Thursday, July 12, 2012

Elizabeth Jacoby


Most recently, I interviewed Elizabeth one of our Graduate Assistants. Elizabeth not only spices it up in the office, but in her wardrobe! Here's what she had to say: 

How did you define your style in College? (Essentially, did you dress in a specific way because of the style and did you consider yourself to be stylish?)

The college version of how I dressed in middle and high school which was very tomboy because I felt that—well first of all I was pretty athletic and I felt like I was shaped like a boy. Because that’s how I  felt that’s how I dressed. Just a lot of tshirts and jeans, hoodies. I never really tried with my clothes because I felt like that’s what girly girls did and I didn’t wanna be that. But when I saw those girls I was jealous of them and I liked how they looked. So then I went to Spain, and I kind of discovered my style I guess. 
Introducing the new character on Degrassi, Liz!


What do you see your style as now?

It is still tomboyish but things were a bit more fitted or flattering. Also my shape changed a bit and I carried that style back with me through senior year. But it wasn’t til grad school until I learned how to dress myself. Just because I put effort into how I looked didn’t mean I was superficial. That’s when I bought my first cardigan. I now own it in every single color. Always always always wear skinny jeans or leggings. I feel like if you do tight on the bottom you shouldn’t do tight on the top also. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that I still never wear jewelry. They just really really bother me. I enjoy dressing up now, I don’t dread it. If I could pick anything to wear on any day, a well fitted pair of skinny jeans and a White Hanes Men's V Neck T-Shirt.

Close enough! Shout out to Mama Jacoby!


How important do you find style?

I think it’s important in the sense that you need to be true to yourself in your style and you shouldn’t feel pressure to wear certain garments because other people wear them. I think you need to be brave enough to know what looks good on you and what maybe doesn’t. Just make your style your own—I think everyone has influences. Some people have stores they love and some have icons that they model themselves after. You should never feel uncomfortable and you should  never feel self-conscous or insecure. So if you walk out in the morning and don’t feel any of these things, you’re doing it right. 

Do you judge others (not in an,  “I’m better than you,” but a, “You’re wearing that, so maybe you are this way.”) by their styles?

I don’t know, I guess if I’m being honest, I think that’s a big part of why we dress the way we do. You are definitely sending a message that you want me to get. Some people’s messages are purposeful and others not. I think it’s obvious, there are extremes like Lady Gaga, who wears her feelings as clothes and will actually tell you what the message is. On the other end is maybe someone who only wears sweatpants and a sweatshirt or something like that. Lady Gaga wants to tell you something while the other person either doesn’t realize that they’re telling or you or is trying not to tell you something.

Lady Gaga's second appearance in RU Stylin'!


What is your must have style item?

A dark wash skinny Jean and a white hanes vneck.

How often do you go shopping? Where?

Too often in proportion to how much money I make. I would say once or twice a month. H&M cause I usually find everything I like there. Then it’s a mix of Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, and The Gap. Also! If you’re wearing plain jeans then maybe your shirt should stand out but if you’re wearing like leopard print jeggings maybe just do a black top cause you’re doin’ the most.

The Most.
Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!

How much do you think is ok to spend on any single item of clothing?

I don’t think I’ve spent more than 60 on one item of anything maybe ever. I would like to think I would never be ok spending more than that. I don’t think you need to spend a lot of money to look good.

I have one exception: If I won a million dollars. I would buy things from Anthropologie!

How do you decide if something fits in YOUR style?

Well most things that I end up buying just pop out to me because I just know myself well enough to know that this teal cardigan fits into my wardrobe. I also find that at times I need to push myself to try other things because, I think it’s good to have a few more outrageous pieces in your wardrobe. It’s good to stand out sometimes.

My Most recent example is that recently in Urban I was looking for a pair of denim shorts. Finally I found them but I just got a regular pair, but while I was there I saw a pair of highwaisted jean shorts and I thought to myself could I pull these off. I tried them on and I didn’t hate it, I’m not used to seeing myself in them, But I don’t hate them. I didn’t get them because I was buying so much else, but I intend to buy them.
Elizabeth Post Buying her High Waisted Shorts. 


How much thought do you put into style?

I guess I would say I think about style when I wake up in the morning when I’m deciding what to wear, but then once I’ve put it on if I’ve done it right, I don’t think about it for the rest of the day. When I do think about it, I feel like I didn’t do it right that day and then I think about it throughout the day. 

Elizabeth left us with two very good points: 
1.) You don't need to spend money to look good. This is a very good point. Money does not make the outfit, you do! Take trips to thrift stores and really search for that good bargain. 

2.) It's good to stand out sometimes. It's not always a bad thing to take risks. As long as they aren't *cough cough* dangerous. 
Gaga appearance number 3.


Thanks Elizabeth!


Daveena Nichole

Check out Daveena! One of our Graduate Interns here at NSO. She is rockin' her "I'm a Scarlet Knight" Shirt in what we like to call, "Camp Chic". Way to rep your RU Pride and kep it stylish! Keep it up stylin' siren. <3




Sirens were dangerous and devious creatures, portrayed as femmes fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Clearly Daveena in her free time ;)


Source: Wikipedia. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

Will Schlosser


Now Will didn't jump at the opportunity for a style blog interview, but that's because he didn't know what an asset he would be to the blog. Check it out! 

How did you define your style in Middle-High School? (Essentially, did you dress in a specific way because of the style and did you consider yourself to be stylish?)

My biggest style was hoodies, in the picture exactly. I would just wear a bunch of hoodies from where I’d been. I loved wearing places, representing who I am. That hoodie is from when I went to Japanese Camp which is where I learned Japanese and got into Asian Culture and got me on track with my major now.
What a happy fish ;)


What do you see your style as now?

Just sort of t-shirts and whatever pants or shorts I find. I’ve been known for my man capris, I’ve worn them so much at the Rutgers Zone that it’s become part of our official attire in the handbook.

How important do you find style?

Not very important at all actually. I’m the least stylish person that has ever existed. Hence Man Capris. Although on a special occasion I like to look decent, or at least good.

What makes you say that you are the least stylish ever?

Compared to like Tia and Iris who always seem to have an outfit together. Mine is thrown together. But if it’s an interview I like to be put together. Like a suit and a tie. That’s my favorite thing ever, wearing a suit and a tie. I love it. If it was still humanly acceptable I would wear it.

Oh, it's acceptable Will. Trust us. 

What do you think you like about being a suit and tie?
It just looks so clean cut and I like clean cut things. I love steam punk, it’s a mix of futuristic stuff and Victorian stuff. It just looks really cool. It’s very clean cut.

It's like the child of Lady Gaga and Sherlock Holmes. 


Do you judge others (not in an,  “I’m better than you,” but a, “You’re wearing that, so maybe you are this way.”) by their styles?

Not really, cause some people do wear vests every day. But, I don’t think I judge them, I just think they’re into that fashion.

What is your must have style item?

Man capris with a tshirt and a button down shirt.

How often do you go shopping? Where?

I don’t go at all, I go to Kmart or Targe´t.



How much do you think is ok to spend on any single item of clothing?

No more than 20 dollars. I go to the mall and I’m like, “40 for this. Oh” I went jacket shopping at the Burlington Coat factory and I was like, “What the hell, why is this 200? That’s fine.”



How do you decide if something fits in YOUR style?

*Laughs*, if it’s at Target or not.

How much thought do you put into style?

Like 3 seconds. 


Something we learn from Will is that his style wasn't making a fashion statement, it was making a statement about where he'd been and who he was. Fashion isn't necessarily frivolous y'all. <3 
Thanks Will! 

Tyler Barto


The ever fashionable Tyler Barto was my first complete interview and although in the presence of such a stylish young man, and on top of that a journalist, was daunting. However, our interview went swimmingly, Thanks Barto!

How did you define your style in Middle-High School? (Essentially, did you dress in a specific way because of the style and did you consider yourself to be stylish?)

It was very conformist, I was the typical mall shopper for pubescent boys--American Eagle was 7th grade, 8th grade was Abercrombie & Fitch, then Hollister was the rave, then Urban Outfitters became a thing. I was killin' the game.

Tyler, "killin' the game." ;) 


What do you see your style as now?

I definitely don’t take many risks, I am a big fan of the polo or button down shirt and khakis look. I’ve started to branch out—I never used to wear suspenders, cardigans, things like that. I define [my style] now as a mid-20 year old who hasn’t started to totally think on their own, The main places I shop are H&M and The Gap. I'm starting to think more independently about where I get my inspiration for style from.

The Tyler we all know and love. 


How important do you find style?

I think it’s important. It’s your most outward piece of self-expression, sub-consciously or consciously you tell others a lot about yourself by the way you dress. It helps me mold the person that I think I am, it makes you think consciously about how I want to convey myself to others and I think it is a very important piece of self expression.


Do you make judgements about others based on their styles?

Definitely, I try not to judge but, I think it’s only natural. Most of the time, I won’t judge but I evaluate how others prioritize things. For example if you’re a guy and you’re wearing Jeans and Flip Flops, you can’t do that, that's a fashion faux pas. But I will value peoples who I think take risks, because I think there is value in being creative. Sometimes it’ll just be subtle things they do, that I pick up for myself.






What is your must have style item?

I think I always have to have some kind of subtly preppy shoe. I’ve geared away from sperrys and boat shoes because everyone is starting to jump on that bandwagon. But I look for shoes that work with my style. 

How often do you go shopping? Where?

I actually don’t go shopping that much just because I’m a big fan of once you buy something, you wear the crap out of it. I go significantly shopping once every season, like fall and summer wear. I would say 3 times a year, major shopping. Usually, I’ll either go to The Gap, H&M, and sparingly thrift stores.

"One time, I saw Tyler Barto wearing Salvation Army pants and Flip Flops, so I bought Salvation Army pants and Flip Flops." 


 How much do you think is ok to spend on any single item of clothing?

Whew, Oh Gosh I feel guilty when it’s just one, I will never spend more than 100 bucks on any one item because of that third digit, I’ll try to find something of similar value for less.

How do you decide if something fits in YOUR style?

I definitely think, "Can I wear this item with multiple different things?" I really value versatility. Does it coordinate with other things in my wardrobe, am I buying it just for the sake of having something different—that’s a big key. I’ll never buy something just because it’s different. It has to add to the overall theme of my wardrobe.

So...you'd definitely buy this, right Tyler? 

How much thought do you put into style?

I’d like to say, I put forth a significantly conscious amount but I like not to overthink things because I like to have fun with what I wear. When I overthink I think it’s not natural and style should be natural
It’s three levels:
  1. Do I inherently like this thing? 
  2. Do I think it will look good in others eyes? Because I hate to admit it but if others appreciate it, than I’ll appreciate it. 
  3. Will I feel good knowing that I purchased it?



How much thought do you put into what you’re going to wear for the day?

I put considerable thought into it, I enjoy the art of putting an outfit together. I'll think about a number of different variables, I think about the weather, as bad as it seems, how many people are going to see me. Like if it’s the middle of the week I would definitely put more thought into it than a Friday. I guess the mood I’m in, on an average day I would put about 10-20 minutes into what I think I’m going to wear before getting dressed. 

Tyler leaves us with a few gems, but I'd like to point out one of his most profound (no NSO pun intended) statement. Style should be NATURAL. I think we should all walk away from this thinking about how natural our own styles are. :) 



One of our FANTASTIC OLs, Iris Stevens, rockin' some knee-high blue socks before she goes to meet with her group. What a clever way to personalize one's OL Uniform. Keep it up Iris! We know you will. ;)

and We're Off!

Hey!
So our names are Alyssa and Tyler. We both work for New Student Orientation at Rutgers University, and we are both very interested in fashion. In particular, we would like to know what people think about their own fashion style and how it has changed in their life. We are creating this blog to conduct interviews with anyone, but specifically people working with NSO this summer, about their ideas about fashion and their personal styles. Please feel free to comment, or ask to be interviewed! The more the merrier! 

Tyler and Alyssa