressure of increasing responsibilities, we were free to focus on finding ourselves and enjoying our youth. After living through unmatched political unrest, economic crisis, and a pandemic all before graduating college, we long for a time when we could afford to be more concerned about things as trivial as what to wear to school. These trends have begun to reappear across social media—on Tiktok, creators post videos fantasizing about what life was like in 2014. “Imagine being a teen in 2014,” the first of these videos I saw said, cycling through a slideshow of the most desirable grunge aesthetic images curated from Pinterest. Thinking back to my twelve-year-old mind, I remember feeling the same reverence towards this aesthetic. I saw the edgy photos and the dark clothing on Instagram as an unattainable ideal, the peak of aesthetics. Though I was a bit too young to emulate the grunge style, I looked up to the teens who did and hoped my teen years would look as glamorous as theirs did. I can imagine that these days, younger kids feel the same way about current aesthetics, like cottagecore and alt fashion. Those of us who are now in our late teens or early adulthood, however, idealize the trends of the recent past, hence the sudden desire to bring back 2014 aesthetics. We are losing years of our youth due to the pandemic, 30

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so we easily romanticize a time when it wasn’t an issue. The grunge aesthetic feels particularly freeing in this sense, especially with its focus on images taken on a night out with friends. These edgy flash photos taken out on the streets in the darkness evoke a sense of liveliness and freedom we crave in a time when going out with friends on a weekend is a distant memory. Perhaps another reason we’re drawn to reinvent 2014 grunge is its unabashed expression of angst. After years of political unrest on top of the pandemic and all the struggles of entering adulthood, we desperately need a way to release our frustrations. Grunge is about freedom and rebellion, not just wearing black clothing. It allowed teens in 2014 to rebel against their parents’ influence, and particularly for young women, to free themselves from society’s expectations of how they should present themselves. Edgy grunge fashion fought against the ideal that women should dress in delicate feminine clothing to portray themselves as kind and respectable. Today, we continue to fight against the pressure to dress and behave in a certain way in order to be respected, so grunge style is equally desirable as the recent trends in alt fashion that serve the same function. Beyond grunge fashion, the angsty aesthetic is a perfect opportunity for emotional release in these trying times. Channeling anger and fear into music is a perfect emotional outlet, and the dark and dramatic music popularized in 2014 as part of the grunge aesthetic is certainly up to the task. It is particularly powerful because of nostalgia; we associate these songs and albums with feeling angry and alone years ago and allow them to help us process these emotions all over again. We owe it to ourselves to reignite the grunge trends of 2014. As adults, we can become the badass people our middle school selves aspired to be. Nostalgia for the recent past allows us to reconnect to our youth when we feel overwhelmed by the prospect of adulthood looming over us. Revamping the Tumblr grunge aesthetic of 2014 is the perfect creative outlet for processing such a difficult time. Seven years later, putting on a pair of fishnets and Dr. Martens has the same effect; the powerful feeling of being able to take on the world, with a big pair of boots to stomp on anyone who gets in your way. There is possibly no better way to channel your anger at the universe than wearing your angst proudly—putting on an edgy, all-black outfit, blasting Marina and the Diamonds, and of course, taking grainy photos to post on Tumblr. #Arctic Monkeys #Grunge #2014 #Lana #fishnets #nostalgia #tumblr aesthetic

#Marina and the Diamonds

Spy

Kids

Photographed by Parker Fairfield, Lena Dyal, Lauren Showalter, and Emmeline Vickers Batzdorf Throughout the pandemic and beyond there has been a concerted effort to bring us together using technology. We go to class on Zoom, we FaceTime our family on holidays, and we give our followers a curated glimpse into our lives on social media. Although technology has given us a means to connect with people during an isolating pandemic, our increased usage of technology has led to an increase in surveillance: whether it be the professor harmlessly recording your class on Zoom to archive it, the followers who see your every post and story, or the CIA agent looking at you from your webcam - in some way, shape or form we are being spied on.

Casual In By Abigail Povill

A year into a global pandemic, how have we entertained ourselves? Options have been limited, to say the least, especially during the colder months. With so much time spent inside, we find ourselves turning to screens for entertainment. One escape people have found to combat the trauma of life during a pandemic is by returning to an earlier, simpler version of the Internet. Many young people are reliving their former online lives, feeding their nostalgia with relics like the resurgence of the mobile app Subway Surfers, 2014 Tumblr aesthetics, and the usage of once-outdated slang like “swag” and “bestie.” Much of this is executed with a heavy layer of irony, but it’s also a comforting form of escapism for some people; a reminder of when the Internet was a source of fun instead of fear.

Instagram is a favorite distraction for many and has served as a reprieve from the long hours of boredom and isolation. One result of the increased time spent scrolling is the “make Instagram casual again” movement, which seeks to replace the posed, curated perfection of Instagram (and the pressures of posting) with more lighthearted, spontaneous content. Participants in the movement are shifting away from the highly polished and filtered aesthetic that once dominated accounts in favor of a more relaxed approach that focuses on candid shots. Users have many different interpretations of this trend, but, in general, casual posters tend to fill their feeds with blurry selfies, unposed pictures of friends, and playful snapshots of daily life. The goal is to share memorable moments and entertaining sights rather than to create a curated feed or appease followers.

nsta There are many possible reasons for why people want to return to the early days of Instagram. Many studies have shown a correlation between social media usage and increased feelings of anxiety, low self esteem, and inadequacy. The majority of accounts on the app are dedicated to presenting an idealized version of the account owner and their seemingly pverfect life. The continuing pandemic has only emphasized the already large gap between the lives of popular “influencers” on the app and those of ordinary people. It has felt increasingly out of touch for influencers to continue sharing their usual content. After being stuck at home for so long, not many people want to see an endless stream of hyper-curated content from rich influencers who are healthy and wealthy enough to continue to live luxuriously throughout lockdown. A large number of social media stars have also faced backlash for breaking COVID regulations and partying or traveling. This sense of alienation from the pervading culture of Instagram has led users to search for a more authentic alternative. But can a platform based on sharing personal photos to an audience ever achieve any type of true authenticity? The nature of Instagram is inherently performative, and people post pictures with the intention of others seeing them. Similarly to the trend of people posting memes along with their selfies to show that they don’t take themselves too seriously, casual posters often rely on a veil of irony and a coolly detached attitude to prove how little the social media means to them, even as they engage with it. This in itself is an act: these users want to be perceived in a certain way— as a sincere person.

Furthermore, the effortless aesthetic embodied by the more popular casual posters is still unattainable to many people. The “make Instagram casual again” movement is led by thin, conventionally attractive young people, the vast majority of whom are white and have enough disposable income to lead “aesthetic” lives. Their casual posts are celebrated as cool and artsy, while the same pictures from a less privileged person might be seen as simply low quality. It takes a specific type of person to make deliberately unaesthetic images seem attractive, and not everyone has those specific qualities, which could lead casual posting to become another unattainable social media standard. Though it recalls a bygone era when social media was fresh and exciting, the current wave of casual posting is a relatively new trend. At the time of writing, #casualinstagram had 15.7M views on TikTok, #casualposting had 3.2M views, and #makeinstagramcasualagain had 6.73M. The trend is seen by some as the antithesis to the overly manufactured world of social media, but a number of internet celebrities are adapting to fit less staged pics alongside their usual curated content. Emma Chamberlain— whose feed features a mix of editorial shots, glamorous photoshoots, cat pictures, and crying selfies— is a good example of an influencer who has embraced a more playful approach to posting while still maintaining the aesthetic she is known for. She’s also representative of the privileged class of wealthy white people who is able to maintain both a casual account and a tremendous following, because even her casual posts are attractive and aesthetically pleasing. Some young people see casual posting as a rebellion against the toxic dominant stream of perfect posts. Of course, true rebellion would be to forego social media overall, but, for a generation raised on the Internet, this seems like an impossible task for most people. We are so used to being seen at all times that online anonymity is no longer an option. Whether the “make Instagram casual again” trend represents a true shift towards more authentic social media presences or simply another unattainable aesthetic standard, it’s refreshing to get some reprieve from the monotonous feeds that have dominated the platform in recent years, and it is a fond callback to less turbulent times.

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spring 2021