Month: March 2014

Little Red Riding Vogue: Release your inner animal

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There are plenty of fads that I pick up from other cultures and employ in my own style, but my favorite has to be the Japanese 着ぐるみ (kigurumi). Being a fan of anime and manga, I have always had an interest in Japanese trends like Lolita, but lately I have really started setting my sights on Japanese street fashion. It’s cute and edgy and all around fun.

It all began when I found fashion blogger Irodohieru on Tumblr. She’s Swedish, but totally devoted to street fashion. She has her own shop and a YouTube channel where she does hair and makeup tutorials too. From there, I was smitten. Street fashion was everything I wanted in a trend: TUK Creepers, sometimes frilly dresses, sometimes baggy street clothes. The thing about street fashion was that it was whatever you wanted it to be. If you wanted to be cute that day, be cute! If you want to look edgy, go for it! Street fashion was about standing out and looking fashionable while you were at it.

It was only a matter of time before I found kigurumis. Stars like Chloë Grace Moretz were posting pictures of them on Instagram and Humans of New York was capturing pictures of people wearing them on the streets of the Big Apple. They looked comfy and adorable and absolutely necessary. Luckily, they were one of those trends that was in the right place at the right time. You could find them at conventions and online at Urban Outfitters. Suddenly everybody realized the capital potential for kigurumis and wanted to keep them well stocked for the hungry masses.

So what are kigurumis? The word “Kigurumi” comes from a combination of two Japanese words: kiru (to wear) and nuigurumi (stuffed toy). The word used to refer to the performers wearing them (think Disneyworld employees or sporting event mascots), but recently it has come to mean the costume itself. Kigurumis are like footie pajamas without the covered feet. They have hoods and more than likely will look more like an animal costume than your average pajamas. Kigurumis are a lot like Snuggies—but actually adorable and fun to wear.

At this point, I have two kigurumis: a skeleton and Rilakkuma, because, yeah, you can usually get kigurumis modeled after your favorite Japanese characters. I have seen Totoro, Pikachu, Hello Kitty, and plenty more.

If you are interested in buying kigurumis, then let me be the first to say you have plenty of options. First, there is the Kigurumi Shop by SAZAC. They sell licensed kigurumis and those are probably the ones you will find at conventions (like the upcoming Tekkoshocon). Next, like I mentioned, you can find them at Urban Outfitters. The Kigurumi Shop’s prices are generally $50 and Urban Outfitters jumps to $80—neither of which is a small sum of money.

However, if you feel comfortable enough shopping online, and you know how to identify scammers when you see them, definitely aim for eBay. A lot of Chinese and Japanese sellers on eBay have lower prices for the same quality—just make sure you choose a trustworthy shop. Follow my advice and no matter the route you choose, you will end up with the comfiest set of pajamas you will ever own.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Review of Butcher and the Rye

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A bitter cold evening during rush hour doesn’t sound like any fun on a Thursday night in downtown Pittsburgh, but the warm atmosphere in Butcher and the Rye had me forgetting the sub-zero wind-chill. The food is robust and hardy, and their whiskey selection is like nothing I have ever seen before. Put your big-girl or big-boy pants on, because the tastes and atmosphere are anything but tame.

Their menu is half drink and half food. The food menu is of average size, but has a great variety. There are many options for their smaller plates and just as many for their larger plates. The smaller plates are not too small, though! They are a heaping bowl full, which makes a great deal with an average of $8 for the small plates. The larger plates are a little expensive, but all of their ingredients are of great quality and their meats are handled beautifully.

I was enjoying my dinner with my beautiful mother and her fabulous friend, who were going to the theatre. They ordered some bourbon drinks that were made with some smoky whiskeys. My mom, who does not drink bourbon usually, really enjoyed her surprisingly citrusy and light drink. Her friend said her bourbon was fantastic.

We all shared three different small plates and then ordered a not-so-normal caesar salad. We had the Brussels, the shishito, and the cauliflower (which is actually an option on the larger portion side) but we treated it as a small plate to share. The Brussels are deep fried Brussels sprouts, with melted parmesan and some aioli on the side. It is greasy, but so delicious. The only thing I would say is ease up on the salt in that dish. I think that the dish would have been addictive, but it ended up being too salty to eat too much of it. Which is maybe a good thing, since it is deep- fried!

The shishito is a plate full of little middle green peppers with a Siracha cream sauce. They were nice and charred. As for the cauliflower, it was nothing compared to the other dishes. It was dilly and well cooked, but my taste buds weren’t exactly dancing. Finally we had the ceasar salad, that was made out of kale. It had a garlicky and crunchy crostini, and some sweet little compressed tomatoes.

Altogether, I was very satisfied and the waiter was pretty awesome as well. He was knowledgeable about the food and drinks, and totally reminded me of a more handsome version of Ben from Parks and Recreation. Great food and attractive service! I love this place!

The ambiance reminded me of an explosion of Pinterest gone right. It has the perfect combination of arts and crafts and Victorian era. The wallpaper is feminine but is surrounded by wood walls and floor and buck heads on the wall. I forgot to even be offended by them, because it all looked so good! The chairs and eclectic chinaware were perfectly mixed and matched and made you feel at home. The only thing about the interior that might put someone off is what the ladies have to deal with in the restroom. I’m not going to give this surprise away, but I will tell you that I thought it was hysterical, while others may find it offensive.

This restaurant if full of surprises when it comes to their tastes, their two different floors with different styles, and even their bathrooms. I encourage everyone to try this new place out and to also try their sister restaurant: Meat and Potatoes. The creators really know what they are doing, and I look forward to seeing what else they have up their sleeves.

“Miss Representation” perfectly represents women in media

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On Thursday, February 27, students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Eddy Theatre to watch the documentary “Miss Representation”. The event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Center for Women & Politics (PCWP) and co-sponsored by Her Campus Chatham.

The event began with an introduction by the Executive Director of PCWP, Dana Brown. Brown read some upsetting but true facts about women in politics, specifically in Pennsylvania. Brown said that 82 percent of legislature is made up of males in Pennsylvania and that Pennsylvania has never had a female senator or governor.

The film started with the audience being bombarded with various images of how women have been represented in the media. One scholar said that images are impacting our lives and that girls get the message that the most important thing is how they look. Guys then get the message that that’s all that matters about girls. The story then begins with the narrator revealing that she’s pregnant with a girl and mentions worry about her growing up in this society. Then, she talks about her childhood and how a coach violated her and after that traumatic experience she then developed an eating disorder.

The film then goes on to talk about the ideal image of beauty and Jean Kilbourne said that it would not ever be attained and advertising creates problems for men and women. The film mentions that self-objectification has been seen as a national epidemic for women. Next, it talks about how women are distracted from making a difference because they are worried about their bodies.

The main purpose of the film was to touch on how women do not often have leadership roles. Typically, female leaders in movies are the catty bosses. The film went on to show clips of men talking about women in politics in negative ways. They were talking about their appearance and stereotypes that trivialized women. The film then talked about how Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin were discussed in the media during the 2008 election. Hillary Clinton was perceived as bad and more masculine. On the flip side, Sarah Palin was heavily sexualized throughout the election.

The film also talked about how women are treated as objects in music videos and film. Dating violence was also talked about and various statistics about dating violence were mentioned. It talked about how society should teach boys to express emotion and one scholar went as far to say that men are emotionally constipated and that there should be a spiritual healing for guys.

The film ends with the narrator in the hospital giving birth to her daughter and discussing that she hopes that the world gets better for her daughter’s generation. After the film, there was panel for Q&A.

The film was an eye opener for all women and shows how badly they are misrepresented in the media and how there needs to be a change that not only the media, but also individual men and women need to make. “Miss Representation” is available to watch on Netflix.

Waiting for Intermission: Review of “The Monuments Men”

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Check out George Clooney’s IMDb page and one will find a laundry list of acting credits. Notable roles include a vampire hunter, a suave casino thief, a 1930s Odysseus, and an animated fox with a midlife crisis. Within this established career, Clooney has added directorial credits to his resume with his debut film “The Monuments Men”.

The film tells the story of a little-known WWII mission involving recovering art stolen by Hitler during the occupation. Art historian turned lieutenant Frank Stokes (Clooney) leads the mission with a motley  crew that includes an architect (Bill Murray), a French pilot (Jean Dujardin) and the curator of the Met (Matt Damon).

Clooney’s directorial debut suffers from split personalities, unsure of whether it’s a comedy or drama. Stylized technical choices and the saccharine quality weaken the hilarity and chemistry between the actors. The film becomes the WWII version of “Ocean’s Eleven”, but with more cliché music and less Steven Soderbergh.

The first half of the film is arguably the most entertaining for the audience. Clooney presents the film like an episode of “Hogan’s Heroes” or “M*A*S*H”. Fantastic veteran actors such as Murray and Damon develop an assembly of colorful personalities. No one actor steals the show and audiences feel the playful chemistry develop between their characters.

The first half divides itself into a series of anecdotes as the group separates into their individual sub-missions. Clooney constructs these scenes in a humorous matter, whether it involves being pinned down by a child sniper or ousting a Nazi collaborator for housing stolen art. Fresh dialogue informs the humor in these scenes through the seamless witty comebacks between characters.

With the tripping over foxholes and discussions over who will be the distraction for gunfire, one almost expects Hawkeye to appear with a sharp one-liner (although Murray makes a reference to the character with his purple robe, helmet, and untied combat boots). Quick pacing also accompanies the first half, enhancing the light-hearted nature of the film.

At the same time, cheesy stylized effects also mark the film’s first half. Ominous violin music signaling those ‘pesky Germans’ and overt patriotic symbolism can cause some cringing. These flaws potentially accentuate the hilarity of the film when interpreted as a comedy. The first half does not take itself seriously, and neither does the audience. Suspension of disbelief through comedy would have made this film ultimately successful.

Except the tone changes dramatically in the second half. Clooney attempts the emotional pull of war by transforming his comedy into a war drama. Instead of the powerful message, audiences feel as if they are watching a completely different film. Pacing grinds to an aching halt and the characters begin to lose their sense of flavor. The oncoming Russian forces from the east serve to manufacture tension, but they end up becoming a predictable moot point in the film.

Clooney could have rationalized this sudden shift by abandoning the stylistic elements of the first half. Absence of bombastic music would signal to viewers a new realism reminding them about the horrors of war. Unfortunately, these elements remain, culminating with a Disney-esque ending fueled with naïve optimism. Clooney drew us in with the comedic theme, but his infusion of drama only leaves us confused by the end.

If you were able to only pay half the movie admission and watch the first hour, I would recommend seeing this film. The first half is the only part of the movie worth watching.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Rea Coffeehouse goes back in time to the 1920s

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With the Rea Coffeehouse cleanup occurring on Saturday, March 1, the Rea and Laughlin Residence Hall Council (RHC) decided to increase interest in the space by using it to host the event “Roaring 20s in Rea Coffeehouse” on Friday, February 21.

The space–which was decorated with string lights, fake alcohol bottles, and tall round tables covered in blue and white table clothes–was filled with people milling about as jazz music played from the speakers on the stage. In keeping with the theme, first year Abby Beckwith stood behind the bar making mocktails with inventive names like the “Bees Knees” (lemon, honey, and orange juice), “Beer with Root” (root beer), and even “Hard Cider” (regular apple cider).

In the main room, people–dressed to the nines in sparkling shirts, flapper dresses, and headbands–stood around socializing and enjoying the atmosphere. When asked where she got her 1920’s themed outfit, First Year Margaret McGovney enthusiastically praised the usefulness of thrift stores for finding such clothing items.

Among all of the socializing, some students chose to take advantage of the music and danced–showing off their talents for swing dancing in the process.  In explaining why the event appealed to her, First Year Sarah Bangley explained that she used to go to a swing dancing club, where she learned some moves, and that this event “seemed like a good excuse to go swing dancing.”  “Also”, she said, “it just sounded like fun.”

Senior Birtie Yarroll echoed her sentiments, and went on to explain that she would take “any excuse to come down here and look at the angry feminist graffiti.”

Both were glad that the Rea and Laughlin RHC was making use of the Rea Coffeehouse, and they agreed that there should definitely be more events like this one in the future.

Tahmina Tursonzadah, First Year Rea and Laughlin RHC member, and one of the people in charge of the event, later explained that the point of the event was to get people interested in the Rea Coffeehouse in preparation for its official opening. As she said, they were trying to “get the juices flowing in this place.”  In addition to that, though, it was also just a normal RHC event to allow Chatham students to get together and socialize, explained Junior Emily Kocian.

Kocian, who also helped to plan the event, explained that she did so because she, “really like[s] being part of the community and being part of the planning process.” She also emphasized that the planning was really a collaborative effort among the entire RHC.

One of the ideas that Kocian and the RHC came up with was a makeshift photo booth consisting of a white sheet strung up against the wall.  First Year Alice Shy stood near it to take people’s photos, either with or without the fake lips and mustaches.

Other activities included a station for making headbands, with materials including sparkling elastic bands and feathers, as well as hot glue to hold everything together.

The participation and enthusiasm at the event made it clear that McGovney was not alone in her opinion when she enthusiastically exclaimed, “the 20s are awesome!”