NOTICE
By Chris Horn
chorn@kansan.com
Soirée Style
During my four weeks in France, I have encountered a number of natives who attempted to pull off a rather stateside look when they went out on the town. And let's just say I was a bit disappointed. But for the vast majority of French youth, bland button-downs and cleavage-bearing blouses, don't make the cut if you want to look à la mode at night.
The beauty of an authentic French going-out outfit is that, for the most part, the ensemble is androgynous. That's not to say that each sex should borrow one another's clothes. Rather, the basics for each piece work equally well for both guys and girls. To add a little European flair to your next bar crawl, gather up the following essential items.
Flashy T-shirt: Make sure it's the right size, bright-colored and has a crew-neck. Focus on something unconventional. Instead of going for navy and solid, perhaps choose purple and striped.
Patterned long-sleeve: You should wear a shirt with a low-cut neck to show a little of the T-shirt, so search for a cardigan, button-up blouse or V-neck. This is your chance to get a little wild, so look for a piece that has an ornate design or a rockin' color.
Accessories: There is a plethora of accessory options for going out, but two of them are definite necessities for this look. Try to find a lightweight scarf or a funky hat to top off the look, and make sure whatever you choose stays within your color palette.
Straight-leg jean: A pair of straight-leg jeans is fashion-forward
and a definite way to slim up most any body type.
High-top shoes: Get a pair of old-style, high-top Converse or some flashy 80s retro Nikes and scrunch the bottom of your jeans in the tops. This might sound silly, but this trend will hit the States soon, so go ahead and get a jump on it.
If France's soirée style doesn't mesh with your own image, achieving a similar ensemble with a more American look is quite simple. Consider a light-colored polo topped off with a structured collared shirt in a traditional pattern such as plaid or basic stripes. As for bottoms, guys should sport khakis and a neutral pair of boat shoes, while girls can dress in dark denim and rock out a pair of ankle boots. For added flair, complete the look with a skinny tie (guys) or vintage jewelry (girls).
TOMORROW'S NEWS
Native American apparel
Native American-inspired cloth accessories are the latest trend hitting stores such as Urban Outfitters and H&M. The geometric prints reminiscent of the American West have also been spotted on this fall's high-fashion runways in Paris and Milan.
Bea Bonanno, Brooklyn, N.Y., senior, was a summer intern for designer Joy Gryson in New York City. Bonanno says the trend of Native American-inspired design is a branch of the already popular bohemian style movement. Gryson has incorporated Native American-themed handbags into her fall 2008 collection, which has been featured in recent issues of Vogue, InStyle and Elle.
Native couture often includes feathers and fringe and appears in the form of richly decorated belts, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headbands, jackets and moccasins.
A thick wallet is not required to pull off this fashion trend. Students can buy moissasins from $50 to $75 at Third Planet, 846 Massachusetts St., and handcrafted earrings made with a mix of pheasant, rooster and peacock feathers are available for $28 at Urban Outfitters, 1013
Massachusetts St.
Bonneie Croisant, Humboldt senior and sales associate at Urban Outfitters, says feathered earrings and beaded headbands are great items to have this fall.
"We've been selling a number of dresses, sweaters, shirts and accessories with Native American motifs," Croisant says. "This trend is a hit."
—Nina Libby
Freeloader Solar Charger
With fall break quickly approaching and warm weather fading away, some students will use these next couple weekends to fit in one last campout with friends. But what happens when you're in the middle of nowhere and your cell phone goes dead?
Well, if you have a Freeloader Solar Charger from Solar Technology, you've got nothing to worry about. The pocket-sized battery charger uses solar cells to create energy to power cell phones, digital cameras and many other electronic devices.
The Freeloader can power an iPod for 18 hours, a cell phone for 44 hours and a PDA for 22 hours. It can fully charge a device in as few as eight hours, though cloud cover and the position of the sun can increase that time to as many as 16 hours.
Sarah Chard,public relations representative for Solar Technology,says although
the solar cells do degrade over time,they still give more than 90 percent of their original power output after 15 years. She says Solar Technology developed the product to give customers more convenient energy access,as well as an environmentally friendly way to power their electronic devices.
The Freeload-
er is available on Amazon.com for about $70. For more information, visit www.stuffunction.com.
—Sean Rosner
8
September 25,2008