Property of a Name Brand

By Jenni Schweitzer

Let's play a game. The next time you're walking down Brock Commons, count the number of North Face jackets you see. Or the number of Sperry's. Or Vera Bradley bags. There will be a quiz.



Clearly, reputation precedes more than just people, and certain trends gain popularity for good reason. My mom has a North Face jacket from the 70's that is still in good condition, despite its many winters. I've heard Sperry's are durable, comfortable shoes, but I don't actually have a boat to go with them.



Pop quiz: How many times have you seen someone wearing any combination of the above and named a Greek organization, even if the person isn't wearing letters or other paraphernalia? I hear it frequently. "North Face? Check. Scarf? Check. Jeans in boots? Greek." You've probably heard not to judge books by their covers, and it seems fair to say you shouldn't judge chicks by their coats.
I have made no secret of my disdain for sycophantic gestures, especially when it comes to clothes. Knowing someone who spent ridiculous amounts of money to ensure they had an American Eagle polo in every color of the rainbow really turns you off to the brand name. If you love classic American style, you don't need to stamp an eagle over your nipple to spread the word. Try a blue dress with red shoes, or a blue sweater with a red tie. Don't you look patriotic!



As always, the most critical thing to consider with clothing (and life) is fit. Your clothes should fit your body comfortably, but they should also fit your personality with equal comfort. Deliberately dressing to conform to a group of people probably does not display your personal style taste as well as wearing what you want, whenever you want. Even if that means UGG boots.

Jenni Schweitzer makes her own fashion fun, and thinks you should, too.

The Weather and My Clothes are Frightful

Written by Megan Flynn

So these past two weekends have caused me to have something of an existential crisis. I turned into a person I never knew I was, would be, or even had the potential to be.

I became someone who thought that going out in leggings, a huge sweatshirt, and UGG boots was totally acceptable. Now, to give myself a break, I will say that the first time it happened there was at least a foot of snow on the ground and I was stuck six miles from my apartment in a dorm at Hampden-Sydney, but it’s still not really an excuse. I’ll also say that when I wasn’t wearing leggings and oversized gym wear, I was wearing a ball gown.

That’s right—that frightful snow storm that wasn’t exactly bad enough to cancel class (an issue in itself that had so many people just completely appalled) took place the weekend of Hampden-Sydney’s Black Tie Ball. I realize that this is a column in Longwood University’s newspaper, but I think the Black Tie Ball did affect a lot of Longwood students. Once again being totally unfair to the wonderful men who read these articles, plenty of girls who actually cared about their dates either planned to get snowed in for the weekend or braved the snowy roads from Longwood to Hampden-Sydney that Saturday night.

It warmed my heart to see girls dressed just as badly as I was at breakfast, (pigtails under hats, leggings or sweatpants tucked into big furry boots, and baggy but warm sweatshirts that came down to our knees) then clean up so nicely in dresses of every color for what I thought was a really fashionable affair. The guys didn’t look too bad in their tuxes, either.









Some photo cred to Brittany Cox.

I’d like to think that Jenni and I have something to do with people dressing well, but I’m pretty sure we don’t. (Is anyone reading this?) I’d also like to take this opportunity to tell you that I will no longer judge you if you’re wearing leggings instead of real pants, UGG boots or something like them, and a huge baggy sweatshirt instead of a jacket that has actual lines. Because I know that you’re cold, too. And sometimes being warm and comfortable, even if you’re looking kind of grungy in a dorm room for the weekend with people you love is more important than looking totally fierce, or whatever it is Tyra Banks says.

Last Week's Articles

Sorry these are kind of late! Both of these written by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer.

Warm for the Wear

Guess what? It’s cold. There’s no reason for us to see you wearing a tank top in D-hall, because it’s just way too chilly for you to look anything but ridiculous doing it. Even out on the weekends, we see girls dressed up like they’re going clubbing in August. Showing off a lot of skin isn’t the only way to be sexy, and especially not during the winter. We’re tired of seeing people dress for the beach when the ocean is frozen. There are tons of cute ways to be warm without wearing a sleeping bag.



Let’s talk about layers. We’ll allow your tank top as long as it’s long and covered with some form of a sleeved shirt, and preferably paired with a scarf and a sweater or jacket. Pretend like you live in Virginia and it’s February. Perfect! Leggings or skinny jeans with boots, long shirts worn over longer shirts, cardigans, scarves, hats—so many of our favorite things are exclusively made for cold weather. Why not take advantage of them? It’ll make spring come much faster.



Try on some confidence and realize that there are other, classier ways to look sexy. We don’t know you, but we’re pretty sure you’ve got more to offer than just cleavage.


Big Girl Underpants

Have you ever seen a girl wearing a white tee with a black bra? That’s the sort of behavior we don’t condone. Trust us, with the sheer amount of clothing we have we completely understand laundry day, but we’ve managed several solutions to avoiding this ‘peek-a-boob’ problem.

To achieve your most beautiful silhouette, you need to start with a good foundation which includes bras that fit you well. If you want to go to a professional to be fitted, more power to you, but once you have this coveted information, use it responsibly. That ruffled-zebra-printed-zippers-for-straps contraption that you’re debating should probably be considered nocturnal. Your best bet is a bra which is close to your skin tone and has a limited amount of wiring, because it will make a smoother, more natural shape.



We don’t know much about shape wear, like Spanx, but we aren’t that convinced that you need it for everyday wear. Why buy something if you have to buy something else to wear it? It’s not worth it. Furthermore, imagine you’re on a date and in your desperation to look five ounces thinner, you wear something impossible to remove. This could pose a problem. However, if you’re an athlete and you rely on garments that keep you at your aerodynamic best, go for it. A slinky gown might also require shape wear, just for extra insurance. Obviously, it should be a naked color.



Perhaps the most frequently committed fashion sin is visible panty line, or when everyone knows that you’re wearing your cupcake-printed boy-shorts because your pants are so tight. If you’re so desperate for everyone to know how great your legs are, just don’t wear pants.