Princeton Trend of the Week: Work Wars

Contestant A: “Ahhhh I have two tests, a presentation and a paper due tomorrow.”

Contestant B: “Mmhmm that sucks…I’ve got three problem sets due, a lab practical and an orgo test on Monday.”

Who wins? Your vote will probably go to A if you’re a humanities freak, like moi, and with B if you’re more scientifically inclined (but that’s just a guess). In any case, this little trend of subtle/passive aggressive workload one-upmanship is all the rage here at P-ton.

Ok, let’s be real, this is not really a super-“current” trend. Yes, Princetonians, you…okay we…have been playing this game forever. It’s par for the course at a university made up of some of the nation’s most competitive youngsters. Nevertheless, I think it’s high time we openly acknowledged this game we too often play.

The semester is coming to an end, which means more work and the best part of the year—post-break papers and finals!!! And this undoubtedly means that the courseload competition will only get worse.

So a plea to you (okay “us”!) all for the coming month: when your friend is in despair, even if he/she’s just rubbing in your face how epically genius they are that they can take three lab classes and two 500 level seminars, be understanding (also, you should just feel bad for them for being so dumb/masochistic when they signed up for courses). When you say “that sucks,” mean it. Give them a piece of chocolate and a hug. And if you know your measly two finals and one paper can’t match up, don’t try to inflate it just to make yourself look all macho-Princetonian. We know you’re a clever one (or clever enough).

And if your friend is a little pisher who’s just complaining over a “ton” of work that amounts to a fifteenth of what you’ve got in store? I suggest a death glare and blasting music. Actions speak louder than words.

Now back to my third all-nighter this week…

-Nava Friedman '13

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Trend of the Week - Princeton Air Edition: The Weather?

As a native New Jerseyan, even I am utterly confused by the bipolar weather the Princetonian atmosphere has been dishing out these past few weeks. Coming back from Fall Break, I thanked my lucky stars that I had remembered to grab my winter coat as I ran out to catch my train, and for two days was wearing it all times, while by week’s end I felt perfectly comfortable in just a T-shirt. This pattern has been continuing non-stop since our return from break—chilly to freezing to mild and back again, with rhyme, reason and seasonal propriety eschewed.

Usually, one can count on the cold to kick in definitively by Thanksgiving, but this year the universe (global warming? Voldemort?) seems to be whistling to its own tune. The most interesting effect this has had is the wide range of outerwear one can see on a walk down Elm—a scarf, hat and gloves can easily be followed by a thin, long sleeve T, and depending on the hour, they can both be right.

The only thing the air has yet to dish out is snow… and for that I eagerly await. Last year’s snow day still stands as a beacon of awesomeness in my freshman year, and I eagerly anticipate a repeat performance. Let’s just hope it stays cold enough for the flakes to fall!

If you think weather is boring, here’s a way to make it more exciting:

http://thefuckingweather.com/?zipcode=08544a

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Nava Friedman '13

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Princeton Trend of the Week: Princetonians Become Potter-heads

Harry Potter has been slowly but surely creeping back onto the radar of the kids, former kids and kids-at-heart who grew up ingesting the adventures of the hero of the wizarding world as the release of the seventh Potter film approaches. At Princeton, this trend has been particularly notable with the proliferation of the Harry Potter Facebook quiz.

These quizzes come in many varieties—there is the “Which obscure Harry Potter character are you?” quiz (Vincent Crabbe…several of my friends found this quite entertaining), the “Which Harry Potter professor are you?” quiz (McGonagall) and the classic “What Hogwarts house are you?” quiz (Yea Gryffindor!)

Potter quizzing spiked during midterms but still seems to have held on to its place as a trusty new way Facebook can enhance your procrastination time. One strung out student completed enough of these quizzes to prompt a curious Facebook comment from a friend at a different school wondering what the hell was up with the sudden Potter addiction.

The humanities major in me would analyze this new craze as a typical vicarious fleeing of the real, ever-stressful academic world of Princeton to the magical, adventurous world of the brave and adventurous Harry and his colorful cohorts.

In case you haven’t had a chance to flex your Potter-themed quiz skills, here are a couple of fun ones (in addition to those listed above) that you may want to try:

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=94569418342 (“What is your signature spell?” Please not Avada Kedavra, please not Avada Kedavra…)

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=49372207474 (“Twilight vs. Harry Potter.” Is this even a competition? Magic spells over lovey dovey vamps any day!)

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=125487422480 (“What is your Harry Potter wand?” Does yours have phoenix feather?)

-Nava Friedman '13

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Princeton Trend of the Week: Procrasti-pooping (and other methods of avoiding studying at all costs)

Midterms are upon us, and with them the need to bravely face the mountains of books that have gone unread and equations that have gone misunderstood for the first half of the semester. But for every line memorized, the astute midterms studier always manages to find a way to put off the next moment of cramming with some sort of creative activity, including those not usually associated with procrastination. Some of the more imaginative methods (in addition to the typical, largely Web-based ones) I’ve noticed being employed over the last couple of days (a personal one, by the way, would be writing this post):

1) The Procrasti-poop: going to the bathroom is no longer just a necessary bodily function—it’s a way to avoid memorizing the steps of the Krebs cycle.

2) Procrasti-eating: Late meal! C-store run! 2 AM Frist study break! For every moment where you can’t digest another word of text, there’s something edible to digest instead.

3) The Procrasti-nap: You know you’ve seen it done, and probably done it yourself—just put your head down for a couple of minutes on the brick-hard library table and taken a quick nap. (Hopefully your snoring is in check and you set an alarm so that “quick” doesn’t turn into “exam in half an hour and have only covered half the material.”)

4) The Procrasti-stroll: Take a walk. “Clear your head.” This one’s pretty popular.

5) Procrasti-working: Sometimes you just get so desperate that taking a break means writing that paper due Friday instead of studying for that test tomorrow morning. Designation as procrastination is admittedly debatable, but I vote for inclusion.

This list is undoubtedly incomplete—thus I invite you to add anything you feel has been a creative and integral part of your procrastination routine.

But only if you’re studying.

--Nava Friedman '13

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Princeton Trend of the Week: Midterms Malaise

Cough. Hack. Sneeze.

These are probably sounds you’ve been hearing a lot recently.

Princeton students seem to have contracted a myriad of fun ailments just in time for midterms. From the common cold to bronchitis to the always attractive “pink eye” (or as Princetonians call it, conjunctivitis), a slew of diseases have been making their way across our campus.

Looking around a classroom, it’s especially clear how students have been taking a biological hit. There will invariably be the kid hacking continuously, the girl with the pile of tissues, the guy scratching his pink blob of an eye, and of course, the conspicuously absent who have passed the malaise margin into the realm of the bedridden (and yes, you are probably secretly happy not to be one of those…while also a bit jealous that you’re not in bed right now.)

A pre-med I am not, so I will not try to biologically explain Princetonians’ increasingly astute ability to contract illness. In mommy mode, I can suggest lack of sleep and poor diet choices as possible causes, along with, well, being around each other all the time.

So as you gear up for the next week of paper-writing and cramming, stock up on Vitamin C, perhaps put a few more inches between you and the next guy (however cute he may be) at the library table, and good luck on your exams…

Aaaaaaaaaaaa-choo!

-Nava Friedman '13

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Princeton Trend of the Week: Poster Pinching

People say the Orange Bubble is one of the safest places to go to school—beautiful campus, idyllic, low-crime town, motivated students who are here only to learn, perhaps enjoy a party or two.

But beware Princetonians—there are thieves in your midst.

Don’t call Public Safety just yet—the thieves of whom I speak are mostly harmless creatures, interested in one thing and one thing only: the numerous, colorful posters which adorn every pole and billboard on Princeton’s campus.

Poster pinching takes a variety of forms on campus, and is usually employed as a mode of dorm decoration. No doubt many of you have stepped into a friend’s room (or perhaps even--*gasp*--your own) to discover walls ornamented with announcements for the Triangle Show, the latest offering from Disiac, or a Nobel Prize Winner’s scholarly address.

Hopefully these artfully designed, eye-catching and “low-cost” hangings are outdated, taken only after the subjects of their deliberate phrasings have long passed. Occasionally, you will find the odd transgressor who has boldly taken a poster touting a current event—but I’m sure (err…hope) there were just a lot of extras.

Subject matter takes on interesting variations. I have seen a single room bedecked with fifteen copies of the same poster, others with a wide variety of shapes, sizes and themes. Some will choose a particular genre—theater, dance, notable speakers, others simply reach for whatever they can get. Poster configurations go from Top Design worthy spreads to paper-vomit sequences that could barely be called collages. The possibilities are numerous, and Princeton students, never failing to exhibit their ingenuity, explore many avenues with their questionably acquired goods.

A note of respect—try to keep your poster-swiping until after the advertised event has taken place. Trust me, it’ll look just as nice on your wall next week!

-Nava Friedman '13

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Trend of the Week: April 26, 2010

This week’s trend is a little less obvious than most, and requires special attention to be spotted. But, never fear: your trusty Trend of the Week blogger has done the careful observation for you. This week, your most stylish classmates are breaking out the blue nail polish.

Yes, blue. Blue nails are typically associated with nonconformists – those individuals who are less concerned with trend following and more concerned with making a statement. Well, now, blue nails have put their foot in the door of the mainstream fashion world. But they continue to be reserved for the bold and the brave.

The ladies (or should I say, hands) pictured show off this blue nail trend. The particularly adventurous women on campus don’t just stop at the blue – they go all the way with bold accents like sparkly black tips. The turquoise and black combo at top is a sure conversation starter, and a fun addition to any outfit.

There is also a more relaxed way to do blue. Above we see how a lighter, almost blue-green shade can be worn like any other color polish. Light blues are a refreshing substitute for expected pink shades. Remember this before you get your pre-Houseparties manicure!

Of course, this trend has also become a celebrity favorite. Check out Whitney Port’s bright turquoise stunners. I have to say: these blues almost remind me of a swimming pool, and I certainly wouldn’t mind daydreaming about summer swimming days every time I look down at my fingertips.

-Allie Weiss '13

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Trend of the Week: April 19, 2010

This week the Princeton campus has been feeling a bit nautical. Perhaps everyone is just dreaming about the upcoming summer months, sure to be filled with sunny days on the yacht (…if only). No matter the reason, people are wearing stripes, and there is no denying the growing presence of this nautical-inspired pattern on campus.

Stripes come in all shapes and sizes, of course, but it is the thick, horizontal, blue-toned stripes that have made the strongest appearance around Princeton lately. And this pattern has been sported in unexpected ways, giving it a fresh twist. As shown, Princeton women are rocking the nautical stripes on everything from the casual zip-up hoodie to the creative wrap top. Though the pattern screams “preppy” – the women (and men) who are rocking the trend on campus have found ways to make it less classic and more edgy by adding details like lace and gold/silver accents.

Want to see how the trend is done on the runways? Look no further than Rebecca Taylor’s Spring 2010 line. She showcased stripes of slightly varying shades of blue, played up with gold items and contrasting pattern details (check out those shoes!). Go this route if you want to look sailor-inspired, but not take it overboard. Nautical pun intended.

-Allie Weiss ‘13

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Trend of the Week: April 12, 2010

Spring has sprung! And of all the things that I can get excited about (fashion-wise, and otherwise), spring shoes are particularly high on my list. After carefully observing the footwear choices of my fellow Princetonians, I bring you the trend of the week: nude-colored flats.

After months of tucking our poor, over-walked feet into thick, wooly socks and big, sturdy boots, the time has come to expose our lovely feet to the sun. And that doesn’t necessarily mean the toes have to come out: flats provide the perfect modest exposure, especially fitting for the up-and-down weather of late.

So what is it about this neutral color that seems to be taking over the ballet flats of Princeton? For one, it’s time to ditch those somber winter hues in favor of light, airy shades. Nudes/skin-colors reflect this favorable change in weather. Also, neutral certainly doesn’t mean boring, as the women in these photos demonstrate. Gold grommets, bows, or a slight sparkle appropriately spice up skin-toned footwear. Also, you may not realize it, but wearing shoes that blend into the color of your skin make your legs look significantly longer. Want to look like you have never-ending gams? Go for nude-colored shoes.

If you want help jumping on the neutral flat bandwagon, look no further than London Sole, my favorite ballet flat maker – I’m a fan of the “beige ponyhair” ones pictured. I’m adding them to my spring shoe wish list immediately.

-Allie Weiss '13

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Trend of the Week: March 29, 2010

As the weather improves – slowly but surely – Princetonians are tastefully starting to reveal more skin. No, it’s not quite miniskirt and tank top weather, but it may be time to retire the long sleeves until next fall. The most stylish women on campus are responding to the not-quite-spring temperatures with one-shouldered dresses.

The one-shouldered look can be sexy in a subtle way, which is what makes it so appealing: sexy usually translates to slutty and subtle to boring. So, sexy plus subtle? Sign me up! Not too much skin is revealed – in most one-shouldered frocks your décolletage will indeed be appropriately covered. So what makes it so sexy? The one shoulder bare, one shoulder covered combo is playful and leaves just enough to the imagination.

The two ladies pictured above show how it can be done. There are sleeveless, short-sleeved, and even long-sleeved versions of the one-shoulder trend. Shimmer and bright colors make the look fun.

Celebrities have also jumped on the one-shoulder bandwagon. The recent awards season has showcased many one-armed looks: from Marion Cotillard’s structured white frock at the Screen Actors Guild Awards to Lea Michele’s flirty navy dress at the Grammy Awards.

As this spring’s formal events approach, girls should be sure to consider the one-shoulder trend. Then, even if the weather stays down in the dumps, at least one of your shoulders will be warm!

-Allie Weiss ‘13

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Trend of the Week: March 8, 2010

So, it’s midterms week. And we’re all a little bit stressed. As the days of all-nighters, cram sessions, and general panic begin, there is a noticeable change in fashion trends around campus. Yes, we’ve all gotten a bit lazy in the style/personal hygiene department (school comes first, right?), so naturally the trend of the week is … sweatpants.

Sweatpants may not be particularly stylish, but for this week, they fit the bill. When you’re watching the sun rise from Frist (which conveniently is open 24/7 this week) the day of your econ midterm, you’re going to want to be in something comfortable. People will understand if you don’t have the energy to put on a stylish outfit in the mornings. In fact, why not just wear the clothes you slept in?

There are ways to make the sweatpant trend less schleppy and more presentable. Avoiding the slippers/robe is a good first step. Next step – choose a theme to go for. Go sporty, with baggy sweatpants and interesting sneakers, or go preppy, with a cardigan and scarf look. Either way, try to be consistent, and add an interesting accessory that draws the eye. Yes, you can be a stylish sweatpant-wearer!

It’s now time for me to go back to my midterm studying. And, to be honest, I kind of wish I was wearing sweatpants.

-Allie Weiss ‘13

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Trend of the Week: March 1, 2010

Leather leggings, liquid spandex … call them what you want, but there’s no denying this trend’s growing presence on campus.

Though you may think the leather – or better yet, “pleather” – legging may seem more like an 80’s throwback than a modern accessory of choice, the fashion world surely would disagree. Everyone from Rihanna to Ashley Olsen has been spotted in the shiny legwear. The Hollywood version of the trend often includes pairing the leggings with sky-high, attention-grabbing heels. Though this statement look may be more suited for the urban jungle than Nassau Street, there is a low-key Princeton adaptation of the trend. The Princeton take on “liquid leggings” calls for simple accessories like ballet flats or even sneakers (so your feet can survive a full night of dancing on the Street, of course).

These shiny leggings also come in handy when last-minute costume parties roll around. They're perfect for dressing to the likes of Catwoman, a Charlie's Angel, or any other badass superhero that comes to mind. Or, forget the costumes and just wear them as you would any leggings. No one will know that you're secretly channeling your inner Halle Berry...

-Allie Weiss '13

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Trend of the Week: Feb. 22, 2010

It’s official: purple is everywhere. And not just on the ladies … this week, Princeton’s most stylish guys are breaking out the uncommon color. Though purple may seem like a risky choice, these men have the confidence to rock it (albeit in small quantities).

Purple on men can be done in different ways. Most at Princeton have taken the casual route, opting for purple T-shirts, sweaters, or button-downs (though over the past few months I’ve also spotted several purple ties, at Winter Formals, for example). A purple shirt is a refreshing addition to an otherwise simple outfit, as the guys in these photos demonstrate.

Of course, there are many shades of purple to work with. The lighter tones are far less commonly seen on men, but those that do own pieces in light purples are still storing them away in closets until springtime (Spring Lawnparties, perhaps?). Darker shades of purple, including maroon-shades – like the color of the sweater pictured – are appropriate in the colder months.

Purple is emerging as a color of choice for men outside of the Princeton gates, as well. It popped up many times on the runways last month during Men’s Fashion Week in Milan and Paris. Gucci showcased several purple suits, Paul Smith put models in purple pants, and Bottega Veneta went for the purple blazer. These examples may not be very college-friendly (I look forward to the day I spot a Princeton male wearing a velvet purple suit), but I can assure you: if you take the purple plunge, people are bound to be impressed.

-Allie Weiss '13

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Trend of the Week: Feb. 15, 2010

This week’s trend only applies to the females of Princeton (sorry, guys). All over campus, stylish women can be spotted sporting bright, colorful tights. Set against the white snow, these tights pop! Colored tights command attention without going overboard.

The secret to rocking eye-popping tights, as the lovely ladies in these photos demonstrate, is to pair them with neutrals. Blacks and grays work particularly well. If anonymous model #1 had worn her turquoise stunners with colored boots, or a colored dress, she would have ended up looking more like a clown than a stylish girl on the town (hey, that rhymes!). But she carefully chose black boots and a black dress (not pictured) to make the tights the focus of the ensemble. Anonymous model #2 got it right as well. Worn with a gray dress and short black boots, her purple legs grabbed all the attention.

In addition to the rainbow-hued, patterned tights have been making an appearance on campus. Stripes, polka dots, floral designs and even animal prints now can be found on tights.

If you’re feeling really daring, you might want to check out American Apparel’s tights that have two very different colored legs. You never know when you’re going to be in one of those “right leg yellow, left leg orange” kind of moods.

-Allie Weiss '13

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Trend of the Week: Feb. 8, 2010

After much careful observation, I come to bring you the Princeton fashion trend of the week. This week's trend certainly has taken Princeton by storm (pun intended). If you recall, it snowed quite a lot this weekend, and students responded by breaking out snow boots of all shapes and sizes. But the trendiest and preppiest of them all could be seen in none other than ... L.L.Bean.

The trusty Bean Boots, sometimes known as "duck boots," are the go-to pick of many Princeton students (male and female alike). Their combination of leather and rubber is certainly not stylish it its own right: the boots are clunky, and may remind you of what your dad wears to shovel the driveway. But, they are classic American (they have been in production in New England for nearly a century), and Princeton students naturally gravitate toward their preppy appeal.

When paired properly, with skinny jeans or even tights for girls, and a good-fitting pair of jeans for guys, the boots can make an outfit work. They'll also help you avoid slipping in the snow - something I have become a bit too familiar with.

-Allie Weiss '13

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