2020 Small Space Reno: Wall-Inspiration from 5 Etsy Shops

February is a beast of a month. The weather is brutal, the holiday season is over, and classes are in full swing. And as I trudged to lectures this week - first in a snow storm, then in a downpour, and lastly in thick fog - I realized how easy it would be to succumb to the winter doldrums. After all, it’s too cold to be outside for long, coursework is piling up, and the sun is increasingly a stranger.

As such, while I battled my way through the wind and rain this evening, I couldn’t help planning ahead for my apartment next year: the colors, the furniture, “the theme.” And I realized that, while living plans are still undetermined for most of us, there’s no reason why we can’t renovate our current homes right now.

My hope for the following list is to provide an escape from Chicago - to encourage momentary wanderlust, future planning, and a brief respite from the obligations of every day life. So pour yourself a cup of tea, find a warm blanket, and start brainstorming; a brief renovation might just be the key to warding off the February blues.

1. Dick Vincent from Manchester, UK

2. Papio Press from Penzance, UK

3. Wall Arty from Istanbul, Turkey

4. Eye Poetry Photography from Montreal, Canada

5. Pink Palm Decor from Gdansk, Poland

Featured Image via

Quad Style: Natalia Rodriguez

Hey, I’m Natalia Rodriguez! I’m a second year majoring in Law, Letters, and Society and tentatively Philosophy. I do quite a bit of photography on campus: I’m the Assistant Photography Editor of MODA Magazine, I’m on the photography staff for the MODA Blog, and I’m also the photographer for the Theater and Performance Studies Department (TAPS). Additionally, I am a vocalist and communications manager of Voices in Your Head, one of the a cappella groups on campus. I am also an editor and journalist for the podcast section of the Chicago Maroon.

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How would you describe your personal style?

I hate to use the word eclectic, but that is how my style has been described to me so I’m sticking with it. My style tends to have a bit of everything and I love to try new things. It definitely has gotten more tame over the years. Back in high school I was definitely honing my aesthetic so there were some pretty gaudy hiccups.

I personally believe that  fashion is not so much about the brands or how much the pieces cost, it’s about finding pieces that mean something to you and building a collection that tells a story over time. This is gross, but I actually wrote my UChicago supplement about this. The prompt asked us to come up with an idiom so I devised “to patter in my tatters.” It points to how nothing in my closet is “particularly expensive; my humble tatters are a sum worth greater than the individual parts.”

My style showcases the different aspects that make me uniquely me. There is a freedom that comes with this authenticity.

I am wearing my mom’s blazer that she used to wear in the 80’s back when she worked on Wall Street and sexism reigned. I like the strong shoulders (although I took out some of the original padding) and the way it hangs: it makes me feel powerful and independent, like her. I paired the blazer with a white lace bralette of an unknown origin, and a skinny maroon scarf that I stole from my dad. The plaid pants are from Anthropologie, the heeled boots are from the Bloomingdale's Outlet, and the necklace, which is my favorite accessory, is from Charming Charlie. Lastly, I’m wearing a pair of silver hoop earrings from Amazon.

Where do you find style inspiration?

My style inspiration first came from my older brother. He is fourteen years older than me, so he is really like a third parent. When I was really young he made it his mission to culture me and with that came cultivating my style. I distinctly remember a number of occasions in elementary school where he wouldn’t let me get into the car to go get ice cream or go to the park until I changed and put on an outfit that better suited his incredibly high standards.

When I got older, and had more regular access to the internet, he introduced me to fashion blogs and websites. That is how I found Atlantic Pacific and Man Repeller. I entirely blame Blair Eadie (Atlantic Pacific creator) for my tulle and skirt layering phases. Man Repeller is what really built my confidence [in fashion]. I was really awed by its concept: dressing in ways that were off-putting to men because who cares what men think anyway? This remedied a certain comment I frequently received: “If you continue to dress like that no man will ever love you,” and well to that fourteen-year-old boy I say, “I still dress like that and I’m doing just fine.”

“My style showcases the different aspects that make me uniquely me. There is a freedom that comes with this authenticity.”

Where do you like to shop?

I’m waiting to be slain by all of the Off-White/Gucci-clad cool kids on this campus, but yes I do wear mostly fast fashion… Sorry, gimme a minute to recover, someone just strangled me with a $250 wool Acne Studios scarf.

Right now fast fashion is what I can afford, so I look to those iconic brands more with admiration and for inspiration. Now you can all exhale a bit, I own very few items from Urban Outfitters, but I regret to inform you that much of my clothing is from Zara, Uniqlo, and if I’m feeling special (i.e. my mother is feeling generous) Free People or Anthropologie. I am all about the thrift and generally refuse to buy anything that isn’t on sale, unless it is highly practical and has a fixed price (like Doc Martens, DAMN YOU).

More literally, I have been thrift shopping quite a bit lately. I have found some of my best pieces that way in some of the most random states (Colorado, Georgia, etc). You never know what you’ll find and it’s typically low investment, high return (this is not how econ works, I apologize).

“Confidence is certainly still a work in progress for me, but I am proud of the progress I have made. ”

Do you have any fashion regrets?

Oh tons, both long and short term. Short term, this is shallow, but I will realize that I am making a fashion mistake halfway through the school day and then will go home and change, regardless of whether or not it is inconvenient to do so. Long term, I think my biggest regret was trying to fit into the middle school athleisure game. I have an unusual body type so what the twelve-year-old girls were wearing just didn’t fit well, so I was kind of forced to seek alternatives that really worked for me.

That being said, in the process of finding those alternatives there were also many poor choices made. The aforementioned skirt layering phase was one of them. On a given day, I would wear several layers of skirts (one may call them petticoats) under an a-line dress. Sometimes even with a sweater or blazer and belt to tie it together. I was truly doing THE MOST. I also really got into hats for a while. Beanies and fedoras in particular which are both a NO. The fedora phase really lasted too long. Thank you [insert frat name] for enabling me to lose my final fedora during your Halloween party my first year at UChicago and essentially cutting me off from that style c o l d  t u r k e y. I am forever indebted to you.

I think overall, a lot of my fashion regrets really stem from my own body insecurities. Something I’ve learned is that I need to acknowledge when I look good and not regret taking risks. Two years ago I probably never would have worn hoop earrings, a crop top, or even had my hair up in a photo. Confidence is certainly still a work in progress for me, but I am proud of the progress I have made.

This jacket is probably the most cherished piece that I own. One of the things I love about it is how excited people get when they see me wearing it on campus because it resembles a Mondrian painting, a true testament to the kind of people at UChicago.

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All photos courtesy of Daniel Chae.

Quad Style: Yuna Song

Hi I’m Yuna Song, a fourth-year Environmental Studies and Visual Arts double major. My spirit animal is a grandma from the 80s. My hobbies include weaving, sewing, embroidering, and watching the Great British Bakeoff, all at the same time. I work as a Policy Intern for sustainability and resilience at City Hall, and on campus as a Communications Manager and barista at Ex Libris. Fourth year has been r o u g h and I’ve dropped all my RSOs this year except Phoenix Sustainability Initiative, for which I’m the Treasurer. I wish I were brave enough to get a tattoo, but honestly I can’t see that happening for at least another 43 years. 

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How would you describe your personal style?

Tan France (love of my life) from Queer Eye once said: “Style is dressing the way you feel confident, and what is appropriate for you, your age, and body type.” For better or for worse, as long as I feel good wearing it, I’ll take it. As a result, my personal style changes drastically on a daily basis, depending on how I want to present myself to the world, but more importantly, to myself.

For the longest time, I tried so hard to find that “one thing” that would define my style, something that would make me “unique.” But at some point, I sort of threw my metaphorical hands up in the air; there’s just too much fun to be had with fashion to walk down just one road. Consequently, I would define my personal style through my lack of personal style–give me a beret, corduroy overalls, and a Hawaiian shirt, and I swear I’ll make it work and make it my own.

 Where do you find style inspiration?

I’ve noticed that I’m unconsciously but strongly affected by color palettes. I’ll be wondering why I feel so pleased about my outfit despite the horrible wind threatening to rip it all off, when I realize that it’s because I managed to wear different shades of mustard from literally head to toe. It’s a good day when I can sneak in my favorite color combination of all three primary colors, but subtly; a red turtleneck, faded mom jeans, and a pair of mustard socks. I also love to wear an outfit consisting solely of black and white, and to finish with a singular accessory of a vibrant color, like a pair of baby blue studs or a bright red beret.

“I would define my personal style through my lack of personal style–give me a beret, corduroy overalls, and a Hawaiian shirt, and I swear I’ll make it work and make it my own.”

Where do you like to shop?

After I fell deep down the rabbit hole of the magical universe of thrifting, I grimace any time I spend more than five dollars on a piece of clothing. Village Discount Outlet is my no-brainer, go-to place to thrift. I have a bottomless well of physical and mental stamina for thrifting (why can’t I say the same for writing my thesis…?) and during finals week last spring quarter, went thrifting three times in one week (would not recommend). If you’re thinking of going, I advise you to wear leggings and a tight shirt so that you can try on things over your clothes as there is no fitting room, and to take the time to really look at each article of clothing on the rack.

“... I see myself viewing fashion as a field of great potential for change in terms of environmental conservation, human rights, and gender equality.”

Do you have any fashion regrets?

No regrets anymore. As a teenager, I was morbidly embarrassed of my childhood fashion choices. But now, I can proudly admit to wearing purple velvet bellbottoms in the sixth grade. That was definitely when I peaked.

What is your relationship to fashion? Why is fashion important to you?

Last year during winter quarter, I took an Independent Study course to learn more about the impact of the fast fashion industry on the environment. I was shocked to learn that in addition to the unsustainable ravaging of natural resources, the low price tags and “deals” on mass produced garments distract consumers from the harsh reality of the circumstances of female garment workers in developing countries.

This year, I’m writing my B.A. thesis on the slow fashion movement in comparison to the values and practices of fast fashion at the levels of production, retail, and post-purchase. Sustainable fashion is still a personal work in progress, and I have so much more to learn, but I see myself viewing fashion as a field of great potential for change in terms of environmental conservation, human rights, and gender equality.

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All images courtesy of Julia Rose Camus. View more of her work here and follow her on Instagram at @juliarosecamusphoto.

Quad Style: Felipe Bomeny

Hi, I’m Felipe Bomeny, a fourth year, History and Creative Writing double major. I manage Cobb Coffee so that takes up most of my time. Otherwise, I do a lot of writing-related things here and there; I also DJ at WHPK (I have an international variety show on Tuesdays from 5-6pm!).

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How would you describe your personal style?

I’m not very into monochromatic fits. I like a splash of color and a dash of humor in what I wear, but with restraint. I’d say I pull a lot of influences from workwear and streetwear, although I find that streetwear has really deviated from its roots and reached this circularity on logos and subversion. I’ve been experimenting with baggier fits and styles to accommodate wearing XL stuff.

Where do you find style inspiration?

For inspiration, I like the late 90s but I’m increasingly drawn to the early 2000s. The early 2000s were so messy but I love how wild people went with baggy outfits. I’m a sucker for the iconography of that era; as an immigrant, I love re-appropriating working Middle American culture (Nascar, Bass Pro Shops, Big League chew, etc) into my aesthetic.

Where do you like to shop?

In person, I mostly thrift. Otherwise, it’s all online— anything that catches my eye and I think will be versatile in my wardrobe. If I have cash to splash, I like Scandinavian menswear brands because I appreciate the proportions

Do you have any fashion regrets?

Lots.

What are you wearing for this shoot?

In one of my outfits, I am wearing Pistolero officer shoes, Dickies, a CAN band t-shirt, a thrifted Nautica knit, and a Kirkland Signature jacket

In the other, I am wearing Karhu Fusion 2.0 sneakers, Polar jeans, a thrifted NASCAR shirt, and a hoodie from Iggy.

What is your relationship to fashion? Has it changed over time?

My fashion has definitely evolved. I used to wear a lot of items I thought looked cool individually but really clashed in outfits. Then, I went to playing it safe with these really boring preppy fits. I’m glad I’ve moved past that. To me, fashion should be comfortable and utilitarian but most importantly, personal. Wear what makes you happy!

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All images courtesy of Natalia Rodriguez. View more of her work here.

RBIM Show Review

Admittedly, I'm not one to attend many of the events that I get invited to via Facebook. Like many UChicago students, I am busy, tired, and not the most motivated after ~five whole months of cold weather. When I'm not doing homework, I'm at work; and when I get the chance to breathe, I'm usually complaining about all the work I should be doing.

But thankfully I have a friend in Rhythmic Bodies in Motion (RBIM) who asked me to watch the dance she had been rehearsing for for more than 10 weeks! And so I went to the first run of the RBIM show on a lovely Friday night for a vibrant break from schoolwork. 

RBIM is the largest dance RSO on campus. Their mission is to make dance accessible in order to empower students and the community. Each year, RBIM has a spring quarter showcase that highlights various styles of dance. Anyone can join the show, and it is completely organized by students.

I've been to many dance recitals in my life (thanks to all the ballet, jazz, and tap classes I grew up doing and a disinterest in ball games), but what made the RBIM show so great to watch was the display of community and determination. In the pamphlet, each dance came with a title and description that gave an idea as to why the choreographer composed their piece. It was amazing seeing people dance to what their peers had created. I give major props to the dedication and bravery it takes to learn a whole dance and to then perform it in front of people you walk by every day–especially when you've never danced before.

I left the show happy that I had taken the time out of my night to see what my peers are doing with their free time. I highly recommend attending the show next spring, keeping up with other events they may have on Facebook, and perhaps joining them!

All images via RBIM's Facebook

Quad Style: Alex Azar

Meet Azar---a first-year at UChicago from Chicago. He’s deeply into fashion, rap music, and cooking. A maximal minimalist and a fashion writer for Grailed and Gallery Aesthete (definitely check out his articles!), he wrote an A+ HUM paper in response to the standard questions that we usually ask in Quad Style features-not to mention the captions for all the photos here! In other words, this is and probably will be the easiest piece that I’ve ever done. Without further ado, I will leave the floor to Azar and his fabulous insights into style, menswear, and fashion writing.

On Personal Style

Q: How would you describe your personal style?

A: I would describe my fashion sense as maximal minimalism. I’m still a minimalist – I reserve wearing non-neutral colors for rare and purposeful occasions – but I do have an appreciation for subtle juxtapositions within fashion. I love playing with lengths within fashion: I’ll often opt for an elongated t-shirt with cropped pants to obscure the proportions of my outfits.

A navy asymmetric raw-hem shawl hoodie, an elongated raw-hem tank top with minor distress marks, black super long (47in inseam) twisted subtle=patchwork denim with a minor drop-crotch, gray suede high lace-up boots with extra long laces and a damaged wood-like outsole.

Q: What do you tend to wear for everyday wear?

A: It varies. I’ll wear a hoodie or shirt, a pair of skinny black or gray jeans that stack near the heel, and boots with a slight (3cm to 4cm) heel pretty regularly. I’ll also occasionally wear basic low-top sneakers with a t-shirt and cropped pants. I’ll also wear a lot of drapey fabrics piled on top of each other to create a free-flowing look. Just generally not much color.

On Menswear

A leather jacket inspired by 80’s punk rock, a light violet dress shirt with a spread collar, black distressed skinny jeans, and chocolate suede harness boots - inspired by Wyatt Earp.

Q: Where do you find style inspiration?

A: I find tons of inspiration within the realm of brutalist, avant-garde, gothic-chic menswear. Rick Owens, Tatsuro Horikawa, Boris Bidjan Saberi, and Damir Doma are definitely idols of mine – I really like how all these artists experiment with subtleties. For example, Tatsuro Horikawa, the creative director of JULIUS, loves employing different and unique finishes to black garments in order to have them contrast against each other in different lighting.

I also enjoy how that genre of menswear never takes anything for-granted. Owens in particular is known for challenging the status quo – with his F/W 15 runway featuring all the male models with exposed genitalia. While many people were horrified by his collection, this was Owens’ way of showcasing the double standards within the fashion industry that allow male designers to over-sexualize their female models.

Q: Where do you like to shop?

A: I generally tend to shop online, specifically on Grailed. Grailed tends to have my ideal articles of clothing for a much more reasonable price than anywhere else. Furthermore, there are many garments that I’ve bought that simply were not available on any other sights (i.e. A black skirt with a dark print of Jesus’s face on the front, a 2009 Damir Doma multi-piece hoodie). In addition, I also write articles for Grailed so I feel justified reinvesting the money I earn into the clothing from the site.

On Fashion Writing

Q: How did you start writing for Grailed and what’s it like writing for them?

A: My best friend from high school began writing articles for the sight and then suggested I apply. I applied this summer and have since published four articles for the sight, with the most recent one that came out sometime in December.

I absolutely love the gig. I send pitches to an editor, and if he likes the pitch, then I go ahead and write a draft article about the pitch. The first article I wrote broke the news about the termination of the Rick Owens x adidas collaboration, which ran for 8 collections. The second article I wrote was about Tatsuro Horikawa (JULIUS), and the third was about Band of Outsiders. The most recent article I wrote was about Acne Studios. 

Q: Any other fashion writing?

A: About a week ago, Gallery Aesthete, an avant-garde gothic-chic store in Chicago, picked up the Tatsuro Horikawa article, and hired me to write two articles a month for them. The first article I drafted for them was about avant-garde diffusion lines. In the future, I plan on writing articles for them about emerging designers, themes within fashion, and different important fashion collections.

On Fashion At Large

Q: Any fashion regrets?

A: Many. Between the ages of seven and ten, I wore a Red Sox t-shirt every single day to school. In Eighth grade, I was inspired by the trite Barney Stinson to wear a suit to school once or twice a week. In ninth grade, I wore obnoxiously brightly colored dress shirts to school everyday. We all have rough patches, I just had a lot.

Q: Why is fashion important to you?

A: I think of fashion as the most accessible art form: That is, the art form people interact with most on a daily basis. Because it’s everywhere, I think society often views fashion as a means of convention. I like clothes because they can be a way to stand out, to blend in, or to just look good.

All images courtesy of Kiran Misra. Check out more of her photography here.

Daily Makeup Routine by Kardelen

For some reason, I always structure my day so that it starts absurdly early. Because of this, I try to get as much sleep as possible- but this can be at the expense of the time I spend getting ready for the day. Below are my makeup favorites for getting ready for work at 8:30 am.

Brows

I use these products and these only for my brows, because they help to shape and fill them in. An upside- the brow gel is only $2.99! Below are Essence's Make Me Brow and It Cosmetics' Brow Power Pencil. 

Skin

This is where I get a little fanatical about my skincare regimen: I try my best to keep my skin hydrated, matte and blemish free, and am constantly experimenting with new products to see which is best for my combination dry skin. These are tried and true for me. Below are The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid serum, Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Skin Tint, Glossier's Priming Moisturizer, and Glossier's Wowder.

Eyes

For every day, I don't wear as much eye makeup as I used to. I used to go to my 9 am chem class with a full smoky eye, but that was first year. Now, I dab on some mascara, blot on some concealer, and call it a day. These go-to products are Loreal's Lash Paradise Mascara and Glossier's Stretch Concealer.

Lips

I wish I was the kind of person to wear lipstick every day, but it's not easy- it can be messy and hard to keep up with. I instead opt for smooth, hydrated lips with a little wash of shine using the cult favorite Balm Dot Com, and if I'm feeling fancy, I dab on a little of Elf's Lip Stain for that bitten-blotted lip look.

Then it's a little lavender cologne on the wrists, and it's time to go! 

Featured image via

Caffeine Gum!

This year I made the grave mistake of scheduling work and classes on alternating days all at 8 am for the entire week. The ghost of my second year soul smiles on proudly because I've finally managed to have a normal sleeping schedule, but it's not the theoretical eight hours of sleep that has kept me alive and awake this entire quarter. It's a slow weaning off of caffeine through something that combines two of my favorite things: caffeine and gum.

Image Via

Something I discovered from the wisdom of my brother and his friend was this strange product. Available exclusively on Amazon, Military Energy Gum is a low-maintenance, high-functioning caffeine supplement.

It comes in three flavors: arctic mint, spearmint, and cinnamon.

So far, I've only tried out arctic mint. It does taste a little funky at first. After the mint flavor dies out a little, you can definitely taste a little bit of caffeine (which I didn't know actually had a distinguishable taste). 

Each pack contains five pieces of gum and each piece of gum contains 100 mg of caffeine. For reference, a normal cup of coffee - that's 8 fluid ounces - averages on 95 mg of caffeine. The package says to not consume more than 4 pieces in 24 hours, so be wary on just popping a piece of gum every hour.

Here are all the flavors basking in their glory of academic and sleep-schedule efficiency.

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I definitely think this is more efficient and surely more safe than caffeine pills, which I've generally ended up having disastrous experiences with. Caffeine gum is much more manageable and tasty in my opinion. Plus, each order comes with 24 packets of 5 pieces each, so one order per quarter should last you the entire 10 weeks. 

Buy it here!

Feature Image Via

Youtubers to Watch: Caitlin Shoemaker

Welcome to our series: Youtubers to Watch. In this section we will introduce you to our favorite Youtube channels. We hope these channels will be a fun addition to your study breaks and summer internet scrolling!

While moving off campus means fun, friends, more freedom, and a cozier living space, it also adds many more responsibilities to your life. If you are an amateur chef looking for healthy, budget friendly and versatile recipes, Caitlin's cooking and lifestyle channel will become your go-to-source of inspiration!

As a medical student herself, Caitlin also doesn't have much time and resources to cook. However I love her suggestions and recipes–which always end up in both delicious and aesthetically beautiful meals. Ranging from nutritious oatmeal variations to creative salads, chilis and many more samples from international cuisines, her videos promise to give you many ideas to stick to a healthy diet and impress your friends. Her clear explanations make it super easy to follow her steps and allow you to customize her recipes according to your own personal preferences.

Even if you are not vegan, you might want to try her vegan recipes, which look and taste amazing. My favorites include Cheesy Vegan Breakfast Pizza made with Homemade Smoky Tempeh Bacon, Savory Mango & Chipotle Quinoa Buddha Bowl, Sweet Potato, Red Lentil, and Peanut Stew.

Bon appetit!

All images via