Chronicles Of Campus Fashion

If you wake up with pesky indecision like I do every morning, then odds are you probably love and hate – mainly love – fall as much as me. 'Tis the season – to wear essentially anything you want! (Also, for butternut squash and mulled cider, but that's an entirely different column altogether.) While seasons overlap, options for outfits present themselves in the dozens as my indecisiveness rises above its already unusually high levels. Although at the end of the day, I do quite enjoy the room for interpretation that all the options allow for, making the head games all worth it.

Allow me to explain further. I like to imagine that if fall were a person, he or she would resemble the likes of my brother when he was six-years-old. Only a knee-high, toe-headed child, there was a period in his life when Kevin would change his outfit a minimum of five times (socks included) per day. Terrible news for whoever was doing laundry, as it would all end up in the hamper after two hours of wear – if that. With each new look came a new season. Turns out Kevin was just an antsy kindergartener with a short attention span and too many clothes, but I see his dilemma reappear every year come autumn. His short tale personifies the versatility that fall fashion gives us with every day, and our ability to vary looks from day-to-day. Simply walking around campus from Carney to Devlin, I've seen a range of misfit seasonal pieces. On any given day, some cling to what little remains of summer in shorts, while others are looking ahead to winter in wool coats.  So, I suppose Kevin isn't alone in his battle with season vertigo. It seems we all have the bug and are getting our money's worth of those cutoffs and denim vests we may or may not have bought this summer. Might as well, seeing as we'll probably be asking ourselves, "Why?" in five years.

I spotted Jordan Choptovy, A&S '14, outside of the Chocolate Bar on Monday. The work of art hanging on her back made her extremely hard to miss. Pieced together from a variety of colorful rice bags, this piece is extremely functional, fair trade (purchased at a fair at Brown), and adds catchy details to any outfit. Jordan also sports a colorful turquoise pea coat to compliment her satchel.  Although not pictured, the bottom half of her outfit is just as good as the top half. Pairing denim shorts with lace up boots, Jordan serves as Exhibit A for season-vertigo and is making the best of it.

John Costa, A&S '14, has clearly abandoned all thoughts of summer and is ready for the coming months. Looking razor sharp, John sports mainly Zara with an Armani Exchange belt and leather loafers. Not exactly intended for style purposes, finishing touches like his Ray-Ban glasses, portfolio, and drawing supplies make his outfit quintessentially college-chic. John's refined look is also a good example of the polished-gentleman and prep trend that's making a grand comeback this fall, especially in the world of menswear.

While enjoying the performances and poetry at A Room of Our Own, an event sponsored by the Women's Resource Center (WRC) honoring women in the arts, I couldn't help but notice the board of jewelry adjacent to the stage.  Despite the fact that I have a bit of a jewelry fetish, these designs distracted me a bit for the remainder of the show. After the fat lady sang, or rather after the lovely ladies slammed, Jessica Dunston, A&S '12, graciously allowed me to take some photos of her work, and we chatted a bit about the underrated labors of jewelry making. It's tough stuff, people – trust me. Jessica herself was also looking rather stylish in a chunky, knit cape-sweater with an oversized neck and of course, one of her designs.  Her pieces all espouse a general tribal theme, while featuring a multitude of materials spanning from pearls to feathers and wooden beads. Jessica also displayed her technical skills by showcasing a few different types of silhouettes in the form of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. And guess what? She even sells them! If you're interested, stop by the WRC in Mac and get her contact information from the A Room of Our Own coordinators. Support student endeavors while adding Jessica's one-of-a-kind piece to your jewelry box!

    Enjoy the season vertigo and fall weather before it's too late and cutoffs with tights aren't even an option. And looking to the nearer future – Happy Halloween costume brainstorming!