"Long Live McQueen" (2/23/10)

Not even the threat of record-breaking blizzard conditions could stop the forces of fashion. In the days leading up to the first show at New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park, editors, casting directors, and designers were scrambling to make sure that models and racks of clothes made it to Manhattan before the snow did. Despite inclement weather, the clothes arrived, the models hit the catwalk running, and the show was set to go—that is, until the passing of one designer cast a different kind of cloud over the whole affair.

Superstar British designer Alexander McQueen—a force of nature in his own right—committed suicide on February 10, the eve of his mother’s funeral and the day before the start of New York Fashion Week. McQueen’s death gives us cause to reflect on both his incredible creative legacy and the ugly effects of depression and stress that the fashion industry tries to airbrush away.

A high school dropout, McQueen trained as a tailor on London’s famous Savile Row before entering Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where he began to hone his style as a master of the macabre. His fall 2007 ready-to-wear collection was inspired by the Salem Witch Trials. When the clothes were presented in Paris, McQueen staged a show with a red and black pentagram traced in sand accompanying a film featuring swarms of locusts and faces decaying to skulls. Another collection was based on Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” and yet another was shown in the dungeon that held Marie Antoinette before her execution. McQueen’s bold fascination with morbid themes and dark psychology earned him the nickname enfant terrible, along with the admiration of fashion editors worldwide.

Though most of his eccentric concoctions were entirely unwearable, it didn’t stop his designs from becoming iconic. McQueen’s precarious ten-inch stilettos, bedazzled and shaped like lobster claws, were donned by outrageous chanteuse Lady Gaga in her music video for “Bad Romance.” The massive booties, which debuted last October in McQueen’s spring 2010 show, look like hooves, and no one but Gaga could stomp around in them without twisting an ankle. Another pair of shoes from the show was reminiscent of the eerie, organic designs of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. Like Gaudí’s apartment balconies that resemble gaping jaws, McQueen’s shoes look like they’re about to gnaw on the models’ toes. McQueen’s ability to fuse the fearsome, fantastical, and fabulous was always fashion-forward.

In addition to these over-the-top couture items, some of McQueen’s designs did have mass-market appeal. His skull print chiffon scarves—a morbid take on florals—managed to be dainty and dark, girly and ghoulish. Coveted by celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Ritchie, Mary Kate Olsen, and Kate Moss, the rocker-chic scarves retail for $200–$395. Low-cost alternatives abound, however: I plucked my $5 version out of an overflowing bin in New York’s Chinatown.

Like many of today’s highly visible figures in fashion, McQueen was an avid Twitter user. He used the site to air some personal demons, and his updates in the days leading up to his suicide revealed that his mother’s death was deeply troubling for him. Sadly, McQueen’s downward spiral is the second to shock the fashion world in recent months. Daul Kim, a 20-year-old South Korean model and fashion-world darling, killed herself in November. Like McQueen, Kim also used high-traffic Internet sites as spots to vent her frustration and despair. In the weeks prior to her death, Kim had posted ominous updates on her blog, where she wrote that she felt “mad depressed” and “like a ghost.” In recent years, other models have died as a result of their psychological struggles, including two from the complications of anorexia: 22-year-old Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos in 2006, and 21-year-old Brazilian beauty Ana Carolina Reston earlier this month.

It’s no surprise that fashion is not all frivolous fun, but these recent deaths suggest that the fashion industry has a problem that must be addressed. With any luck, these terrible losses will spark some serious discussion about how to help models and designers suffering from depression or similar afflictions. When McQueen died, the world lost a brilliant, exciting, irreverent designer whose shows were theatrical spectacles and whose masterfully crafted ensembles were like pieces of performance art. He will be missed for his impeccable technical gifts, daring creativity, and unparalleled ability to turn the disturbing or stigmatized into high-drama, show-stopping, jaw-dropping work. In the words of one writer quoted by ABC News, “Long live McQueen!”

(photo of McQueen AW 2009 from Zimbio)

"Hunting for Vintage with AvantGaudy" (2/2/10)

Thrifting isn’t an activity for those afraid to get their hands dirty. Though there’s a definite thrill in searching for buried treasures hidden in boxes overflowing with vintage clothes, accessories, and photographs, thrift stores are often dusty, musty, crowded, and disorganized. If you hardly have time in the morning to throw together an ensemble of stained cords and a wrinkled button-down, you might not have what it takes to sift through piles of sometimes-smelly stuff. When you do stumble across a can’t-live-without-it item, you have to make sure that it’s not irreparably stained or ripped. Then, once you get it home, you have to carefully wash out layers of caked dust and a few decades worth of funk. Although I love the eco-friendliness of thrifting—better to buy old clothes than to support the energy-guzzling mass production of new ones—and like to imagine the clothes’ history, I don’t enjoy the hands-on aspect of thrifting.

“Looking at a thrift store is overwhelming and time-intensive,” says Deborah Umunnabuike, a fourth-year in the College and co-founder of the Internet vintage fashion emporium Avant Gaudy. Her useful Web site, which she started with her sister Jessica in the summer of 2005, stocks high-quality, fashion-forward vintage items, solving all of my thrifting conundrums. On buying trips throughout Chicago and the rest of the Midwest, AG staffers wade through rack after rack of vintage goods and handpick chic pieces in runway-ready condition. The clothes are awesomely outlandish pieces, which Umunnabuike describes as “avant-garde sensibility for the new guard,” and are targeted to hip teens and twenty-somethings with a strong sense of personal style.

As Avant Gaudy’s success suggests, vintage clothes are anything but outmoded. Avant Gaudy staff scours blogs, pores over fashion magazines, and scouts merchandise at various clothing stores in order to forecast emerging trends. “We look at publications like Women’s Wear Daily to look at what colors and styles will be popular for the coming season,” says Umunnabuike. “References in fashion designers’ collections help us figure out what will be important next season, which in turn tells us what we need to be looking for,” she added. Last summer, the company hosted an internship program where merchandise buyers searched for vintage items that reflected the ’80s glam aesthetic reintroduced by contemporary designers like Marc Jacobs and Christophe Decarnin. To capitalize on the ’80s homage taking the contemporary runways by storm, Avant Gaudy stocked short dresses, sequined pieces, and sky-high shoulder pads, all of which they were able to sell successfully this fall.

However, there’s a fine line between looking chic and looking crazy, so in addition to their online store, Avant Gaudy also features a blog that shows customers how to prevent their ensembles from appearing costume-y. “Most people aspire to look great, but aren’t fashionistas. The blog is a mouthpiece for advertising, but also shows people how they can wear current trends in an accessible way, like by taming down crazy dresses with tailored blazers or sweaters,” says Umunnabuike.

Umunnabuike, a political science major, believes that there’s an overlap between her academic work and entrepreneurial endeavors. The ability to prioritize, think critically, and effectively manage her time, which have become crucial as she works on her B.A. paper about black youth and music, are also important in the business world. “At the U of C, you’re taught to analyze a situation, figure out what’s important, and ask questions. That’s the kind of thinking you need to run a business,” says Umunnabuike. The resources and networking opportunities at CAPS and the Booth School of Business, where she had temporary office space last summer and had the opportunity to seek mentors, helped Umunnabuike get her footing in the fashion world. Whether working on a midterm or selecting items from Avant Gaudy’s 500-piece inventory to feature on the company’s web site, the skills she has honed at U of C have served Umunnabuike well.

As graduation rapidly approaches, Umunnabuike has stepped down from her position as CEO. Though she’s still involved with operations in a consulting capacity, the company is now helmed by Marife Nellas, a recent college grad from Creighton in Nebraska. Umunnabuike has her sights set on future entrepreneurial opportunities, but wants to take some time after graduation to hone new skills. “I caught the entrepreneurial bug and want to be running my own business long-term, but want to spend some time in [the] corporate world to gain credibility and experience,” she says. Whether she’s running her own business or revitalizing pre-existing brands, this stylish girl is poised to take the fashion world by storm.

(photo from Avantgaudy.com)

"Blogs" (1/26/10)

With advertisers still running for the hills and publishers continuing to fold, it seems that textbook-sized fashion magazines are a thing of the past. Although you can no longer lug around a backbreaking Vogue, new media makes it easier than ever to get your daily dose of fashion. Here are some of my favorite places to log on and get connected to the fashion world.

Go Fug Yourself

This blog is penned by Heather and Jessica, a dynamic duo with a keen eye and sharp wit. Responsible for introducing a new variation of the “F word” to the cultural lexicon, the girls lampoon starlets and celebutantes who go about town looking “fantastically ugly,” or some more explicit variant thereof. The writers, who also contribute to New York Magazine, take devilish delight in pointing out can’t-look-away disasters where celebrity stylists clearly fell asleep at the wheel. The blog is part celebration, part censure of sartorial calamities. My favorite features include the imagined dialogues between celebrities, especially the incoherent mutterings of designer Karl Lagerfeld (“Kaiser Karl”), who reminds readers that “Humor is the crutch of the plain, pet. BE GORGEOUS.” Fugly regular Aubrey O’Day, who skyrocketed to C-list celebrity after appearing on a season of P. Diddy’s Making the Band, also never fails to disappoint with retina-scarring selections that look like a stew of neon colors and couch-cushion patterns, seasoned with a splash of saloon.

The Sartorialist

Scott Schuman is a globetrotting photographer on the style prowl. Schuman, a regular contributor to GQ, snaps great shots of stylish people all over the world, from suntanned surfers on Australian shores, to heavy-lidded hipsters in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and petite Parisian women in diaphanous dresses and sky-high heels. All of the photographs are beautifully composed, saturated with color and sunlight, featuring men and women for whom style is a sixth sense. The best images are ones of elegant, aging Italian men in Milan, who pair perfectly tailored trousers with slightly scuffed shoes and look effortlessly bello. Schuman alternates between profiling fashion insiders, like models, editors, and designers, and sharing snapshots of creatively-coiffed students, accountants, and entrepreneurs. Though most of Schuman’s subjects, especially the female ones, adhere to a very conventional definition of beauty, the images do attest to the fact that one doesn’t have to splurge on the season’s hottest handbag in order to be staggeringly stylish.

Style Rookie

This blog, penned by precocious 13-year-old Tavi Gevinson, makes me feel a little embarrassed about the years I spent watching Keenan and Kel and Clarissa Explains It All. At an age when I was sprawled out on the couch watching Nickeloden, Gevinson has befriended the Rodarte designers and scored a deal to endorse their collection for Target, sat front row at some seriously prestigous fashion shows, and even wrote a piece for Harper’s Bazaar. While her commentary sometimes borders on breathless idolatry, she’s got an encyclopedic knowledge of fashion and an infectious enthusiasm for an industry in which so many people seem jaded and apathetic. Elle editor Anne Slowey dismissed Gevinson as a novelty and wondered whether the “tween savant” actually writes her own freelance work, but I think she should get some rousing high-fives for her initiative and work ethic. She’ll grow into more sophisticated prose, but her blog is smart, interesting, and full of great observations and news about designers, campaigns, and shows. As a bonus, I can try to relive my teen years vicariously through Gevinson, who is far more self-assured, passionate, and eloquent than I was at her age.

When it comes to blogs, I’m a bit of a dilettante. For a while I penned People Without Pants, a chronicle of my daily misadventures on the New York City public transportation system, where flashers and urinators strike without warning. Then, I wrote Shabulous, an ode to everything “Shabby and Fabulous,” where I waxed poetic about salvaging furniture from the garbage heap and cleaning it up with a little sweat and sandpaper. I stopped writing when I realized I had neither the ideas nor the stamina to keep it up. Thankfully, these writers have a seemingly neverending supply of insight, ideas, commentary, and criticism that illuminate the fashion world. So if you’re fed up with Facebook or need to get off of Gmail, browse some fashion blogs and download some style savvy.

(Photo by Tavi Gevinson, thestylerookie.blogspot.com)

"Cupcake Crawl" (08/25/09)

I don’t have the drinking endurance to handle a bar crawl, so when my friends get dolled up for a night of club-hopping, I curl up for a night on the couch. I might not be able to handle my liquor, but I’ve got the sweet tooth of a champion. My taste buds lead me right to the cupcake.

Cupcakes are having a major cultural moment: since super-chic Carrie Bradshaw nibbled on morsels from New York’s swanky Magnolia Bakery on Sex and the City, cupcakes have gone from childhood birthday party fare to a sophisticated culinary trend. Once relegated to grocery stores and cake shops, cupcakes are now staples of any corner bakery, and many bakeries are devoted entirely to the dessert. While my friends slept off their night on the town, I embarked on a cupcake crawl that took me around Chicago in search of the best the city’s got to offer. Here, my two favorites:

My first stop was More (1 E. Delaware Place), a couture cupcake shop in the river north neighborhood. With succulent sweet and savory flavors like lemon meringue and bacon maple, More is a spot for the discerning dessert-eater. The lemon meringue cupcake came with perfectly-formed tufts of fluffy meringue and a lemon-filled center. With its white interior and crisp light installations, this bakery has a chic, boutique feel. The fancy flavors like peach bacon bbq, blueberry acai, and salted caramel classify these cakes as haute cuisine, and the deliciously-sweet cupcakes definitely left me wanting More.

Next, I trekked to Lincoln Park to hit Swirlz (705 W. Belden), where I got a cupcake that totally justified the long CTA trip. Daily options include vanilla, chocolate, and the mouth-wateringly delicious red velvet, made with buttermilk, cocoa, and cream cheese frosting. Swirlz has options for various dietary needs, including those with vegan or gluten-free diets. Every day, there are different gluten-free and vegan options, including vegan chocolate-peanut butter and gluten-free banana cream cheese. In addition to cupcakes to accommodate these diets, the bakery also has fare for patrons’ four-legged friends. If your canine has a carb craving, give him a Pupcake, a bite-sized cupcake made just for Fido.

Embrace the cupcake trend and take a bite out of some of the tastiest deserts in town.

(This piece originally appeared on the Avant Gaudy blog, www.avantgaudy.wordpress.com)

"So P.O.S.H." (08/19/09)

I passionately believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it doesn’t count unless it’s warm, filling, and piled high. That’s why I’m enamored with these cheeky mugs emblazoned with the phrase, “Pancakes Make People Happy” ($8). They make me reminisce about lazy Sunday-morning brunches at my favorite greasy-spoon diner, where I’d dive mouth-first into a buttery short-stack. These days, I’m always eating on the run, but I’m happy to gulp down a big drink of nostalgia.

Whether looking for charming diner-staples like these mugs or for slightly classier-fare, thrifty shoppers should flock to P.O.S.H., a well-edited vintage home-goods boutique for nesters who don’t want to skimp on style.

The affordable housewares and eclectic goods are culled from restaurant warehouses and flea markets in the U.S. and Europe. The store stocks plates, bowls, mugs, tea services, and glassware in a variety of patterns, attracting buyers looking for anything from classy to kitsch. Some delicate floral patterns seem straight out of a bucolic English bed-and-breakfast, while other understated pieces in monochromatic palettes would be at home in a chic Parisian bistro. Other pieces are full of whimsy, such as a cheerful creamer decorated with an accordion-playing gnome.

With many adorable items under $10 and $20, P.O.S.H. is ideal for shoppers who want to give their kitchen a cosmopolitan flair on a college student’s budget.

P.O.S.H.
613 N. State St.
Chicago, IL
312.280.1602

(This piece originally appeared on the Avant Gaudy blog: www.avantgaudy.wordpress.com)

"Style Prowl" (11/10/09)

Although many University of Chicago students spend more time with vectors than with Vogue, brainiacs can dress smart, too. This week, I profiled some students who earn an “A” in style. They were even helpful enough to provide tips on how you can also make the grade on a student budget.

Amulya Mandava, fourth-year

The outfit: Boots from Chinese Laundry, H&M cardigan, earrings and silk scarf from India

Budget-friendly tip: “To make your shoes last longer, get them re-soled. Try Mr. T.’s Shoe Repair on 53rd, between Greenwood and Ellis. Also, don’t fall into the trap of buying something just because it’s on sale. You should never buy something that doesn’t really fit you, no matter how cheap it is.”

Whether curling up for an all-night library session or getting decked out for a night on the town, Amulya always manages to look comfortable, chic, and confident. She attributes her fashion fluency to dressing for her body type, without regard for other people’s expectations. “I wear a lot of layers and high-waisted skirts and pants because they flatter my figure,” she said. She often swaddles herself in cozy shawls and oversized cardigans, meaning she sometimes feels as though she dresses like someone twice her age. “I dress like a lot of older or middle-aged women. Women at that age are good at expressing a powerful femininity while dressing for themselves, instead of trying to project a specific kind of image,” she added. For Amulya, getting dressed in the morning is more than finding clean clothes or putting together an outfit that matches—it’s about dressing for who you are and who you want to be. She finds that dressing well helps her feel invigorated and prepared to conquer any challenges. “Fashion gives me a sense of stepping out of the house with faith in my day, and with the confidence to face anything,” she said.

Patrick Gallagher, first-year

The outfit: Cardigan and shoes from Urban Outfitters, pipe jeans from Levi’s

Budget-friendly tip: “When you’re going shopping, have a plan. Don’t just go browse aimlessly—you’ll end up spending a lot more money than you mean to.”

Patrick’s dressed-down take on men’s suiting is casually chic. “I like layers, which are the basis of men’s dress clothes,” he said. Here, he plays with suit-inspired pieces like the cardigan, cut to resemble a men’s blazer, and suede shoes that reference timeless wing-tips. He keeps the look youthful and fashion-forward by pairing the pieces with low-key Levis and choosing a cardigan with interesting detailing, like wooden buttons.

Liz Baker-Steimer, second-year

The outfit: Boots from Steve Madden, blazer from Unique, vintage Banana Republic skirt, silk scarf from France

Budget-friendly tip: “Check out Unique, a chain of vintage stores with shops on the North Side. Everything is half-off on Mondays!”

Though she looks right at home in well-tailored woolen pieces like this skirt and blazer, Liz says that her personal style is still under construction. “My look is always evolving as I get more exposure to different styles,” she said. Since she’s an avid traveler, Liz is constantly finding new fashion inspirations. “I’ve done a lot of shopping in France, so my outfits often have a European flair,” she said. Liz’s ensemble is a great example of how an accessory—in this case, a silk scarf—can add a little je ne sais quoi to an outfit.

(Photos by Eric Guo for the Chicago Maroon)

"Homemade Halloween" (10/30/09)

As students, we know that the U of C can be a scary place—we’re haunted by exams, spooked by papers, and terrified of lab reports. School can be chilling every day, and by the time midterms roll around, many of us probably feel that we’ve had our fair share of horror. If you’ve spent more hours hunched over an econ problem set than hunting for a costume, it might be tempting to forgo the freaky festivities this weekend. Still, you shouldn’t let your lack of a costume stop you from having some fun this Halloween. Here are some last-minute costume tips for both the DIY-types and savvy shoppers.

Third-year Emily Graber merged craft and kitsch into one cute costume. Influenced by the adorable animal hats she saw at trendy children’s boutiques in Wicker Park, Graber designed a homemade owl costume. She made textured wings by affixing two different colors of paper towels to a cut-up paper grocery bag. Cut into triangles, the strips of paper flutter like actual feathers, and their slightly matted appearance resembles molting. Graber paired the wings with an adorable hat she crocheted herself, complete with ears, eyes, and a beak to create a critter that is terrifyingly cute.

Graber offered tips for crafting easy, creative homemade costumes. The key is to be ambitious, but within reason. “Think about what resources you already have,” she suggested. Graber designed her costume around the crocheted hat she had been working on and completed the look with brown and tan clothes already hanging in her closet. While creativity is great, sometimes great ideas can be too elaborate to actually make by hand. “Google ideas for handmade costumes, just to see what’s in the realm of possibility,” Graber recommended. If you’re not into gore, think of ideas that are more cuddly than chilling. Graber suggested looking at Halloween costumes made for little kids—like pumpkins, dinosaurs, and other animals—and trying to think of ways they could be adapted for a bigger body.

Sonia Hinson, Maroon news contributor and third-year in the College, is also a fan of homemade Halloween costumes, but discovered that she didn’t have time to make one this year. Instead, she hit the Internet to find a quick, easy, budget-friendly option. Her “Dark Fairy” costume, which she scored for $17.99 on Kmart.com, puts a macabre twist on the conventional, frilly fairy outfit. Hinson paired the dress, wings, wand, and glittery shoulder pads with Converse sneakers and ripped tights for a fashion-forward look that capitalizes on current high-fashion trends, like '80s glam rock.

Hinson also offered some helpful hints for finding a pre-made costume right before the witching hour. “If you already know what kind of costume you’re looking for, use Google Shopping to search for it,” she suggested. The Google Shopping feature lets shoppers sort by price and store, making it easy to track down something very specific. If you don’t want to splurge on overnight shipping, hit one-stop-costume shops like Ragstock (812 West Belmont Avenue). This vintage emporium sells lots of individual costume pieces, from poofy prom dresses to authentic hippie gear, as well as fully packaged costumes, like sexy policewoman outfits, all at very reasonable prices. Shoppers can easily leave with a head-to-toe ensemble that won’t break the bank.

You might still be shaking from midterms, but there’s still time to throw together a costume and go have some Halloween fun. Whether you plan to curl up with a bag of candy and watch Hocus Pocus or get scared to tears at Navy Fear, it’s not too late to make or buy a cute, creative costume. Have a safe and stylish Halloween!

(Illustration by Tom Tian for the Chicago Maroon)

"Fashion Films" (10/27/09)

As the weather turns dark and damp and leaving my apartment becomes increasingly less appealing, my new guilty pleasure is curling up next to my sputtering radiator with a DVD and a steaming mug of chai tea. I may look more sleepy than chic bundled up in baggy sweats and swaddled in a dingy blanket, but my stylish Netflix queue more than makes up for my slouchy ensemble. Here are my picks for the best feel-good fashion flicks, which let me cheaply indulge my couture curiosity without leaving the comfort of my futon.

Valentino: The Last Emperor

Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary follows the effervescent Italian iconoclast Valentino Garavani as the designer prepares for his final fashion show and huge fete in honor of his 45 years of cutting-edge couture. The impeccably-coiffed, super-tan couturier helmed his own line for more than four decades and dressed some of the world’s most fashionable women, including Jackie O and Elizabeth Taylor. The film ranges from farcical to fanciful, vacillating between portrayals of Valentino as a cranky, crotchety monarch toting five misbehaving pug pups, and as a shy, self-effacing artist. Though the designer seems dictatorial when he chastises his assistants and seamstresses, his self-conscious vulnerability is painfully evident, especially during the moment when he obsessively agonizes over a strand of sequins adorning a show-stopping white evening gown.

The documentary sheds light on the business aspect of the fashion industry by focusing on the designer’s relationship with one-time lover and long-time business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, who was responsible for negotiating the licensing agreements that turned Valentino into a household name.

While viewers won’t really get a sense of the scope and scale of Valentino’s influence on the fashion world, they will be privy to his luxe life, invited into his lavish mansions, and yacht, where he lounges with pals like Gwyenth Paltrow and Elton John. Viewers also get to see the preparations for one of the designer’s final couture shows, a presentation of slinky, sensual evening gowns set amidst painted sand dunes and a romantic setting sun.

My favorite part was the opulent, three-day extravaganza celebrating the decadent emperor’s 45 year rule over the fashion industry. The celebration featured a stunning retrospective at the Ara Pacis museum, a star-studded ball at the Villa Borghese, and a circus-like spectacular at the Temple of Venus, which featured high-wire dancers and a grand fireworks show. Unbeknownst to the guests, the party was one of the last times the emperor would sit on his throne: He retired in 2008.

Seamless

This 2005 documentary by fashion photographer Douglas Keeve follows three finalists in the Vogue-sponsored CFDA Fashion Fund Competition, a contest to mentor and support the next generation of designers.

Doo Ri Chung, Alexandre Plokhov, and the team of Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, the boys behind the Proenza Schouler line, are the smart-but-struggling designers looking for their big break. The film emphasizes the designers’ talent, financial troubles, and passion as they show samples of their work and make presentations for an intimidating panel of fashion magnates. This documentary shows that the fashion industry is not all glitz and glamour—even the best and brightest of the designers are struggling to make ends meet, setting up makeshift workshops in their parents’ storage spaces. With these glimpses into the real lives of designers, this touching film emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent both financially and creatively.

The September Issue

R.J. Culter’s documentary permits devoted fashionistas to enter the hallowed halls of the Conde Nast building and watch the creative process behind the September 2007 issue of Vogue. At more than 600 pages, this monster issue was the heftiest fashion magazine to ever hit newsstands.

Vogue’s icy editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, does not come off as megalomaniacal and sneaky as Meryl Streep portrayed her in the thinly-veiled tell-all, The Devil Wears Prada (which was based on the novel penned by one of Wintour’s former assistants). Instead, Wintour, whose tiny frame is comically swallowed by her huge furs and baubles, seems lonely and insecure, as if always afraid that someone will dethrone her and destroy the empire that she has spent tireless years building. Though she’s clearly a competent, decisive, and snarky boss, she sometimes seems to grimace under her big, dark sunglasses, as if running the world’s most famous fashion magazine is a heavier burden than she can bear.

Watch for scene-stealers such as the gentle, Louis-Vuitton-clad giant Andre Leon Talley, the magazine’s flamboyant editor-at-large, and thick-skinned Grace Coddington: the magazine's long-time creative director, in addition to a brilliant, whimsical stylist, and what seems to be the only staff member to stand up to Wintour’s dictums. Talley is hilarious in his monogrammed tennis attire, and Coddington’s enduring passion for her beautiful work is extremely touching.

These three films emphasize the human aspect of an industry known for its ruthlessness. Next time you’re in the mood for a fashion fix without blowing your budget or leaving the comfort of your apartment, cuddle up with a stylish documentary. All of these films offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the inner workings of the fashion world and illuminate the pathos behind the pictures.

(Photo credit: Amulya Mandava)

"The Ugly Side of Fashion" (10/20/09)

Since coming to the helm of French Vogue eight years ago, editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld hasn’t been afraid to push fashion lovers’ buttons. She’s given the go-ahead on outrageous, provocative pictorials such as an April 2009 spread which featured a glamorously disheveled Lily Donaldson chain smoking while wearing a faux-pregnancy belly and flinging around a baby doll. The magazine has consistently made couture controversial, and the October 2009 issue took that reputation even further.

Steven Klein’s shots of Dutch supermodel Lara Stone painted in blackface ruffled more than a few fashionable feathers. Stone is pictured in turban-style headdresses and imperial-inspired coats as well, which raised eyebrows and outrage among readers who believed these wardrobe decisions have colonialist connotations.

The spread was featured in an issue devoted to “supermodels,” which was devoid of any actual models of color. One has to wonder: Was the shoot just a product of a misguided artistic vision, or something even uglier?

Was it a symptom of the fantasy-driven world of fashion that is blissfully, excruciatingly indifferent to “real world” problems? Even in the midst of a nation-wide recession, many magazines continue to hawk shoes and bags that cost more than my monthly rent. Fashion is always seeking edgier territory and isn’t really known for its sensitivity to class issues. So was this shoot just another instance of editors feverishly trying to keep their magazine interesting, disregarding the sentiments of their readers in the process? Perhaps, however implausibly, the team responsible for the photos was unaware of their racially charged implications. It’s just as possible, though, that the motivation behind the photos is much more troubling.

Maybe the shoot was a perverse way for the editors to use models “of color” without legitimizing non-white forms of beauty. In a recent interview on CNN, former model and current fashion blogger Jenna Sauers spoke eloquently about the pervasive racism in the modeling industry. She talked about attending castings where signs blatantly declared “no black girls today,” and talked about hearing casting directors criticize girls who looked too “ethnic.” Maybe the shoot exemplifies the fashion industry’s discomfort with actual non-white bodies.

If they wanted to play with the idea of painting skin without weighty racial issues, the editors could have experimented with texture. Another photo from the issue features Stone painted to look like marble. The photo plays on artistic conceptions of feminine beauty and the Pygmalion myth of the sculptor whose beloved ivory creation comes to life. This photo was edgy and evoked relevant societal issues without entering offensive racial territory.

The spread is one of a number of recent fashion faux pas. This past September, Harper’s Bazaar referenced the trope of the wild, animalistic black woman when they dressed Naomi Campbell in heavy furs and photographed her jumping rope with monkeys. The colonial safari-themed spread, shot by photographer Jean-Paul Goude, resurrected stereotypical, primitive constructions of black femininity.

The same issue of Harper’s Bazaar also featured a 14-page Harlem Renaissance-inspired pictorial of models Chanel Iman and Arlenis Sosa. The shoot, photographed by Peter Lindbergh, was aesthetically beautiful: The soft, ethereal quality of the images contrasted beautifully with the highly textured tweeds and wools. Yet, while the pictures were lovely, the combined message of the two spreads was pretty ugly—instead of focusing on the contemporary experiences of African-American women, the magazine mined stereotypes and played-out historical tropes. But in an era where there’s a dearth of black models, the question is, are stereotypical portrayals really preferable to no portrayals at all?

All of these mishaps are evidence that, despite the age of Obama, we truly don’t live in a post-racial society. Fashion editors and photographers need to realize that their images, however aesthetically pleasing, don’t exist in a vacuum devoid of cultural and historical meanings. Racism should not be the hot accessory for this fall.

(Photo credits: French Vouge, Harper's Bazaar)

"Penn's Photographic Legacy" (10/13/09)

A lot goes into a fashion spread. Designers dream up clothes, which are then sewn by a team of nimble seamstresses. Art directors concoct fantastical concepts, like the Alice in Wonderland themed editorial created for Vogue in December 2003. Stylists then craft enviable ensembles from a massive closet full of covetable clothes. Glamorously gangly models perfect the hunch-and-pout, splaying their lanky limbs at sharp angles, while teams of hair and make-up gurus are on hand to perform touch-ups and transform the model from ordinary to otherworldly. All this chaos rages behind the scenes, but it all boils down to one thing: the final image. Ultimately, it’s what the photographer frames and shoots that makes it into the magazine, and timeless fashion photographs are more than the sum of their parts.

The work of photographer Irving Penn is a case in point. Penn, who died on October 7 at age 92, left behind a legacy of stunning photographs that blur the line between still-life, portraiture, and documentary photography, all while emphasizing the elegant construction of well-made clothes.

Penn studied painting at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art before arriving at Vogue in 1943, where he worked under art director Alexander Liberman. When Penn grew disenchanted by the images photographers submitted, Liberman suggested that he take his own. Despite his distaste for the fashion industry, Penn did just that, and with the aplomb that solidified his position as one of the preeminent fashion photographers of the 20th century.

Penn’s first Vogue cover, shot for the October 1943 issue, featured a sumptuous leather satchel and gloves surrounded by textiles and a large print of lemons and oranges on a wood table introducing readers to the his unique use of still-life in fashion photography. Because it lacked the superfluous, decorative adornments so frequently seen in fashion magazines, Penn’s austere cover seemed meticulous and even shockingly clinical. This famous first photograph also reveals Penn’s early education as a painter, playing with depth and scale in a way that references Cubist collage.

When he returned to the magazine after two years of volunteering for the war effort with the American Field Service, Penn turned his attention to portraiture. The photographer snapped images of nearly all of the celebrities of the day, from music greats like Louis Armstrong to literati such as Truman Capote. Penn photographed his subjects in what was affectionately referred to as “Penn’s Corner,” a set of two gray, converging walls; a scene that was bare, save for a textured carpet, wooden chair, or footstool. This monochromatic background, however, allowed the sitters’ faces to take center stage.

Penn seamlessly applied the same strategy to his fashion photography. In 1950, Penn documented the fall couture collections in Paris with a pared-down approach that emphasized the clothes’ craftsmanship and detailing. Penn shot the outfits against a matte gray curtain in his studio, and the juxtaposition of this flat fabric with the heavy, woven textiles and rich fabrics of the garments resulted in a precise, nearly architectural presentation.

Though they appear carefullycrafted, many of Penn’s most famous images are testaments to the power of serendipity. His lovely 1949 photo of model Jean Patchett sitting at a table, dazedly sucking on her necklace and kicking off her shoes, was a candid moment captured on film. For Penn, patience was paramount: After a week with Patchett on location in Peru, the photographer had still not snapped a single photograph—this iconic image was the first photograph of the trip. Penn said it best in the Vogue Book of Fashion Photography: “I was a young man with no knowledge of style, but I knew when an image had guts.” His oeuvre is reassurance that one just needs conviction, not elaborate circumstances, to create great art with serious gusto.

(Photo credit: Irving Penn, 1949)

"Posh Parisians" (10/06/09)

I spent most of the summer sequestered in the library stumbling through Sontag and by the time September rolled around, I was eager to soak up some sun and some style. I took a whirlwind tour through Europe, where I gorged my stomach on crêpes, pizza, and tapas and feasted my eyes on gorgeous coats, cropped pants, and tote bags. Though I loved sifting through luxurious goods at chic boutiques, I found the best fashion inspiration in a somewhat unexpected place: Not on the well-edited racks of high-end stores or on the bodies of lovely, lanky locals, but in the adorable ensembles of Parisian school children.

I stayed in a little hotel at the corner of Rue Cler and Avenue La Motte Picquet, which was right down the street from an elementary school. I loved watching the kids parade into their building each morning when I popped into a nearby patisserie to pick up a baguette. Despite the language barrier, the kids’ tailored, textured style didn’t get lost in translation. Their school yard staples translate perfectly to a Chicagoan’s fall wardrobe.

Paris is teeming with well-dressed youngsters; there’s even a monthly edition of French Vogue dedicated to the enfants. Their school clothes dramatically upstage the sloppy hoodie and sweats I wore to grade school. Instead, they head to class in cropped patterned trenches, leather bomber jackets, tweed suspenders, pocketed felt vests, and cable-knit cardigans with leather elbow patches.

I channeled school-kid style when I picked up a pair of monogrammed maroon-and-plaid knee socks in the Marais district at the Tabio store, the first Parisian branch of the Japanese specialty hosiery store known for highly-saturated tights, leggings, and socks. The socks will look preppy and polished sticking out above a pair of brown boots, and easy and gamine when paired with flats. I also picked up a cheeky, puppy-patterned silk handkerchief from Arnys, a high-end menswear atelier. I plan to tie it to a purse for a fun, fresh look.

You, too, can emulate the school-yard look without crossing the pond. Head to the Gap for Parisian-inspired shrunken blazers ($98) and cropped capes ($68). Their black and gray rugby peacoat ($128) also references the clean lines and muted color palate of school uniforms. Anthropologie is the place to stock up on 3/4-sleeve blazers that look like little boys’ coats. I’d splurge on the double-breasted Pietra blazer ($118) or the cute, cuffed Ponte Bleu ($98). Forever 21 has some beautiful, budget-conscious options, like the adorable Lady Capelet jacket ($34), a short-sleeved, gray pleated jacket accented with a bow.

Take a hint from French school children and earn an “A” in style when you update your fall wardrobe with Parisian-inspired fashions and a little je ne sais quoi.

(Photo credit: Vogue Enfants, 2009)

"Randolph Street Market" (9/22/09)

Once a month during the Chicago summer, the Randolph Street Market District becomes the site of an open-air market that recalls the overflowing bazaars of Paris’s Rue Cler district or London’s funky Portobello Road. Shoppers looking to score bargains on everything from vintage dresses to refurbished dressers flock to the Chicago Antique Market, where they scour for steals. Described by the staff as an “urban treasure hunt,” this market is the place to mine for vintage gems on a student’s budget.

Now in its fifth year, the Chicago Antique Market is anything but old-fashioned. In place of stodgy collectors, the market’s 175+ vendors attract a hip crowd that browses for chic, tailored trench coats and kitschy kitchen utensils. Fashionistas flock to the adjoining Indie Designer Market, which takes place in the Plumbers’ Hall building. There, up-and-coming and established independent designers sell their wares, including intricate belt buckles from Heroine Chic and the versatile 10-Way Wrap from Cuff Love, a chic shawl to help transition from balmy summer to the blistering Chicago winter.

Though some items are out of a student’s price range (like an elegant wrought-iron table and chairs reminiscent of a Parisian cafe) or over-the-top kitschy (such as giant amusement park signs), many of the sellers’ goods are as affordable as they are beautiful. I excavated some serious treasure during my trips to the Market this summer. On my first trip, I strolled from stall to stall and purchased bags of beautiful vintage buttons and handfuls of old photographs.

On my next visit, I picked up a delicate butterfly preserved under a piece of convex glass, and got an amazing deal on some pretty china dessert plates (4 for $2!).

Every month, Market visitors can also treat their taste buds to sweet or savory morsels at the accompanying outdoor Fancy Foods Market, where local restaurants and bakeries come to sell bite-sized snacks. Grab a lemonade and a cookie to fuel up for a day of intense browsing and bargaining. You’ll need some energy to spot great pieces and haggle on prices.

The last market weekend of the season will be September 26-27. Stop by to browse anytime between 10-5 on Saturday or 10-4 on Sunday. To get there, take the Green Line to the Ashland stop, or pick up a free, round-trip trolley from Water Tower Place. Trolleys leave Water Tower Place on the hour between 11-3, and depart from the Market on the half-hour. General admission is $10, and students get in for $5 with valid I.D.

Hopefully, searching for vintage treasure will become a Chicago tradition akin to music festivals and outdoor movies in Grant Park. This weekend, sail over to the Chicago Antique Market to hunt for some antique finds of your own.

"Beach Bodies" (05/22/09)

Summer is not a good season to be a tabloid junkie. While I love gobbling up all the gossip about Brangelina’s ever-expanding brood, I could do without the dozens of glossy pages depicting the best and worst “beach bodies.” Everybody and every body gets panned, from the too slender (Whitney Port) to the too rotund (Angelica Huston, who is still svelte at almost-sixty).

This week, Star harassed everyone who bared it on the beach, from waif-like reality star Whitney Port to super-muscular tennis star Serena Williams. When even the most toned bodies are being criticized for the smallest patch of cellulite, it’s tempting to keep my much-more-ample figure fully clothed. But the size and shape of your body matters a lot less than the size and shape of your suit. If you pick a suit that suits your body, there’s no reason not to feel comfortable on the beach this summer.

Even if you’re years out of high school, go nostalgic and order a suit from Delia’s, the teen emporium. The catalog-and-web site company offers a wide variety of suits for diverse body types. Mix-and-match suits allow you to go skimpy on the bottom and supportive on top. Tall girls can pick out pretty suits made to fit long torsos. Best of all, most styles come in sizes XS–XL. After a traumatic top-losing incident a few summers ago, I am a proponent of one-piece styles. This year, I’m hoping to get the Black-and-White Boy Short One-Piece, which is a halter-top suit with a built-in shelf bra and modest leg line ($44). The classic silhouette reminds me of iconic twentieth-century glamazons like Marilyn Monroe. It’s playful and sexy and provides enough coverage to make me feel comfortable.

Victoria’s Secret also sells sexy swimwear, and despite its reputation for catering only to bodacious beauties, anybody can be beach-ready in one of their numerous cuts of swimsuits. In addition to barely-there bikinis, the company makes tankinis, one-pieces, and monokinis (cut-out one-pieces). Busty bathers can get all the coverage they need in tops in D–DD. Modest, slimming one-pieces are stylish with ruching detailing. Bikini sets start at $29, and mix-and-match separates start at $15.

For high-end beachwear, fashionistas head to Everything But Water, a one-stop swim shop that features suits by eminent clothing labels like Betsey Johnson, Kenneth Cole, and Michael Kors. The suits come in figure-flattering cuts like boy-cut and skirted bottoms for those who would rather keep their lower body under wraps. One-piece styles even come in boat-neck versions, which elongate short torsos or hide upper-body stretch marks. While I don’t think anyone should be encouraged to hide their (highly subjective) physical “flaws,” I commend these brands for making suits intended to make women feel most comfortable.

If you’re not excited to bare all on the beach, another alternative is to throw on a cute cover-up. Beachwear doesn’t have to consist of big, bleached T-shirts. J.Crew has an entire line devoted to cute beach cover-ups that can go from shore to store. Light-colored linen pants are lightweight and crisp, and when paired with a black cami, chunky wooden necklace, and simple leather sandals, are effortless and elegant ($48). Forever 21 has cheap and chic maxi dresses in batik prints adorned with beads, which capitalize on the safari trend ($18–$24).

I wish I could bring myself to put the tabloids away until fall, but I won’t—what if Brangelina adopts another baby in the interim? Instead, I’ll try to ignore all of the body-snarking (honestly, I dream of looking as great as Angelica Huston at 57), and remember that a body-conscious swimsuit can make any day a trip to the beach.

Photo credit: Photo of Jordan Dexter and Alex Long by Shahzad Ahsan, The Maroon

"Sizing Up Fashion's Fascination with the Petite" (05/12/09)

It’s no secret that fashion is obsessed with the miniature, such as waif-like models and short shorts with a half-inch inseam. However, on Saturday night, students who gathered in Hutch Courtyard to celebrate the beginning of the Festival of the Arts (FOTA) were greeted by a larger-than-life fashionable figure: “Gigantic Fashion,” a monumental eleven-foot dress designed by fourth-year Michal Lynn Shumate.

Shumate’s gargantuan garment was inspired by her knowledge of fashion’s love of the tiny. An art history major, Shumate just completed a thesis paper about fashion installations in which she discussed the House of Victor and Rolf’s presentation of their most famous designs on porcelain dolls in a gigantic doll house.

Also curious about fashion’s caricature of the large and ostentatious, such as enormous hoop skirts and opulent headdresses, Shumate wondered how dramatic changes in scale would affect the perception and reception of a garment. Clearly, when it comes to fashion, size matters. “Clothes are supposed to be worn. It’s not a painting,” Shumate pointed out. Generally, viewers are able to imagine themselves in the clothes because the items are scaled to the (granted, unrealistic and idealized) proportions of the human body. Shumate was curious about what happens to a viewer’s perception of clothes when the items are so clearly unwearable and fantastical.

Shumate’s enormous dress required Herculean effort to make. The circumference of the dress’s large skirt measures 20.6 yards, and the whole outfit required more than 42 yards of fabric. The project required 50 hours of sewing, almost three times as long as it took Shumate, who has designed for FOTA and MODA fashion shows before, to create human-sized ensembles. While constructing the dress was extremely time-intensive, Shumate faced other difficulties as well. “Working on the project was difficult because every time I wanted to work on it, I had to find a space large enough to accommodate all of the fabric,” she said. “If I wanted to spread out the fabric, I had to have a room-sized space.”

Working on the dress presented the problem of how to maintain a high level of craftsmanship while working on such a large scale. “Quite a bit of math was involved,” Shumate said. “I had to make X and Y-axes to figure out where to put things, and had to plot points along the edge of the pattern.”

Once the dress was finished, Shumate faced the trying task of figuring out how to display her mega-sized project. Fourth-year Katherine Greenleaf, who works as a scenic designer for University Theater, designed and constructed a structure to hold up and stabilize the garment. The dress is displayed on an adapted human frame constructed out of a lumber box, plastic bags, and a rough armature of a bust and torso to create the allusion of an hourglass shape. The faux-hoop skirt is made from rubber tubing.

Perhaps the most nerve-wracking aspect of the production was its final phase—installation in Hutch Courtyard. Because of the space limitations imposed by the garment’s size, Shumate had never seen her creation in its standing position until the end of the seven-hour installation process. “It was too tall to erect in the studio where I was working,” she said. “I knew that the measurements should be right, but I wasn’t positive everything would come together.”

Despite the stressful situation, Shumate kept calm, which was a welcome change for a designer accustomed to anxiety before a show. “The experience was much different from doing a fashion show, because my nerves eased up as the project went on,” she said. “With a fashion show, I’m too nauseous and nervous to eat the day of, and it takes a full day to recover. Once I started installing [the dress] and realized that it could be done, I relaxed.”

Shumate says that one of the biggest challenges she faces as a designer is combating the accusation that fashion is either “frivolous, or stuffy and boring.” With her intelligent, immense project, Shumate proves that big style and big smarts create big, beautiful results.

Photo credit: Tom Tian, The Maroon

"Trash and Treasure" (05/05/09)

Last summer, scavenging for curbside treasures became part of my morning routine. The loft I sublet in New York’s Union Square neighborhood happened to be right next to a theater company. Every morning as I strolled down the street to get my breakfast bagel, I would stop to check out their dumpster. The theater was doing a huge renovation and was tossing out some gorgeous seats and parts of old sets. My roommate and I salvaged some of the choice pieces, which were slightly flawed but far too appealing to be left in the trash heap. Our finds were “shabulous”—the perfect combination of shabby and fabulous.

Unfortunately, shipping some of the items back to Chicago was out of the question, and I had to leave them behind. However, upon coming back, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is plenty of awesome abandoned furniture to be saved right here in Hyde Park. May and June are major months for yard sales, which means great deals for students shopping on a budget. Here are some tips for rescuing furniture from the refuse pile.

Sleep in and Score:

Hawkeyed early birds will rise at the crack of dawn to bag the best items, but these early finds will be out of a student’s price range anyway. Go later in the day when the pickings are slimmer and the prices lower. As the sale winds down, sellers who don’t want to drag the unsold merchandise back inside will often lower the price to get it off their hands. If you arrive right at the end of the sale, some items may be discarded and up for grabs. Last spring, my roommate and I picked up a massive leather couch, an antique secretary desk, a computer table, and a chest of drawers, all of which we got for free at the end of yard sales. These unsold items may be a little rough around the edges, but with a little T.L.C., you can get them back in shape.

Pile on the Paint:

Take a trashed table from shabby to chic with a fresh coat of paint. When refurbishing a table or desk, it’s easier to go for a darker rather than lighter color because you can useW less paint. A coat of matte or glossy black paint can lend contemporary sophistication to a simple silhouette, such as a bold square end table. If you are reluctant to paint the entire piece of furniture, think about sprucing up the surface with some stencils. Affordable stencil patterns are available at any craft store, such as Blick on State Street.

You could also create a personalized keepsake by using decoupage to affix photographs, postcards, or drawings to the furniture’s surface. My distressed old desk got a facelift when I covered the surface with beautiful postcards my friends and family had sent me from their trips around the world. Decoupage is a more permanent technique than painting: You can’t paint over it, and it’s difficult to get the items off. However, it’s the quickest, easiest, and least messy way to take your furniture from battered to beautiful.

Add Drama with Drawer Pulls:

Don’t leave an item behind because it’s missing drawer handles or knobs. Instead, take the opportunity to bring an outmoded piece up-to-date with stylish decorative knobs. When I worked at Anthropologie, I swooned over the delicate porcelain knobs with dainty floral patterns. Even if the item you rescue from the garbage heap has its knobs intact, think about switching them out in order to make the piece fit with the rest of your furniture.

Things to Avoid:

In order to score a great piece of furniture, you’ve got to do a little detective work. Be wary of suspicious smells—no matter how heavily you Febreze a piece of furniture, if it reeks when you buy it, it will stink up your apartment. Similarly, if you’re scoring a piece of furniture you found lying out on the street, examine it for water stains; it may have gotten wet and become moldy.

As the adage says, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. With these tips, you’ll be prepared to take your loot from dilapidated to dreamy. Happy hunting!

"Fashion and the Less-Fair Sex" (04/28/09)

There’s a question that’s been bothering me ever since President Obama was criticized by some conservative circles for sitting at his desk in the Oval Office without a suit jacket: What are the standards for men’s fashion? For me, the question becomes even more mind-boggling when it comes to dressing for spring and summer temperatures. Sure, men can go shirtless and wear jean shorts and flip-flops. But should they?

Fashion-forward women know that new trends spring up each season. Wearing last year’s tough gladiator sandals with this year’s demure Liberty print floral dresses is a faux pas. While I know how to forecast seasonal trends for women, I’m totally clueless when it comes to guessing how men should dress for the warmer weather. I turned to stylish third-year Sam Chereskin to help lay down some ground rules for looking cool as the weather warms up.

I’m an advocate of eschewing seasonal trends in favor of creating a personal style. The guys seem to be with me on this one. Chereskin points out that while the style of women’s clothing changes every season with fleeting trends, men’s style is consistently based around a set of timeless styles and cuts. “Usually, seasonal iterations by designers only reflect variations on a theme,” Chereskin says. He favors brands like Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein, who both produce tailored, tried-and-true staples that can be mixed and matched to create a look that marries casual comfort with elegance.

Summer is synonymous with sandals, but flip-flops can’t go from beach to boardroom. While they’re totally acceptable when you’re lounging outside, sandals look totally out of place when you’re leading a presentation. If you’re wearing a dress shirt and pants, you’re too dressed up to be wearing flip-flops. If you work in a creative environment where employees dress down in jeans and T-shirts, you might be able to pull off simple Havaianas in basic black. Otherwise, go conservative in leather loafers and super-low socks.

Even if you know where to wear sandals, you still face the considerable problem of figuring out how to wear them. There is no scenario in which the combination of socks and sandals is anything other than a misstep. As Chris Rovy, fashion correspondent for the style-savvy website AskMen.com, points out, the point of wearing sandals is to air our your feet after a long, sweaty, stinky winter of being shoved into thick socks.

On a scorching summer day, it’s tempting to want to show some skin. When it comes to shorts, how short is too short? Don’t flash any thigh. “Almost all men’s shorts options, I think, exist in a two-inch margin of error around the knee. I tend to wear shorts at it or above it,” Chereskin says. Calf-length shorts look sophomoric and skater-boy, rather than sophisticated. Chereskin also suggests that if you’re going to show some leg, you should make sure you’re choosing a classy fabric. Linen or khaki shorts are great options, but “denim shorts are a no on all occasions,” Chereskin says.

To tuck or not to tuck? How do you wear summer shirts without looking sloppy? “Don’t tuck in your t-shirt without an overshirt,” Chereskin says. Tucking in a polo shirt is advisable only at a country club. If you’re not on the golf course, stick to styles that don’t require tucking. Stores like the Gap and Old Navy sell affordable, body-conscious crew neck and v-neck shirts that look polished without looking too preppy. For a sleeker look, you can tuck in a button-down, but “you need a good-looking belt to make it work,” Chereskin says.

While I still don’t fully understand the reasoning that the President needs to be wearing a suit and tie in order to convey respect for the weight of his job, I am starting to get a grip on the politics of men’s fashion. Ultimately, it seems that looking great is a matter of self-confidence and intuition. “I feel that being well put together, or well dressed, is as simple as making sure that you are wearing your clothes and that they are not wearing you,” Chereskin says. That attitude is always en vogue.

"Shape Shifters" (04/14/09)

When a nude Beth Ditto graced the cover of the February debut issue of Love, the new U.K. based Conde Nast publication, I hoped that Vogue editor Anna Wintour would take the hint.

Ditto, the obese lead singer of The Gossip, beat out skeletal supermodels Agyness Deyn, Raquel Zimmermann, and Kate Moss, as well as fellow singers Iggy Pop and Courtney Love, to land the coveted spot on the cover of the premiere, icon-themed issue. Despite the generally dismal state of publication sales, the issue sold well, a fact that I hoped boded well for Wintour as spring—and Vogue’s infamous “Shape” issue—approached. Maybe seeing the big success of a sister publication could tip the scales for Wintour and her infamous obsession with slenderness.

Unfortunately, this year’s edition of Vogue’s annual “Shape” issue was another plus-sized flop. The magazine, which hit news stands in April, fails to register as anything other than a pejorative, perfunctory nod to political correctness.

The cover, featuring beautiful Beyonce, was splashed with incongruous claims, at once declaring that “Real Women Have Curves” and offering readers a chance to “Work It!” for “Longer Legs, Leaner Lines, and a Sexier Silhouette.” Other cover lines advertised “Fashion for Every Figure, from Size 0 to Size 20,” as well as a feature on plastic surgery and “Designing the Perfect Body.” The offensive implication is that bodies only exist in sizes 0–20. Stores like Banana Republic have petite sections, which carry to the most diminutive figures, like size 00. Torrid, Hot Topic’s plus-size sister store, carries angsty apparel up to size 28, and Lane Bryant sells dainty dresses in sizes 14–32. Even its half-hearted attempts to be inclusive reveal that Vogue doesn’t really believe in fashion for everybody, but only some bodies.

As soon as the cover was leaked by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton on March 13, the feminist blogosphere was up in arms. Commenters on Jezebel, a feminist pop culture blog, railed against the magazine’s description of “real” women. One commenter suggested that “to imply that curves make a ‘real woman’ does injustice to women who aren’t so curvy, and can be just as damaging to women’s self-esteem as the super-skinny standard.” By setting up a category of “real women,” with its own eligibility standards and size limitations, Vogue adds insult to injury for those women who already feel inadequate in comparison to the models who usually grace the pages of the glossy magazine. If a woman is neither a model nor a “real” woman, based on the limiting Vogue standard, what is she? Vogue seems to think that she is either entirely unfathomable, or not worth acknowledging.

Things didn’t fare much better inside the issue. The magazine profiled women with specific body types: thin, curvy, short, tall, and athletic. I was nauseated by writer Sarah Mower’s affectionate quip that sisters Charlotte Gainsburg and Lou Doillon “treat being thin like a birthright.” The gamine girls, daughters of skinny-style icon Jane Birkin, are thrilled to be thin. The pair, who are actresses, occasional models, and, in Charlotte’s case, an accomplished singer-songwriter, are quoted as saying that they’re psyched to be slender because “it’s great for dressing.” The two young mothers both agree that they “hated” their post-pregnancy bodies and couldn’t wait to lose the weight. Even in an issue dedicated to bodies of all shapes and sizes, the writer suggests that clothes look best on super-slender frames.

Pixie-sized pals Olivia Thirlby and Zoe Kravitz are featured as girls who manage to be both small and stylish. Thirlby, an actress best known for her roles in Juno and The Wackness, and Kravitz, a pseudo-actress-cum-musician best known for her social schmoozing and her rocker dad, Lenny, are both approximately five-foot-three. The magazine claims that this height “imposes fashion limits.” Five-three is only really remarkably short in comparison to supermodels’ Amazonian stature. Portraying the beautiful, slender girls as facing severe sartorial challenges just goes to show the extent to which Vogue’s standards are relative and un-relatable.

L’Wren Scott and Doutzen Kroes were used to illustrate tall and athletic bodies, respectively. The thing is, for both women, these attributes weren’t fashion challenges, but the pre-requisites to successful modeling careers.

Cute crooner Adele was the representative of the “curvy” girls. The article spent most of the time chronicling her much-lauded musical career, but the accompanying picture was disturbing. Her picture was also the only one in which the shape of her body is obscured: she’s lying at an angle that flattens her body into the bed, and wearing clothes that camouflage her figure. Skinny Doilan’s lithe legs are prominent in her picture, and Scott dramatically drapes her long body across a chaise lounge. The fact that Adele was positioned in a way that didn’t show off her lovely figure only goes to show the degree to which Vogue’s “Shape” issue really takes issue with many kinds of shapes.

Ditto’s cover wasn’t enough to get Wintour to see the big picture. It’s going to take more to convince her that everybody and every body can be beautiful.

"Traveling Light" (04/07/09)

Much of my spring break was spent taking notes in airport terminals and snoozing in train stations. I took a working vacation to the East Coast, where I waded through archives and visited friends along the way. My research turned up some great information for my B.A., and my experience traveling solo on a student’s budget forced me to learn how to travel efficiently without sacrificing my style and, more importantly, my sanity.

Size Matters

As I struggled to drag my stuffed suitcase up the perilously steep steps of the hostel I stayed at in D.C., I was partially relieved that my baggage was only carry-on sized. If your bag is big enough to check, it’s far too big to haul all over the city. If you’re traveling on a student’s budget, chances are you’ll be taking buses and trains rather than cabs, so you’ll continually have to wrestle with your unwieldy belongings. Another advantage to the carry-on is the peace of mind that comes from always knowing that your bags will arrive with you, which is particularly important were you to make a mad dash for your connecting gate after your incoming flight is late. It was (almost) easy to sprint through LaGuardia to make my next flight with my rolling suitcase bouncing behind me.

Size also matters when it comes to beauty products. I learned this lesson the hard way last year when my favorite fancy lotion was tossed at the security check in O’Hare. If you’re heading out of town for a week or less, the travel-sized products at drugstores will carry you through. To save even more room in your cosmetics bag, opt for products that do double-duty. I swear by Vaseline lotion with aloe and cucumber ($1 per fluid ounce), which nourishes and moisturizes my skin and has a light, fresh scent that I use in lieu of my liquid perfume, which I leave safely in my bathroom at home. Smith’s Rosebud Salve ($6) is a multi-purpose lipbalm with a cult following and is an indispensable beauty aid for travelers. While I use it on my lips for a non-sticky shine, some of my friends use it to soothe cracked hands and cuticles and even as moisturizer for aching or blistered feet. This is one item I would never leave home without

Easy Access

Because I am fanatical about carrying all my notebooks and papers around with me, my carry-on tote bag was jam-packed throughout the break. Much to the chagrin of the businessman behind me in the security line, I had to unpack my entire bag in order to remove my laptop from its case. He started groaning and complaining under his breath when he noticed that I was struggling to undo the zipper on my boots. Well-traveled passengers like him breezed through security with streamlined, well-organized briefcases and easy-off loafers while I was waddling to the nearest bench with my boots half-off, trying to stuff my belongings back into my bag. Next time I travel, I’ll ditch my boots in favor of cute leather ballet flats from Aldo, which I can slip off for the security check. I’ll stash my laptop in a bright Vera Bradley case with handles so I can tote it to the checkpoint without having to frantically rummage through my bags.

Layer Up

Traveling in layers makes room in your suitcase and also helps you combat chilly airplane cabins. I’m fearful of flying and like to be asleep before the plane takes off so I don’t crush the hand of the unsuspecting passenger next to me. I can sleep easy when I’m swaddled in a chic scarf that serves alternately as a throw and a safety blanket. Fashionistas can choose the luxe cashmere blend variety at department stores, but I like the $5 pashminas I scored in New York’s Chinatown last summer. They’re pretty and patterned, so after I’ve gotten some shut-eye, I can drape them over a cardigan for a relaxed spring look.

Traveling is stressful—you have to endure long lines, frustrating delays, and public transportation systems seemingly designed by someone with a sinister sense of humor. While getting tired and lost is probably inevitable, with a little organization and light packing, you can at least arrive in one stylish piece.

"Spring Fashion Forecast" (03/10/09)

Chicago weather is notoriously unpredictable. It might be sunny one day, and snowing the next. Spring’s fashion forecast is just as polarized: while some looks are fresh, others are better left buried under a foot of snow.

Though it’s not yet time to happily shove winter wear to the back of the closet, spring has almost sprung. Chicago weather is notoriously unpredictable. It might be sunny one day, and snowing the next. This season’s fashion forecast is just as polarized: while some looks are fresh, others are better left buried under a foot of snow. After scouting spring clothes in stores and on the runways, here are my picks for the most trendy and most terrible looks of the season.

Trendy: Cloudy-day Chic

April showers bring May flowers, but that doesn’t mean you want to get caught in the storm. Brighten up a rainy day with some sunny, waterproof accessories. Brooklyn-based design duo Toni Hacker and Benjamin Harnett, the pair behind the Hayden-Harnett line, have teamed up with Target to create a line of affordable handbags and accessories. While I love almost everything by the cult-favorite brand, the delicate parasol from their Target collection is a standout success. The delicate umbrella is shaped almost like a raindrop, and features bright red, yellow, and blue graphics of textured leaves ($22, www.target.com).

You’ll be singing in the rain when you stomp down the street in Hunter’s Royal Horticultural Society rain boots. The British company, known for their wet-weather wares, partnered with the Horticultural Society to make a line of boots emblazoned with botanical drawings. I love the cheery, feminine knee-high boots featuring images of peaches. These shoes almost make me look forward to puddle-filled days ($68, www.zappos.com).

Terrible: Jumpsuits

One-piece looks were all over the spring fashion shows, and while the slinky satin jumpsuits were sleek at Derek Lam, Dries von Noten, and Diane von Furstenburg, these looks don’t look so sophisticated when translated from the runway to the real world. The outlandish disco-queen outfits are both impractical (going to the bathroom has never been such a hassle!) and unflattering when taken from the showroom to the street. On humid days, these clingy looks will look wrinkled and wilted. Best to chalk this style up to artistic imagination and shop elsewhere.

Trendy: Frontier Fashion

Luella and Marc Jacobs were thinking home on the range for spring, outfitting their models in stripes, faded floral prints, and plaid linen sundresses. If you don’t want to dress like a Laura Ingalls Wilder character, steer clear of quilted skirts and fringed suede vests, and opt for more subtle prairie-inspired accessories. Instead of wearing this trend from head to toe, use individual pieces to accent wardrobe staples like jeans and a tee. Gap and Forever 21 carry lightweight checked scarves ($9-$30) that will help you look pretty, instead of like a pioneer.

Terrible: Skeletal Styles

Rodarte and Alexander McQueen brought skeletons out of the closet for spring when they featured skeleton-inspired prints and silhouettes on the runway. McQueen’s silk-blend jacket features a print reminiscent of the spinal cord and vertebrae. McQueen’s leather toe-detail pumps are totally creepy: the beige pumps would be classic and charming, if they didn’t feature five toe-shaped indentations right where the toes lie in the shoe. The result isn’t fashionable, but freaky. At Rodarte, a barely-there bodice featured strips of silk draped in the pattern of a rib cage, including extra-thick strips serving as the sternum and clavicle. Given the fashion industry’s historical fetish for the skeletally-thin, it seems totally tasteless to capitalize on styles that celebrate this anatomy.

The fashion forecast for spring is only partly cloudy. While some of spring’s biggest looks are bleak, others are bright. Stock up on fresh rain gear and flirty frontier florals, and skip fashion flops like jumpsuits and skeleton-inspired styles. Chicago will be overcast and gray for a few more months, so choose clothes that will put some sunshine into spring.

"Cent-Savy Showcase Proves Moda's Mind on the Money" (03/03/09)

The recent Fall 2009 collections presented at New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week raised questions about how lavishness can coexist with layoffs. Some people suggested that with the economy in crisis, celebrating outlandish luxury was in poor taste. Though some designers, like James Mischka of design duo Badgley Mischka, continued to prioritize extravagant designs over more economical ensembles, others decided to scale back. Some houses opted to stage static tableaus instead of costlier runway shows, and notorious party boys Marc Jacobs and Zac Posen canceled their fabulous fetes.

Here at the U of C, fashion fiends are struggling with a similar question: How can you celebrate luxury when so many people are struggling to make ends meet? MODA’s fifth annual spring fashion show provides some answers. You can be cheaply chic by using unconventional fabrics, small budgets, and vintage inspirations. The designers whose work will be featured in “Recessionista: A Lesson in Fashion Efficiency” this Friday use their collections to showcase keen social consciousness and an awareness of fashion’s place in today’s world.

The show will feature work by members of MODA’s Designer Boot Camp (DBC), a year-long designing program that helps students take their ideas from sketches to collections. Other student designers and DBC alumni will also present their work, as will professional Chicago-based designers Alice Barry and Annie Novotny of Frei Designs. Student models will strut their stuff in front of scouts from Elite modeling agency. Attendees will get the VIP treatment with appetizers, drinks, goodie bags stuffed with treats from sponsors like LUSH and Teen Vouge, and performances by dance group Rhythmic Bodies in Motion and emerging hip-hop artist Alex Ludovico.

I asked four student designers, now putting the finishing touches on their collections, for some tips about recession-proofing your wardrobe.

Tip 1: Find Inspiration in Unexpected Places

Former student and current designer Michal Lynn Shumate turns grandma’s trash into trendy treasure. Shumate uses discarded domestic items like dust ruffles and doilies to create distinctively retro silhouettes. She believes that recession-friendly clothing should still look like a million bucks. “I think the fact that the dress is made from recycled materials should be secondary. First, it should be a pretty dress,” says Shumate. Her impeccable craftsmanship transforms items that once lay forgotten in a linen closet into elegant accents. Colorful ruffles adding volume to a gingham dress don’t betray their origins as dust ruffles, and lace accenting the bustline on a white frock looks too delicate to have once been part of a tablecloth. Shumate’s beautifully-tailored floral dresses are actually made from pillow cases she picked up at a vintage shop. The result of Shumate’s domestic re-design: It’s haute in the kitchen when domestic textiles go chic.

Tip 2: Rethink Retro

DBC designer Jetty-Jane Connor revamps retro styles, embellishing ’50s-style frocks with funky zippers and other accents that add an androgynous edge to feminine silhouettes. Marc Jacobs shares this aesthetic, but you can get the same look on a dime by adding edgy elements like broaches, zippers, or trim to thrift-store finds. Adding contemporary accents to vintage looks will prevent you from looking stuck in the wrong decade; you’ll look trendy, not out of touch.

Student designer Julian Owens also works with a vintage aesthetic. Owens is fascinated by the costumes worn by early R&B groups like the Supremes. His collection outfits three female “singers” and a male “manager” in glittery getups ready to take center stage. Owens’s bejeweled designs reference the economizing practice of dressing groups in “uniforms.” “It was more cost-effective for bands to dress alike than for everyone to wear a separate outfit,” says Owens. If you’re a performer aching for the spotlight, take a cue from Owens and opt for decorating your own duds instead of splurging on costly costumes.

Tip 3: Opt for Affordable Artistry

DBC designer Jillian Marshall’s collection is more couture than casual—these are not pieces you’d want to wear to class—but her clothes are evidence that beauty doesn’t have to break the bank. Marshall’s pieces are inspired by some of her artistic icons, including composer Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and painter Vassily Kandinsky. Marshall also found inspiration in the elegant arabesques found on traditional East Asian dresses such as kimonos. “These clothes were created on an extremely tight budget, which in light of the ‘recessionista’ theme, shows that being artistic doesn’t have to be expensive,” Marshall says. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind outfit, remember that couture doesn’t have to be costly.

In light of the current fiscal crisis, it’s refreshing to see student designers embracing the notion that fashion and frivolity don’t go hand in hand. Shumate, Connor, Owens, Marshall, and their fellow designers show that fashion doesn’t have to recede along with the economy. Despite Posen and Jacobs’s canceled festivities, when it comes to creative, affordable fashion, the party is far from over.