Category Archives: Forum

Columns, Forum, Uncategorized

Ask Alexandra, Turning warm weather clothes cool

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How can I wear my summer clothes in the winter?

-Sophomore, Cheyanne Taylor

Dear Cheyanne,

I am so glad you asked how to wear transform your summer looks into fall and winter looks! It’s a great question that I am sure people other than just you are curious about. If you wore boots with bohemian or baby-doll dresses this summer, those would be an obvious pieces to tie into your winter wardrobe. Scarves and tank tops, believe it or not, are also a great choice. To make your tank tops transfer, think layers. If there is one thing you get from this answer it is that! Layering is key, especially with scarves and other accessories as big as they are for this season. Cover up with fly-away sweaters, cardigans, denim, or leather jackets. Wear your favorite plaid or oxford shirt under a hood-less sweatshirt for a comfy-chic look. Add statement jewelry and a messy up-do so that you do not come across as over-thinking your outfit. For extra warmth, wear leggings under jeans, or socks with heeled booties. You can still wear your favorite summer dresses by adding tights and a cute t-shirt underneath. Military style is really big right now as well, so I would invest in what I call “band” jackets that look great over a roomy-tank and worn with your best skinnies. Personally, I love blazers right now too, so before it gets too cold you could try a neutral blazer with denim shorts and some comfy gladiator sandals. I hope this helped, and keep reading ‘Couture in the country’ in the FCHS Bagpiper for more style questions answered!

Thank you for reading,

Alexandra

Columns, Danielle Rehor, Forum, Uncategorized

“Kaleidoscope Heart” shows Bareilles’ beauty in words

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Danielle Rehor
Staff reporter
Straight from Eureka, California, Sara Bareilles is making a name for herself and blazing the path for other laidback pianists and conservative musicians to come onto the scene.
When thinking of number one pop hits, generally what comes to mind is flashy and flamboyant artists. Bareilles captures her audience’s attention, but she’s glued to her piano; not into her outfits.

Bareilles’ major-label debut was Little Voice, which included “Bottle It Up,” “Gravity” and the major hit, “Love Song.” The album debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number 45, selling about 16,000 copies in its first week.

Bareilles’ sophomore album , Kaleidoscope Heart, has released one single, “King of Anything:” a mandolin armed kiss off. It has the potential to be another “Love Song” and blow the competition out of the water. Her opening track, “Kaleidoscope Heart” is a thirty second flicker of complete perfection. She sings all four parts and harmonizes with herself, A Cappella.

While Bareilles was writing Kaleidoscope Heart, which came out on Sept. 7, she experienced a case of writer’s block. The block was promptly cleared up with the writing of “Uncharted,” which has the lyric “Kaleidoscope heart;” the great imagery that became her title.

“Uncharted” became Bareilles’ focal point of the album with her other songs being bigger, bolder, and peppier as compared to the songs on “Little Voice.” “Uncharted” has meaningful lyrics including “Jumpstart my kaleidoscope heart, love to watch the colors fade, they may not make sense but they sure as hell made me.”

Bareilles has joined the green trend by selling a cardboard album, not hard plastic. The album is sold at Target with three additional songs, “Send Me the Moon,” “Gonna Get over You,” and “King of Anything String Version.”

Other stand out songs include “Gonna Get Over You”, an upbeat doo-wop pop song. Also, “Basket Case” has great lyrics: “Oh, send your armies in of robbers and thieves, to steal the state I’m in I don’t want it anymore. You’re begging for the truth, so I’m saying it to you, I’ve been saving your place, and what good does it do? Now I’m just a basket case.”

A singer compared to Fiona Apple, a pianist critiqued against Norah Jones, and with the looks of Vanessa Carlton; the best of the best, and record proves it. All in all, this is an album to please any fan of the 88’s or a fan of laid back coffee-house music.

Columns, Forum

Ask Alexandra, columnists’ weighs in on leggings

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Is it possible for girls to wear leggings so that they’re flattering?
-Senior Nick Lynch

 

Dear Nick,

Fortunately, there is a way for girls to wear leggings that is both flattering and stylish!

Leggings look look best when paired with long, billowy shirts like a tunic. Since leggings fit snugly to the body, it is important that your top comes down past your hips. Your look should be balanced, if the top is roomy the bottom should be fitted, etc. Larger or tall women should wear leggings with dresses that come to the knee or slightly above the knee, and should try pairing a belt with it to create a slimming hour-glass figure. Petite women should make sure that the top is proportioned so that it does not fall past their mid-thighs. When choosing the right shoes leggings looks best with ballerina flats or plain pumps. Boots are also a great option especially in the colder months that are soon to come.

Things to avoid when wearing leggings: Don’t wear leggings with sweatshirts out in public, it’s unflattering. Don’t wear a top that stop before the rear if you are a curvier gal, it can create an unwanted “lumpy” look.