Recognized in Spring 2012,
Your Mag’s goal is
to promote knowledge of the magazine and media industry by giving students the opportunity to be responsible for all aspects of a monthly lifestyle publication. With an audience of urban college students in mind, members create content across a broad range of topics and mediums, including style, romance, music, pop culture, and personal identity and experiences. Your Mag’s overarching aim is to foster a positive, inclusive community of writers, editors, and artists.
YOUR MAG VO LU M E 1 7 | I S S U E 3 | M AY 20 2 2
TALIA SMITH Managing Editor
AMANDA HAMPTON Editor-in-Chief
JULIA SMITH Creative Director
ABIGAIL ROSS Romance Editor
ALEA ADRIAN Head Designer
L I LY B R O W N Asst. Creative Director
KATHLEEN NOLAN A&E Editor
ISA LUZARRAGA Asst. Head Designer
M O L LY H O W A R D Editorial Director
ASHLEY FERRER Living Editor
HAILEY KROLL Asst. Head Designer
ELIE LARGURA Photography Director
OLIVIA CIGLIANO Style Editor
WILLOW TORRES Asst. Head Designer
A M YA D I G G S Style Director
CAMRYN CIANCIA Asst. Style Editor
CHLOE WILLIAMS Asst. Head Designer
NENA HALL Head Proofreader
LAUREN SURBEY Web Editor
NEEKA BOROUMANDI Marketing Director
GRIFFIN WILLNER Asst. Head Proofreader
JESS FERGUSON Copy Chief
JULIA MALLON Social Media Director
NATASHA ARNOWITZ Art Director
CHARLIZE TUNGOL Asst. Copy Chief
CHARLIZE TUNGOL Asst. Social Media Director
REB CZUKOSKI Asst. Art Director
NIRVANA RAGLAND Diversity Chair
SYDNEY ROWLEY Asst. Social Media Director
MORGAN MURPHY Asst. Marketing Director
COPY EDITORS: CARLEE BRONKEMA, SALLY BECKETT, CHARLOTTE DRUMMOND, DHARVI GOPAL, VICTORIA REIN, RACHEL TARBY DESIGN: KATIE ASSELIN, EVA LEVIN, ASHLEY FERRER, MARY WANG PROOFREADERS: CHARLOTTE DRUMMOND, CHRISTINA HORACIO, VIVIAN NGUYEN
YOURMAG | 3
contents ROMANCE 6 8 10 12 EDITORIAL 14 STYLE 22 24 26 28 EDITORIAL 32 LIVING 40 42 46 48 EDITORIAL 52 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 56 58 60 Y.MP3 62 YM ADVISES 64 ARTIST STATEMENT 66
BEYOND BUMBLE BFF PHONE SEX: UNLOCKING YOUR SEXY IMAGINATION TO SNAP OR NOT TO SNAP? WHERE’S THE SPARK? SPACE COWGIRLS WEAVE INTEREST INTO YOUR WARDROBE ORANGE YOU GLAD I WROTE THIS ARTICLE? FASHION POLICE SAID WHAT? STREET STYLE LIVE AT THE BBC LIBRARY LOVE THE POWER OF FEMININITY SEND THEM TO THERAPY (CATHOLIC) GUILTY AS CHARGED TECHBLUES EVERYTHING’S A CLUE TO A STAN I KNOW I’M FUNNY, HA HA LOW-STAKES ART TECHY TUNES UNPLUGGED WYATT HARRAH
YMEMERSON.COM | INSTAGRAM: @YOUR.MAG 4 | YOURMAG
EDITOR’S letter
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redictably, I’m sitting down to write this at the last possible moment, and the pressure is on, because I’m not very good at firm and decisive endings. I prefer Irish goodbyes and leaving off the conclusion paragraph. But here we are, and this is it, folks! After four years of Your Mag, myself and the rest of our lovely seniors are leaving this publication in the very capable hands of our new board members. I’d first like to thank them for stepping up to the plate in such a big way, and commend our returning staff for their consistent creativity and diligence. You have made working at this publication something special, and you should all be proud. This issue reflects a theme I’d imagine most of us are very familiar with: the ye olde tug-of-war between plugging in and logging off. YMP3 showcases tech-y tunes to itch your brain, and our staff give their best tips for turning off the tech and tuning back into the world in YMAdvises. Our editorials veer from high-concept Space Cowgirls to the intimacy of a ‘70s rock show in Live at the BBC, with TechBlues serving as a nostalgic glance back to the days of Nintendos and Handycams.
Our writers explore the realities of navigating the strange landscape of online relationships and tout the benefits of phone sex in our Romance section, and reconnect with the tangible world of libraries and Catholic guilt and trauma cycles (oh my!) in our Living section. They happily flout the fashion police and remind us that making art doesn’t always need to be serious. I hope you’re able to unplug for a bit and enjoy our final issue of the school year. From the bottom of my heart, to readers old and new, thank you for your presence. Thank you to all our contributors for sharing your brilliant, beautiful brains with us. It’s as corny and true as ever: Your Mag would not exist without you. It’s been a privilege to have this magazine as a constant throughout my college career. I can’t wait to see where our staff takes it next, and I wish every person reading this love, luck, and a summer worth writing home about. When you get back, Your Mag will be here. KIT, Amanda
YOURMAG | 5
Beyond Bu
WRITTEN BY SISEL GELMAN
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ating apps have a bad reputation. They are often seen as online spaces where people go for casual ‘hook-ups’ or superficial praise, attention, and ego boosts from strangers. These apps are synonymous with non-committal relationships and shortterm flings. Nevertheless, women all around the U.S. have turned to these dating apps for an unexpected reason: the pursuit of long-lasting friendships. In 2016, Bumble launched what they call “BFF mode,” a specific platform on the site for users to connect with each other in a platonic way. Jordan Kreindler, a Boston University brand ambassador for Bumble BFF, spoke of the strengths of the online platform. She said that Bumble BFF is appealing to users because of its diverse community. Everyone there has the opportunity to find someone with the same interests as them because of how vast the app is. According to her, Bumble’s motto “make the first move” fosters a community of inclusion and respect, as it encourages people to present themselves authentically, proactively spark those connections, and accept each other with dignity. “There is a specific energy to Bumble BFF… finding friends on other websites is a game, but Bumble feels safe and organic,” Kreindler said. Other women on the app seem to share the same sentiment. Kerin, a new Bumble BFF user, acknowledged that she’s found the app to be “a really cool way to chat with people who have similar interests.” This is important, since she recently transferred to a college in Boston and has found it hard to meet people her age due to the pandemic. The closing of social spaces has left some groups more marginalized than others. For example, many mothers have flocked to Bumble BFF to reconstruct a semblance of the communities they would have naturally found in classrooms, daycare centers, and afterschool programs. Their bios say they are mothers searching for other mothers to swipe right on them—either to set up playdates for their children or to connect with someone who understands the experience of being a mother during the pandemic. These women are seeking more than just friendship; they’re searching for empathy and representation within an ‘in-group’ that does not naturally exist because of COVID. Bumble BFF has become a vehicle used to artificially approximate how people naturally socialize. Nevertheless, not every story is a success story on Bumble BFF. The term “success story” is used on the platform to define a couple that met online and developed a long-term relationship. To have such a term in the first place implies within the vernacular of this community that the status quo is not one of success: Bumble is a place where success stories are highlighted and venerated because of how rare they are. Cheyenne, another user, shared the story of how she met someone on the app, but their friendship did not progress beyond the first meet-up. “She was the sweetest girl I ever met. I never felt so close to someone so fast. I felt very safe with her—we made TikToks, walked around, ate, laughed—but we made plans to
6 | ROMANCE
umble BFF
PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMYA DIGGS
hang out a second time, and she ghosted me,” Cheyenne says. Her impression of the app is that it is hard to find a genuine, long-lasting connection with users. It might be that it’s harder to capture enough of a person’s interest to meet in person without any initial sexual or romantic attraction—as that is what usually prompts users to ‘swipe right’ and seek that first date. The app’s design is counterintuitive to finding a friend. With friendships, connections are built through common interests and shared experiences, not physical attraction, but Bumble’s user interface is made to highlight a person’s looks before their personality. In fact, the first thing a user sees about another person is their picture. Then, the chat feature becomes a place to interrogate other users on their interests and backgrounds, but it’s a space where users either get bored of each other or eventually commit to the friendship and take the relationship to another communication medium (like texting, DMs, Snapchat, etc.). For the friendship to survive, it must develop outside of the Bumble app, and that does not make the app self-sustainable. On the other hand, the definition of a Bumble BFF is still under construction. The importance of the internet in our everyday life has normalized the existence of online friends, and it’s now common for people to befriend strangers online with similar interests and have a deep relationship, despite never meeting in person. According to Pew Research Center, 57% of teenagers have made at least one friend online, and the New York Post has reported that on average, Americans have made six new friends during quarantine due to online gatherings. There is still confusion over the social norms and expectations that come with finding a friend on Bumble BFF. Should they meet in person, or is it possible to construct a friendship entirely online? How much personal information should they share with each other? What is the platonic equivalent of the ‘talking’ stages? How do you ‘break up’ with someone whose friendship did not have that magical spark? Kreindler’s recommendation to find success on Bumble is to be consistent on the app and to see it as a tool rather than a destination. “We’ve all grown up with digital aids, so Bumble is a natural way to take that step into what the future of socializing will look like,” she says. Though I personally haven’t found any friends on Bumble BFF, I was drawn to the app by the promise that I’d meet new people outside of my circle after my best friend and I parted ways. I’ve found the energy I put into meeting new people isn’t replenished by superficial small-talk and long pauses. People aren’t interesting to me through the screen, and if they spark my interest, it’s not enough to get me to talk to them for longer than a day or two. This online way of meeting people feels artificial to me. Nevertheless, I keep swiping with the hopes that one day I’ll come across my own “success story,” and it’ll be as beautiful as promised. YM
ROMANCE | 7
Phone Sex: Unlocking Your Sexy Imagination
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ith COVID-19 impacting our daily lives and redefining what we call “normal,” society has seen an influx in remote work due to social distancing requirements. Not being able to be with one another may impact work environments, changing the office space from a cubicle to your own bedroom. But how has it impacted romantic relationships? Many relationships have been forced to adjust to long-distance romance. Long-distance relationships have become more popular among younger generations. The increase of long-distance romance can be due to wider accessibility via smartphones and the internet, partners who go to different schools than one another, partners who do not live in the same country as one another, the use of dating apps, etc. In a world where partners may not be able to see each other in person, what happens to the physical aspect of the relationship? “Phone sex” can be traced back to the early 1980s, where people could dial a number and pay a fixed price per minute to play out their fantasies over the phone. With phone sex evolving in the 1980s and ‘90s, companies set up hotlines where callers would have phone sex with an employee for the company. During these sessions, people used their sexiest voices to display some of their dirtiest thoughts while talking on the phone to each other. However, phone sex didn’t die in the ‘80s. According to a 2016 article by Chris Morris titled “Remember naughty 1-900 numbers? Lines are still open,” the phone sex industy did not die during the advance of techonology—the industy is instead thriving. Today, many long-distance couples utilize their phones to fulfill sexual aspects of their relationships. Similar to how it was in the ‘80s, many long-distance couples talk on the phone every day, which can lead to the exchange of dirty thoughts spoken through sexy voices. But modern-day phone sex does not stop there; it is not limited to just phone conversations. In the digital age of social media, couples are presented with many options—such as FaceTime, Snapchat, and iMessage, to name a few—that may help them express their sexual desire. Phone sex has long moved on from just phone calls expressing one’s sexual fantasies to risqué text messages, explicit photos or videos sent between partners, and even performing sexual acts through FaceTime. We often see “sexting” as an exhilirating extension of phone sex between partners. Sexting between partners allows them to release their inner freak through a simple text and the push of a button. What makes sexting so different from other forms of virtual sex is that it is such a simple action but allows participants to get creative, using their words to create an image of their sexual desires. Unlike phone sex, where each participant needs to plan out time to talk on the phone and most likely needs to find a private place to do so, sexting can be
8 | ROMANCE
done anywhere—and no one but you and your partner(s) know. It is completely between yourself and your partner(s) but can be done anywhere at any time. Sexting is something that requires no physical exertion, just an imagination and the ability to send that risqué text. Partners can arouse each other and find excitement in texting their sexual fantasies to each other while waiting for an even “dirtier” response. Although sexting is an easy act that causes much arousal and simple pleasure between partners, FaceTime has allowed for long-distance partners to have more intimate phone sex. Phone sex has evolved from phone calls asking “What do you want me to do to you?” to FaceTime calls stating “Show me what you want me to do to you.” FaceTime and social media have allowed for long-distance partners to still be able to see and love each other’s bodies despite not being in person. FaceTime has bridged the gap between the sexual aspect of relationships and the long-distance aspect of relationships. Many long-distance couples reserve periods of their day or week where they are both free in order to “have sex” over FaceTime. FaceTime allows partners to get creative; FaceTime sex is not just relaying sexual fantasies to each other, but acting them out and revealing them over camera. Partners can utilize lingerie and sex toys to please themselves while also arousing their partner(s). The possibilities are endless over FaceTime. Partners can surprise each other with lingerie, trying it on over Facetime and showing your partner(s) how it looks, even trying different positions and poses to show them. Sex toys on their own have also increased the sex life in long-distance relationships, with the use of long-distance sex toys such as the “Lovense Lush 3,” which connects to an app and allows one’s partner(s) to control from anywhere in the world. FaceTime sex includes everything that sex has—except the physical contact. The modern world of technology has allowed for long-distance couples to have just as much of a sex life—or possibly even more of a sex life—as those who are not in long-distance relationships. Phone sex in all its new and different variations has provided options when it comes to sex, all digging into one’s own sexual fantasies. Phone sex allows many people to discover what they like or what they want and how to express it to their partner(s). Most of all, in order to have phone sex, one has to have a sexy imagination. During phone sex, we unlock our sexiest imagination and deepest sexual fantasies in a way that we can’t during physical sex. It is a way to explore our minds and our bodies while still allowing us to please our partner(s) through revealing our sexy thoughts. In this way, with phone sex being so personal and involving the mind itself just as much as the body, it is possible that phone sex could be better than sex itself. Phone sex creates an environment of trust and intimacy while using one’s sexiest imagination in a way that is unique from physical sex—possibly even better than physical sex. YM
WRITTEN BY RACHEL TARBY
ART BY NATASHA ARNOWITZ
ROMANCE | 9
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TO SNAP
OR NOT TO SNAP? WRITTEN BY GRIFFIN WILLNER
ART BY REB CZUKOSKI
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out and I’ll talk to you in person.” Boy number two went on to say, “... icture this: your crush somehow finds your embarrassing if it develops into something bigger, I’m going to give them my phone Snapchat username from 7th grade, adds you, and sends number.” From the cishet, male perspective, it seems as though there is you a picture of half of their face. You quickly open the some sort of unspoken but known progression: a hot stranger starts on captionless picture, just to snap them back a picture of you smiling. Snapchat, then moves to texting, then to a date. If you are looking for You say, “hey,” hoping that you will somehow spark up a conversaa male-identifying partner, knowing this progression may be vital. tion. Several hours later, they send you back a blank picture saying, In the end, there is nothing better than flirting in person, but “streaks,” and you respond with another blank screen, just for them if you are going to resort to social media, what can you do? It is diffito leave you on open. cult to find the balance between shyness and a cocky, online persona. The truth is that flirting is not the same as how it used to be When I find my healthy in-between, I try to wait a few minutes before for our parents. Gen Zs are not exactly jumping at the opportunity responding to a suitor’s picture. Afterward, I try to send a picture of to introduce themselves in public anymore. As a mental health crisis myself from an upward angle in good lighting. garners greater traction, the culture of flirting Try to let yourself start a conversation and has further digitized with the introduction of Most of us can think of what the other person would like, but technology in daily life. Most of us can barely keep your own opinions intact. If they do not barely gather the gather the strength to ask for an attractive perrespond quickly enough or do not try to keep son’s Snapchat username! In this age of digital strength to ask for an the conversation going, they are not worth your domination, how are we supposed to find our attractive person’s time. perfect matches? Snapchat username! With the access middle schoolers have to Someone from my class recently told In this age of digital social media, they can see what teenagers are me that they have been flirting with a guy for domination, how are doing and emulate their behavior with ease. several months now. The two of them talk on They no longer suffer from the atrocious “awkwe supposed to find Snapchat constantly, but the only interactions ward phases” we all remember, where we wholeour perfect matches? that they have are virtual. The guy never even heartedly expressed ourselves without any fear tries to make conversation in person. Even or self-awareness of how attractive we looked. though they try, my classmate is frustrated when Nowadays, this line is completely blurred. Whereas we had this it never actually goes anywhere. time to be lost, fashionably confused 12-year-olds, this new generaTo make things worse, there is often an expectation that tion of tweens are now fully aware of how teenagers interact with the social media flirting is only for sending and receiving nude photos. world, completely skipping this stage. To get an outside perspective for the girls and the gays (and other Even among Generation Z, which is just a few years older than identities interested), I decided to interview two heterosexual, cisgenGen Alphas, various users expedite this race to age these kids with der men at Emerson College. When asking boy number one what phrases such as “I didn’t look like that when I was 12!” and more predhe thought Snapchat was for in terms of flirting, he explained, “If atory comments like “Age check, please” circling TikTok. I give you my Snapchat, I really don’t care to get to know you that With all of these aspects of society serving the narrative that these much. It’s just kind of like, you know, that’s like for hookups.” As kids are somewhat more grown simply because of the advanced preyou would expect, I was sad to hear this; because of this, I pushed sentation of their physical appearance causes us to forget just that: that them to find out where they flirt romantically. Boy number one exthey’re still children and should be treated as such. YM plained, “I’ll probably like, give you my number, and then we’ll go
ROMANCE | 11
WHERE’S THE SPARK? I
’ve avoided rom-coms, coming-of-age movies, and K-dramas for as long as I can remember. The love stories portrayed in them enrage me (probably more than they should). To have undeniably sweet love letters, love songs, and kisses that aren’t jumpscares is something I’ve longed for. For years, I’ve labeled myself a hopeless romantic, seeking the type of love we see in movies and television shows. I mean, no one expects dating to be just like the movies, but damn, it’s so far removed. The unrealistic portrayal of love and dating in the media has skewed my expectations for my dates, and for that I don’t know who should apologize. Is it me for falling for what I see on the screen? Is it my friends and family for letting my love drift so far from what is grounded and real? Or maybe it’s me because I should know better. The reality is that dating can be stressful, embarrassing, and, most importantly, confusing. Picture this: you have finally made progress in establishing the boundaries you’ve worked so hard to set for yourself, and now you’re trying to explain those same boundaries to your date. There is no guide
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that breaks down the not-so-pretty sides of the dating scene. Conflicting love languages or expectations make for awkward moments. Trust me, I know firsthand. Going on dates is something I’ve started to do regularly, not because thousands of men are dying to take me out, but rather because I want to find the spark that confirms I’m not broken. One date is too touchy, another too self-centered, or maybe they didn’t treat the waiter respectfully. Each time, I’m repulsed or uninterested, and second dates are out the window. I question why I don’t click with them; why I’ve never felt compelled to initiate physical contact. Am I too picky? Am I not sexually attracted to men? So many questions arise to the surface because I don’t hear or see other people facing these difficulties, except people in relationships. There are a thousand steps between meeting a cool guy and becoming his girlfriend; I need a step-by-step! When I think about these steps, I imagine the first step is to get their number, and then the questionnaire begins. What’s your favorite food? What do you do in your downtime? What’s your sign? The list goes on. The texts go from here
WRITTEN BY NIRVANA RAGLAND
PHOTOGRAPHED BY OLIVIA CIGLIANO
and there to ‘good morning’ and ‘goodnight’ texts every day. Then someone makes the first move (often not me) and confesses their feelings. A date is planned, and suddenly things are different. A couple of words completely change the vibe. I couldn’t tell you what happens next because I’m still figuring this out myself, but I’ve learned that settling on a guy in hopes the spark comes later is not the solution. I often don’t know what I’ll find appealing about my date until he is right in front of me, and I sometimes find myself staying out of pity. Engaging with someone based on their behavior and energy in person is navigating new terrain. Maybe there will be banter but no sex appeal; perhaps they are a gentleman but lack self-awareness. Most people get dolled up for a date, myself included. I try to present the best version of myself under the impression my date is absolutely judging me. When texting, I find myself being witty, flirty, and confident—that doesn’t translate in person. I become timid in the presence of any guy I like. In movies, they allude to being completely comfortable with “the one” from the start. That doesn’t feel practical.
For me, having anxiety adds an additional layer to unpack when dating. Even if it goes unsaid, my anxiety quickly moves into the spotlight in many situations. Where is the sweet spot between trauma dumping on a potential significant other and suffering in silence through uncomfortable or triggering situations on a date? I struggle with panic attacks and would rather my date know about that beforehand to avoid major confusion or further panicking. Some people have trigger words or aren’t comfortable with being touched unwarranted. No two people are the same. Although many brag about having dating down-pat, that doesn’t happen overnight (if at all) but rather is the result of many hit-or-miss dates. I remind myself that my boundaries and expectations are not the reasons behind my singleness. I will continue to go on dates, improving my communication and finding my balance, but I will never forgive unrealistic dating standards. YM
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DIRECTED BY LILY BROWN PHOTOGRAPHED BY LILY BROWN MODELED BY OLIVIA CIGLIANO AND FIONA HURWITZ STYLED BY AMYA DIGGS AND LILY BROWN
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WEAVE INTEREST INTO
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YOUR CLOSET
reating dynamic fashion looks is something that many strive to do but often struggle with. By updating classic staples with items of unique fabric or juxtaposing textures, you can seamlessly add interest to a look. The structure of texture can vary from weave to knit, which can create very different effects. The finish of fabric provides another way to control your look within the environment. The way the light hits a texture varies depending on the finish. Whether it is stone-washed, a soft brushed finish, or puckered creping, there are plenty of options to achieve any desired effect. Texture is the look, feel, and effect created by a fabric, whether manipulated or in its simplest form. As the United States was one of the largest producers of cotton, it became the backbone of American fashion. The versatility of cotton is what enables fabrics to have endless structures and feels. Everything from seersucker and gauze to chino and velour came from cotton— and, of course, denim. Denim is one fabric with endless potential and the brand Diesel is no stranger to this, especially in their fall/winter 2022 collection. Featuring 70 looks, Glenn Martens surely knows how to restructure denim and bring intrigue to a common material—fraying denim clinging to the models by threads, layering with various shades of distressed denim, and morphing denim to have the look and feel of fur. A couture take on one of the most accessible fabrics embodies the transformative nature of texture. Denim is an easy fabric to incorporate because it is viewed as neutral and it works year-round. It is extremely versatile, varying from distressed and baggy to crisp and clean. Denim has been an American staple since the 1870s when Levi Strauss invented jeans. However, denim’s sturdy material doesn’t need to be reserved for jeans and jackets. Placing a texture you know in a different piece than you normally would is fun and unique. Even distressing or manipulating your own denim can be a quick way to add interest to what you already own. Items like denim shoes, bags, shirts, or earrings can be fun ways to add a simple and neutral texture to your look or make something more funky and distressed. Pairing contrasting textures makes a look eclectic and refined without being too bright and flashy. Texture is so often overlooked yet plays a large part in creating a jaw-dropping fashion moment. One of my recent favorite looks is a Gucci gown Dakota Johnson wore to the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party: a long ballerina pink chiffon gown with embroidered beadwork, bustling feathers, crystal-like sequins, and a drapey, feathered train, playing with weight through texture. The gown was a part of Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2022 Collection inspired by old Hollywood glam. The texture of the gown created long linear ripples that complemented the sculpted, plunging neckline. Playing with layers of sheer and opaque, the gown created a contrast that was truly captivating. This mesmerizing look may seem out of reach, but anyone can play with texture to add a layer of luxury or interest to their day-to22 | STYLE
day outfits. From crisp-cut blazers to drapey silk blouses, the texture of a piece can convey so much. Utilizing texture in fashion enables individuals to achieve depth and intrigue without playing with color or busy patterns. The easiest way to incorporate new textures in your wardrobe is to find pieces you wear consistently in new materials or with unique textures, for example, if you often wear structured blazers, play around with leather, wool, or even tweed. Texture provides endless opportunities to change your look while still staying in your silhouette comfort zone. This works for every season, too. Swap your traditional cotton button-down for something like airy linen, opulent silk, or sheer chiffon. Another simple way to introduce new textures into your wardrobe is through accessories. Fashion-lover, Chloe Shaar, ‘23 explains she doesn’t give up on wearing what she wants in the winter months; she makes her clothes work for her by layering. “I think the best advice is to make every layer make sense, each one you take off should be a new outfit,” she says. Some of her favorite layering pieces have been earmuffs and leg warmers. “Anything playful to add to your outfit really makes it!” If you are someone who is comfortable with texture and is looking for something bolder, don’t be afraid to experiment. Faux fur and suede can complement each other wonderfully in the same look. Even silk and denim or chiffon and leather can play with elegance and edginess. Fabrics like fuzzy fleece or puffers made of smooth nylon can add fun dimension, especially when you wear the textures in unexpected pieces, like a puffer bag rather than a jacket or fluffy fleece shoes. Shaar’s favorite finishes to pair are silk and denim to create a “youthful chic” look, where “playing with mature clothing mixed with various colors” achieves her desired style. Textured layers are not just for winter. Subversive basics are here to stay and so are knits! These styles bring tons of opportunities for layering year-round, so it is safe to say they will be translated into spring and summer looks. These have a very dimensional feel, in addition to other popular pieces like pleated skirts, sheer fabrics, or even fabrics with a liquid, metallic sheen. Shaar hopes to see more lace, mesh, and comfortable materials in elevated looks, as these fabrics are the perfect canvas for layering and accessorizing. Other exciting, textured trends to look out for are the hyper-feminine style: puff sleeves, lots of ruffles, volume, and lace, which bring a whole different take on playing with fabric composition. Simple or complex, combining various fabrics layers into one outfit can pique interest and enhance your personal style year-round. Create your capsule wardrobe with coordinating tones with various textiles, or embrace an eccentric style by debuting pieces with unique fabric structures. Regardless of the trend, texture layering can be incorporated. Try it out for yourself to see why layering fabric and texture is here to stay. YM
WRITTEN BY FRANCESCA POLISTINA PHOTOGRAPHED BY MINA ROSE MORALES
STYLE | 23
ORANGE YOU GLAD I WROTE THIS ARTICLE? WRITTEN BY LILY BROWN
PHOTOGRAPHED BY SOPHIE CLOONAN
used to hate the color orange with a burning passion. Being from Salem, Massachusetts, it reminds me of the haunted holiday that my city is known for: Halloween. Even though the mix of red and yellow is supposed to symbolize the harvest season, it seems cheesy to me. Despite the stigma of orange being an ugly color, it fashionably stands out. While it is not my favorite color, it is slowly becoming one. I’ve been finding myself buying more and more orange-colored clothing and accessories lately. I bought these Nike Air Force 1s with a neon swoosh. I found a tangerine scrunch underwire bikini set for the summer. I purchased this jumbo hair claw clip, a midi slip dress, and a mesh contrast-stitch skirt at Urban Outfitters. Most of my shopping carts on various websites are even filled with citrus-colored things. Why
have I suddenly become so obsessed with orange? Summer is slowly approaching, and we all need a tangy twist in our lives. Designers established spring 2022 as a season of bold color, so what better color to embrace the trend than orange? Orange may seem risky because it can resemble prison jumpsuits, but it is in right now. While we are craving to wear this color, it can be intimidating to wear such a colorful statement if you’re used to wearing mostly neutral clothing. However, it is really not a hard adjustment at all. With hues ranging from neon to soft sorbet, the color can easily adapt to the wardrobe you might already have. A common misconception about wearing the color is how it does not go with anything. Orange actually adds a pop to everything. It goes best with
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pastels and neutral tones like cream, brown, and black, but it can also match, the more you become comfortable with the color. Bottoms can look great with other bold colors like bright blue and be tricky because you might feel like you are a fashion hot pink. victim, but you can step outside of your comfort There are so many orange products on the zone. With keeping your upper half simple, a bright summer is slowly market today. When I went to Urban Outfitters just bottom color allows you to stand out. approaching, last week, they had a whole section devoted to the While the trial-and-error process of styling the and we all need color—from tops to skirts to makeup to accessories. cantaloupe color may be intimidating, its vibrant a tangy twist in It can be overwhelming seeing this bright tangerine characteristics enable us to be more creative with our lives. everywhere, but it is much more simple when buying our wardrobe through color. The next time you anything with this color. Start off with small doses, for go shopping, I hope you find the color orange as example, buying a top. It is easy to match an orange ap[peal]ing as I do. YM tee or tank top with some jeans or even cargo pants. The more you
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Fashion police said what? WRITTEN BY NIRVANA RAGLAND
ART BY NATASHA ARNOWITZ
rowing up, fashion meant being dressed head-to-toe for appropriate weather. That was the extent of thought I put into my outfits. I attended a charter school until age 11 where uniforms were required, and even painted nails or dangling earrings warranted detention. Switching to a public school opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of designing my “character.” I now had free range to dress colorfully, wear braids, and outwardly express myself. Though middle school was not where my sense of fashion was established, having the opportunity was the starting point. This was until the “fashion police” had a stronghold on me through high school. Ill-fitting, laced-up crop tops and name brands like PINK, Champion, Forever 21, and H&M consumed my closet. Despite having no desire to wear these word-cluttered, funky-printed pieces, I did. I saw Instagram models wearing these clothes, coupled with my classmates’ comments, which resulted in my regurgitated fashion sense. Once I started working in retail my senior year of high school, I learned the specifics of what goes into fashion and how to style items. Through
working with materials, color palettes, and cuts of clothing, I learned what best suited my figure and presented my personality. To reach that comfort, I stopped looking at labels—at least the way I used to. Considering what items to buy due to how the media perceives everyone’s shopping experience is detrimental (and not ideal). Sizes are a construct. Brands oftentimes cater to a very specific demographic and their body too. Brandy Melville is known as a store for smaller frames, while Torrid is for bigger builds. The problem is, not everyone falls on one end of this spectrum, and as a mid-sized girl myself, I have found, and continue to find, clothes that compliment every roll and curve from a size 2 to a size 16. Each store runs differently and the material can make or break if a pair of pants go past your knees. This was a struggle for me to process. I critiqued my body for inconsistencies in the fashion industry, which “fashion police” never bothered to warn me about. Caring too much about name brands has caused me to miss out on so many incredible pieces. Looking to brands for quality is essential;
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taking it off the rack for the name brand alone is a rookie mistake. Fashion does not have to be determined by price tag or status, and if you base your closet on that basis, prepare for FOMO. Opening my eyes up to these realities led me to thrift shopping. Many of my staple items are preloved pieces found at affordable prices. Not only is thrifting appreciated by struggling college students like myself, but buying secondhand is environmentally conscious as well. Straying away from malls and slowly migrating to thrift stores was one of the best decisions for my closet. It keeps me away from what is on trend and focuses me on what unique pieces I can find. Neutrals are great, but distinctive colors are just as good—if not better. I’ve noticed that finding items in uncommon shades increases their fashion appeal exponentially. For example, periwinkle, seafoam green, and chartreuse items are rare finds and can add the perfect touch. These colors tend to pop more on various skin tones, and everyone will be asking where it’s from or what the name is! What does the “fashion police” have to say about this?
There is a debate about combining both gold and silver. Listen, my hot take is to combine the two proudly. If you can pull it off, who has the place to say anything? That’s what I tell myself when picking out accessories for an outfit. As someone with several piercings, sometimes you find a gem in silver or perhaps gold, and a good find is a good find. Mixing gold and silver or mesh and solids is not a crime! Don’t let the “fashion police” tell you otherwise. During my impressionable years, I would have been eternally grateful to anyone who would have debunked these fashion rules. Being a Black woman who lived in communities where expression was nonexistent, I genuinely feared stepping away from the basics. I had to remind myself that my clothes are meant to make me happy, not anyone else. As the fashion industry shifts, these rules are bound to change, but what is most important is that your clothes provide you with the confidence to go outside and demand what is rightfully yours, produce work that you are proud of, and show you a reflection that you could stare at all day. The “fashion police” are officially abolished! YM
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Annalise Englert – @annalise_ee she/her How would you describe your personal style in three words? Retro, classy, mismatched Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from? My outfit inspiration usually comes from a fun pair of earrings or pants, and then I like to build around those pieces. I love chunky jewelry and sunglasses. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? A consignment store of some kind. I feel like it’s always more fun to hunt for good pieces that not everyone has. Celebrity style icon? Princess Diana. I adore her blazers and biker shorts. That is my favorite go-to look when the weather gets warmer. What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without? My favorite patterned pants from Urban (I have them in three patterns). When I find something I know fits me well and is super comfortable, I can’t resist.
Hailey Kroll – @haileyyk4 she/they How would you describe your personal style in three words? Comfortable, versatile, layered Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from? From people I see on the street, but on days when I really don’t know what to wear, I turn to Pinterest. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? One hundred percent Goodwill. Celebrity style icon? Jayden Bartels because she doesn’t have one specific “look” and changes it up on the daily. What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without? Doc Martens, my favorite ring that my best friend gave me, and an oversized gray zip-up jacket STYLE | 29
Presley Webb – @pdwebb0621 she/her How would you describe your personal style in three words? Fluid, Y2K-meets-Atl. (got told I dressed like this at a party a few weeks ago). Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from? My best friend Jules or Hannah Harrell on TikTok. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? Probably a thrift store because I don’t like spending money. Celebrity style icon? Doja Cat. What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without? My fake Air Forces, leather jacket, ‘90s baggy jeans.
Basia Stachurska – @kwiatyczeresni she/her How would you describe your personal style in three words? Chill, rock, fun (I don’t know if that outfit says that though haha) Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from? A lot from my friends but also Instagram and Pinterest. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? It’s hard, but I’m gonna go with Zalando (it’s like an European website, and they have a bunch of stuff from different places). Celebrity style icon? Maybe Marthe Woertman and @themontanaexperience What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without? Doc Martens, rings and necklaces, baguette bags. 30 | STYLE
Khan Nguyen – @npkhanh_ she/her How would you describe your personal style in three words? Fun, intricate, random Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from? I watch a lot of different types of movies and TV shows, so I gather ideas here and there from them. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? Might be a cheating answer, but TheRealReal hehe. Celebrity style icon? Iris Law. What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without? Miista boots, miniskirt, SKIMS tank tops.
Grace Guy – @graceguyfanclub she/her How would you describe your personal style in three words? Easy, sleepy, preschool boy Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from? My friends and my mom. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be? Valley Thrift (near my house). Celebrity style icon? Miley Cyrus. What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without? A black turtleneck, I have a Glee season one production jacket, and low-rise UNIONBAY jeans.
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AT E V LI
THE BBC
DIRECTED BY NIKKI EMMA PHOTOGRAPHED BY NIKKI EMMA STYLED BY AMYA DIGGS MODELED BY JOSIE ARTHUR, LUKE HUSTON, JOSE BARRERA, AND JESSIE VIRTUE
Library Love WRITTEN BY JESS FERGUSON
ART BY KATE RISPOLI
grew up surrounded by books. My mom is a school librarian, so my childhood was filled with trips to our local public library with my siblings, where I would scour each section and grab books by the armful. The librarians would call us the “Fifty Book Fergusons” because of all the books we checked out. The library also hosted events like used book sales and guest readers, like Lucy the “R.E.A.D.” Dog. My love for reading and writing came from the books I checked out here. I always looked back fondly on those memories roaming through the aisles, but I never truly appreciated the public library. We’re so lucky to have places like these at easy access, and it’s time we appreciate libraries not just as places for books but as community resources. Jessica Elias is the Community Learning Supervisor for Boston Public Library, where she coordinates services for “traditionally underserved patrons,” such as immigrants, low-income individuals, and unhoused people. “Libraries have become spaces that have really filled the gaps where social services have been cut,” she says. These services include citizenship resources, technology training, career counseling, Narcan distribution, and Wi-Fi, among many others. While book checkout is still a large part of the library’s services, people like Elias recognize how certain groups have been pushed to the outskirts of society, left with no resources or way to get out of their troubles. For some, the library may be the only place they are accepted in their community and not thrown out or discriminated against. “A lot of members of the community frankly felt invisible,” Elias
says. “We wanted to make sure we were making people feel like valued members of the library by pursuing partnerships and programming and having resources.” Much of Elias’s work constitutes partnerships with community organizations such as Pine Street Inn, Boston’s largest homeless shelter; Fenway Health; and Harvard Law School. These partnerships allow library staff to get a sense of what the community needs and how to get this information to them. BPL has also gone door-to-door at businesses from Forest Hills to Roslindale to ask what issues they’ve seen and how the library could help. In the pre-COVID warmer months, library staff have also taken out the Bibliocycle, a bike that would go to local events like farmers markets, to help people sign up for library cards, check out books, and do story times. They also post information in person in their branches in addition to online so internet access is no barrier. BPL is even hiring a full-time social worker who will further their missions to provide accessible services to their patrons, particularly ones who may be struggling with housing, substance use, or mental health, since most staff aren’t trained in those departments. We all know we can go to the library to check out the latest trending book, but we may take for granted how libraries work at the frontlines of society to make the world more accessible and enriched. “We’ve survived, we’ve prospered, and most importantly, we’ve embraced change, especially with efforts to stay relevant with community and patron needs,” Elias says. YM
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The Power Of Femininity WRITTEN BY ABIGAIL MURPHY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY REB CZUKOSKI
icture this: you’re a 20-something college grad. Today, you have a meeting that could potentially gain you a promotion in your company. You’ve done everything possible to prepare for this meeting; you did an early morning workout followed by a delicious breakfast of eggs, spinach, and Twitter drama. Now comes the challenging part: what to wear… You try on several outfits for your roommates (Project Runway-style). The fashion show is met with overwhelming praise. However, whenever you try on a dress or a skirt, you feel a tightness in your chest. The more feminine you look, the more unprofessional you feel. Even when your roommates tell you your dress could have won Hillary the presidency, you still feel uncertain. You end up wearing pants and a plain shirt with minimal makeup. You don’t want to “be a distraction.” Ultimately, you don’t get the promotion. Even though femininity is often frowned upon in professional spaces, you regret not being yourself. Femininity has the power to incite change in a professional or creative space. Before I begin ranting about the Power of Femininity,
let’s define our terms. Femininity: having qualities or an appearance associated with women. Humility and empathy are associated with the term. There are many ways to show one’s feminine side. It could be what you wear or what kind of music you blast while driving to the dentist. Femininity transcends gender and manifests in all aspects of life. Femininity is beautiful and symbolizes strength. It wasn’t until I grew older that I felt that way. Growing up, I had few feminine influences in the media that were “role models.” My first examples were Disney princesses. Ariel was gorgeous, but Miss Thang had no control over her life. She was so busy dreaming about a prince, she completely forgot about Sebastian’s concert. Ariel was not the best role model for self-assurance or, quite frankly, punctuality. I played with my Barbie collection that consisted of 15 “fashion Barbies” and one veterinarian. Whenever my friends came over, they rummaged through my Barbie bin for the “prettiest one.” Did vet tech Barbie have the same style? Of course not—women with jobs can’t be stylish! Vet tech Barbie ended up in a pile of dust
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under my bed next to a slinky and a few hair elastics. My formative years were a time of great social turmoil or rather, socialite turmoil. Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian were our cover girls. Beauty was only skin deep. For any younger readers, in 2007, Kim K was not a lawyer yet. It was suddenly aspirational to not have a job and just be gorgeous. It seemed like feminine people didn’t need to use their brains or they shouldn’t. From socialites in the media came today’s feminine influences, Maddy and Cassie from Euphoria. Growing up with these media influences, it makes sense that we try to conceal our femininity. We think we won’t be taken seriously. We all want to be a Jackie and not a Marilyn. Wearing makeup feels like weakness. Mascara is more likely to be seen smudged in a mugshot than worn during an inaugural ball. My thinking eventually changed. I was lucky enough to have several successful feminine influences in my life. My mother and aunts are my icons. When I was 12, one woman (whom I will never meet) changed the way I viewed femininity and success: Elle Woods.
Legally Blonde was the only movie I saw as a child where the fabulous fashionista was a driven, kind, and successful career person. Elle Woods became a Harvard Law graduate while never sacrificing her integrity. She was a lawyer who dressed in amazing outfits. She “bent and snapped” the falsely accused right out of prison. Obviously Legally Blonde is fictional, so I needed to do some research to see if women like Elle Woods exist in real life. News flash: feminine, successful people do exist! Yes, even in this economy! It is our responsibility to tell their stories. Femininity manifests in kindness and strength. Confidence, passion, and determination can all be uniquely feminine qualities. It manifests in walking into a board room and giving the best damn presentation your colleagues have ever seen. It’s standing up for a friend when you know there is a lot at stake if you do. It is more than hair, clothes, and shoes. The next time you’re getting ready and you feel insecure, follow your idols. You’ll be surprised how far you can go by being yourself. YM LIVING | 43
WRITTEN BY ALEA ADRIAN ART BY FRANCESCA POLISTINA
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SEND THEM TO THERAPY
R
epressed emotions will only come back to haunt us later on. We don’t get a chance to process the emotions, and we may temporarily push them aside, but that doesn’t mean they disappear. When we avoid dealing with things, we end up perpetuating unhelpful patterns of behavior, propelling us into a cycle of repeating our trauma. I’ve been in therapy for the past 18 months, and I can unquestionably say that I’m probably not even halfway through my therapeutic journey. I went into the process thinking I would be in it for six months, tops—cut to three ‘six-months’ later, and I’m still working on rewiring the patterns of thinking that I’ve carried with me for the past 21 years of my life. It hasn’t been without progress, though: I’ve learned a lot about my own trauma-inflicted behavior—why I respond to certain triggers the way I do, including my need for order and organization, which stems from unstable parental figures in my childhood (i.e. the passing of my dad when I was only 5 years old)—and can better understand why the people around me react the way they do, too. This includes friends, but more close to home, it includes parents. Communicating my emotions has always been difficult for me, and in the past I would often avoid those conversations entirely if I could help it. I always thought of myself as “more of a listener,” when really I just couldn’t put my thoughts and feelings into words. This makes sense to me now, as my therapist and I have gotten to the root of where this habit comes from: communication in my family has never been our strong point. Over this past summer, my therapist encouraged me to open a line of communication with my mom, which included asking questions about my deceased dad. I went home for a couple of weeks at the end of July, and my grandparents surprised me with a visit at the same time. I began the conversation with my mom by asking basic questions about my dad, like how they met and the dates they went on, which, as my confidence grew, led me to ask my grandma questions about her young adulthood in an attempt to better understand how she was raised, and in turn how my mom was raised. My grandma, born in Japan, opened up to me about how it’s uncommon in Japanese families for there to be much dialogue. Children don’t express their feelings, or rather, aren’t given an open space to do so. In her own experience, she said she wasn’t encouraged to voice her discomforts or opinions to her father, her main caregiver. I reflected on how this was the first time I had an honest and engaged conversation with my grandma—something I can acknowledge I have taken for granted in not having more of these conversations—as well as how it explained the lack of dialogue between her and my mom, and my mom and myself. In our family’s case, my grandma wasn’t encouraged to communicate in her childhood, which influenced the way she brought up my mom, which then influenced how I was raised. It’s
this cycle of lack of communication in each of our childhoods that has perpetuated through generations. Generational trauma usually begins with an adverse childhood experience, but, of course, trauma can be experienced at any age. The person’s experiences as a child then impact their decisions as an adult. For example, many children of parents who lived through the Great Depression were taught to stockpile food and resources and prepare for crises. Most of what we learn about behavior and communication comes from what we see modeled for us by our parents and caregivers. If your parents frequently talked about their feelings or encouraged you to share how experiences made you feel without judgment, in addition to other helpful communication patterns, then you most likely are comfortable expressing your emotions as an adult. Alternatively, it might be harder for someone to connect with their feelings or express them in a helpful way if their parents rarely talked about their feelings or shamed the expression of emotions. We carry all of our early lessons from childhood into adulthood. We aren’t the only ones holding onto repressed trauma: if there is anyone that could use therapy, it’s our parents, whose behaviors in raising us and interacting with us are clear indicators of how they were raised and what behaviors they repeat. Just like how my grandmother was raised to not communicate her feelings, so was my mom, and so was I. It has been a snowball effect of sorts, whether it was conscious or subconscious. Many people reenact their trauma unconsciously. We end up repeating these actions and modes of communicating in our interpersonal relationships based on what was modeled for us growing up. There is familiarity, and, ironically, comfort, in these behaviors. We often imitate the behavior of our parents and perpetuate it further when we have children, as well. Our mental and physical health are so intertwined, and if there’s one reason to encourage you or your parents to go to therapy, it’s for their health. Repressed emotions can lead to health problems, including depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, digestive problems, infections, and low energy, to name a few. Our bodies are vessels, and they carry all of our stressors. While communicating, stretching, exercising, and meditating are all helpful ways to manage your health, the best way to learn to take charge of your emotions is to see a licensed therapist, where they can help you understand and manage your emotions. Healing isn’t linear—it can look different for a lot of people. It might take 18 months, or, for me, longer, and there is a lot of learning and unlearning. Breaking the cycles of generational trauma takes work, but it’s not impossible—just time-consuming. YM
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(CATHOLIC) GUIl y as charged WRITTEN BY LAUREN SURBEY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MAHKYE HAYDEN
f you’ve grown up going to a Catholic church, you know that texting your significant other during Mass or drinking wine outside of communion is considered taboo. You don’t wear ripped jeans, you sing all of the hymns, and you certainly don’t ditch the weekly ritual for a concert. Yet, it is everything taboo in the religion that we find thrilling. The truth is, the stereotypical ‘90s grunge-rock, rebel Catholic kid isn’t exactly off par. When you are forced to be the pristine Catholic school teen, everything you suddenly want to do is the opposite of who you are expected to be. The teens in Derry Girls consistently rebel against their parents, and we find it humorous. The rock & roll in Sing Street is looked down on by adults, and yet we find the high schoolers cool. And in Lady Bird, we find the discourse between Saoirse Ronan and every adult figure, from priests and guidance counselors to her own mother, utterly relatable. The trend is in: everyone likes a rule-breaker. The problem with the rebel Catholic child portrayed in the media is that there is a lot more depth to the surface-level rule-breaking that we actually see. Although it’s not completely their fault for the reason that you cannot squish the endless amount of Catholic guilt that a young person faces in a two-hour time frame. Catholicism is deeply rooted in guilt. There are so many prayers blaming ourselves and apologizing to God. Every priests’ homilies tend to be about forgiveness for our mistakes. At the epitome of it all is confession, one of the seven sacraments where we apologize for every sin we’ve committed. So it makes sense why introverted people like myself are constantly apologizing for everything: it is ingrained in our mind. On top of this, the very anxiety-driven Catholic guilt is often the butt of many jokes. My first college boyfriend used to tease me about any guilt that I had experienced being a form of “Catholic guilt.” My high school friends would have comebacks to my humor with anything remotely related to my faith. And as funny as it can be, the reality of being tied down to something so heavy at such a young age is exhausting. So what’s considered fun and games to them immediately stops as soon as you visit home for a weekend. You don’t have to say anything for someone in your immediate
family to catch onto your lack of faith. Showing mere doubt of the religion is frowned upon. Parents and grandparents have no problem with guilting you into church, and beyond that they expect an explanation out of you. Obviously you don’t owe them anything, but the generational guilt makes it feel like you owe them everything. Catholic guilt can feel suffocating at a time in your life where you’re meant to feel free. Whether straying away from the religion or abandoning it altogether, families are easily disappointed. And, if they’re anywhere near as stubborn as my family, the whole image of their picture-perfect daughter being twisted into her own individual self is simply not accepted. After so much progress in college, you regress back home. So what do you do when this happens? A healthy thing to do is to find someone who will accept and listen to your anxieties. Because, whether you believe it or not, Catholic guilt is very real and very heavy. Odds are a good amount of the anxiety you face now manifested as a result of any past and present Catholic guilt. Someone who might have similar expertise or experiences in particular can help with this, whether that’s a therapist, a close friend, or a sibling. It is always good to have a trustworthy confidant. Spend some time distracting yourself from the strenuous topic. I’m from a small town, so driving always helps me focus on the road and put aside Catholic guilt. Plus, it can feel good to physically spend time away from your tense household. Don’t loiter around your house for too long. If you feel things rising, find an escape for a period of time. Remind yourself that you deserve to go through this “phase” in your life; that you owe it to yourself to work on yourself. It’s healthy and, quite honestly, beautiful. You don’t have to justify reflecting on yourself; it’s a good grasp on determining what you want rather than what your family wants for you. Don’t dread what your family says; express what you have to say. So yes, the idea of the rebel child at a surface level feels fun and funky. But the reality of it is much more complex. Are you actually rebelling if you’re just trying to figure yourself out? It’s all about overcoming Catholic guilt, and finding a strategic way to get to it before the judge slams their gavel to claim that you are guilty as charged. YM
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DIRECTED BY NEEKA BOROUMANDI PHOTOGRAPHED BY TALIA SMITH STYLED BY MEERA SINGH AND AMYA DIGGS MAKEUP BY MOLLY HOWARD MODELED BY MINA ROSE MORALES AND MEERA SINGH
TECHBLUES TECH BLUES
56 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
everything’s a clue to a stan WRITTEN BY SADIE FRANKEL
ART BY REB CZUKOSKI
have been opening a virtual door every day at 12 p.m. EST for the past 18 days because people on Twitter said it has something to do with Harry Styles’s third album. I have read into every one of Taylor Swift’s posts on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, hoping for hints as to which album will be rerecorded next. To some, these actions may seem desperate. But to fans, this is merely what needs to be done to stay on top of the newest developments in the music industry. And, as it turns out, the door did have to do with Harry Styles. The account, @youarehome on Twitter and Instagram, was a promotion for HS3 (now officially called Harry’s House, which will be released on May 20, 2022). Taylor Swift announced the release date of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) through random capitalized letters in one of her Instagram posts. The fans proved to be right, and this bizarre way of marketing brought more excitement than ever to their album releases. People love a mystery. Fans love to feel involved. With the endless information about our favorite artists abounding on social media and the internet, it is easy to feel like we are a part of these celebrities’ lives. We strive to get more contact, more personal interactions with them. By leaving things up to their fans to figure out, artists indulge in our desperation for involvement in the music we love. “I love [the Easter eggs] that are released,” Alexandra Apadula ‘22, a communications major at SUNY New Paltz, says. “It makes the release feel like the build-up to a surprise party.”
The release of albums by artists such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles is widely anticipated even without Easter eggs due to the artists’ popularity. But the hints, theories, and guessing games that take place during these pre-release Easter egg hunts create even higher mounting excitement for the albums. “Easter eggs certainly get people more excited for the album,” Molly Dougherty ‘25 says. “It’s also an amazing way to bring fans together as a community to figure out [the clues].” The artist’s fanbase interactions grow when there is something to be figured out. Harry Styles’s album has been a hot topic since the clues began to spread, and they’ve only been increasing since Styles released his leading single “As It Was” off of Harry’s House. The song was met with great enthusiasm, and within hours, the stans were back to work, looking for clues within the lyrics and music video. Leading up to Taylor Swift’s re-recordings, her fans are always speculating on social media, interacting with their fellow fans, and growing excited by the prospect of new music. Fans work together to decode artists’ messages, often seemingly out of nothing, yet many of their predictions turn out to be correct. “Overall, I feel artists implement Easter eggs because they know their influence in the lives of so many people,” Dougherty says. “People can derive great happiness from decoding and looking forward to new music from their favorite stars.” YM
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I know I'm funny, HA HA WRITTEN BY: BREANNA NESBETH
ART BY: NATASHA ARNOWITZ
don’t know if men are aware that I know I’m funny. Or if they think that doesn’t matter since they have yet to validate it. But I know I’m funny. It would be a bit odd if I didn’t, considering that working towards a degree in Comedic Arts with the intent of pursuing a career in the field is my very purpose for attending this institution. And the more I’ve come to think about it, I’ve realized men have only really noted that I’m funny. It seems as if they believe an excess of praising my humor could make up for a lack of compliments on all other fronts. That over-addressing my wittiness could conceal the fact that that’s all they see in me. I find it rather difficult trying to recall the times in which men have called me beautiful, or pretty, or at the very least, attractive. But there seems to be no lack of recognition of my hilarity. This isn’t to say that I am so sure of my humor that I no longer wish to be reassured of it. But rather, I am cautious when accepting the praise on the count that too many times, the phrase has been a thinly veiled jab. Similarly, senior WLP student, Kate Healy, has picked up on this pattern. She notes “I think that men are always shocked that I am more than my size. It’s always the second conversation I have with a man where I make him laugh and he looks at me, pretending to see me for the first time, and tells me that I’m ‘actually really funny.’ I guess that actually isn’t supposed to be as offensive as it is.” The unfortunate truth is that this is not a unique experience. The harsh reality is that women who don’t fit the conventional beauty standard– women of color, plus-sized women, non-Femme presenting women– are only complimented for their humor rather than outward appearance. And the implications of this are detrimental. It seems as if this pattern of rejecting intimacy for these women has translated into the use of them only as comedic relief. Disregarding that, just like any other person, these women are complex beings and possess a unique set of individual traits and qualities worthy of recognition. By existing as anything other than what has been wrongly framed to be the ideal standard of beauty (slim, white, feminine) these women have unjustly been exempted from being deemed worthy of praise for their outward appearance. This places women of color, who don’t possess eurocentric beauty standards, women with plus-sized bodies and bodies that deviate from the norm, and people with (rightfully) no desire to fit an ideal standard of femininity, at a disadvantage. And by no means of their own action. These women are punished for simply existing in their own bodies. Xiara Glickell, a member of the sketch comedy troupe Chocolate Cake City, has noticed themself in this pattern as a nonbinary person of color. They say, “Men think they’re put in a tough position when
asked to compliment someone like myself. When a body like mine is not commonly the frame of reference for beauty, they refuse to challenge this idea and go with what they assume to be a ‘safe’ comment. They fall back on saying that I’m funny, or witty, or quirky.” This isn’t to say this is a dire issue because these women aren’t being validated. Rather, this is a dire issue because these women are being diminished. We see this diminishment through the ways in which these women are portrayed on-screen. The trope these women have been written into is the funny sidekick. Accompanying a skinny, white, conventionally pretty, protagonist, the sidekick is often a woman of color, and most commonly a plus-size woman. Often in these depictions, the main character’s love life is the focus of the plot, and the role in which the funny sidekick plays is to comfort her. Her entire existence is written to provide emotional support through the form of a witty joke or anecdote. Take for example Sookie in Gilmore Girls, who takes a backseat to thin and quirky Lorelai Gilmore, Etta Candy in every adaptation of Wonder Woman, or Kat in Euphoria. While these characters may have been created with the good intention of showcasing plus-size bodies, they have unfortunately become a walking joke. Fat women, in almost all portrayals, are still relegated to comic relief or goofy sidekicks. But this isn’t to say all portrayals are in poor taste. In recent years, a few creators have been more conscious in their depiction of plussize women. More modern plus-size women have been rewritten to be strong, confident individuals, aware of their bodies, and regarding themselves as desirable nonetheless. Think Donna from Parks and Recreation, or Kelli from Insecure. These women are witty and humorous, but not at the expense of their size. Writers need to realize that when writing plus-size roles, the most important thing is to write them as genuine people with complex feelings. Their role goes beyond making us laugh. So how do we combat the negative portrayals of these women? Simple– putting in the work to understand the experiences of the people who we write about. Writing about people from marginalized groups is hard, even for authors of that particular background, since so many people in the same communities can have a myriad of experiences. But this isn’t to say that it is more complicated to write characters from these communities. The reason accurate portrayals of these characters are so hard to come across is that whiteness has become the norm. Creators need to take the proper course of action to decolonize the media. Although it may be uncomfortable to confront that you’ve written a character that falls into a problematic trope, it is a necessary course of action. These characters can be funny without being your punchline. YM
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Low-Stakes Art
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efore coming to Emerson, filmmaking was something I did casually. On my high school’s daily news and sketch TV show, most of the filmmaking we did consisted of me and silly friends running around town, filming ourselves being, well, silly. Of course, it was more than that—there were scripts, nice cameras, and microphones. But even with all the equipment, I never consciously thought of what we were doing as filmmaking. But we were filmmakers. Scrappy, gritty, silly filmmakers. That’s how I became an art student. From the simple joys of creating meaningless little stories. They didn’t have to be grand. I just wanted to make something, whatever that something was. But in my head I always wanted to make my art bigger. Now, as an Emerson student having just produced my first serious film, Merry Go Round, I have found this craving satisfied. I worked with the largest budget and crew I ever have. With my co-producer, I rented vans, bought music rights, rented cinematic equipment, 60 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WRITTEN BY MANNI BURACH PHOTOGRAPHED BY REB CZUKOSKI
and applied to large festivals. That’s the freshman film school dream, right? Yet, at the end of the semester, I felt a little empty. I was so proud of Merry Go Round, but I was missing that collection of low-stakes films. Usually back home, at the end of the year, I would have a huge pile of them to show to friends and family. I realized I’d been so hungry for serious filmmaking that I forgot to take time to create on my own. I have noticed, at art school especially, that art can become too serious. We want everything we make to be impressive on our resume. But I’ve realized the importance of creating “low-stakes” art—art that doesn’t have to be high quality, fully constructed, or even see the light of day. A lot of my friends at Emerson have inspired me with the way that they create their own low-stakes environments for art. Through different mediums, they consistently create without the pressure of producing something polished for the masses. The Low-Stakes Poet is a friend of mine who is a passionate writer. When asked about their low-stakes writing process, they say that it
starts with journaling. “I look forward to the time when there’s nothing between me and my notebook,” they say. Their journal entries then form into short poems. “I’m not very public when it comes to my art. It’s something for me. But I still want it to live somewhere more than a Google Drive,” they admit. That’s why the Low-Stakes Poet created a burner Instagram account that they turned into a micro-platform for sharing their poetry. “It’s really gratifying knowing it’s going to only like 20 of my closest friends. There’s no pressure at all, but it’s still something I want to be good for myself,” they say. The Low-States Songwriter is a friend of mine who writes music privately. “It never was intended to be private. It just turned out that way,” they say. “I would think of an idea, transform it into a song, and then just never record it. It’s like a diary for me. You wouldn’t read your diary aloud to friends.” They add that they can sometimes be a perfectionist when it comes to presenting their art to other people, so the low stakes allow them to make songwriting fun and organic.
“It’s not that I’d be opposed to sitting down with a band and recording my songs, it’s just that when it’s low-stakes and private, it makes it more fun. Knowing it exists just between me and my journal lets me go at it full-force,” they say. The Low-Stakes Filmmaker is a friend of mine who is an award-winning narrative filmmaker, but in their freetime, creates small camcorder documentaries. “I’ve cycled through about 3 different camcorders. It started in highschool. I would film while hanging out with friends, but became much more religious when I started college,” they say. They add that, as opposed to writing narrative films about their emotions and experiences, the camcorder videos document real things as they happen. “I like to capture sort of evidence or documentation of things that happen to me,” they say. “Then I started posting them on Instagram, which acts as an incentive for me to actually edit the clips together and have it all in one place too, like a diary.” These artists have set an example of creating a vulnerable space for their art to exist imperfected, and I hope they inspire you to do the same. YM ARTS & ENTERTAINTMENT | 61
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DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT — KING HARVEST 1000 STARS — JAAKKO EINO KALEVI DON’T YOU WANT ME — THE HUMAN LEAGUE POISON LIPS — VITALIC LOVE TONIGHT — SHOUSE RENEGADE — BIG RED MACHINE FEAT. TAYLOR SWIFT 1999 — CHARLI XCX FEAT. TROYE SIVAN #SELFIE — THE CHAINSMOKERS FLASHLIGHT — PARLIAMENT ON MY MIND — DIPLO BE MY LOVER — LA BOUCHE BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!! — VENGABOYS SANDSTORM — DARUDE ON THE FLOOR — JLO, PITBULL DINERO — JENNIFER LOPEZ FEAT. DJ KHALED, CARDI B BELIEVE — CHER DO IT TO IT — ACRAZE FEAT. CHERISH
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YM ADVISES: UNPLUGGED ART BY ISA LUZARRAGA
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In high school, I once went a month without my phone, and though I, unfortunately, don’t think I could do that now, it did make me more mindful of my consumption. I find that setting up time limits on some of my most-used apps, like TikTok and Instagram, prevents me from endlessly scrolling. I also try to remind myself that my life probably won’t be any more fulfilled from those extra minutes on socials. Sleep and off-screen time are ultimately more beneficial uses of time. — Jess Ferguson, Head Copy Chief
Everyone will probably hate this advice, but PLEASE delete TikTok. I used to be obsessed with it, scrolling for hours at a time until I felt unable to get out of bed. I deleted it almost a year ago and never looked back. Best online decision I’ve ever made. — Hailey Kroll, Assistant Head Designer
As days become more stressful and nights become mornings, I find myself lying in my bed playing mindless apps and scrolling through TikTok to escape everyday life. By the time I have made it through my whole feed or have ended up on level 2,000 of Ballz, I realize I have stayed up all night and have to start all over again! Something that is starting to heal my mind is putting my phone on my desk before going to bed instead of sleeping next to it. Although I am still awake past 3:00 each night, since beginning this change my head has felt clearer! — Griffin Willner, Assistant Head Proofreader
Rule of thumb is to try drinking a whole cup of coffee in the morning without piddle-paddling on my phone in between sips. If I can manage to do that, I’m usually set to have a decently unplugged day. Definitely doesn’t happen often… </3 — Talia Smith, Managing Editor
Whenever I find myself consumed by media, my first move is to set timers on the apps I use most. Although I ignore it sometimes. My other goto is to do something equally addictive (but far healthier) such as journaling, yoga, or going through my closet and reworking old pieces/ figuring out what to donate. Taking bubble baths is my second go-to. The aesthetic and comfort are truly unbeatable and not having that here at college makes it even more enjoyable when I can! — Nirvana Ragland, Diversity Chair
I set time limits on social media, and to make sure I don’t just click past them, I had a friend set a child lock that I don’t know the passcode to. It may seem silly, but when you physically cannot open a social media app, you suddenly find so much else to do! — Kathleen Nolan, A&E Editor
My go-to is hitting ‘Do Not Disturb’ on my phone and charging it in my closet. I have to physically peel it off my hand and hide it in a dark room, but the more I do it, the easier it is to completely forget to habitually doom-scroll. I usually do this when I’m feeling anxious and need to quiet my brain. Instead, I’m trying to reach for a hands-on activity that relaxes me or exercises my creativity to shift gears and escape from the cyber world for a moment. There’s nothing like the great outdoors too, so I like to go for walks around the city often, find a spot to sit in direct sun, and touch grass… though I still can’t go anywhere without listening to music as loud as possible in my headphones — ears plugged, brain unplugged. — Olivia Cigliano, Style Editor
Lately I’ve been going on walks, especially when I feel overstimulated by the media throughout the day. Boston is so beautiful and the weather is getting nice everyday, so I have spent a lot of time finding tranquility in nature. Social media can be extremely taxing, and taking breaks has allowed me to seek peace of mind in new ways. Totally recommend! — Abigail Ross, Romance Editor
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WYATT HARRAH
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ARTIST STATEMENT Describe your work in one sentence. Most people would know my abstract, black and white geometric stuff, but I also do a lot of cartoon work, photography, film, sculpture, kind of everything, but with varying degrees of success. How and when did you get into illustration? I’ve been drawing so long that I can’t be so sure how it happened. The story I always tell is my dad got me into drawing by teaching how to draw an eye. Eyes are still the thing I start drawing first if I’m bored with paper in front of me. Interestingly, as a kid, I would fill a page with tiny shapes. It was really labor-intensive and textural like the abstract work I do now, but this was way before I started making my abstract work.
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What inspires you? I get inspired by textures and details in the world around me as well as other abstract art. Honestly though, most of the abstract stuff just came from me doodling on a piece of paper and just being struck with an idea. That can be pretty frustrating because I’d have to wait for an idea even if I really wanted to start a new piece. Why abstract art? I’m drawn to abstract art because it’s all about the idea behind it, and I feel that my style is pretty unique compared to my peers. I may not be as technically skilled as some of my friends, but I like to think I can offer a style and a way of making art that’s kind of special. Who are some of your favorite creators/artists? My favorite artist has been Man Ray for a while. He worked in all sorts of media photography, painting, sculpture, and film, to name a few. Not all of his art is particularly outstanding, especially compared to today’s standards, but he was immensely creative and made art that was incredibly unique for the time. I’ve also been really into the art of David Hockney and Edward Hopper. I love their ability to create an atmosphere, and they show a real reverence for the beauty of the world around them. What is one of your favorite pieces you’ve made? What makes it special to you?
experience, the chase to find your personal style is futile, and it will
My favorite piece isn’t actually finished yet, but it’s a sculpture I
just come in time. For a period of time, I really thought I may never
titled “A Love Story.” I feel it is the most unique and original piece I have ever made. The piece is made of the bottoms of plastic cups painted black. I poked holes in the cups and cut them into little scales, which I then adhered together with copper wire. I love the piece because I feel it is totally abstract; its materials and methods are totally abstracted and therefore is totally unique. It doesn’t look exactly like one thing, and at the same time, it doesn’t look to be
find my style, and if I didn’t do anything about it, then I definitely wouldn’t. I tried and tried, but nothing was working, and I slowly stopped thinking about it. Now, thanks to not thinking about it, I definitely have a style. I can’t tell you how it happened; it just did. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I hope I’m still making art, and I hope I’m way better at it. Of
made of any one thing either.
course I’d like some career in the arts; there’s not much else I’m
What advice would you give other/new creators?
notarizing, who knows.
I think a lot of people put a lot of focus on trying to develop a style, and I think that those people should stop trying. I’m not going to pretend like I came up with this advice, but I have lived it. In my
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really good at. Maybe in the next 10 years, I’ll get really good at
Where can readers see more of your work? You can find a lot of my art on my Instagram, @wyattharrah14.
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