Battleground Map to the Presidency

(Aside: Yes, I know this is hella late. I’ve been really absorbed with an upcoming Stat exam this week and it just plain slipped my mind. But I don’t like just not doing things, so I’m going to finish this even though it’s shamefully late. My apologies.)

I examined an NPR infographic examining Trump’s potential path to earn enough electoral votes to become the next president. The article argues that for a period of a few weeks, Clinton’s path to the presidency seemed relatively secure, but in light of Clinton’s recent illness and some inflammatory remarks such as labeling Trump’s supporters as a “basket of deplorables,” there is significant turnover in public opinion such that Trump could once again gain a lead. The accompanying infographic explains these changes (Principle 4: Integration of Evidence).

The infographic is rather complex on first glance, which is perhaps detrimental if readers feel frustrated while examining it. But its complexity allows it to convey a vast amount of information at one time (Principle 3: Multivariate Analysis). Using different-sized squares laid out in a rough approximation of the United States, the graphic shows each state’s voting power (larger state squares have more votes) and which party is most likely to win in that state (blue states=Democrats, red states=Republicans, yellow=tossups). States whose leanings have changed in recent weeks are outlined in black. A panel at the bottom of the graphic gives a summary of the state of the states in turmoil.

I like this infographic, even though it is complex, because it presents the traditional election-season state vote map in a new way. The sheer vastness of many of the Western and Midwestern states makes one believe (even when you know better) that those states must wield significant voting clout. This graphic, however, reminds you that a candidate may become president if they win merely a handful of the most densely populated states. Our electoral system is counter-intuitive to say the least, and it is only through the use of a somewhat counter-intuitive (or at least, nontraditional) graphic that one may convey its complexity,

Brainstorming List

Quick Story Ideas:

Religiously inspired fashion choices–How does faith influence what we wear? This idea arose from controversy over the burkini ban in France, but could be expanded to include clothing choices made by Jews, Hindus, and Christians alike.
Fall football fashion. How does what football fans wear to games make a statement beyond what team they support? What trends are most noticeable? Are name-brand items especially in prominence? What do these observations reveal about football culture?
Community Fashion School showcase in December
Plus-size fashion show in October (Rachel Barnes). Highly relevant in terms of rhetoric about female body positivity circulating on social and news media. Relate to Amy Schumer, Tess Holliday
Lickskillet artist’s market. Use as an example of how independent artists attempt to market themselves and their brands.
Tattoo art. What is art? How are society’s thoughts/reactions to tattoos different from how we react to other forms of art? How do we characterize the tattoo scene in Athens? What rivalries/comraderies exist between different tattoo shops in Athens? Is there a “type” of person that gets tattoos?
Ekkos Apparel–Ekkos Apparel was founded by Athenian Rachel Ehlinger to raise money for secondary education in Africa. How does Ekkos operate? How much have they been able to donate thus far?
Craig Page and Sweet Beijos Treats–local bakery founded by former PLACE executive Craig Page and his Brazilian partner. Perhaps relate to other local bakeries.
How has the rise of the film industry in Atlanta affected the fashion industry? (Based on group discussion. As the growing film industry in Atlanta attracts celebrities to the area, will designer brands follow?)
Frugal Fashionable Farmer–ties between fashion and sustainability at a local vintage-inspired artist’s farm
Southern Bon Vivant–the rise of a Southern online fashion and lifestyle magazine. What makes Southern fashion different?
Photographing Athens fashion. I’m less sure about this one, but I do think it would be interesting to photograph and write about styles observed downtown, perhaps during a specific event, but probably just on an average day. Athenians demonstrate such creativity in fashion, but I’m still not sure exactly how I’d flesh out the writing for this piece.
Trends, Athens-style. I am learning from my reading that velvet and bomber jackets, for example, are expected to be big trends this fall. How do we see these trends reflected on campus and downtown?
Many new boutiques open in the downtown area every year, but many close after a few years. Is Athens actually a good place to own a boutique?
My Athens Style (and associated hashtag). How do people connect over fashion in Athens.
What makes an Instagram star? Investigate fashion and lifestyle-inspired Insagram accounts and see what they have in common.
Interview Athens-native designer Lucy Blue. How did a small-town designer get started?
Interview a costume designer involved with UGA’s upcoming production of Jane Eyre?
Dead malls–the Athens GA Square Mall is filled with more and more empty storefronts. Explore changes in shopping habits that are contributing to this phenomenon nationwide.
This may be veering off-beat here, but I often find myself thinking about all the new student housing developments in the downtown area. How many people are actually living there? How full is any one of these buildings? How have student expectations about college living quarters changed over the years?

Expanded Story Ideas:

Athens Boutique Openings/Closings: I just had this idea the other day, so it is not exactly well-fleshed out. But each year, I see some new boutiques open and others close. And every time I see this happen, I wonder if Athens is a good place to own a boutique (because stores keep opening), or actually a terrible place (because stores keep closing). What are the more long-lived boutiques doing differently? What are challenges that Athens boutique owners face? There are abundant sources for this story–Heery’s, Dynamite and Cillies have been around for as long as I can remember and still seem to be doing fine (at least on the surface). Community is relatively newer on the scene, but has been highly successful (again, at least on the surface). Archived Athens Banner Herald/Flagpole stories on the openings/closings of stores would also be helpful here. Contacts: Sanni Baumgärtner, Dynamite, Heery’s

Costume Design: I am especially enamored with this idea at the moment, perhaps because I just thought of it and also because I particularly love Jane Eyre. But as I was fan-girling about the fact that UGA is doing a production of Jane Eyre this fall, it occurred to me to wonder how costumes and set design come together with a licensed script to create a production. I have grown up attending UGA theatre productions and have always been impressed with the quality of student performances and creativity behind the scenes (prop design, etc). I know from friends involved in the theatre department that students usually design costumes, props, etc., and I think it would be very interesting to learn about that process. How much liberty do costume designers have to make the designs their own? How do they get ideas? Who does the actual construction of the costumes? Contacts: Alexis Havrilla, former student prop designer for UGA Theatre; Dina Canup, dept. of theatre PR; Joan Buttram, UGA Dance department head (if venturing into costumes for dance department)

Southern Bon Vivant and Southern Fashion: I have been in contact with Molly McWilliams Wilkins, the creative mind behind the Southern fashion and lifestyle magazine Southern Bon Vivant. I have also been investigating Eide Magazine, a southern-based fashion and lifestyle magazine that went national in Spring 2014. I think coverage of these publications could be incorporated into an interesting piece on Southern fashion in general. The South is not associated with high fashion in the way that New York or Paris are, but certainly there are still trends in the South that make our approach to fashion different. What are those trends and how are they being covered? Is this still an untapped niche in the market? Contacts: Molly McWilliams Wilkins

Dead Malls: The Athens-area GA Square Mall is filled with more and more empty storefronts. This is a national phenomenon–Time reported in May of this year that “about one-third of malls in the U.S. will shut their doors in the coming years.” I would be interested to research this phenomenon on a national level and relate it to what we are seeing locally (closings at GA Square Mall and Tanger Outlets, for example).

Tattoo Art: As a person with tattoos, scarcely a week goes by without someone asking me questions such as “did it hurt?” or “why did you get it?” or “what does it mean?” Tattoo culture is certainly prominent in Athens, and there are a few relatively new shops that are less well-known than iconic shops like Pain and Wonder or Walk the Line Tattoo. My ideas here are still broad and under-developed, but I think I could produce an interesting piece on tattoo culture in Athens, rivalries and camaraderies between shops, etc., perhaps while incorporating some history on tattoo art. I have contacts at American Classic, Pain and Wonder, and Walk the Line alike who would speak well to this subject.

Photographing Athens Fashion: I have something of an artistic attachment to this idea, but perhaps need to speak with Dr. Suggs about its appropriateness for this class. I would like to do something of a photo essay, perhaps in accompaniment to a write-up on local boutiques and fashion culture, celebrating the variety of styles that can be witnessed in the Athens GA downtown area on any given day. I would accompany each image with a brief blurb about the individual pictured and what fashion means to them. Is this too out there?

Budget Critiques

“Do Your Homework Well in Advance.” I notice that most of these budgets do not contain abundant lists of contacts. I have learned the hard way that it is far easier (in the long run) to research and reach out to many experts in your field, more than you think you will ever have the time/opportunity to formally interview. Interviews *will* fall through–you and your subjects alike have lives. People get sick. People have family emergencies. People have to cancel. But if you have already identified other subjects (and ideally reached out to them at least once), it’s easier to schedule another interview and move forward. It’s also nice when you’ve researched a field thoroughly enough that when one of your interviewees starts referencing another expert, you’re already at least familiar with the name.
“Draft a Mission Statement for Your Work.” I was intrigued by the idea for “(Indian) Dance Revolution.” As a former dancer, anything about dance piques my interest. But I was missing the “why” in this budget. I care about this idea because I like dance, but why should anyone else care? It might help this individual to sit down and write out what they’re really trying to accomplish with this piece.
“Break Long Projects Into Parts.” I really like the idea for “#TheWhoevers.” Catchy little title, too. But I feel like there’s lots of territory to be covered here. Is this a piece that would better be broken into several parts about social media and weddings in general?

More Research

EIDE Magazine: Fashion Magazine of the South Goes National. India Retail News. Published April 21, 2014. Located via LexisNexis.

This article is about the Spring 2014 national launch of Eide Magazine, which focuses specifically on Southern fashion and lifestyle. I had not heard of Eide, so I was excited to have a new source for my research. My ignorance of its existence, along with the article’s assertion that Eide is “filling an essential niche in the marketplace,” makes me wonder if Southern fashion is still a relatively untapped area of reporting, which would relate well to a piece on Southern Bon Vivant.

Cultural Arts Alliance: Judith March Founder Launches Southern Fashion House. India Investment News. Published August 11, 2013. Located via Lexis Nexis.

Another example of filling the Southern fashion “void”?

Tommy Hilfiger scores touchdown with football-themed show at New York fashion week;
Designer constructs American football pitch for catwalk as part of spectacular show debuting sportswear collection and celebrating 30th anniversary of his clothing empire. The Guardian. Published February 17, 2015. Located via Lexis Nexis.

Describes a 2015 Tommy Hilfiger fashion show in which all aspects of the show, from tickets to backstage arrangements, were inspired by American football. Possible reference for a piece on fall football fashion?

DKNY gets football fever. House and Home. Published January 28, 2014. Located via LexisNexis.

Another possible reference for a piece on fall football fashion. Describes a DKNY Spring-Summer 2014 collection inspired by American football.

Athens, Ga., clothing boutique promotes positive attitude. By Don Nelson, Athens Banner-Herald. Published February 24, 2008. Located via Lexis Nexis.

This article is about the 2008 opening of a now-defunct Athens boutique called Blonde. I stumbled across this article by accident (along with several others about boutiques no longer in existence), and it made me wonder if there could perhaps be a story idea in there–is or is not Athens a good place for clothing boutiques? Why or why not?

Fashion and Lifestyle Story Ideas

Religiously inspired fashion choices–How does faith influence what we wear? This idea arose from controversy over the burkini ban in France, but could be expanded to include clothing choices made by Jews, Hindus, and Christians alike.
Fall football fashion. How does what football fans wear to games make a statement beyond what team they support? What trends are most noticeable? Are name-brand items especially in prominence? What do these observations reveal about football culture?
Fall fashion events in Athens (Community, Fashion Design Student Association, Lickskillet). Each of these would probably stand alone, as they are too far apart to be combined into one article.
1. Community Fashion School showcase in December
2. Plus-size fashion show in October (Rachel Barnes). Highly relevant in terms of rhetoric about female body positivity circulating on social and news media. Relate to Amy Schumer, Tess Holliday
3. Lickskillet artist’s market. Use as an example of how independent artists attempt to market themselves and their brands.
Tattoo art. What is art? How are society’s thoughts/reactions to tattoos different from how we react to other forms of art? How do we characterize the tattoo scene in Athens? What rivalries/comraderies exist between different tattoo shops? Is there a “type” of person that gets tattoos?
Ekkos Apparel–Ekkos Apparel was founded by Athenian Rachel Ehlinger to raise money for secondary education in Africa. How does Ekkos operate? How much have they been able to donate thus far?
Craig Page and Sweet Beijos Treats–local bakery founded by former PLACE executive Craig Page and his Brazilian partner. Perhaps relate to other local bakeries.
How has the rise of the film industry in Atlanta affected the fashion industry? (Based on group discussion. As the growing film industry in Atlanta attracts celebrities to the area, will designer brands follow?)
Frugal Fashionable Farmer–ties between fashion and sustainability at a local vintage-inspired artist’s farm
Southern Bon Vivant–the rise of a Southern online fashion and lifestyle magazine. What makes Southern fashion different?
Photographing Athens fashion. I’m less sure about this one, but I do think it would be interesting to photograph and write about styles observed downtown, perhaps during a specific event, but probably just on an average day. Athenians demonstrate such creativity in fashion, but I’m still not sure exactly how I’d flesh out the writing for this piece.

Fashion and Lifestyle Organizations

Athens Fashion Collective
Southern Bon Vivant (formerly known as Make it Work Molly)
My_Athens and My Athens Style
Atlanta Magazine
Various tattoo parlors (considering a piece on tattoos and tattoo art): Labyrinth , Pain and Wonder, Walk the Line, Chico Lou’s, Midnight Iguana
Muslim Student Association (for potential burkini ban story)
UGA Dept. of Fashion Merchandising
Fashion Design Student Association at UGA
Student Merchandising Association at UGA

Old Stories

For my first story on this beat, I am interested in pursuing the idea of religiously-inspired fashion choices. The controversy over the burkini ban in France makes this topic timely, but old stories I researched demonstrate that tension in the world of Islamic fashion has existed for years.

Islamic fashion industry copes with growing pains; Supporters try to provide design choices; detractors call it exploitative. By Shaheen Pasha, Reuters. Published March 5, 2011. Located via LexisNexis.

This article opens with a scene from a Dubai fashion show featuring Islamic fashion. This lede serves as a segue to discussing the world of Islamic high fashion, which was estimated in 2011 to be worth $96 billion globally. Pasha writes that that this world is highly divided between those who would prefer that Islamic fashion feature only traditional clothing such as abayas, while others expand the category to include modest shirts, skirts, etc. decorated with traditional symbols. As different sects of Islam promote various requirements for clothing and modesty, this is not a controversy that is likely to disappear, and is as such highly relevant to my beat.

Forced to be secular (letter to the editor). By Naftalie Lavie to The Globe and Mail (Canada). Published December 20, 2003. Located via LexisNexis.

This letter to the editor demonstrates the outrage of many Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide concerning France’s ban on religious symbols (passed 2004). Lavie illustrated the feelings of many by writing “if the state tries to suppress individual fashion statements, it is not ‘protecting secular principles,’ but engaging in oppression.” As this ban is the root of the “burkini ban” controversy today, this article is useful in demonstrating how long public debate has raged over this topic.

Here’s News for Cowboys: Bandanna Can Be Religious. By Elaine Sciolino for the New York Times. January 21, 2004. Located via LexisNexis.

This article, written at the passing of France’s anti-religious symbols law, illustrates the vaugeness and (arguably) inequity inherent in the ban. “Islamic head scarves, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses” will be banned, as will any other “ostensibly religious” outward symbol (including, potentially, a bandanna or beard). The turban of the Sikhs, on the other hand, would be permitted if it were to remain “discreet.” This article is useful for understanding the particular’s of France’s law, a law which is still in the news today.

First Interview

Interview with Liz Best, Fashion Blogger and Stylist

Me: Hey Liz! Thanks for making time to talk with me. I really appreciate your help.

Liz: No worries! I remember how hard it is to nail down interviews; I’m glad to help.

Me: So what have you been up to since you left Grady?

Liz: Well, you remember I left when I started getting styling jobs for Atlanta Magazine and whatnot. I had felt like I needed a master’s to sort of prove myself, but when I started getting jobs it seemed smarter to walk away. Sometimes you have to just jump at an opportunity. But since then I’m still styling. I try to update my blog at least every other week or so, and I’ve had images of my styling (sometimes on me, sometimes not) on the New York Times site, The Huffington Post, and Refinery29.

Me: It seems like it’s really working out for you!

Liz: So far so good, yeah.

Me: Well, I always enjoy seeing your posts on Facebook and whatnot. I have what you might call kind of a casual interest in fashion. I know what I like and what I think looks good on myself or friends, and I always click through the fashion albums posted during the Oscars and stuff. I know the September issue of Vogue is always a big one. I know some things, but I’m by no means an expert. So when I was assigned this beat on fashion and lifestyle, I immediately thought of contacting you as a first step.

Liz (laughs): Totally! So what did you want to know, specifically?

Me: I guess I’d like to know where to start. What do you, as a fashion blogger and stylist, see as big trends or topics in the fashion world right now? What should I be reading? Are there stories that you think should be covered but aren’t really getting covered? Do you have any ideas on how to localize stories on what’s happening in bigger cities? Any words of wisdom appreciated.

Liz: Ok, that’s a lot—

Me: I know, sorry—

Liz: No, it’s cool. I’ll do my best. First I’d recommend you look more at Vogue, because that’s going to be different than a magazine like Cosmo or something. You know, more actual writing, less clickbait on paper. You’ll see stories about what’s coming for fall, new designers and all that, and maybe some of those could be localized somehow. Like, do you see trends for fall reflected in what girls are wearing in Athens. Still on the whole what to read thing, I’d also recommend Atlanta Magazine, because that’s more local and has a good fashion section. You might get ideas about upcoming events you could write about or something, and then that could maybe be a place you could pitch or publish a story. I’ve worked with them a few times now, I’ll have to send you some contact information later.

Me: That would be great!

Liz: No problem! As far as story ideas go, I think the whole “sorority girls in workout clothes and what is appropriate on campus” has probably been done too much, but I could be wrong. But I do like stories about fashion that really show how much what we wear matters in our lives, in how people perceive us or how we perceive ourselves. I think maybe you could do something interesting relating to the whole burkini ban thing, have you heard about that?

Me: In France? Yes.

Liz: Yeah, exactly. There’s definitely a Muslim population at UGA, I wonder if you could do a piece relating to religiously-inspired fashion choices. Like, that would be timely with the burkini ban being in the news right now.

Me: That’s a really great idea.

Liz: Glad you like it! And then the last thing I can really think of at the moment would be that it could be cool to do a photo series of fashion in Athens. I feel like when you’re sitting outside a café or something you see a lot of people in workout clothes or whatever, but also some people who have made these really interesting and creative styles work for them. I think a cool photo series could be made just of people you see downtown in an afternoon, get a statement about what they’re wearing means to them. I don’t know if that would work for your assignment. I just want someone to do it.

Me (laughs): Downtown really is its own little fashion parade. I don’t know if I’d be able to do that as an assignment, but even if that didn’t work out for class purposes maybe that’s something I could do just for my own portfolio.

Liz: Yeah, I saw you’ve kept working on your site!

Me: I’m trying! I think this class is really going to help with that, actually. I’ve done more in the last week or so with it than I have in a while, which is good. Anyway. I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but I do want to thank you for all of your insight, and one last thing I always ask people is “Is there anything else you’d like to say that I didn’t give you space to say? Anything I should have asked you?”

Liz: Hm. I guess I would say, and it’s just something I think about sometimes, is that it’s really hard to make fashion both art and like…relatable? You know? Like, you have all these ritzy articles by Vogue and stuff talking about how so-and-so’s Fall collection is reminiscent of so-and-so other designer back in whatever time, and there’s an audience for that, just like there’s an audience for the NYT book review. It’s art critique. But there’s also an audience who still cares about clothing and how they look, and they have their own look, but they’re not interested in the jargon. They like what they like just because they like it. And that’s cool too. But I wish you could write for people who aren’t looking to hear the jargon without it turning into “people of this body size should wear this silhouette” or “this style skirt makes your butt look good.” I would like to see more depth in fashion coverage without it alienating people.

Me: Wow. That’s pretty deep right there.

(both laugh)

Liz: I’m not trying to be, I guess. It’s just something I’ve thought about personally.

Me: No, I like it! That definitely gives me something to think about, and it touches on something I was thinking about myself. I know I don’t have the resources to do “high fashion” coverage, you know, but I didn’t want to do just another piece on whether leggings are pants, either. I didn’t describe that as eloquently as you did, but I think I’m maybe describing that quest for middle ground that you were referencing.

Liz: Yeah, I think we’re kinda touching on the same idea. I’d love to see what you’re able to do with it.

Me: Well, I really appreciate your confidence in me! And your time. I really appreciate your time.

Liz: No problem! It was great to chat with you again. Hit me up if you think of anything else you’d like to ask. I’ll do my best to answer.

Me: I may just take you up on that! I’ll let you go for today, though. Thank you again!

~Awkward “ok, bye! Yeah thanks! Ok bye!” at end of recording~

Shelby’s Portfolio

This is a pre-existing site I have been using off and on since about 2009 (I had a very hip high school English teacher who decided we should all have blogs.) Last fall, however, I was required to establish an online portfolio, and rather than beginning from scratch, I decided to renovate my WordPress site. I have thus removed all of the angsty 15-year-old-me writing (sorry, yall), and what you see here was built in the fall of 2015. Any (polite) feedback is most welcome.

https://sjarrett.wordpress.com/