By MASON McCLAY – STAFF WRITER
In light of the developing fashion trends of fall 2014, I sought to gather the views of selected fashionistas of each year here at Centre.
While some offer indispensable advice and interesting suggestions, others have nothing but honest criticism. Folks, take these perspectives with a chic grain of salt—and promise to try to look more than ”presentable” this fall.
Our first-year fashionista Gabriella Cipolla sought to explore the fundamentals of “fashion” and “self-expression.” To her, fashion is an elegantly simple, yet infinitely complex, concept.
“What is fashion? Well, to many, fashion is an effort to be sexually appealing. To others, fashion is a way of associating with one group, or dissociating with all groups,” Cipolla said.
“Maybe fashion is comfort. The point of fashion is to care about your self-representation, even if it looks like you don’t care. This is because you are wearing yourself through fashion. No article of clothing should cover up your soul; each outfit should highlight each part of your true self.
Now, for more practical fashion advice, I have just a few things to add: Monogram your zip up sweatshirts and wear extremely high-waisted shorts or no one will take you seriously.”
Well-regarded fashionistas Audrey Ash and Kirby Black were more concerned with the colors and accessories coming into trend this fall that have been steadily developing as a punk-folk combination.
“Periwinkle should definitely be worn more. It meshes well with the earth tones of fall,” Ash and Black said. “Also, darker shades of red and purple lipstick along with high-arched glasses frames coincide with the more folky trends of the summer while giving your appearance a more solemn appeal.”
Some trends can definitely be embraced, as revealed by Ash and Black; however, there are a few summer fashion trends that are projected to continue through the fall that this synchronized pair couldn’t help but critique.
“Fades should’ve never been a thing,” Ash and Black said. “The style is like a parody from the 80s. But I guess that trends reappear every 30 years or so. Also, only have a beard if you can grow and groom it well.”
Junior Bryan Wright’s fashion philosophy revolves around confidently wearing clothing with lines that complement the body’s shape. The beauty of Wright’s philosophy of fashion lies in his confident integrity.
This fall Wright has committed to embracing certain fashion ideals—such as the historic idea that lines of clothing should support facial features and bodily contours—while also being highly unique with his stylistic choices.
“I want to wear clothing that is logical, but also conveys seriousness,” Wright said. “I also love to make people feel uncomfortable by pushing conformities.”
To junior Jeffrey Podis, fashion is much more than apparel—it’s an integration of clothing and demeanor to articulate one’s personality. What you wear should always mesh with the manner in which you wish to compose yourself.
“Fashion should reflect the way you act,” Podis said “For example, right now I’m wearing khaki pants with a button down and drinking Vanilla Coke, this fall’s premiere soft drink. Khakis are comfortable and yet form-fitting, and show people you’re relaxing while simultaneously having self-respect. I expect everyone to wear khaki pants.”
Podis’s concise choice of fashion falls in the realm of simplicity; this philosophy, was highly apparent, as he couldn’t help but release a wholehearted exposition on the fault in fades.
“Fades are like a downright silly Mohawk,” Podis said. “If I were to interview someone for a job, and they walked in with a fade, there’s no way I could take them seriously. I understand that tacky comes in and out of style, but fades are more than tackiness- they say something about the person. What fades really say about the person is that they are just not committed. Honestly, the only people who should have fades are Californian teenagers and people with male-patterned baldness.”
Whether you are planning to set the trends this fall or go against them, these fashionistas all seem to support clothing that positively accentuates the inherent style of each person.
Whether you want to focus on coordinating colors, structures, or the most comfortable articles into your ensemble, make sure you do that which matches the style you most prefer.