Oh, Hey

Posted by Megan

I sort of feel like we've failed you. Maybe it's just me who's failed--Jenni sends everyone emails and is pretty on top of it, with her clever titles and always awesome ideas. But when we aren't published in the newspaper regularly, it's easy to get frustrated. Hopefully we'll have some stuff for you over the winter break and then a whole semester of wonderful articles for you to read this spring.

Anyway, I just thought I'd write and tell you that I've been thinking about boots. I like them.

And I have an article for you guys. Jenni and I wrote it forever ago and The Rotunda never got around to publishing it. Enjoy!


Chivalrous Chic: What to Wear on a Date
by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer

Here’s why you should dress up for class. You know that 9am lecture class you have with that cute guy who is scruffy and barely conscious? You could be having 9am coffee with [Formerly] Scruffy Guy, and all because you wore that cute mini-floral top from Forever 21. But how do you know what will make you drool-worthy? We’re here to help.

Know where you’re going, what you’re doing, and what time of day. You probably don’t want to wear a short black dress with heels to a fair or amusement park. High heels might make for a different kind of ‘merry’-go-round.

No matter where you’re going, you don’t want to dress too sexy. Think collarbones, not cleavage. We’re all about flaunting it if you’ve got it, but for goodness’ sake, try to wrap up your rack. Underwear should be worn under your clothing, and kept relatively well hidden. Bra straps, the top of your panties, just keep it under control. There’s something to be said for leaving a little to the imagination. Give hints, not answers.

Megan’s a big fan of dresses, but when it comes to dates, she sticks with what she knows—heels. All the dates she’s been going on lately have been with a guy who’s 6 feet 7 inches tall, so heels are pretty much essential to her wardrobe of clothes that fit her 5’4” frame. Dresses can be a little too formal when paired with heels, especially if you’re just going to the movies, but jeans and heels and a nice top can pretty much go anywhere.



Jenni has a 10:1 ratio of dresses to jeans, so her choice pick for a date outfit typically involves a dress. Recently, she saw “Where the Wild Things Are” and in homage to Audrey Hepburn, she wore a fitted sleeveless dress with a capelet, Victorian gloves, opaque tights, and purple ruffled T-straps. She also pinned a peacock feather into her hair. Maybe it was a little too fancy for Farmville, but she got another date.

Let’s talk LBDs. Know what we mean? It’s a popular abbreviation for a Little Black Dress. Not to be confused with a Little Bitty Dress. The only bitty about an LBD is the amount of dates who won’t call you back. Little black dresses came to vogue (not the magazine) in the 1920s by Coco Chanel and were intended to give women a versatile, timeless piece which quickly became synonymous with personal style. That was 90 years ago, and both Megan and Jenni have multiple little black dresses. We’re kind-of into them, to put it mildly. You can find them anywhere, from H&M to Goodwill to a Chanel store itself.



Obviously though, when you’re going on a date, you want your clothes to say something about you, so if you aren’t the little black dress or jeans and heels type, don’t force it. Like all good relationships, what makes you happy and comfortable is most important.
--

True Life: I'm on the Longwood Look

Posted by Jenni


Hello, everyone. Do you know who this is? This is Erin Weyen, and she's definitely one of the coolest girls we know, and not just on the fashion scene. She's super-cute, edgy, and she has the coolest hair ever. In this photo, she's following our "Tights as Pants" rules (her idea!) perfectly.
Look for her around campus for your next style inspiration!

Real Life Trends

Posted by Megan

Remember a couple weeks ago when we talked about dark shirts, dark ties and dark jackets all working together? I'm excited to have an example that didn't come from a magazine. My brother, Sean Flynn, makes it work in real life:

Stepping Out of the Box: Accessories

You’re wearing a white T-shirt, dark wash jeans, and ballet flats. If you’re a guy, your white shirt is a button-up, and you’ve swapped your jeans for khakis. These basic looks are both comfortable and effortless ways to look good without looking like you tried too hard. But after a while, the basics can get boring. We’re here this week to explore the wonders of accessories—small details that you only have to throw on to make yourself look fifteen times cooler, just like that.

•Bags: Guys, feel free to skip ahead, unless of course you’re reading to do research for upcoming gift ideas. Halloween is just around the corner. (We’re kidding). Anyway, a good bag is like a microcosm of lipstick, cell phones, credit cards, keys, and gum. Why not make it fashionable? Megan was shopping with Jenni and was moved so much by Carlos Santana. What? He makes bags, didn’t you know? And shoes. But that’s another article. The one Megan totes around is made of burnt orange leather and accented by woven and geometric stitching. Jenni prefers tote bags and alternates between Andy Warhol’s “Flowers” design and an obnoxious lime-green Marc Jacobs satchel. Both of us love to switch it up, but can attest to finding “the one,” that bag that just works with everything. Till death do us part. Target bags are great but have a negative lifespan to cuteness ratio.



•Belts: Oh, the black belt/brown belt dilemma so many men must face. What’s a guy to do? Simple—match it with your shoes. And for the record, black and brown actually can go together, and sometimes should. So don’t be afraid to wear that black polo with a brown belt, khakis and brown shoes. We’re begging you. Ladies, belts don’t have to match shoes. Or bags. Or anything. Sometimes your belt can be your outfit’s main statement. Keep the “Go Fish” rule in mind—things don’t have to match, but they do have to go together. Wear them on your hips, on your waist, or under your bust to create an empire seam. Basically, imagine what you’d like your body to look like and put a belt there to make it happen. Who needs the gym when they’ve got a nice wide belt?



•Scarves: It’s getting colder. Everyone needs a scarf. Whether it’s a solid color or printed, neutral or bright, this bohemian-chic accessory does wonders for the whole T-shirt and jeans look. Guys can also benefit from scarves, and no, you don’t have to be metro sexual or a scene hipster to pull it off.



•Hats and Hair Accessories: Try them. Jenni loves hair accessories; they add hints of bygone days of glamour and help corral her curls. Picture Rita Hayworth’s luxurious deep side part. Now add a peacock feather. Suddenly, you pretty much are Rita Hayworth for the day. If you want to go frilly, find a headband with a silk flower or bow and tuck it into a low bun or voluminous curls. Hats are a little trickier, depending on (obviously) your head. Jenni is hats over heels for cloche hats, a staple of the 1920s flapper style. If you’re not into a polished, vintage look, then something is wrong with you, but you can wear a rakish beret. Preferably with a paint palette and a baguette. Megan’s a big fan of knitted hats that you might wear if you had a head full of dreadlocks, and of course preppy little scarves. Seriously. She alternates between the two because, honestly, she hates to wash her hair. So, regardless of your reasons, a hat can add endless personality and intrigue to your overall look. Even if hats are tricky for you, there’s always some style out there that will suit you. Don’t be intimidated by all this talk of cloches and berets—baseball caps can always play the fashion field.

Style Polls II: Boys, Boys, Boys

As promised weeks ago, we’re finally incorporating men’s fashion into our column. We’ve gotten results from our men’s survey and are ready to share them along with our own opinions about several of GQ’s fall trends.

•Trench Coats: 66 percent of the 21 respondents were against this cool weather cover-up. We disagree. It’s possible that there was some confusion about what constitutes a “trench coat.” We’re pretty sure GQ didn’t mean floor-length black coats with chains and huge buckles. We favor shorter ones in lighter colors, like grey or khaki. Think James Dean, not Dracula.


•Patterned Sweaters: 52 percent of you guys don’t like these either. Once again, we’re thinking modern instead of hokey—as heartwarming and nostalgic as they may be, we aren’t talking about the reindeer patterned sweater your aunt knitted last Christmas. We like stripes or non-pastel argyle. Now who looks like a big boy?

•The Double-Breasted Suit: 52 percent weren’t fans of this look, either. You guys are hard to please! But honestly, we’re skeptical of this kind of suit as well. It’s a wide-cut suit, so it can be hard to wear. Honestly though, we don’t know that much about suits. Don’t tell anyone.

•Henley Tees: 61 percent don’t wear them. What?! We’re pretty sure these look nice on every guy. What if girls stopped wearing tank tops or perfume? There would be riots in the streets. Henleys are laid back, but still put together. Sexy. Start wearing them.


•Fatigue Jackets: 66 percent aren’t enthusiastic about them. We feel that the only reason you should be wearing something as militaristic as a fatigue jacket is if you’re actually in the military. And if you are, thank you.

•Plaid Dress Shirts: 71 percent of you like them. Finally—something we both like. They are like an Oxford on the weekend; the ideal business-casual. Maybe more casual than business, and that nerdy sort of fashion is what both of us are a little bit more than into.


•Dark shirt, dark tie, dark jacket: 52 percent don’t want to be so funereal. Jenni ‘unlikes’ this trend because she’s seen her fair share of unflattering choir outfits. In fact, whenever her friends wear something black and comment on it, she often adds in “Yes, like your soul.” Megan doesn’t hate it, because she has a secret affinity for dark clothing. It looks good on everyone, no matter their skin tone or eye or hair color. Black on black on black would be nice, but she’d like to see a man wear, say, a black shirt and with a dark grey tie and jacket.


So, these are the trends, this is how you responded, but the real question is this: does anyone actually dress like this at Longwood? We see plenty of fashionable fellas, but where are the plaid dress shirts, cool sweaters, and stylish jackets?
We hope this helps you next time you’re shopping for things to wear this season. And rest assured that from now on, we’re going to keep you guys in mind every week when we write for The Longwood Look.

Unorthodox? No problem.

Posted by Jenni



Hello, everyone. This is Agyness Deyn. Not only is she stunning, she's the premiere model for Burberry and has been on the cover of Vogue in at least two countries. She's one of my fashion inspirations because she is unabashedly unorthodox. She's eccentric, slightly androgynous and hugely successful, yet she never conforms to trends. She'll never be a 'slave to fashion', and she has the longest legs ever.



To pare down this street-chic look for yourself, try a graphic tee, skinny jeans, a scarf, a knit cap(or fedora, as shown), and Converse sneakers.
You do have those, right?

Longwood Look meets Longwood Hole

The best (and only) interview/review we've ever given/received. Enjoy.

http://longwoodhole.com/2009/10/12/interview-jenni-from-the-blog/

"...does not suck." -The Longwood Hole

Hide and Chic: A Quest

Posted by Jenni

The phrase “hide and chic” is often used to describe designer storage intended to hold ten years of your life while looking like an innocent Ottoman. I prefer to use it as a phrase to describe the shredding of tags on clothes you've had for...ages. You just forgot about them. At Banana Republic.

If you're like me, then you enjoy shopping to a degree that actually causes withdrawal if the activity is too infrequent. This is called retail therapy, and Americans are particularly prone to it. It's nothing to be ashamed of - just don't be one of those people who write it off and say things like "The truth is...". The truth is that you enjoy buying and wearing new clothing. Lots.

Obviously, this can be expensive. That's why I'm here: to enable you to um, help our economy. At Banana Republic.

I am a pro at finding good deals. I have a pair of Betsey Johnson T-straps, a Marc Jacobs tote bag, and a vintage Burberry scarf, all of which I managed to get for much less than their usual retail prices. I think.

The first place to look for these things is an outlet mall. I found my Marc Jacobs bag for $58 at a Saks Fifth Avenue outlet over the summer. If you live in northern VA, you're in luck - the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets have great clothes/shoes/bags/cookware at great prices. Similarly, I ran across a Burberry scarf in a locked glass case at a Goodwill in Frederick, Maryland. It was $20.



In my opinion, the key to finding quality products at a Goodwill or similar thrift store is to make a day trip and go to one that skirts a major city or a borough. But I would always recommend looking through a thrift store no matter where you are. You might find a great piece of vintage clothing or jewelry. I did once stumble upon a real Chanel bag in a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but it was practically destroyed. I still should have bought it. It was only $25.



My favorite, though, is how I got ahold of my Betseys. I traveled to Boston (my hometown) this summer with one of my best friends, whose real name is – get this – Ashley Magnifico. As one native Bostonian said upon meeting us, “I betcha spent two howahz on history, and five howahz on Newbury Street.” How did he know?
Anyway, later in the day, we wandered into Betsey Johnson’s hot pink boutique. We must have looked pretty darn cute, because the manager invited us to Betsey’s birthday party later that day, where we were served cupcakes, pink lemonade, and 30% off. I bought my T-straps for $56.



Basically, what I’m trying to tell you is not to be afraid to look. To shop. To dream. Try everything, and if it doesn’t work out, make your own.

Jenni Schweitzer is unnaturally talented at finding good deals on normal clothes, too. She just looks like a million bucks.

Tights as Pants

Posted by Megan

After receiving continual questions on the subject, I’ve decided to pretend to know something about wearing tights as pants. I have to be honest and say that I’m actually pretty into the whole look. I’m a firm believer in turning warm weather pieces like dresses and skirts into fall and winter clothes by adding scarves, cute jackets and tights.


But when I talk about wearing tights as pants, I really mean leggings: they shouldn’t be sheer, and they should function more or less like pants, except that you can wear a dress over them and not look ridiculous.

There are really important guidelines that need to be followed when you’re wearing leggings. More important than the color or style is the issue of making sure that you’re appropriately clothed in the most basic sense. Before you walk out the door, pretend that your leggings are invisible and that you have no pants on. Is your shirt long enough to cover your behind? Perfect.

Here are a couple things to keep in mind:
• Brightly colored leggings can work really nicely if you’ve got the confidence to wear them.
• Make sure your leggings don’t end in strange place. A little above the ankle is good. Anywhere near your knee is not.
• Layer your long tops and add cool jackets or a scarf. Don’t be afraid to pair leggings with shirts, just remember to keep them long enough.
• Leggings are awesome because they look good with pretty much any shoe: flats, athletic shoes, heels, boots. Don’t forget this! Switch it up.

Hopefully this clears a few things up. It’s a good look! Just find a way to wear it that works for you.

Style Polls: Women

For the past two weeks we’ve been polling the students of Longwood University on fall trends. For the ladies, we picked a few from Glamour Magazine’s website, and for the trends for men, we turned to the ever trusty GQ. This week we’ll take a look at the women’s trends.

• Big, bold necklaces: 80% of the 25 respondents approve. We’re a fan of large statement pieces, as long as they’re paired with an outfit that’s not too ostentatious in itself. Try not to wear necklaces with embellished tops, whether it has beading or sequins. That’s a little too showgirl, even for Farm Vegas.


• Plaid: 76% are for it. Glamour Magazine says that “Western” styles of plaid are in this season. Jenni is always reminded of Scotch tape whenever she sees plaid and actually disagrees with Glamour on this highly controversial issue. She is more open to subtler forms of plaid, such as Glen plaid (a popular fabric used for women’s trousers). Megan wants to agree with Jenni, but she’s still a little nostalgic about the pattern. Just stay away from plaid skirts unless you’re going to get demerits for not having one.

• Velvet dresses: 79.2% of you said no, and thank God. Glamour says to keep it short and we say yes, but should you really have to cut off half of your dress so it’s not too heavy to wear? If you can pull it off, we’ll give you a high-five.


• All-black: 56% said yes. We think it’s chic, but pretty hard to pull off. Both of us own a lot of black clothes, and you can’t knock the little black dress. If you’re going to do all black though, make sure everything fits really well, or you might end up looking like a nun. And then you’re going to have to find a cute little ruler.

• Full, knee-length skirts: 52% are in favor of this wholesome look. We are too, as long as you pair them with the right shoes. Espadrilles or heels are usually necessary with such a full skirt.


• 80’s: 76% said no to the decade-inspired look. Megan totally agrees, but Jenni likes to cause trouble. Obviously she believes that 80’s hair was forever and always a Bad Look, but there are good elements to the 80’s. The key to any retro look is mixing modern looks with retro accents – i.e. bright tights under a modern silhouette.

• Copper eye shadow: 68% like it. We like it too, since it’s a fun version of a neutral color. Copper is like brown’s older, sexier sister. It looks especially pretty on green or blue eyes, but everyone should give it a try. It’s perfect for fall!


• Barely-there makeup: A whopping 96% of girls polled were in favor of this look, but let’s be honest—who’s willing to get up in the morning, slap some moisturizer and mascara on and walk out the door? Obviously a lot of you. We could maybe pull it off, but we like makeup too much. To the rest of you, congratulations, you’re naturally hot.

• Bright red lips: 56% like this. The argument against it is that it’s really hard to pull off, but we’re pretty sure Marilyn Monroe knew what she was doing. Believe it or not, there’s a shade of red for everyone. If you’re fair, find a good coral shade. Medium skin tones benefit the most from a cranberry-pink. And if your skin is dark, stay away from the brighter shades stick with a deep saturated red, like burgundy.


• Really straight hair: 72% dig it. It’s a neat look, and we like it too. If your hair isn’t naturally straight, though, sometimes it’s a pain in the butt. Megan and her friends iron each other’s on the floor with a clothes iron. It works beautifully. Don’t burn yourself. And pick friends you trust.

High Heels in School

Posted by Megan

I walked home from class today behind a beautiful, tall girl in the coolest looking boots ever. They came up just below her knees and had an intimidating tall and skinny heel. It was the sort of thing that I liked because I knew that I could never pull it off myself. Then we got in the elevator together and she rode it to the second floor. I smiled.

I have a lot of heels. Just looking into my closet now, I see ten pairs. I’ll probably only wear one or two of them this year, but I love them so much that I can’t leave them in my closet back home while I’m here at school. When I’m at home in Roanoke, I wear heels everywhere. I had an internship this summer and was in heaven with pencil skirts and dresses and trousers and a reason to wear heels every day. I’m 5’4”. My boyfriend stands at six feet, seven inches. I need all the help I can get.

But, for some reason, I’ve always had an issue wearing heels to class. Then again, it took me the better part of my freshman year of college to realize that I was allowed to wear flip flops to class. I still can’t wear a tank top to class. Having a uniform for 12 years in Catholic school really got to me, I guess. I like having some guidelines.

So, anyway, here are the rules I came up with for wearing high heels to school:
• Pair heels with jeans and simple tops, like a plain T-Shirt or a button-up.
• Don’t be afraid to wear colorful shoes. Ever. Just keep the rest of your outfit pretty neutral.
• If you ever wore the shoes to prom, don’t wear them to class. Actually, don’t wear anything you wore to prom to class.
• You can definitely wear heels with a dress or skirt, just make sure it’s not too short or you might end up looking a little contemptible.

If you already wear heels to class, good for you. You’re braver than I am. If you don’t yet, stick with me—I believe that we can do this together.

Trenderizers

Posted by Jenni

Here at the Longwood Look (read: Megan’s bedroom) we’ve been polling various trends in those surveys that we post on every available social networking site. It’s fun, easy, and we get to hate on people who hate on our favorite trends.Basically, after lots of complaining and ice cream I found myself thinking about what separates a trend from a style.

Wikipedia redirects the term “Fashion trends” to the Bandwagon Effect and other such ugly words like “herd mentality”. Personally, I’m not convinced that trends are ultimately a good thing. Redirect to 1983, or the more modern “totes legit”. Truly, trends can be tacky, expensive, and unnervingly popular. It’s far more irritating, though, when someone tries to impose trends on you. One of my best friends once called me up to say, “Hey, do you like baby pink hair clips?” No, thank you. It was like being fixed up with some questionable guy. It was essentially re-gifting, another unfortunately popular trend.

That said, there are some trends that are fantastic and stick around. I’m pretty sure Jesus wore gladiator sandals, for example. Coco Chanel made black dresses, and let’s not forget about Converse Chucks.


My current trend want? A strapless jumpsuit from American Apparel. It’s $48 of short-lived chic.

Project Runway

Posted by Jenni

A few weeks ago, an event took place over the airwaves. It was the premiere of Project Runway, the only reality show I actually follow. Every time I watch it, I'm amazed at what these people produce in a day. I don't think I could ever do that.
I also didn't go to FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology, and yes, that's a real place) and take several years of sewing and costuming and sketching, etc. And that's why I'm currently not on the show.

This season, the show is based out of Los Angeles instead of its normal home of New York City. Personally, I'm not a huge fan. I'm an East Coast gal all the way, and I like my subtly muted color palettes and ability to mix seasonal items.
They don't have seasons that they can mix in Los Angeles, and so essentially I spend the whole show wondering when Tim Gunn is going to get so hot that he simply can't wear his trademark suit. Truthfully, it doesn't blend with the whole surfari theme, bro.
This dress is made of newspaper. I knew recycling was a good idea.

If you have a strong opinion about this season of Project Runway, let us know here at the Longwood Look!

Surveys!

Next week we're going to write about Fall trends for men and women. In order to do so, we need your opinion about some of them.

Here's a survey for women about this season's new looks, courtesy of glamour.com:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gxcR7pxmYvjIBmHHnMFhCw_3d_3d

And from GQ.com, some trends for men:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=fR0Zi3wSM7zFbWrQFL6XHA_3d_3d


We'll try to post things more often! Look for us in The Rotunda tomorrow.

Football Fashion

Hey everyone! Our first article was supposed to come out in The Rotunda yesterday, and it sort of did, it just wasn't in the actual newspaper. But, if you want to read the article and leave a comment on The Rotunda's website, please go here and do so:

http://media.www.therotundaonline.com/media/storage/paper1354/news/2009/09/09/Features/The-Longwood.Look-3766026.shtml

We celebrated Megan's 21st birthday this past weekend by tailgating at the first Hampden-Sydney football game of the season. HSC games are really fun, but very different from, say, any other college football game you'd ever go to. The Hampden-Sydney boys get all dressed up, from khakis and a polo shirt to seersucker pants and a preppy blazer. Girls show up decked out in sundresses and pearls, and sometimes even big sunhats.


How do you feel about this southern tradition? Some people feel that it's too much, but a lot of Longwood University girls (Megan included) can't seem to get enough of it. Is a football game any place for a bowtie? Let us know.

Fashionably yours,
Megan and Jenni

Meet the Press

So, here we are, in the library at Longwood University. We're hoping that this can become our humble beginning to a one day very exclusive field of fashion journalism. This September, we'll be in The Rotunda, the school newspaper, and we'll be talking about fashion.

Meet Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer. We like shoes. And clothes. And shopping. You get it.

Megan Flynn became addicted to shopping after twelve years of private school. Forced to wear the same thing every day for so long, she now compulsively buys items of clothing that she'll probably never have enough places or time to wear them.


Jenni Schweitzer has approximately 20 dresses and wears all of them. She loves clothes and believes a shopping marathon could fix the current state of the economy. Easily.


Our fashion column will start in the September 9th issue of The Rotunda. Check it out! And let us know what you think, what you'd like to see, and what you've been wearing lately.

Always,
Megan & Jenni