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.
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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