Kelley Grace, Graham TX

by Brett Butler

Kelly Grace is a senior Kinesiology major from Graham, Texas whose goal is to be an elementary physical education teacher or a high school biology teacher while coaching.

Her favorite Aggie tradition is Muster. “I love Muster because it is a treasured tradition that brings Aggies all over the world together for a remembrance of their days here, their connections with each other, and a reminder that every Aggie is important, even after passing. Going to Muster makes you feel connected to the Aggies who are no longer here even though you have never met them. I feel honored to know that one day my name will be called and someone will answer “here” for me.”

Kelley attends every football game, so it is no surprise her favorite place on campus is Kyle Field. “Kyle Field is my favorite place on campus not only because I love football, but because this place allows a large crowd of Aggies to join together to cheer on their team. For a few hours we are all unified. We put on our maroon, tailgate with Aggies from all over, yell together, sweat together, yell at the referees together, and no one cares about anything except Texas A&M University and winning a football game. Every time I am in Kyle Field bouncing to the cadence of the snares announcing the entrance of the football team I get chills and a giant grin on my face. It is the most exciting feeling, and I hope I get to continue enjoying it after graduation.”

When she is not studying you might be able to find her on Northgate at Daisy Duke’s, which is her favorite Northgate spot to hang out, dance, and have a great time.

Like all Aggie girls sometimes laying low at home is what she would rather do. “I love to cook dinner with my boyfriend, listen to music, watch football, and read.”

She loves any kind of country music from Miranda Lambert to Carrie Underwood. It’s also where she gets her style inspiration from. “I grew up listening to country music and I LOVE to sing so I always pay attention to my favorite artists and their styles. My favorite artists are Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride.”

When it comes to shopping, Kelley tends to go for a country or sporty outfit which usually consists of boots and jeans or Nike shorts and tennis shoes. She loves shopping at stores like Forever 21, Academy, and Cavenders.

When asked about shopping she said, “I like to shop if I am with friends, but not if I’m alone. I hate being by myself! Luckily, my style matches my friends’ styles. It just so happens that two of the girls I hang out with are in my same major and are also country girls!”

But every morning when Kelley opens up her closet and picks an outfit, what goes through her mind? “Usually I go for comfort. A lot of my classes call for clothes that I can be active in.”
Kelley is a very active Aggie who loves to stay fit, have a night out at Daisy Duke’s, and also loves to slow down and unwind at home when there is a great football game on. She is the definition of the all American girl.

If you think you have great style and would like to be featured in Faces and Fashion, email a few pictures of you in your cutest outfit and you might be the next Aggie in Faces and Fashion.

HYPERLINK “mailto:brettb2010@neo.tamu.edu” brettb2010@neo.tamu.edu

by Brett Butler

This semester, Maroon Weekly is trying something a little different in the fashion department. Instead of a column with comments about what to wear, what not to wear, and “O my goodness what are you thinking?!” I will be writing a feature on one lucky Aggie each week who exhibits style, class, and most importantly, uniqueness.

Our first feature is Elizabeth Melton from Longview, Texas, more commonly known as Liz. Liz is a senior English and Theater Arts major who aspires to become a professor. One can usually find Liz at the design lab in Blocker. She loves hanging out here because she says it is either empty and quiet or full of friends to talk, joke, and laugh with.

Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie ring. Although she does not plan on dunking her ring, she loves the unique bond that all Aggies have when they slip on their ring. She used to love hanging out at the MSC like most of us to study and grab a bite to eat, but lately she grabs her meals from a hotdog stand outside of Koldus. She claims it is a “love-hate relationship”.

When Liz is not in classes or doing homework, she loves renting a movie, curling up on the couch and letting the stress of the day melt away. She also loves Turner Classic Movies. So where does Liz go on a night out with her theater pals? Her favorite Northgate hub is O’Bannon’s. “I love Tuesday night karaoke, even though I haven’t made it out in a while.”

When it comes to style and fashion, Liz says, “My personal style is anywhere from quirky and colorful to hip and comfy. Everyday is certainly different, but on the whole I try to dress comfortably and quickly, but most days I try not to grab a generic t-shirt. I love comfortable and stylish clothes. It takes just as little time to choose a cute and comfy shirt as a t-shirt so why not try for something with a little bit more personality?”

Her fashion icon is Zooey Deschanel. “Her style is so fun and feminine.” On the day of Liz’s photo shoot, she wore simple but elegant black top, a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, and sneakers. She gave the outfit more substance and eye appeal by adding a colorful scarf and a long necklace. Pairing solid colors with a bright pattern really adds visual interest to an outfit, and Liz does this perfectly.

“I stand out from a lot of my friends because I love mixing bright colors and prints. My best friend has two primary looks leaning toward elegance or whatever goes best with her hi-top Nikes. I prefer vans and my skinny jeans or something full of color,” Liz says. “I love shopping at H&M, when I can make it to a town where there is one, Anne Taylor Loft, Delias, and Gap.”

When it comes to the actual task of shopping, it can sometimes be a challenge for Liz. “I have to be in the mood to shop or I can easily get overwhelmed, but seeing a beautiful skirt with pockets or an interesting shirt can easily create the perfect mood. Shoes are the most difficult item for me to shop for because I wear size 11. I usually end up ordering them online and then just have to deal with how well they fit or don’t.”

As a Chair of MSC OPAS and President of Texas A&M Flashdance, Liz has really enjoyed her time at Texas A&M University. She is a beautiful, intelligent woman with her own unique style and fashion sense who is not afraid to stick out in a crowd. The important thing is she sticks out in a great way.

If you think you have a unique style sense and would like to be featured in the “Faces and Fashion” column, email me a photo of you in your best duds and maybe you will be chosen for the week’s column. HYPERLINK “mailto:brettb2010@neo.tamu.edu” brettb2010@neo.tamu.edu

The infamous ruby slippers Judy Garland wears in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz weren’t supposed to be ruby at all. In L. Frank Baum’s book, Dorothy wore silver slippers. Producers changed the color because ruby would show up better on the movie screen.

Seven pair of ruby slippers were made for the film. They were designed by Gilbert Adrian. The four pairs of shoes used in the film were originally white silk pumps from the Innes Shoe Company in Los Angeles, and bear an embossed gold or silver stamp, or an embroidered cloth label, on the white kid leather sole of the right shoe. At the time, many movie studios used plain white silk shoes because they were inexpensive and easily dyed.

It is likely that most of the shoes worn by female characters in The Wizard of Oz were plain Innes shoes with varying heel heights, dyed to match each costume. The shoes used for Dorothy’s slippers were dyed red; then burgundy sequined organza overlays were attached to each shoe’s upper and heel. The film’s early 3-strip Technicolor process required the sequins to be darker than most red sequins found today; bright red sequins would have appeared orange on screen.

Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts and film.

Art Deco inspired bows comprised three large rectangular red glass jewels with dark-red bugle beads, outlined in orange-red glass rhinestones in silver settings. The stones and beads were sewn to a piece of red strap leather, then to the organza-covered shoe. Three pairs of the surviving slippers have orange felt glued to their soles to deaden noise.

The remaining, un-muffled pair, the smallest, was used on the feet of the dead Wicked Witch of the East and possibly for close-ups of Dorothy. Garland wore one primary pair during shooting. This pair can be seen when the Witch tries to grab them, while holding Dorothy captive at her castle, and at the film’s climax, when Dorothy taps her heels to return to Kansas.

The “sister set” to this pair is owned by Michael Shaw, who obtained them from Kent Warner in 1970. This pair can clearly be seen at the end of the film when Dorothy shows the ruby slippers to the Emerald City doorman. This pair has been missing since it was stolen from an exhibit at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

By Brett Butler

When it comes to fashion, there are so many options that sometimes it’s hard to know if you have a fashion hit or miss. Lots of looks can be super cute. However, those same looks can also turn into a huge disaster if you’re not careful. Here are some tips to check before you leave the house.

5. The mini-dress:

Mini dresses can be fun and flirty. Just be sure to check to see if you’re exposing just a little too much bum. You want to come off as a supermodel not as a prostitute aching for some bacon. Pair the dress with a pop of color with bright tights. Heels or flats will do too. Be sure to carry a clutch for your purse so you won’t have to deal with a giant bag all night while you’re out on the town.

4. Jewelry:

Coco Chanel said to take off one piece of jewelry before you leave the house so that you don’t look too overdone. Every woman should use this philosophy; a woman should be sure to keep things simple. One bold necklace should be paired with simple studs. Likewise, think twice before adding a necklace if you have rhinestone chandelier earrings. You want to wear your jewelry. Not the other way around.

3. Pattern:

When it comes to pattern whether it’s on a shirt, skirt, or dress, it should match the girl. If you are petite don’t go overboard with a large bold floral or big stripes. Go for a smaller polka dot, small floral, or thin stripes. If you’re apple or pear shaped go for a larger print. The reason for this is if you, as an apple or pear shaped lady, wear a small fine print, it will look like it takes more of it to cover you. While if you wear a larger print, your waist will really look trim and you will have a very smooth line. If you’re petite and attempt to pull off a big bold pattern, it will swallow you and your small curves will get lost in the fabric.

2. Tight jeans:

Tighter fitting jeans are a must for every girl. They make us feel sexy because they show off our curves a little more than the typical straight leg trouser fit. However it isn’t wise to go too tight. Avoid the low rise fit if you are apple shaped. This will create the dreaded muffin top. You don’t like it and the public doesn’t like it either. Don’t be afraid to go a size larger if they don’t fit your booty or thighs. You can always have the waist tailored. Buy jeans to fit the biggest part of you because you can always take away fabric, but you can’t add it.

1. Uggs and rain boots:

Never, I repeat never, wear either one of these. Rain boots have become an epidemic on campus. They are not flattering with jeans, with shorts, or with skirts. The only place they are flattering is in the dumpster. They, along with Ugg boots, cut your legs off below the knee making you appear shorter. With so many petite women, it’s just not a good thing. If you must wear rain boots, wear your jeans over them. Just roll up your jean legs once or twice if they are really long. You will still get the same rain protection that you would have if you had tucked your pants into the boots.

So before you leave the house for class, girls night out, or Northgate for a Ring Dunk, check yourself and make sure you look your best. And please throw out the rain boots and Uggs.