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A snapshot of fashion trends from our first year back on campus. By Isabelle Delostrinos Culture Writer We did it, Gaels! A full year of in person classes and events! This year we got to ditch Zoom and the sweats we have been living in during 2020. We finally had the chance to rock all of our quarantine purchases and actually put on a complete outfit every single day. What better way to express ourselves and our styles than through our clothes? Here are some of the fashion trends that got us through this school year. The overwhelming trend of white Nike Air Force 1s in 2019 has held strong throughout the school year and will probably still be relevant this summer. The simple silhouette and basic staple of an all white shoe pulled different types of outfits together. They pair perfectly with thoughtful outfits like a good pair of denim and light outerwear jacket. But they also hold down the fort for lazy outfits like sweats and a hoodie. Whether they are a new, crisp pair straight out of the box or a beater pair that survived another night of running through the city, white Nike Air Force 1s have been a go to for many. In an effort to adjust back to regular life and things like commuting or actually leaving the dorms to go to class, athleisure was a common outfit on campus. Staying true to Bay Area fashion and the Silicon Valley formula, leggings and sweats paired with a comfy jacket were spotted in almost every class this year. Whether it was a Lululemon Scuba jacket with black leggings or an SMC hoodie with sweats, comfy was the name of the game when it came to making it on time to an early morning class. Honorable Mentions
(Images Courtesy sassydaily.in and Writer)
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By Remy Zerber
Culture Columnist There are so many interesting cultures in the world, it is important that everyone explores them so they can experience the beauty of diverse cultures. Learning about the various cultures makes for a more well-educated person as it also helps defeat stereotypes and racism. Put on by the Intercultural Center and different clubs, cultural nights at SMC celebrate different cultures. The cultural nights at SMC help shine a light on the represented cultures and the issues they have. The BASH One of the cultural nights at SMC is the BASH. It is a celebration of LGBTQ+ culture. Students who identify as queer put on a show to entertain and educate people about the LGBTQ community. Students did different sets throughout the show. For example, some students showed a video, some talked about their coming out stories, and others did dances or sang songs. This year’s theme was “Over The Rainbow''. Expressions of Blackness “Expressions of Blackness” is a cultural night that celebrates Black students and culture. This year’s theme was “Homecoming”. I attended this year’s show and it turned out to be a beautiful event. There were students who sang songs, shared about their home countries, and performed dances. Specifically, one person who played the drums and another played the piano. Latino Cultural Night Latino cultural night celebrates Latinos and Latino culture. The theme this year was “The Mountains Around Us”. There was music, dancing, and even speeches. For example, there were Ballet Folklórico dancers and someone dressed like a mariachi. All the participants showed their culture through their sets. Asian Cultural Night The theme of Asian Cultural Night was “Discovering The World Through Our Lens”. It celebrated all Asian cultures. There were people who sang songs and did skits from their cultures. There was a cultural fashion show, showcasing traditional clothes from different Asian cultures including: Indian culture, Malaysian culture, Filipino culture and many others. Some students dressed up in a Karate Gi from Japan. There was also a Kabuki skit from Japan where a student wore a Kabuki mask. Middle Eastern And North African (MENA) Cultural Night MENA’s theme was “Hidden Gems”. This night had a lot of participants. There were musicians, dancers, singers, and storytellers. One student played the guitar, and a few students wore their native culture’s clothes. One of the students also read from a storybook. All the cultural nights were a huge success. It was interesting to see everyone’s native cultures and how diverse they are. Each cultural night taught the audience something new about another culture and they got to widen their perspective of the world. Overall, it is important to learn about different cultures so we can be respectful of them. By Benjamin Noel
Contributing from News The sharply dressed freshman class of 1934 moved in, eager to start their undergraduate studies at Saint Mary’s, an all-boys Catholic university known for football, and a disdain for Cal. Few boys knew, besides those with older brothers, about the welcome ritual they were about to find themselves thrown into. The freshman boys were all gathered together, unaware of the fate that awaited them. All the while, the upperclassmen took to the rowing building to secure some paddles and various odds and ends to equip themselves for the night of hazing ahead. Not much is known about the specific activities that took place during this weekend of welcome, but one can connect the dots. According to an August edition of the Collegian, the orientation activities of 1930 went smoothly, for the upperclassmen that is. As the hazing drew to an end, the upperclassmen ushered the freshman class into the basketball gymnasium, the venue of the freshmans’ first smoker. A night of camaraderie ensued as a tobacco haze filled the gym, fueled by cigarettes courtesy of the sophomore class. The mid-20th century marked an era of frequent formals, dinners, and dances for the students of Saint Mary’s. Big basketball games were often followed by dances or other events for the students to let loose. Some dances would take place at the high class Oakland Hotel, then a spot frequented by former presidents. Later in the century, the formals gave way to semi-formals, and oftentimes, the students needed more than just music to get grooving. Enter Gaelstock, an aptly named Woodstock-inspired music festival. This event attracted flocks of students, and if the pictures do the event any justice, it was a proper Burning Man, Moraga-style. Other annual events like Oasis and Gaelapalooza drew in huge crowds with live music, DJs, and free-flowing drinks. Allegedly, these events were discontinued after many students left pale, vomiting, sometimes in an ambulance. In the 80s, students could often be seen picnicking on their balconies in De La Salle Hall. New fountains at school were sometimes christened by students swimming laps, or splashing around rather, in the shallow waters. This year the senior class threw a tailgate for Saint Mary’s season-ender basketball game versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Randy Bennett’s Gaels, aided by the electric student body section, broke away from the first whistle and held onto their lead the whole game, going on to humble the Bulldogs 67-57. One can only hope that as the current pope eases up on the doctrines of the Church, so will the faculty of Saint Mary’s. However, to all you students, take some initiative! Make Saint Mary’s yours. If any of these traditions inspired something in yourself, make it happen! Rally your peers, talk to a brother, bring up ideas to your class president Juniors, organize a senior formal. If this article has piqued an interest in Saint Mary’s history, take a look at the yearbooks on the second floor of the library, on a shelf facing the Dante quad. The books date back to the 1920s, chronicling Saint Mary’s student life every year till the last edition of the Gael from 2008. I’m graduating in a few short weeks, but in the upcoming years I hope to hear news of some old Saint Mary’s traditions making a comeback. Maybe not a smoker, or freshman hazing, but hearing about a semi-formal, or a senior class prank would make my day. |
STAFFMadison Sciba '24, Archives
May 2024
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