Fashion Czar: She dares to kiss Jesus

Fashion Czar is a weekly comment from the Editor, Phillip Crook.

Yes, we LOVE Lady Gaga. But shall we reflect for just a moment on the original mistress of reinvention?

Ok, let's.

In her most recent evolution, Madonna shed her usual abrasiveness and served up a more refined – though still appropriately punchy – Queen of Pop.

This is a Madonna with finesse, but without sensationalized sex or in-your-face Kabbalah bracelets.

Madonna's greatest hits album, Celebration.

To commemorate her greatest hits album, out last month, the Queen debuted two new songs. The title track, Celebration, effectively condenses the many evolutions of her career into one simple lyric: "If it makes you feel good, then I say do it."

What more appropriate maxim is there for a performer who invades political comfort zones, pushes sexual boundaries, challenges religion and does it all while dancing in a pair of 6-inch heels?

The song’s video goes even farther in bringing us the best of Madonna. Here we see icon, mother, dancer and fashion-forward femme converge.

A series of quick cuts and sped-up shots of Madonna & Co. dancing to exhaustion, the Jonas Akerlund-directed video is the visual equivalent of raving on some disorienting drug.

And swallowing the Madonna pill has never been so much fun.



Dressed for her party in a studded leather mini-dress and black knee-high Louboutin boots, the Queen meets her usual standards of fabulousness and displays the age-defying body that has helped keep her famous.

Never one to totally shy from controversy, Madonna infused the video with buzz by including a cameo from her post-divorce boy toy, Jesus Luz, who acts as the party’s DJ. Luz made waves by appearing nude in Madonna’s March, 2009 shoot for W.

Apparently, we are to conclude Jesus is well sculpted and musical.

The song is ready made for gay dance clubs, as is the case with almost every Madonna track, but with her greatest hits video Madonna delivers what we’ve come to love most about her: full-body pelvic thrusts, a fierce aesthetic and a little water cooler conversation.

 

Rag Report: Making a 'Great Escape'

Rag Report dives under the covers of fashion publications to rant or rave about all the glossy goodness. 

American-born model and actress Amber Valletta is causing quite a buzz in fashion publications this fall. 

First, she posed on the September cover of V Magazine. The next month, she modeled glitter and sequins in the Instyle editorial "Sparkle & Shine."

Amber Valletta in Elle Nov. 2009

This November, Valletta is the leading lady in the Elle shoot “The Great Escape” photographed by Michelangelo di Battista. In the shoot, Valletta plays the role of a stylish and independent woman on the move, alongside Michael Rady from the CW’s Melrose Place.

Amber Valletta and Michael Rady in Elle Nov. 2009

He poses as the sexy hitchhiker that Valletta picks up on her journey. Decked out in structured jackets, prints and layers of jewelry, Valletta’s looks are feminine and sassy.  

Our favorite shot features Valletta in a powder blue zippered jacket, printed silk shorts and a yellow bowler bag. The hazy background of the shot perfectly compliments the yellow and orange tones in the shorts and purse.

  

Amber Valletta in Elle Nov. 2009  

Undeniably, the models and clothes are gorgeous. But the best part of this shoot is the lighting. A soft glow of sunshine lingers on the edges of the photos giving them a sense of romance and effortless glamour.  

In this editorial, Elle sends a clear message:  finding ‘a great escape’ is exactly what every girl needs to be doing this fall.

- by Carine Umuhumuza 

The Craze: Buckles, Studs and Chains, Oh My

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.  

Jump on your Harleys, Syracuse, because there’s no better time than now to release your inner biker chick. 

Buckles, studs and chains are adorning everything from shoes to jeans to leather jackets this fall, and we aren’t talking in minimal amounts. This season these metal-clad details are pushing edgy over the edge.

Forget about dripping in diamonds; chains are hanging from apparel and accessories in head to toe fashion. Ankle boots, which have been carried through from the past few fall seasons, are no longer plain and black. 

Now decked out with some heavy metal, your boots will make some serious noise while strutting down the street.

Dolce Vita - nordstrom.com $199.95

If you find that these Dolce Vita shoes are too extreme for the daytime, it’s easy to find a flat boot with less detailing that might be more appropriate for class. This bootie by Steve Madden has nice accents and can be worn as an everyday boot.

 

Steve Madden - stevemadden.com $149.95  

However, keep in mind that heavily detailed pieces are super edgy and unless you want to rock an extremely hardcore biker look (or look like you belong to a gang), limit the hardware to one or two pieces in your overall outfit. 

But hey, Halloween is coming up, and if you’re looking for an easy costume, go wild. 

- by Emily Barnes

Biz Buzz: 25Park.com SAMPLE SALE

Biz Buzz keeps its fabulously accessorized ear to the ground to provide breaking fashion news coverage.  

For all of you frugal fashionistas, 25Park.com will be hosting a sample sale on Nov. 3 at SU’s Schine Student Center.

25Park.com designer sample sale Nov. 3 (can you say BARGAIN?!)

The campus sale will include designer pieces for reasonable prices, and part of the proceeds will be going to national philanthropy organizations, such as Reading is Fundamental and Prevent Child Abuse America.

25Park.com is an online shop committed to designer clothing for the best prices possible. Some of their featured brands include Elizabeth and James, Marchesa, Vivienne Westwood and Current Elliott.

If you prefer to do your shopping online or happen to miss the sale, you can also visit the website and receive a 20% discount and free shipping by entering “Syracuse01” at checkout.

So, make sure you save the date! You get to shop designer labels for less AND contribute to a worthy cause — what more could you ask for? For more information, you can follow campus representatives on twitter, @25ParkatSU.

- by Jasmine Thomas

The Orange Carpet: The best of both seasons

The Orange Carpet scours SU to roll out the best of campus style (die, hoodies, die!). 

Spotted: in front of the Hall of Languages, junior Jamie Jordan’s look paired remnants of summer with great fall staples.

Junior Jamie Jordan. Photo: Carine Umuhumuza

If worn alone, the simple white tee and black cotton mini combo would be nothing short of plain and boring. However, Jordan adds vibrancy to the outfit by pairing these basics with great accessories. 

Her frilly purple and orange speckled scarf brings some color to the outfit’s dark palette. Guarding off the chilly autumn air, her opaque black tights, tall boots, and leather jacket easily transform a summer look into fall attire.

The most eye-catching accessory is the gray Urban Outfitters (which is coming to Armory Square in 2010!) tote with brass accents.  

Jordan's gray and brass tote from Urban Outfitters. Photo: Carine Umuhumuza

The bag's large size makes it the perfect everyday bag to carry all you need for school while still remaining stylish.

So, friends, follow suit and don’t box up your favorite summer pieces just yet! Try pairing them with warm accessories to create chic fall looks instead.

Designer Confidential: The past is the future

Designer Confidential highlights the work of SU's greatest fashion assest: its student designers 

With the arrival of the printing press, the typewriter, the camera and the sewing machine, the 18^th and 19^th centuries were innovative periods in conveying fashion to a mass audience.  

So, it is no wonder why Alexandra Greiner, a sophomore Fashion Design major, chose these centuries as her inspiration.

Sophomore Alexandra Greiner. Photo: Kareema Pinckney

Greiner’s bold attempt at mixing round collars with fan-like motifs, rippled patterns, and fine chiffon pleats is the star of her fall collection.

"I wanted something different," she said. "A lot of people go to the 1920s for inspiration. I wanted to go even further back."

After finishing her project, Greiner will place her work on a display board to add to her portfolio. With tons of drawing assignments each night, she thinks her hard work will pay off. 

And she’s right.

"It is a lot of work but I would rather do my best early so when I leave here, I will have material to show," she said. "I want to put the effort in now."

The Dream Job: To have her own haute couture line in NYC.

This Designer’s Confidential: She didn’t know how to draw figures or sew before coming to SU, but has conquered those challenges with much success.

Why You Should Look Out For Her: One of Greiner's creations was featured in SU’s Fashion Week 2009 this month.

- by Kareema Pinckney

Rag Report: Gone GaGa for the Lady

Rag Report dives under the covers of fashion publications to rant or rave about all the glossy goodness. 

In V Magazine's Fall 2009 issue, chart-topping, Billboard-record-breaker-extraordinaire, Lady GaGa, gets “hood” with metallic makeup and a serious fake tan. 

Though it’s the first time that the GaGa has donned the cover of the oversized magazine (which is seriously the size of a totebag), it featured her in the previous issue. 

Clearly the magazine's a fan. 

When we heard about her upcoming cover, we expected a crazy outfit with a theme only she could pull off. Our verdict: Lady GaGa toned it down this time around.

 

V Magazine Fall 2009

In the last issue, her half-naked body and exposed breasts made appearances in about three pictures. On the cover though, Lady Gaga apparently just wants to look fierce. And with neon all over the place, she’s keeping it trendy.

The cover reads "It’s Lady Gaga’s World," and with the upcoming tour and re-release of her album, The Fame Monster, it just might be. She’s like this generation’s Madonna because she speaks with her clothes and has an original attitude toward fashion.

 

Rolling Stone June 2009

Of course, such fashion extravagance comes with many questions from fans, press, and onlookers alike. In a Rolling Stone interview she defended her infamous pantsless look, saying, “My grandmother is basically blind, but she can make out the lighter parts, like my skin and hair. She says, ‘I can see you, because you have no pants on.' So I'll continue to wear no pants so that my grandma can see me."

Evidently, this generation has a new pop and fashion icon, so we say: put Madonna to rest, hail Lady Gaga.

- by Elton Wong 

Cuse Closet: Fall's comfy cool style

Cuse Closet peeks inside the staff's wardrobes to find out where we're going and how good we look getting there.

Today's closet: Lydia Shahmoon

My goal for this crisp autumn day was simple: make it to Psych feeling comfortable without looking sloppy.

Lydia Shahmoon in fall's crisp colors. Photo: Monica Delamater

I decided to channel the season with some classic fall colors. An oversized maroon tank - coupled with my favorite pair of dark skinnies - was an easy way to bring the rich colors of fall to my outfit. 

I spiced up the deep hues with a sparkly gold cardi in keeping with the autumn palette. A pair of my most comfortable black leather boots was a nice alternative to the Uggs that are all too frequently sported around campus (you know who you are).  

I accessorized the look with a tarnished dark silver necklace to play off the bright gold cardigan. Lastly, it was time to add a bit of interest to the outfit with a tan belt, shown off with a half tuck of my tank.  

The half-tuck is a great way to look effortlessly polished; it is the perfect mix between sloppy and chic.

As per usual I was running late for class, so I grabbed my tortoise shell Clubmasters for a finishing touch and cruised on over to class.

Tank: American Apparel

Jeans: Mavi

Belt: Vintage

Necklace: Vintage

Cardigan: D&G

Sunnies: Ray Ban

Boots: Browns Montreal

Fierce+Foreign: French Vogue takes over Paris

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU students studying abroad.

Greetings from Strasbourg, France to all the stylistas in Syracuse!

I'll be your foreign correspondent, Jenny, from across the pond this semester. Escape from the dreary North Faces and Uggs, and follow me as I traverse around this charming country to discover how the French exude style so effortlessly. 

Unfortunately, yours truly was not able to score a press pass to Paris Fashion Week.

But, French Vogue has taken over the Champs Elysée, and you don't need credentials to see this grand showcase. It's the 90th anniversary of French Vogue, and covers reaching as far back as 1920 have been dusted off and put on display.

Photo: Jenny Cheng

Despite having a very French-sounding title, Vogue, in fact, was not created in France but was brought over from across the Atlantic. Nonetheless, its reign in the French fashion world is unrivaled. 

The earliest covers were hand-drawn works of art, and some of the most famous artists in the world have worked on the covers, including David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro and Salvador Dali. And in case you're wondering, the state of print publications in France and Europe is very healthy and not at all a sunset industry. 

The introduction to the exhibition proudly recounts that French Vogue never ceased publishing except during the German occupation, when it refused to publish under the Nazis. 

Later on, female models and celebrities began to grace the covers. It's a small slice of fashion history as you recount the most influential female stars, from Audrey Hepburn to Kate Moss, from Twiggy to Liz Hurley.

Photo: Jenny Cheng

For more photos of the covers on display, click here.
 

On this trip down fashion lane, I looked down in shame at the college hoodie I was sporting. In my defense, it was freezing! Oh la la, these glamorpusses of fashion past towering over me must be shaking their heads in disapproval. A hoodie, of all places, the Champs Elysée!

I have never seen a French girl wear a hoodie or a down jacket in cold weather in Paris or in Strasbourg. They’re always sporting a leather or tweed coat. If these glamorous covers could talk, they would most certainly cast a judgment on me: burn that hoodie! 

- by Jenny Cheng 

The Craze: Suddenly Sequins

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.

They’ve been slowly creeping up in magazine spreads here and there, but now they’re absolutely everywhere (ok, we rhymed).

Yes, friends, we're talking about sequins.  They’re on clutches, leggings, dresses, shoes and Kristen Stewart on the November cover of Allure Magazine.  The craze this season clearly includes sequins on almost any article of clothing you can imagine. 

Our favorite is the refreshing twist on the black legging.  Black, sequined leggings are a glamorous upgrade from last fall’s black polyester shiny leggings.

Costume Dept. - karmaloop.com $68

 

What’s great about the black, sequined legging is that it’s not as over-the-top as gold or silver.  Black is always a safe, chic option for any outfit. 

BUT, as safe and understated as black may be, don’t forget that you’ll be wearing SEQUINED PANTS so let’s not get carried away and add any more glitz.  

All you really need is a loose-fitting white tee and a blazer in black or charcoal grey to complete the look. Ankle boots, platform heels or ballet flats (if you’re not into heels) would probably be the best shoe options because they’ll lengthen your legs, as well as show off the whole legging.

If you don’t think you can take the plunge with the sequined legging, try just a hint of sparkle with a sequined clutch or sequin-embellished cardigan.

Ellian (also in blue, silver and pink) - nordstrom.com $58

 

Smitten (also in black) - piperlime.com $140

- by Rosalind Dean

Posting starts next week!

October 26, 1959: for the first time, the world sees the far side of the Moon.

Sure, that was exciting, but it can't really compare to the RE-LAUNCH OF OUR BLOG! Posts begin this Monday, Oct. 26. See you all then.

Photo: orangemoongiftshop.com

MEETING TODAY!

Hi there,

Just a quick reminder that we're holding our new staffer interest meeting TODAY in Newhouse 1 Room 409 @ 7pm.

See you all there!

New Staffer Interest Meeting

Attention style-conscious Syracuse,

The Cuse Clothes Line, SU's original student-run fashion blog, is looking for new staff members! The blog will re-launch this month, but first we want to take on fresh talent with a love for the fashion industry. We'll be working under a new 5-day format in interest-specific beats. So, if you want to talk about the season's latest trends (...it looks like we'll all be wearing yellow for spring), rant about magazine editorials or document campus style, we have a place for you.

Other campus fashion publications have limited space for staffers, but The Cuse Clothes Line is looking to build its ranks. What better way to gain online experience and channel your styling energy? We're a teaching-friendly blog, so no previous blogging experience is needed and all levels of commitment/interest are welcome!

Come out to our interest meeting at 7pm Thursday Oct. 8 in Newhouse 1 Room 409 (that's in through the front door of the big concrete building, up one flight of stairs and to the left).

If SU alumna Betsey Johnson was a student today, you can bet she'd be there!

Cheers,

Phillip Crook, Editor
cuseclothesline@gmail.com