Tag: trends

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Trending or timeless?

Graphic by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

My personal favourite female figures and characters to draw inspiration from.

As someone who doesn’t follow trends, it floors me how quick the shift is from lifestyle aesthetics such as “clean girl” with the ice rollers and five-minute Journals, to “mob wife” characterised by loud prints and oversized sunglasses. 

In this world of ever-changing aesthetics, people are constantly changing their fashion, dispositions, attitudes, and lifestyles to fit into a short-lived trend. By the time the average trend-follower reinvents themselves, the social media world has moved onto the next big idea, which leads to time and money getting wasted. 

It makes more sense to pick a couple key, inspirational people to use as a blueprint to stick to, rather than being a version of a trend you might not have understood in the first place. Trends tend to become a lifestyle, not just a fashion ideal—do not adapt to them when you know deep down that a particular lifestyle or fashion sense isn’t truly you. 

That being said, here are my favourite female icons to draw inspiration from. Whether through fashion, attitude, or mannerism, it has truly been a journey to cultivate my blueprint from these women. 

Starting off strong with the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. With her timeless class, style, and charismatic disposition, her looks have always been chic and elegant—and they are easily achievable. Grab some ballet flats or classic loafers, tailored black pants, a loose white button-down, and if you’re feeling mysterious, a trench coat. 

Forever an “It girl,” Lady Diana Spencer’s style became especially sought after in her 1996 post-divorce era. Between her revenge dress, that cute little red sweater with the sheep she wore to a polo match after her engagement, and iconic gym outfits, she was truly a sight to behold. Both she and Audrey kept it quite simple, with basics and a few statement pieces. 

Moving along with the classy and well-put-together style, Natasha Richardson’s portrayal of Elizabeth James in the 1998 classic The Parent Trap is an inspiration, and not just as a mother-figure. Though the character opted for more muted neutrals, the way she was styled gave her a certain level of sophistication. 

Those few shots of Louise Grant from Gilmore Girls when she isn’t in a Chilton uniform are a goldmine. With the simple graphic tees, go-to Levi’s jeans and miniskirts, the ‘90s style has become perennial—especially looking at Monica and Rachel from Friends. There is something so timeless about a culmination of late ‘90s mixed with the sophisticated classiness of elegantly polished looks. The clothes are always in style and can be matched any which way, which is why they are my personal fashion blueprints.
Especially if you’ve heard of these characters or people, you’ll see that there are valuable attributes in each of them. With each trend, it is easy to become obsessed with the aesthetic that comes with it, but it’s important to keep in mind to not blindly follow it because everyone else is – you are under no obligation to do something because everyone else is! Participate in the trends that feel right for you. I can’t stress enough that your lifestyle, clothing, and aesthetic choices don’t have to be the same as everyone else’s; your own are what make you a unique and interesting individual. Create an idea of who you want to be, and start there—it’ll up your confidence and save you from over-consumption.

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Opinions

“Girl Dinner” or Disordered Eating?

Keven Vaillancourt/THE CONCORDIAN

How a Playful Trend Turned Sour

I’m sure we’ve all heard the viral Tiktok audio “Girl Dinner.” In case you haven’t, it’s an audio accompanied by videos of women showing off their mismatched dinners consisting of non-nutritious ingredients and/or snacks.

It started out as a way to make fun of the chaotic snack dinners women tend to gravitate towards, poking fun at how these dinners are sometimes deemed as more satisfying than cooking an actual meal.

This trend started out as one of my favourite trends of the year on Tiktok, because I felt seen. However, watching it unravel made me seriously think about the ramifications of taking trends like this too far. 

Working in a restaurant, I am no stranger to girl dinners. Coming from work having just had a slice of birthday cake, fries, half a salad and a comically large Shirley Temple, I’d say I’m a near expert. Not the healthiest, I know. It is, however, healthier than what this playful trend has morphed into.

Showing off handfuls of fruit to a single glass of wine, it quickly went from showing off full plates of mismatched foods and snacks, to glorifying disordered eating. 

According to Healthline, disordered eating is defined as: “food- and diet-related behaviours that don’t meet diagnostic criteria for recognized eating disorders (EDs) but may still negatively affect someone’s physical, mental, or emotional health.” 

Usually disordered eating manifests itself in seemingly harmless ways that are actually precursors to full-developed eating disorders.Examples of disordered eating include binge eating, fasting for weight loss, fad diets, obsessive calorie counting, etc. 

Now I get it, why does it matter? It’s just a trend online that’ll disappear within two weeks, it’s not that big of a deal. The issue, however, is that it is. As I’m sure you’re aware, eating disorders have been a serious issue on the rise since the dawn of social media. Trends like this only encourage it further. 

Young girls are now seeing the older girls that they look up to, seemingly bragging about eating nothing but a handful of chips all day. Think of how you looked up to the young adults in your life. 

My boyfriend has sent me girl dinner videos that imply the only thing I’ve had in my system all day is an iced coffee, and there are days where that’s not wrong. At the end of the day we’re all (at least for the most part) broke university students. We can’t exactly always afford to make the healthiest nutritional choices.

I just ask that we don’t share it on social media as if we’re winning some sort of award for barely eating. The issue has only grown as social media has become more intertwined with the fabric of culture and society. I understand that eating disorders are painfully normalised and joked about, I only worry about the influence we hold. 

If you have little siblings, cousins or even nephews or nieces, would you want to see a video where they joke about the fact that they’re borderline starving themselves? 

Because at the end of the day, Tiktok’s demographic is split between young adults and easily influenced children/teens, and now they’re being inadvertently influenced to not eat. Shouldn’t we care more or be more conscious of what we post?

Now, if you don’t exactly love the constant girl dinners but money is the issue, we do have resources open to you on campus. Places like People’s Potato at Sir George Williams (SGW) campus provide healthy, sustainable meals at low prices.

Other options include The Hive’s free lunches on the Loyola campus everyday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Hive on SGW also has a pay it forward program where you can get meals that were prepaid by fellow students or faculty. Concordia also has more information on off-campus food resources on their site. 

The occasional real girl dinner dinner aside, let’s all be healthier for ourselves and for the younger generation watching and learning from us. Let’s not instil our own bad habits in them too. 

Trend Anxiety: The interconnectedness of fashion and the world

Slow-fashion, fast-fashion, sustainable fashion, timeless fashion, upcycle, resell, in-season, out-of-season — an endless supply of words to give meaning to the clothes we choose to wear.

At first glance, they seem to be buzzwords, ultimately deeming some clothes “good,” and some clothes “bad.” But more than buzzwords, these terms provide a direct correlation between our clothes and the world around us.

Most of us have now experienced our first large trend cycle, with the return of Y2K fashion. But we are also experiencing trend cycles on a ridiculously smaller scale, one with a timespan of two months, instead of 20 years. Trends cycle so fast it actually induces my anxiety.

I went into H&M on Saint-Catherine St. for the first time in years last week, and felt completely overwhelmed. The fluorescent lights highlighting this season’s neon psychedelic trends, the seemingly infinite amount of clothes, the intensity of shoppers searching for something that will undoubtedly be out of style before they even return home. Not to mention the EDM blaring over the sound systems making me feel even more off-kilter, which only aggravated the situation. I couldn’t help but question, when we buy clothes, what are we buying?

As consumers, we must acknowledge the relation between clothes and the world around us — they don’t just represent your stature. We must understand the direct effect of the fashion industry and fast-fashion on the environment, on its involvement of child labour, and on the society in which we participate.

Once we understand the factors that go into our clothes, it’s important to buy and wear them in a way that is responsible and adheres to our beliefs and morals about the world.

As someone who has loved clothes and fashion from a young age, I have always considered my clothes as a representation of myself. My style fluctuates, which presents to the world my personal growth and changing environments. Moving to Montreal from Halifax influenced my style the most in recent years, with my wardrobe becoming more of a collection built from various trips to the thrift store and less from stops at my local Lululemon. It reflected the culture of Montreal youth and my personal endeavors, mainly that of caring for the environment.

That’s the thing with clothes. They tell others something about you which often remains unsaid. It is a signifier to the world; this is who I am because this is what I wear. But if what we are buying is an extension of ourselves, what do trends have to do with it?

In this case, maybe trends are a signifier to the world simply that we know what is trending. For lack of better terms, wearing a trend makes us cool. It’s not an inherently bad thing. Trends have been around as long as fashion itself has, and it’s not wrong to want to participate in them.

But many of us fall into the trend trap, in which we buy something only to wear it once or twice and never reach for it again. We all remember those early pandemic era trends of 2020 — namely cow and zebra print on literally everything, whether it be pants, tops, hats, shoes or furry bags. I couldn’t scroll through Pinterest without seeing some rendition of the alternative animal print trend, and now you’d be hard-pressed to find them anywhere.

Trend anxiety doesn’t just manifest itself in the chaos of fast-fashion shopping, as it also implores us to keep buying new clothes in order to retain the perception of being “trendy.” In today’s social media-driven world, trends have made fashion more about others than about ourselves.

Maybe you feel really comfortable in a certain trend, and you know you can source it in a sustainable way. You’ve already done the hard part by acknowledging how your clothes make you feel regardless of the perception of others. From here, we can wear trends in a way that respects the interconnectedness of fashion to self and the world around us.

When you’re shopping, choose pieces — regardless of their trend status — that you believe will last a long time. This means assessing the quality and durability of the garment, and questioning whether the piece will stand the test of time in your wardrobe, even when it may no longer be trending. This eradicates the disposability of clothes.

I used to go to the thrift store and purchase every trendy item I found because I thought I’d get the chance to wear them all. Realistically, so many of those pieces went unworn because they’re too hard to incorporate into my daily wardrobe. It’s helped to really consider before buying each item, how will I style this in numerous ways to really get wear out of it? If my style changes, will I no longer care for this item? Is it comfortable enough?

We should all try to buy clothes mainly out of necessity. If you actually need a new pair of jeans, think twice before buying a new skirt or dress. Realistically, clothing is an investment. Buying clothes you know you’ll wear helps the environment, and saves you money in the future.

 

Visuals by James Fay

Where to get the goods

A look into Concordia students’ passion for fashion

Over the past few years, trend cycles have accelerated exponentially. A combination of fast fashion, social media and capitalism has created a whirlwind of trends for us to stay on top of, adapt to, and incorporate into our own personal styles.

This week I thought it would be fun to take an adventure and see what people were wearing around Concordia’s downtown campus. Keep in mind there are nearly 50,000 students at our little university, so this is what I saw while I was at the downtown campus, sitting in the Hall Building for a couple of hours.

If you saw me standing awkwardly staring at people’s outfits, no you didn’t.

Many people are leaning into an academic vibe for the return to school: think lots of trousers, loafers, white tube socks and funky button-ups.

If you are in the market for some trousers, I think the best place to find them is a thrift store, such as Renaissance (Montreal’s Goodwill) or Value Village, though it is a little pricier. Additionally, you can always go walking on Saint Laurent Blvd. in between Sherbrooke St. and Mont-Royal Ave., where many independent thrift stores can be found.

Loafers are a staple in any fashion forward wardrobe, and have taken the place of the Doc Marten Jadons as the ruling shoes this fall. Recently, Geox Spherica loafers went viral on TikTok and generally sold out, apart from a few select sizes. Other good places to find loafers are at the aforementioned Doc Martens, as well as Vagabond, or even better, thrifted! I’ve found three pairs of platform and non-platform loafers at thrift stores around Montreal just this past month!!

Good button-ups can be found everywhere, but especially in thrift stores! This may seem redundant, but the patterns that you are looking for from House of Sunny, Jacquemus and higher-end fashion all take inspiration from vintage designs. I suggest taking your time in the women’s blouse section, and playing around with sizing. If you’re looking for a “shimmy shake top,” definitely go for a more oversized piece. If you’re going for a fitted, cinched vibe, then more true to size will work.

If you’re more into the early 2000s era, you’re probably very familiar with thrifting already. You’re looking for low-waisted, straight or wide-leg jeans with embroidery, top stitching and a funky graphic design. You’re looking for halter tops with beaded details, matching tracksuits and platform shoes. I highly recommend checking out La Vegan Baddie’s website (coming soon), a Y2K reseller located in Montreal, with a world of hidden gems . You can always take the time and thrift these finds yourself, but I do not recommend giving into the fast fashion replicas of this era. It gives me… unauthentic and middle school vibes — but you do you.

Fashion is always changing and growing, and so does your personal style. So let’s all keep in mind to grow our styles instead of replicating the entirety of an aesthetic you saw once on TikTok and sorta liked. Learn to isolate the elements that bring you joy, and that “make the outfit.” From there, incorporate that aesthetic into one that’s all your own.

 

Feature graphic by James Fay

The halcyon days of 2014

All over social media, people are reminiscing over their former Tumblr kid selves

Imagine you’re mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, as we all seem to be doing more and more these days, passively reading through job announcements, middling “hot takes” and COVID-19 stats. Suddenly a post comes up that stops you in your tracks and drags you right back into your adolescence with a wave of nostalgia. Scrolling through the replies, you see that the aesthetics, music and products from your teen years are all coming back into style. You’re only 21.

Recently, a lot of people all over the internet have been reliving a certain 2011–2015 subculture that revolved specifically around the website Tumblr. This burst of nostalgia came fast and hard, but it hasn’t even been that long since us “Zillennials” were spending our days scrolling down our dashboards. So, why now?

If you didn’t have the (dis)pleasure of living your early teens predominantly online, I can try my best to explain the early 2010s Tumblr aesthetic, often dubbed “soft grunge.” While the look had little in common with the 90s subculture it got its name from, other than the mere existence of flannel shirts, it could be seen as the product of the 20-year cycle of fashion. In the 2010s, elder millennials were nostalgic for their youth in the 1990s, and that nostalgia trickled into the style and media of the day.

Now, feed that through the hyper-visual medium of Tumblr and you’ve got yourself countless images of teens in jelly sandals, ripped tights under denim shorts and choker necklaces posing with polaroid cameras, holding up records, or, most commonly, smoking cigarettes.

On the music front, in 2014, I, like my fellow Tumblr teens, was listening to Lana Del Rey, Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, and Grimes, because the songs on your iPod Touch were integral to the maintenance of the aesthetic.

In terms of 2010s fashion, this aesthetic was far from the worst thing in memory. Yet, that alone can’t explain its resurgence in recent months. We’re nowhere near the 20-year nostalgia cycle yet, so there must be something special about that time, or our current time, that holds special significance.

For a lot of Zillennials, Tumblr wasn’t just an aesthetic, it was a formative part of their adolescence. While any media you consume on a regular basis through your tween and teen years is likely to shape you in some way, Tumblr was uniquely good at fostering a community environment. Being more of a microblogging site than a traditional social media, users were encouraged to publish long posts and personalize their blog’s design. This affordance, mixed with the fairly low median age of users, and possibility for anonymity, led to users sharing a lot more personal information than they would on other platforms.

While it wasn’t always perfect (I’m looking at you, #thinspo), overall, this caused Tumblr to become a safe space for many young people in the early 2010s.

As one Concordia student describes, “All the fangirling, aesthetic stock images and memes were incredibly private. Your Tumblr was definitely not something you shared with anyone.” She continued, “Yet, there was strangely a big sense of community.”

Community-making on sites like Tumblr can be invaluable in helping young people through their search for identity. And this is double fold for youth who are already marginalized.

As Stefanie Duguay, assistant professor of Communications at Concordia explained to The CBC about LGBTQ youth Tumblr use, “They share GIFs and videos and content around queer celebrities, queer characters, and fanfiction,” Duguay explained. “It’s a general part of people’s self discovery, especially when you’re a young person and you’re determining things about yourself and your sexual identity.” For many, 2010s Tumblr text posts were their first introduction into important conversations of politics and identity.

Lisi Schauer, a fourth-year student at the University of Southern California puts it as such: “I think it struck the perfect balance of ‘cringy’ fandom stuff and people starting to use aesthetic as an adjective and just enough political text posts sneaking in to be really influential for people our age.”

Now that we are all so disconnected through COVID-19 isolation, it only makes sense that many of us would yearn for an adolescent time where everything felt new and important. As everyday feels mundane and predictable, it can be fun to engage in a bit of escapism in the aesthetic of who you used to be, before the world delved into chaos.

Additionally, many young adults have had to move back home, so if you’re constantly being reminded of your former self, why not lean into it?

While it may be jarring to see the rose-coloured glasses come out so soon, there’s really no harm in taking a stroll down those dashboard memories and into your younger self. We all need whatever bit of respite we can get from the current world. If what gets you through it is blasting Passion Pit and digging out your old Brandy Melville clothing, far be it from me to tell you to stop. At least it keeps people indoors.

 

Photo collage by Kit Mergaert

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Student Life

Why is everyone wearing that?

Graphic by Sasha Axenova

There you are, standing at Berri-UQAM station surrounded by a sea of The North Face puffer jackets: black, red, cobalt blue, bright yellow, purple. They’re everywhere, with people’s tiny heads poking out from a mass of down-filled, quilted, nylon jackets. Why? 

Typing “why does everyone wear…” into the Google search bar will yield a variety of laughable results: Blundstones, The North Face and jeans are among the first few. These fashion items may seem average right now, but in 10 years or so they will be a thing of the past—matching American Apparel disco pants and scrunchies… anyone?

But this isn’t anything new; it’s just how trends work. Trends have been around for hundreds of years and are studied across numerous fields including sociology, art history and psychology. The people waiting in line in their puffer jackets may appear to be a flock of sheep now, but really, they are a marker of a generation and an indication of current socio-political, cultural and economical stressors. Let’s break this down.

Many factors contribute to the growth of a trend, and it is not only celebrities and red-carpet styles. In fact, there is a lot more that goes into it than you may think. Estimated at a value of USD $1.3 trillion in 2015, the global apparel market consists of a plethora of players including suppliers, manufacturers and designers. Other than these, entire enterprises like WGSN are devoted to analyzing and forecasting trends years in advance. Meaning, the predictions for this season (Spring/Summer 2020) were probably getting finalized around this time four years ago, in 2016.

Some trends last a couple of months while others last years. This is called the “life cycle” of a trend. Trend-cycles—or product life cycles—are used in many industries to represent frequency fluctuations over time. In this case, the beginning of the cycle, or “introduction,” might be a group of attendees at Pride wearing rainbow-striped platform shoes. In the “growth” stage, this will have caught the eye of a celebrity, Janelle Monáe for example, who will wear a striped Pride gown at the 2018 BET Awards, in addition to a few other avant-garde individuals. 

By now, rainbow coloured and patterned items have reached the “maturity” stage of the life-cycle and can be seen everywhere, from Susan Alexandra accessories, which has had a big Instagram moment in the past year, to The Last Line, who have become known for their colourful, timeless and affordable jewelry designs.

When the item begins its “decline” in popularity, it is no longer seen as being trendy but is not yet rendered obsolete. Think UGGs, for example. While they are no longer a “big deal,” you still see them around every now and again. A product that has passed the “decline” stage is no longer trendy and very difficult to come by, like elbow-length gloves.

But just how do these items get trendy?

The Business of Fashion and management consulting firm McKinsey & Company’s The State of Fashion 2020 report, titled Navigating Uncertainty, analyzes themes in the current fashion economy, in addition to explaining the industry’s driving factors. Among them are cross-border challenges as international competitors grow, sustainability via the exploration of alternative materials, and social responsibility in regards to inclusivity and diversity. These shifts are likely to impact consumer trends within the fiscal year.

While that Patagonia half-zip you’ve been seeing everywhere is cute, it is not a trend solely because of its looks. In a time of ecological crisis, sustainability and social responsibility have become an increasing focus for consumers. Thus, it is no surprise that environmentally and socially-conscious brands are gaining momentum. Trends are a response to our environment and a means of expressing how we feel.

As our generation acquires more purchasing power, an increasing amount of outdoor brands will outgrow traditional brands. The rising popularity of The North Face and the resurgence of L.L. Bean are not coincidental. Brands like Carhartt that were once reserved for construction-wear, have now made it onto the runway, through collaborations with brands like A.P.C. 

Athletic and outdoor recreation brands, like Outdoor Voices, have gained popularity as experiencing and spending time in nature become increasingly covetable activities. Wellness and experience are of great value to Millennials and Gen Z. Utilitarian items like fanny packs, trench coats and sneakers from brands like Patagonia will continue to gain momentum among consumers with an increased interest in functional design and in reducing their ecological footprint.

A variety of books, articles and academic journals are devoted to studying the life-cycle of trends and their history. This piece in no way conveys the magnitude of what they can show or how they come to be. But maybe, next time you put on those sneakers or feel the urge to buy that hoodie you’re seeing everywhere, you’ll take a moment to think about why it might be so popular. Take a second to reflect on why you might be seeing outdoor and camp-inspired garments everywhere—you’d be surprised at what you might come up with.

 

Graphic by Sasha Axenova

Categories
Student Life

The evolution of style happens when we grow

Graphic by @sundaeghost

Fashion does evolve, but within our own individuality. Some of us may even take some inspiration from our younger selves, and style what used to be trendy with our current style. Of course, some things are better left behind like the sneaker wedge, or even tiny sunglasses. We can easily make an item trendy or newly fashionable again.

This happened to the choker. Although what’s ‘in’ at the moment is the chain choker—like the ones Billie Eilish wears—the choker, a slim strip worn around the neck, was very popular during the grunge era of the 90s. It was able to stay for a while during the early 2000s and, somehow, it managed to return in 2015. But chokers existed long before the 21st century.

In a March 2016 article in the National Jeweler, Yvonne Markovitz, the Curator Emerita of Jewelry Museum of Fine Arts, explained that chokers were worn by women in ancient civilizations, such as Ancient Egypt and the Sumer Civilization in Mesopotamia. Chokers brought these women a sense of power and gave them a sense of security.

The Nike Air Force 1s that you see everywhere you go? This shoe staple was inspired by the original 1982 Nike Air Force 1, which was initially a basketball shoe. I myself have a pair and what’s great about these shoes is that they never go out of style and can be worn with everything. They still serve a classic look.

These items have found a way to blend in today’s society. We tend to look at past trends to get inspired. These old trends evolve with the style that we have been able to create and with the person we have become.

It may take some time to find our personal style, but I think that I’m at a stage in life where I believe I have found mine. As a child, I remember wearing sneakers with everything, even when it didn’t fit with my dresses. I would wear my soccer team’s jerseys at school with earrings and bracelets. When I was a teenager, I would wear my father’s dress shirts with short shorts, which made it look like I was wearing a dress. I felt like menswear was more appealing to me, and I managed to look feminine by adding accessories, such as golden bracelets. Today, I like to wear long high-waisted trousers or loose track pants with a T-shirt and a vest or blazer that matches in colour with my pants. My golden rings add elegance to my outfits. I never take my rings off now.

When you grow up, you meet new people, you listen to new music, you look up to different people, and that can influence your style. I used to look up to Twiggy—the top model from the 60s—so much that I chopped my hair like hers when I was 13. I decided to never do it again; I have wavy hair and I had to use gel so that my hair would stay straight. Today, my fashion icon is 90s Lauren Hutton. Just to give you an idea: long windbreaker coat with matching pants, a white T-shirt and a pair of sneakers.

I have evolved: I am inspired by runway looks from the late 90s to early 2000s. I always love to mix and not wear only one style. The only item that hasn’t changed is my shoewear—I wear sneakers with everything.

We have the power to make old fashion trends into new ones and combine them with our individuality. Therefore, no trend is ever really lost, as someone will always manage to make it work.

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

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Student Life

Unisex top-tier trends for Fall 2019

Photography and editing by Laurence B.D.

As the temperature drops, and with fall officially beginning next week, you may be itching to purchase some new pieces. But with so many trends, how do you choose the right ones? Luckily, we have a guide to the hottest fall trends that anyone can wear and the designers they’re inspired by.

Zebra Is The New Leopard

Seen on the runways of Saint Laurent, Coach, and Proenza Schouler, compared to classic leopard, zebra print is a way cooler print to play around with your fall style. Though it can run the risk of looking tacky, if styled carefully and worn in the right colours, it can look really chic.

If you’re looking for a zebra-printed item that doesn’t scream “zebra print,” avoid black and white. This colourway is high contrast and commands a lot of attention. So to soften up the print, go for zebra that’s camel-coloured or dark beige with black stripes.

Monochrome

Featured in the collections of 3.1 Philip Lim, Nina Ricci, and Brandon Maxwell, monochrome has proven to be a very popular trend. This is no surprise given that it flatters everyone. Wearing a single colour all throughout an outfit elongates and leans out the body, because the eye is not drawn to look to one specific point.

Try experimenting with different neutral-toned outfits. Shades like camel, navy, and creams look really luxe and expensive, especially when worn from head to toe. If you’re not afraid of colour, go for deep purple or even forest green monochrome looks.

Square-Toed Boots

Featured on the Fall 2019 runway collections of Proenza Schouler, Chloe, and Maison Margiela, square-toed boots are a fresh new take on the must-have basic boot in everyone’s fall wardrobes.

Incorporating a pair of square-toed boots will instantly give your outfit an updated look to the 70s style. Also, square-toed boots are the perfect complement to an already androgynous-looking outfit, as the blunt, angular shape of the boot is almost reminiscent of the shape of men’s square-toed dress shoes.

Cardigans

We saw the reintegration of cardigans into the fashion trend cycle last season, and designers like Coach, Chanel, and Max Mara incorporated oversized, chunky-knit cardigans in their Fall 2019 collections.

This “grandpa-chic” style of cardigan is still in style but has also evolved to include cropped silhouettes made in thinner knits. Cardigans are a key piece to have in your fall wardrobe for a few reasons: not only are they practical and provide warmth, but they’re also great for layering, which is one of the easiest styling tricks to adding depth and dimension to any outfit.

Statement Shoulders

From jumpsuits to dresses, blouses, and blazers, statement shoulders have been spotted in the shows of designers like Ulla Johnson, Isabel Marant, and Alexander McQueen. While this trend has reached the fall season with full force, it has slowly been building momentum for the past six months.

Incorporating the statement shoulder trend is one of the simplest ways to add drama to an outfit while applying minimal effort. The best and easiest piece to use is a blazer with volume and padding at the shoulders. This will broaden your upper body, giving you a cool, oversized look that will flatter anyone who wears it.

Bucket Hats

Thanks to major design house Christian Dior, who heavily featured this trend in their Fall 2019 runway show, the concept of the bucket hat was completely renewed.

Maintaining the traditional shape and style of the bucket hat, Dior swapped out the cotton or canvas material traditionally used and, instead, opted for alternative materials like leather, plaid, denim, and other textured and printed fabrics.

Bucket hats are the perfect option if you’re looking for an alternative to a beanie but with a little flare. They’re also great because they can pretty much be styled with any outfit, as long as the fabric complements whatever tone you’re setting for your look.

Leather

Designers like Ferragamo, N°21, and Hermes are some of the many that have featured leather pieces or entire leather looks in their Fall 2019 collections.

From black button-up shirts to matching sunset-orange-coloured sets, designers are doing leather differently. They’re going beyond the idea of the classic biker jacket and are really pushing the boundaries when it comes to utilizing this material.

If you want to try out the trend but still want to play it safe, opt for a pair of black faux leather pants. The timeless colour makes them easy to style while maintaining the textural element of leather that will really elevate any fall look.

Plaid

Plaid is making a major return to fashion, with brands like Vivienne Westwood, Christian Dior, and Oscar de la Renta all featuring this trend.

Not only are we seeing plaid, but the options are much more diverse. From tartan to gingham, Prince of Wales check, and other variations like houndstooth, plaid is being designed in limitless colour combinations and different pieces like dresses, trench coats, and midi skirts.

When picking out a plaid piece, invest in a neutral-coloured one with an accent colour running through. The single colour will give you styling flexibility while still allowing your outfit to stand out.

Even though many of these pieces are considered trendy, they’re bound to stick around for many upcoming seasons. So make sure you keep them in your closet, ready for Fall 2020.

 

Photos by Laurence B.D.

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Opinions

Why it’s time to ditch your ‘dead-trend’ job

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

Certain ‘jobs’ should be left behind in order to pursue more meaningful work

From off-the-cuff table talk to buttoned-down meet and greets, employees of all collars usually ask: Where do you work? Rarely, if ever, do you hear: What’s your job? The answer is simple—nobody dares to leave a bad impression.
We perceive this risk because ‘job’ doesn’t have the most exemplary connotation in our vernacular. In my opinion, a job is something we must endure for 40-plus hours a week to earn some pay. Gradually, this became the norm, and an onslaught of punch-in-punch-out jobs erupted—although that may not be the case today.

This issue is all but simple. There are dead-end jobs, and there are “dead-trend jobs.” The latter, I believe, are lifeless from the start. Dead-end jobs are jeopardized by disruptive innovation, whereas dead-trend jobs temporarily pop in and out of the market.

At least with dead-end jobs, purpose is a matter of perspective. Take the story of the three labourers found smashing boulders with iron hammers. When asked what they were doing, the first one replied, “Breaking big rocks into smaller rocks.” The second said, “Feeding my family.” The last one said, “Building a cathedral,” which was in reference to the Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, the capstone of which was laid in 1345—182 years after the initial work began.

This means the first generation of labourers may have spent every waking moment breaking rocks and, in turn, their backs. For posterity’s sake, the third labourer left no stone unturned. He was driven by the day his grandchildren would revel in the artistry of the cathedral, which would stand tall and proud for decades to come.

In my view, the same cannot be said of dead-trend jobs. With dead-trend jobs such as “chief visionary officer,” “influencer” and “brand warrior,” employees in our post-industrial economy are swinging their iron hammers into thin air.

Globally, a growing number of workers believe their jobs are pointless. In a 2013 survey of 12,000 professionals by the Harvard Business Review, nearly a half claimed their job had no “meaningful significance.” In fact, the same number of workers admitted they could not relate to the company’s mission.

Another poll, conducted by Gallup, the Washington, D.C. based polling organization, showed that of 230,000 employees across 142 nations, only 13 per cent of workers actually liked their job. A 2015 poll conducted by the market research company YouGov showed that 37 per cent of British respondents thought their jobs were invariably futile.

I believe this futility emerged out of a systematic failure of how jobs have been conceived. It’s little wonder that “job” was originally ascribed to demeaning wage work during the industrialization of 18th century England. Driven from their traditional work on the land and in crafts, these labourers were reduced to cogs in a lean, mean, profit-maximizing machine.

For a century, these cogs were kept churning by economist Adam Smith’s tenet that people were naturally lazy and worked only for pay, according to The Atlantic. Smith’s “division of labour” concept meant that workers would perform repetitive tasks while being responsible for a small contribution of the product. Unlike craftsman of the past, several labourers working this systemized line increased efficiency, as described in the International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors.

As such, I believe manufacturing systems became less reliant on meticulous skill and attention—competencies that otherwise wage-hungry labourers lacked altogether. Ever since then, work has been cast down as a mere money-making, GDP-generating, chore-like exertion.

The remnants of this history continues to shape our working lives. Take, for example, the teacher who aspires to educate young students, but realizes that only scores on standardized tests matter. Take the financial advisor who seeks to counsel sensible advice, yet recommends riskier investments to meet commission quotas. You won’t find any shortage of these examples in our labour force.

Nevertheless, there’s good reason to be optimistic. Researchers and managers of international corporations have shifted their focus to meaningful work. Recently, Globoforce and IBM released their most recent report based on a global survey of 22,000 workers. Findings showed that out of the six human workplace practices examined, meaningful work topped the list. Meaningful work contributed the most to employees’ positive workplace experiences.

We shouldn’t try to continue “dead-trend” jobs. There’s no possibility of advancement from these jobs, nor can any level of technology save them. Let’s bury the dead for good.

All views are my own and not that of my employer.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth 

Categories
Opinions

Editorial: Enough of this Harambe hysteria

Photo courtesy of Andy Bewer.

This obsession with Harambe, the deceased gorilla, is getting completely out of hand. To be quite frank, people need to end this cultish fixation and move on with their lives.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, Harambe was a silverback gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo. Last May, a four-year-old boy fell into Harambe’s enclosure, and zoo officials were forced to kill the gorilla in order to ensure the safety of the child, according to the CBC.

Following the gorilla’s death, the Internet reacted as social media users vented their anger and disbelief over the zoo’s decision to put the animal down. Harambe soon became a pop culture phenomenon on the Internet, with endless memes and references being posted daily.

This phenomenon has now reached a new height, with multiple universities hosting candlelight vigils in honor of the animal. The McGill vigil—which is not officially affiliated with the school—has over 2000 individuals listed as attending on the event’s Facebook page, including many students from Concordia.

The Concordian spoke with Saad Waseem—the organizer of the McGill vigil—who said he conceptualized the event after seeing other universities holding vigils. He also added, “this meme is just another taste of how much power and influence the Internet has.”

The organizers of the event are even selling merchandise, such as t-shirts, sweaters and hoodies. The profits from these sales are reportedly going to the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund according to the Facebook event.

But the worst thing here is that nobody seems to actually care about the dead gorilla. The event symbolizes an uninspiring craze, rather than an actual movement or legitimate vigil.

Those attending the event simply want to be a part of this current pop culture phenomenon—they are a part of the clueless flock of sheep being herded towards the cliff. In a year from now, nobody will even remember the ‘vigil’ or the dead gorilla.

Photo courtesy of Andy Bewer.

It would be more inspiring to see students rally together to put pressure on zoos to ensure the safety and wellbeing of animals kept in captivity. Or even denounce the cruel and demeaning concept of zoos, and accept that animals shouldn’t be kept simply for our entertainment.

It would be even more impressive if we used Harambe and his African heritage as a stepping-stone to discuss the issue of ivory trafficking on the African continent, or the fact that tens of thousands of elephants die every year as a result, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Instead of buying into this vapid pop culture garbage, let’s think critically for just one second and stray away from the madding crowd. If Harambe’s death only inspired mock vigils and cheap laughs on Instagram, then the gorilla certainly died in vain.

Categories
Opinions

“Cock socks for cancer” and other pointless campaigns

Facebook and Instagram campaigns are just an excuse for compliments. Graphic by Jenny Kwan.

The new wave of social media nominations are doing nothing for awareness

Am I the only one seriously not feeling these incredibly awkward Facebook and Instagram nominations? Are these actually in the slightest way relevant to a meaningful cause at all? This is a strongly worded letter of my hatred of “no makeup” or “cock in a sock” nominations and “awareness campaigns” that are plaguing social media.

Where do I even begin? First off, how does taking a selfie do anything for cancer? If you actually want to raise money or awareness for cancer, taking a selfie and saying it’s for “cancer awareness” certainly doesn’t do anything beyond feeding your ego and being fooled into thinking that you’re actually making a contribution to society. Please get off your lazy rear and run, bike, or even walk in a weekend to end cancer event if that’s actually what you want to do.

Why are people so obsessed with these fake “raise cancer awareness” campaigns?  It started off with a weird array of shocking statuses that would scare your family into thinking you were like 16 and pregnant or reporting on your fave sex position for the world wide web to see. I mean, was I the only one who Googled statuses that said things like “I like it on the table” from my 56-year-old aunt or “I like it on the stairs” from my 13-year-old cousin?

Facebook and Instagram campaigns are just an excuse for compliments. Graphic by Jenny Kwan.

Upon searching Google I discovered it was for “cancer awareness.” Well, the statuses never even mentioned cancer, all they did was haunt me for half an hour while I frantically searched for a reasonable explanation (which I still have yet to find) and tried to overcome overly vivid images of my family having sex…

This shock value approach is something men are definitely aware of. I dare you to search #cockinasock. Apparently, men have taken to Facebook and Instagram, stripped down, and literally put their cock in a sock in the name of “prostate cancer awareness.”

Now, should you actually dare to take a look, your reaction will be something like “AHHHHH” or “oh my god, oh my god, AHHHH,” and it will actually make you think of prostates, wieners, shlongs…you get it.

Then, there’s the no makeup selfie nomination, which has literally consumed my news feed.  Not only do 95 per cent of these photos make me want to vomit, but I tend to notice a type of girl so vain that they, clearly still wearing makeup, try to rake in compliments like “omg you’re like totally naturally pretty.”

So if we can agree that not wearing makeup, or worse, pretending not to wear makeup and taking a gratuitous selfie does nothing beneficial for cancer research, why we are focusing on the face to create breast cancer awareness? While I can understand the notion that mentioning breast cancer can make people think about it and maybe that thought could turn into a potential donation, what does this makeupless selfie have to do with it?

You want to shock me? You want me to think about breast cancer from a photo you post onto my news feed? Then ladies please, unbutton your tops and show me the real deal: shock the hell out of me by flashing your breasts on social media and then I might actually think of breast cancer for like five whole minutes.

 

Categories
Student Life

What outfits will you be wearing this upcoming spring season?

Graphic by Jenny Kwan

Both bold and muted trends are in for spring 2014

As the warm weather approaches, that lingering desire to turn over a new leaf pervades our thoughts as our closets crave a new look. This spring calls for risk-taking as last year’s trends travel to bolder grounds and take on a wilder personality.

Graphic by Jenny Kwan

Nargisse Akyuz, local Montreal designer for fashion label, Nisse, takes us through each of these fashion trends, offering advice on how to wear them and telling us her own opinion of these statement makers.

The Crop Top

Your blouse shrunk in the wash? Don’t fret. It happens to be the latest spring 2014 fashion trend. From Jill Stuart to Vivienne Tam, the crop top is this season’s favorite child. Whether worn with a full skirt or high waisted pants, it dominated the runways, provoking multiple street style imitations. According to Akyuz, “the crop top is a stylish statement this season.”

Pop Art

Eager to take your wardrobe to bolder territory? The pop art trend demands your attention. According to Oscar Wilde, “you can either be a work of art or wear one.” This spring, you’re invited to embody this quote with pop art designs that give ordinary prints like stripes and polka dots a run for their money. Reigning at Prada and Chanel, these designs remind us of the powerful connection between fashion and art. “Pop art can be a form to communicate,” says Akyuz. “I love hidden messages in apparel. It’s like a story that I’m telling you just by wearing it.”

Fringe

Dropped your dress in the shredder? No need to panic. Fringe happens to be the latest spring trend to rule the runways of designers such as Altuzarra and Emilio Pucci. Say goodbye to last year’s feminine frills and release your inner cowgirl as fringe takes center stage. With the 90s resurrection, it should come as no surprise that distressed dressing is being translated through a variety of forms, from ripped jeans to Great Gatsby fringe dresses. Akyuz describes herself as a big fan of the fringe trend. “Fringe is always sexy and their appearance is like a feast of movement,” she says.

Head-To-Toe White

If you happen to be a classist, head-to-toe white is calling your name. In a city like Montreal where the weather is unpredictable and a sudden downpour can annihilate your look, this trend may seem daunting, but there’s nothing more refreshing than the clean and minimalist quality of a head-to-toe white outfit. Akyuz suggests updating this look with extra volume and feminine details. Using white throughout her new spring 2014 collection, she describes it as “a breath of fresh air.” The collection combines flowy white skirts juxtaposed with structured pieces and dashes of colour. “I was inspired by the highly structured with whimsical softness and the flow of whirling dervishes,” she says.

Are you inspired? Ready to play with the latest spring trends? On your mark, get set, shop.

Check out our roundup of the top Spring beauty trends: https://theconcordian.com/?p=33275

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