[vc_custom_heading text=”Music: Different Styles Through The Years” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]What is music? If you search the definition of “Music” on google, the first result you will get defines it as “the written or printed signs representing vocal or instrumental sound”; however, it is much more than that.
Music is a form of art. It can be anything someone wants it to be. It can be a sound made from a single instrument, or a sound made from a combination of different instruments, as well as the sound coming from someones mouth, or a combination of an instrumental sound and a person’s voice.
Music is an important part of many peoples lives and has affected the way people have been living for years. As time passed by, music evolved and developed into different styles that every person will be able to enjoy. Years ago, music was used in different cultures to celebrate exciting events in their lives such as marriage, kids or simply happy times.
Today music is mostly made for the entertainment of others.There are several different types of music, starting from classical ending with country, each having a fairly different background.
Pop
Pop is the type of music you will mostly hear on the radio. The term “pop” comes from the word “popular” and incorporates sounds from several other types of music. As a genre, Pop is very broad, often times borrowing segments of sounds from rock and country. It usually includes medium length songs (around three minutes) and has elements such as repeated choruses, and melodic tunes.
Pop music first originated around 1960s; however, it became especially popular in the 1980s after pop sensations Madonna and Michael Jackson started sweeping charts all around the world.
Madonna and Jackson in particular “had titanic impact roughly equivalent to that of The Beatles and Bob Dylan,” Joe Levy, editor in chief of Blender, says. “They set the model for what people afterward aspired to do culturally, musically and even artistically. Young performers today work in their shadow.”
This type of music is greatly loved all around the world by teenagers and young adults, however it is not a usual favorite of the members coming from the older generation, because of reasons such as “having negative messages.”
“Pop music is very catchy and upbeat. I can listen to it no matter how I am feeling, because it has a fun tempo that appeals to me no matter what,” sophomore Grace Menard said. “I do not believe that Pop music leads teenagers into doing negative things. In my opinion Pop has more of a positive effect on teenagers, especially since the upbeat melodies have helped me cool off and release stress.”
Rap
Out of the several styles of music that exist in the world, Rap is considered to be one of the “new-bee”’s. It originated around the late 1970s to the early 1980’s, however it really started hitting the charts in the 1990s, during the 2pac and Notorious B.I.G. era. Rap is usually made up of a combination of instruments in the background, followed by strong vocal sounds, which usually rhyme and develop a beat.
Rap music overtime has gotten more and more popular and is slowly surpassing Pop music in popularity. However, Rap has always been and still to this day is the most controversial type of music, most likely because of the fact that the majority of Rap songs involve the use of swear words.
“Who cares if Rap songs have a few swear words in them? It’s not like people have never heard cuss words before,” sophomore Kaitlyn Rothwell said. “I enjoy rap music because if you listen closely, you will see that there are lots of Rap songs that deliver great messages. For the songs that don’t really have a message, I can still sit in my car, roll up my windows and enjoy it.”
“I personally do not enjoy Rap music,” sophomore Patrick Burnam said. “Something about shouting meaningless words into the microphone and adding a beat behind it doesn’t seem very appealing to me.”
Country
Country is another type of music that has slowly made it’s way up to the top of the popular music charts. The top music genres among teenagers in the 2010’s are Pop, Rap and Country, however unlike Rap and Pop,
Country music originated in the Southern part of the United States in the 1920’s, a lot earlier than the other two genres did. It is known for the strong use of string instruments, such as a guitar and the banjo. Country singers often times incorporate stories from their personal lives into the sounds they sing, which has gained the approval of the older generation.
George Strait and Willie Nelson are known as being one of the most influential country artists of all time, however time passes, music styles change with it. Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw are a few of the many well known, influential country artists of the modern day.
“I like country music because it sings about things I like, such as girls, cars, and America,” sophomore Bo Scribner said.
“I enjoy country music because it sounds better than other types of music, because I can relate to it more,” sophomore Alec Huhman said.
“Country music is definitely not my cup of tea,” sophomore Sara Cottingham said. “I just don’t find it very relatable to my personal life and what I’m going through.”
Rock
Rock music developed around the 1950s in the United States and slowly spread throughout the world. In the 1960s Rock became the most popular type of music around the world, especially the United Kingdom and the US. Rock sounds like a combination of several different types of music. It incorporates aspects of blues, folk and jazz. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd were the most popular rock bands of the 1960’s and 1970’s, and will always be remembered as a classic.
“I like rock music because it calms me down and puts me in a better mood,” sophomore Lydia Thompson said. “I will always remember the bands from the ’60s and ’70s as one of the best of all time.”
“Rock music is not something I would voluntarily sit down and listen to,” freshman Abby Stewart said. “It’s catchy and upbeat, but for me it’s very dated, and doesn’t appeal to me as much as other types of music such as Rap and Pop.”
By Katie Topouria[vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/125725875″][vc_custom_heading text=”Fashion Influences Story” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]There has always been a muse behind each generation’s style throughout history, a group of stars or designers who inspired the way society dressed. Nonconformists, better known as “hippies,” shaped the look of the 1970s with pants as tight as the shirts were loose. The ‘80s were modeled after velour and leopard print-adorned pop stars with teased hair, like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam were the root of the ‘90s grunge trend; a nationwide epidemic of baggy t-shirts, flannels and leather evoked from Seattle.
So who or what shapes this generation’s fashion?
Stephens College professor and fashion designer Irina Tevzadze said that the 21st century fashion phenomenon is related to globalization.
“Back in the day, trends used to change more quickly, but nowadays there are lots of different trends that are appearing at the same time, while offering different aesthetics,” Tevzadze said. “You cannot say that, ‘Oh, today this is trendy.’ Everything could be trendy. It just depends on what you want to pursue. Lots of different folks want to look different, not necessarily to stand out but simply to pass on the message to the audience.”
This means that today, one can be the ’70s hippie, ’80s pop star or anyone in between and still be fashionably relevant.
This is prevalent among today’s generation. Unlike previous decades, there is not one particular style or trend everyone seems to be following. There are certain looks which are overall no longer considered “on trend,” such as flare jeans and empire-line shirts, but due to so much variety, there is no distinguishable “on style” look.
Rock Bridge freshman Roman Wolfe’s style is definitely different than most teenagers’. She describes her style as “very, very groovy,” and says it’s modeled after lots of late ‘60s psychedelic rock stars.“Basically like the movie Monterey Pop, or any of the attendees of the Monterey Pop Festival,” Wolfe said while talking about who inspires her way of dressing.
The Monterey Pop Festival was the first Monetary rock festival in America organized by folk rock group The Mamas and the Papas. The festival performers and spectators sported bell bottoms, ruffled shirts and velour vests. Wolfe says if she could trade wardrobes with anyone, it would be Jimi Hendrix, known for wearing button down shirts of ethnic prints paired with a velvet blazer.
It’s no wonder why Wolfe enjoys his flair, since the most important qualities in clothes to her are how fun their colors and patterns are. She has no insecurities when it comes to standing out.
“One time I bought a muumuu because I thought I’d look like Mama Cass from The Mamas and the Papas,” Wolfe said, even though she never wears the flowy, formless frock. Wolfe says her favorite item in her closet is her lavender vest with patches all over it; a possible steal from her favorite store, either Mod Vintage or Absolute Vintage,” Wolfe said of her valued vest.[/vc_column_inner]”It’s supposed to be like late ’60s psychedelia ‘Summer of Love’ style, like Jimi Hendrix or the given attendee of a Be-In of the Monterey Pop Festival.” —Roman Wolfe[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]“It’s my favorite thing. I’ve had it for a very long time, and I just love it so much.”
Another Rock Bridge risktaker is junior Brandi Robison, who says she doesn’t dress to impress. She says the most important characteristics for clothes are that they represent the individual and their personality.
“People’s first impression of you is how you dress,” Robison said. “I kind of influence my own style because I don’t like to follow trends.”
Robison says she looks at the mainstream flow and goes against it. She describes her style as tomboyish and finds ways to integrate her love for other things into it, like comic books.
For Robison, anything that has a superhero on it automatically becomes her favorite thing and is added to her Marvel collection. Another theme in Robison’s closet is the sea.
“I have this halter top sailor dress that I usually wouldn’t wear,” Robison said. “ I think I’ve worn it once. But when I saw it I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I am in love with this.’ I love anything sea-related, so I bought it knowing I would never wear it, and now it just sits in my closet.”
Perhaps not as fashionably bold as Robison, but unique in her own way, is sophomore Emily Rong, who says she doesn’t really look to others to inspire her style. Rong is moody when it comes to choosing what to wear, basing her outfits on the day and her whimsical, ever-changing state of mind.Rong says she envisions herself as classy and elegant, but can also change to rocker-chic. Her go-to ensemble is a dress, her favorite one a spaghetti strap with a black criss-cross pattern. She describes its color as a deep burgundy, because she wears dark colors well.
“I like lots of different styles and I like to kind of invent my own styles. I recognize some trends, but I also like to add my own touch,” Rong said.
Someone who doesn’t mind being a trend follower is senior Gabi Georgieva. She looks to her friends for fashion inspiration and finds a nice balance between dressy and casual for her day-to-day looks.
“If I see people wearing something I like, or if a lot of people are wearing it, I’m going to want to wear it too,” Georgieva says. She thinks fashion is an important way of expressing yourself as an individual, but clothes should flatter the figure and make whoever is wearing them feel good about themselves.[/vc_column_inner]Emily Rong is wearing a teal dress paired with a leather jacket and brown leather boots.[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]So in a market where the trend is being different, how do retailers know what will appeal to the fashion rebel, conventional customer or anyone in between?
Professor Tevzadze says research is the key element.
“You need to know your target customer and the market that you are designing for very well, and tell the ‘story’ through your designs,” Tevzadze said. “Every design has to have a purpose.”
She says it’s important to look at everything and compile the information from different sources. Looking at celebrity trends and magazines is one of the many options one has when designing a collection. Qualities to include in order for clothes to sell are the correct amount of innovative ideas and fresh design elements, as well as small details and the quality of the product.
In other words, Tevzadze says, the designs you are trying to sell need to offer the smart combination of creative vision and technical excellence.
The bottom line is that no matter what influences a generation, whether it’s The Beatles or the Kardashians, there will always be something for someone. Trends will appear, disappear and reappear, but true style has proven to withstand the test of time.[TS-VCSC-IFrame content_iframe=”https://magic.piktochart.com/embed/4980138-fashion-infographic” content_lightbox=”false” iframe_width=”auto” iframe_width_percent=”100″ iframe_width_pixel=”1024″ iframe_height=”auto” iframe_height_pixel=”400″ iframe_transparency=”true” lightbox_width=”auto” lightbox_width_percent=”100″ lightbox_width_pixel=”1024″ lightbox_height=”auto” lightbox_height_percent=”100″ lightbox_height_pixel=”400″ border_thick=”1″ border_color=”#000000″ iframefullwidth=”false” breakouts=”6″ content_iframe_trigger=”default” content_iframe_image_simple=”false” content_iframe_icon=”ts-awesome-glass” content_iframe_iconsize=”30″ content_iframe_iconcolor=”#cccccc” content_iframe_buttontext=”View Video” lightbox_effect=”random” content_tooltip_css=”false” content_tooltip_position=”ts-simptip-position-top” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″]Source: 10% of the Rock Bridge High School population surveyed
Infographic by Nikol Slatinska
By Nikol Slatinska[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Social Media: You Are What You Post” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]An entire universe stands completely consisting of code, spanning the entire world, but still not having any physical form. Even without that presence, the influence that the internet has on us is monumental, marking a new era that we all have entered.
Those of generation Y and generation Z, as some have coined, have grown up with this factor in their lives and have become so accustomed to it that it is a part of daily life. But a certain part of this constant has perhaps the greatest impact on our lives: social media.
Many of the past generations claim social media to be but a hindrance to this world and to its future. Generation Z, or as some call it, the “post-9/11 generation,” has been accused many times of being “narcissistic” in the age of the selfie, or even incapable of real interaction because of the introduction of technologies that allow texting and instantaneous communication over devices. But social media influences so much more than what is criticized.One of the main problems with social media and its influences, is the high rates of depression that result from activity on social media. An article from The Atlantic talks of the romanticization of suicide and self-harm on social media, especially on Tumblr. Photos of razor blades and flowers with quotes such as “I want to die a beautiful death” lead to increasing rates of depression. And because of tumblr’s setup, where posts are all rebloggable and accessed very quickly, glorification of depression and it’s symptoms are spread far and wide at an incredible rate.
The content isn’t the only factor in social media’s influence. The very act of being on social media and reading others’ posts can raise rates of depression. A newly released study from the University of Missouri addresses this through the “surveillance use” of Facebook, when people scroll through their feed to keep up with the achievements of others. Those that did use Facebook for that purpose and ended up with feelings of envy reported more signs of depression.
But in the very same study, those who used their social media for keeping in touch with others did not report such signs.
Source: (soundlessfall/Lee Forrest/Matthew Wild/Radikha Bhagwat/Flickr)One of the main problems with social media and its influences, is the high rates of depression that result from activity on social media. An article from The Atlantic talks of the romanticization of suicide and self-harm on social media, especially on Tumblr. Photos of razor blades and flowers with quotes such as “I want to die a beautiful death” lead to increasing rates of depression. And because of tumblr’s setup, where posts are all rebloggable and accessed very quickly, glorification of depression and it’s symptoms are spread far and wide at an incredible rate.
The content isn’t the only factor in social media’s influence. The very act of being on social media and reading others’ posts can raise rates of depression. A newly released study from the University of Missouri addresses this through the “surveillance use” of Facebook, when people scroll through their feed to keep up with the achievements of others. Those that did use Facebook for that purpose and ended up with feelings of envy reported more signs of depression.
But in the very same study, those who used their social media for keeping in touch with others did not report such signs.But in the very same study, those who used their social media for keeping in touch with others did not report such signs.
“I agree with the overall message of this [study], but I would like to further add that this is only a potential problem of social media and doesn’t necessarily mean that social media in and of itself is bad; rather, it just means we need to become literate in social media,” junior Michael Pennella said.
Freshman Roz Eggener says that social media “gets a really bad rap,” but in light of the new ideas, facts and concepts she’s learned through it, thinks that that reputation that it holds is completely incorrect.
“I think that’s ridiculous,” Eggener said. “I’ve learned so much more about what’s going on around the world than I ever did before. I think the view of social media by adults is totally wrong.”Source: The Rock surveyed 10 percent of students.
Infographic by Kristine ChoSocial media, while having its drawbacks, is very much a multifaceted platform that is so much more than these disadvantages.
Eggener is an Instagram and Tumblr user, and of that spent on social media, she spends most of her time scrolling through tumblr. She joined a little less than two years ago. When talking about social media and her own experience on tumblr, she takes the positive outlook on it.
“I think social media is a really good thing. It can inform. I think it can help a lot of people in different ways,” Eggener said. “I’ve become a lot more informed on topics of, like, racism, cultural appropriation. I’ve learned so much from tumblr, so much more than what I’ve known before that I’ve become a different person because of it.”
She adds issues concerning people of different sexualities and genders to the list of the things she’s learned about. Eggener has not only learned a lot on social justice issues, but also more practical skills as well.
“Before Tumblr, I was just speaking what I thought, without all that much facts behind it and without really knowing as much as I do now,” she said. “I think, as I’ve gotten more into the Tumblr community, into the more social justice blogs and things like that, I’ve learned facts, I’ve learned to fact check things, I’ve learned what I’m actually talking about- how I can change things that I don’t see fit.”
Pennella not only stays “updated on the latest world events in real-time” through Twitter, but he also stays in touch with friends.
“During the Ferguson riots, I knew a friend who lived in St. Louis,” Pennella said. “Without social media, I wouldn’t have known anything going on in Ferguson during that time, and I wouldn’t have been able to find out whether or not my friend was OK.”
He also adds how social media has, not only been a huge influence on himself and others, but on the entire generation as well, effectively “revolutioniz[ing] the way we structure our social lives.”
“Whether or not other people agree with it means little because social media is so integral in our lives today,” he said. “Take it away, and you’d literally have riots and chaos breaking out since our world relies on high-speed communication.”
By Kris Cho[TS_VCSC_Soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/rbhsbearingnews/roz-eggener” start_track=”0″ auto_play=”false” color=”#ff7700″ show_user=”true” show_artwork=”true” show_playcount=”true” show_comments=”true” show_reposts=”false” hide_related=”true” sharing=”true” download=”true” liking=”true” buying=”true” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″]
Music is a form of art. It can be anything someone wants it to be. It can be a sound made from a single instrument, or a sound made from a combination of different instruments, as well as the sound coming from someones mouth, or a combination of an instrumental sound and a person’s voice.
Music is an important part of many peoples lives and has affected the way people have been living for years. As time passed by, music evolved and developed into different styles that every person will be able to enjoy. Years ago, music was used in different cultures to celebrate exciting events in their lives such as marriage, kids or simply happy times.
Today music is mostly made for the entertainment of others.There are several different types of music, starting from classical ending with country, each having a fairly different background.
Pop
Pop is the type of music you will mostly hear on the radio. The term “pop” comes from the word “popular” and incorporates sounds from several other types of music. As a genre, Pop is very broad, often times borrowing segments of sounds from rock and country. It usually includes medium length songs (around three minutes) and has elements such as repeated choruses, and melodic tunes.
Pop music first originated around 1960s; however, it became especially popular in the 1980s after pop sensations Madonna and Michael Jackson started sweeping charts all around the world.
Madonna and Jackson in particular “had titanic impact roughly equivalent to that of The Beatles and Bob Dylan,” Joe Levy, editor in chief of Blender, says. “They set the model for what people afterward aspired to do culturally, musically and even artistically. Young performers today work in their shadow.”
This type of music is greatly loved all around the world by teenagers and young adults, however it is not a usual favorite of the members coming from the older generation, because of reasons such as “having negative messages.”
“Pop music is very catchy and upbeat. I can listen to it no matter how I am feeling, because it has a fun tempo that appeals to me no matter what,” sophomore Grace Menard said. “I do not believe that Pop music leads teenagers into doing negative things. In my opinion Pop has more of a positive effect on teenagers, especially since the upbeat melodies have helped me cool off and release stress.”
Rap
Out of the several styles of music that exist in the world, Rap is considered to be one of the “new-bee”’s. It originated around the late 1970s to the early 1980’s, however it really started hitting the charts in the 1990s, during the 2pac and Notorious B.I.G. era. Rap is usually made up of a combination of instruments in the background, followed by strong vocal sounds, which usually rhyme and develop a beat.
Rap music overtime has gotten more and more popular and is slowly surpassing Pop music in popularity. However, Rap has always been and still to this day is the most controversial type of music, most likely because of the fact that the majority of Rap songs involve the use of swear words.
“Who cares if Rap songs have a few swear words in them? It’s not like people have never heard cuss words before,” sophomore Kaitlyn Rothwell said. “I enjoy rap music because if you listen closely, you will see that there are lots of Rap songs that deliver great messages. For the songs that don’t really have a message, I can still sit in my car, roll up my windows and enjoy it.”
“I personally do not enjoy Rap music,” sophomore Patrick Burnam said. “Something about shouting meaningless words into the microphone and adding a beat behind it doesn’t seem very appealing to me.”
Country
Country is another type of music that has slowly made it’s way up to the top of the popular music charts. The top music genres among teenagers in the 2010’s are Pop, Rap and Country, however unlike Rap and Pop,
Country music originated in the Southern part of the United States in the 1920’s, a lot earlier than the other two genres did. It is known for the strong use of string instruments, such as a guitar and the banjo. Country singers often times incorporate stories from their personal lives into the sounds they sing, which has gained the approval of the older generation.
George Strait and Willie Nelson are known as being one of the most influential country artists of all time, however time passes, music styles change with it. Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw are a few of the many well known, influential country artists of the modern day.
“I like country music because it sings about things I like, such as girls, cars, and America,” sophomore Bo Scribner said.
“I enjoy country music because it sounds better than other types of music, because I can relate to it more,” sophomore Alec Huhman said.
“Country music is definitely not my cup of tea,” sophomore Sara Cottingham said. “I just don’t find it very relatable to my personal life and what I’m going through.”
Rock
Rock music developed around the 1950s in the United States and slowly spread throughout the world. In the 1960s Rock became the most popular type of music around the world, especially the United Kingdom and the US. Rock sounds like a combination of several different types of music. It incorporates aspects of blues, folk and jazz. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd were the most popular rock bands of the 1960’s and 1970’s, and will always be remembered as a classic.
“I like rock music because it calms me down and puts me in a better mood,” sophomore Lydia Thompson said. “I will always remember the bands from the ’60s and ’70s as one of the best of all time.”
“Rock music is not something I would voluntarily sit down and listen to,” freshman Abby Stewart said. “It’s catchy and upbeat, but for me it’s very dated, and doesn’t appeal to me as much as other types of music such as Rap and Pop.”
By Katie Topouria[vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/125725875″][vc_custom_heading text=”Fashion Influences Story” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]There has always been a muse behind each generation’s style throughout history, a group of stars or designers who inspired the way society dressed. Nonconformists, better known as “hippies,” shaped the look of the 1970s with pants as tight as the shirts were loose. The ‘80s were modeled after velour and leopard print-adorned pop stars with teased hair, like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam were the root of the ‘90s grunge trend; a nationwide epidemic of baggy t-shirts, flannels and leather evoked from Seattle.
So who or what shapes this generation’s fashion?
Stephens College professor and fashion designer Irina Tevzadze said that the 21st century fashion phenomenon is related to globalization.
“Back in the day, trends used to change more quickly, but nowadays there are lots of different trends that are appearing at the same time, while offering different aesthetics,” Tevzadze said. “You cannot say that, ‘Oh, today this is trendy.’ Everything could be trendy. It just depends on what you want to pursue. Lots of different folks want to look different, not necessarily to stand out but simply to pass on the message to the audience.”
This means that today, one can be the ’70s hippie, ’80s pop star or anyone in between and still be fashionably relevant.
This is prevalent among today’s generation. Unlike previous decades, there is not one particular style or trend everyone seems to be following. There are certain looks which are overall no longer considered “on trend,” such as flare jeans and empire-line shirts, but due to so much variety, there is no distinguishable “on style” look.
Rock Bridge freshman Roman Wolfe’s style is definitely different than most teenagers’. She describes her style as “very, very groovy,” and says it’s modeled after lots of late ‘60s psychedelic rock stars.“Basically like the movie Monterey Pop, or any of the attendees of the Monterey Pop Festival,” Wolfe said while talking about who inspires her way of dressing.
The Monterey Pop Festival was the first Monetary rock festival in America organized by folk rock group The Mamas and the Papas. The festival performers and spectators sported bell bottoms, ruffled shirts and velour vests. Wolfe says if she could trade wardrobes with anyone, it would be Jimi Hendrix, known for wearing button down shirts of ethnic prints paired with a velvet blazer.
It’s no wonder why Wolfe enjoys his flair, since the most important qualities in clothes to her are how fun their colors and patterns are. She has no insecurities when it comes to standing out.
“One time I bought a muumuu because I thought I’d look like Mama Cass from The Mamas and the Papas,” Wolfe said, even though she never wears the flowy, formless frock. Wolfe says her favorite item in her closet is her lavender vest with patches all over it; a possible steal from her favorite store, either Mod Vintage or Absolute Vintage,” Wolfe said of her valued vest.[/vc_column_inner]”It’s supposed to be like late ’60s psychedelia ‘Summer of Love’ style, like Jimi Hendrix or the given attendee of a Be-In of the Monterey Pop Festival.” —Roman Wolfe[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]“It’s my favorite thing. I’ve had it for a very long time, and I just love it so much.”
Another Rock Bridge risktaker is junior Brandi Robison, who says she doesn’t dress to impress. She says the most important characteristics for clothes are that they represent the individual and their personality.
“People’s first impression of you is how you dress,” Robison said. “I kind of influence my own style because I don’t like to follow trends.”
Robison says she looks at the mainstream flow and goes against it. She describes her style as tomboyish and finds ways to integrate her love for other things into it, like comic books.
For Robison, anything that has a superhero on it automatically becomes her favorite thing and is added to her Marvel collection. Another theme in Robison’s closet is the sea.
“I have this halter top sailor dress that I usually wouldn’t wear,” Robison said. “ I think I’ve worn it once. But when I saw it I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I am in love with this.’ I love anything sea-related, so I bought it knowing I would never wear it, and now it just sits in my closet.”
Perhaps not as fashionably bold as Robison, but unique in her own way, is sophomore Emily Rong, who says she doesn’t really look to others to inspire her style. Rong is moody when it comes to choosing what to wear, basing her outfits on the day and her whimsical, ever-changing state of mind.Rong says she envisions herself as classy and elegant, but can also change to rocker-chic. Her go-to ensemble is a dress, her favorite one a spaghetti strap with a black criss-cross pattern. She describes its color as a deep burgundy, because she wears dark colors well.
“I like lots of different styles and I like to kind of invent my own styles. I recognize some trends, but I also like to add my own touch,” Rong said.
Someone who doesn’t mind being a trend follower is senior Gabi Georgieva. She looks to her friends for fashion inspiration and finds a nice balance between dressy and casual for her day-to-day looks.
“If I see people wearing something I like, or if a lot of people are wearing it, I’m going to want to wear it too,” Georgieva says. She thinks fashion is an important way of expressing yourself as an individual, but clothes should flatter the figure and make whoever is wearing them feel good about themselves.[/vc_column_inner]Emily Rong is wearing a teal dress paired with a leather jacket and brown leather boots.[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]So in a market where the trend is being different, how do retailers know what will appeal to the fashion rebel, conventional customer or anyone in between?
Professor Tevzadze says research is the key element.
“You need to know your target customer and the market that you are designing for very well, and tell the ‘story’ through your designs,” Tevzadze said. “Every design has to have a purpose.”
She says it’s important to look at everything and compile the information from different sources. Looking at celebrity trends and magazines is one of the many options one has when designing a collection. Qualities to include in order for clothes to sell are the correct amount of innovative ideas and fresh design elements, as well as small details and the quality of the product.
In other words, Tevzadze says, the designs you are trying to sell need to offer the smart combination of creative vision and technical excellence.
The bottom line is that no matter what influences a generation, whether it’s The Beatles or the Kardashians, there will always be something for someone. Trends will appear, disappear and reappear, but true style has proven to withstand the test of time.[TS-VCSC-IFrame content_iframe=”https://magic.piktochart.com/embed/4980138-fashion-infographic” content_lightbox=”false” iframe_width=”auto” iframe_width_percent=”100″ iframe_width_pixel=”1024″ iframe_height=”auto” iframe_height_pixel=”400″ iframe_transparency=”true” lightbox_width=”auto” lightbox_width_percent=”100″ lightbox_width_pixel=”1024″ lightbox_height=”auto” lightbox_height_percent=”100″ lightbox_height_pixel=”400″ border_thick=”1″ border_color=”#000000″ iframefullwidth=”false” breakouts=”6″ content_iframe_trigger=”default” content_iframe_image_simple=”false” content_iframe_icon=”ts-awesome-glass” content_iframe_iconsize=”30″ content_iframe_iconcolor=”#cccccc” content_iframe_buttontext=”View Video” lightbox_effect=”random” content_tooltip_css=”false” content_tooltip_position=”ts-simptip-position-top” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″]Source: 10% of the Rock Bridge High School population surveyed
Infographic by Nikol Slatinska
By Nikol Slatinska[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Social Media: You Are What You Post” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]An entire universe stands completely consisting of code, spanning the entire world, but still not having any physical form. Even without that presence, the influence that the internet has on us is monumental, marking a new era that we all have entered.
Those of generation Y and generation Z, as some have coined, have grown up with this factor in their lives and have become so accustomed to it that it is a part of daily life. But a certain part of this constant has perhaps the greatest impact on our lives: social media.
Many of the past generations claim social media to be but a hindrance to this world and to its future. Generation Z, or as some call it, the “post-9/11 generation,” has been accused many times of being “narcissistic” in the age of the selfie, or even incapable of real interaction because of the introduction of technologies that allow texting and instantaneous communication over devices. But social media influences so much more than what is criticized.One of the main problems with social media and its influences, is the high rates of depression that result from activity on social media. An article from The Atlantic talks of the romanticization of suicide and self-harm on social media, especially on Tumblr. Photos of razor blades and flowers with quotes such as “I want to die a beautiful death” lead to increasing rates of depression. And because of tumblr’s setup, where posts are all rebloggable and accessed very quickly, glorification of depression and it’s symptoms are spread far and wide at an incredible rate.
The content isn’t the only factor in social media’s influence. The very act of being on social media and reading others’ posts can raise rates of depression. A newly released study from the University of Missouri addresses this through the “surveillance use” of Facebook, when people scroll through their feed to keep up with the achievements of others. Those that did use Facebook for that purpose and ended up with feelings of envy reported more signs of depression.
But in the very same study, those who used their social media for keeping in touch with others did not report such signs.
Source: (soundlessfall/Lee Forrest/Matthew Wild/Radikha Bhagwat/Flickr)One of the main problems with social media and its influences, is the high rates of depression that result from activity on social media. An article from The Atlantic talks of the romanticization of suicide and self-harm on social media, especially on Tumblr. Photos of razor blades and flowers with quotes such as “I want to die a beautiful death” lead to increasing rates of depression. And because of tumblr’s setup, where posts are all rebloggable and accessed very quickly, glorification of depression and it’s symptoms are spread far and wide at an incredible rate.
The content isn’t the only factor in social media’s influence. The very act of being on social media and reading others’ posts can raise rates of depression. A newly released study from the University of Missouri addresses this through the “surveillance use” of Facebook, when people scroll through their feed to keep up with the achievements of others. Those that did use Facebook for that purpose and ended up with feelings of envy reported more signs of depression.
But in the very same study, those who used their social media for keeping in touch with others did not report such signs.But in the very same study, those who used their social media for keeping in touch with others did not report such signs.
“I agree with the overall message of this [study], but I would like to further add that this is only a potential problem of social media and doesn’t necessarily mean that social media in and of itself is bad; rather, it just means we need to become literate in social media,” junior Michael Pennella said.
Freshman Roz Eggener says that social media “gets a really bad rap,” but in light of the new ideas, facts and concepts she’s learned through it, thinks that that reputation that it holds is completely incorrect.
“I think that’s ridiculous,” Eggener said. “I’ve learned so much more about what’s going on around the world than I ever did before. I think the view of social media by adults is totally wrong.”Source: The Rock surveyed 10 percent of students.
Infographic by Kristine ChoSocial media, while having its drawbacks, is very much a multifaceted platform that is so much more than these disadvantages.
Eggener is an Instagram and Tumblr user, and of that spent on social media, she spends most of her time scrolling through tumblr. She joined a little less than two years ago. When talking about social media and her own experience on tumblr, she takes the positive outlook on it.
“I think social media is a really good thing. It can inform. I think it can help a lot of people in different ways,” Eggener said. “I’ve become a lot more informed on topics of, like, racism, cultural appropriation. I’ve learned so much from tumblr, so much more than what I’ve known before that I’ve become a different person because of it.”
She adds issues concerning people of different sexualities and genders to the list of the things she’s learned about. Eggener has not only learned a lot on social justice issues, but also more practical skills as well.
“Before Tumblr, I was just speaking what I thought, without all that much facts behind it and without really knowing as much as I do now,” she said. “I think, as I’ve gotten more into the Tumblr community, into the more social justice blogs and things like that, I’ve learned facts, I’ve learned to fact check things, I’ve learned what I’m actually talking about- how I can change things that I don’t see fit.”
Pennella not only stays “updated on the latest world events in real-time” through Twitter, but he also stays in touch with friends.
“During the Ferguson riots, I knew a friend who lived in St. Louis,” Pennella said. “Without social media, I wouldn’t have known anything going on in Ferguson during that time, and I wouldn’t have been able to find out whether or not my friend was OK.”
He also adds how social media has, not only been a huge influence on himself and others, but on the entire generation as well, effectively “revolutioniz[ing] the way we structure our social lives.”
“Whether or not other people agree with it means little because social media is so integral in our lives today,” he said. “Take it away, and you’d literally have riots and chaos breaking out since our world relies on high-speed communication.”
By Kris Cho[TS_VCSC_Soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/rbhsbearingnews/roz-eggener” start_track=”0″ auto_play=”false” color=”#ff7700″ show_user=”true” show_artwork=”true” show_playcount=”true” show_comments=”true” show_reposts=”false” hide_related=”true” sharing=”true” download=”true” liking=”true” buying=”true” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″]
