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Viean asbury collegian

publication

easy summer stylesTaylor Dekker and Kaity

Bradley sweeten things up

moving on upAsbury seniors look back

what wilmore really thinks

of asburyPage 22

revamp your wardrobe for freeFind a giveaway on page 7!

SPRING2012in this issue :

editorial staff

4. Right Now

6. Goodwill Hunting

5. Off Campus Activities

8. Borrow From the Boys

14. Disk Replay

15. Absalom Absalom

16. Try a Little Tenderness

22. The View From Downtown

24. Pumped Up Kicks

26. JUst getting Started

Erika Graham Editor In Chief

Emily LoudenCreative Director

Miriam McKeownDesign Editor

Dria Stallings Style Editor

Ashlyn TechauStaff Photographer

Contributing WritersKara ChapmanRiah LawryNick PersonettMelissa LandonEmily ScheieSarah SwansonJane Brannen

Contributing photographersJane BrannenRiah LawryJohn Payne

6

8

24

16

26

Summer pop culture preview

The best off campus attractions

Achieving success at Goodwill

Getting more out of menswear

Lexington’s secondhand secret

Lexington’s secondhand secret

Dressing for those sweet summer months

Main Street’s business owners speak up

A week of dressing outside the box

Some of Asbury’s seniors look back

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Letter From the Editor

t’s called a comfort zone, right? That carefully defined square measured exactly around our bodies in a position that we have been meticulously crafting since that first day of junior high. We continue to define it with every decision that we make, every person that is put in our path, and every chance we don’t take.

Here’s the thing though. I thought that once we call our-selves one of His children, God helps us to walk away from that comfort zone. He empowers us to shed our inhibitions

and break free of the rules that we set for ourselves based on other people’s percep-tions.

Well, that’s a golden and sparkling idea, but let’s get real. We would never be able to convince nearly 30 students to come together and work with us on VIE, a prototype Asbury life and style magazine that was born out of sheer determination and persever-ance. But, say that we did get these students a little interested. There was still no way we could get Jane Brannen to dress in whatever looks we styled and chronicle people’s reactions (“Pumped Up Kicks”), Shelby Weakley to model her boyfriend’s shirt as a skirt (“Borrow from the Boys”), or Taylor Dekker and Kaity Bradley, two students who had never spoken a word to each other before we approached them, to model a style feature inspired by the idea of a summer fling (“Try a Little Tenderness”).

VIE (“life” in French) is the tangible proof that, when people are willing to step outside of their perfectly drawn squares and take a risk, truly unexpected things will happen. When we drop the idea of having a comfort zone, there is nothing left to hide behind. There’s no room for egos or judgments, and respect and synergy start to fill in the gaps.

For VIE, breaking that comfort zone comes in how we choose to outwardly present ourselves. We believe that style is an evolution of personal choices that results in an outward reflection of how you see yourself in terms of self-confidence and worth.

This magazine provides a platform on which to celebrate those who embody true style in all aspects of life. It is dedicated to presenting people who have chosen to live fully and freely the lives that they have been given.

Enjoy,

Erika Graham

I

4 | vie

“Best Friends Forever”First of all, this show exists on NBC so right off the bat the marketing is all wrong and the network re-ally didn’t know what to do with it. While usually this is the network’s fault, it is justified here because

this show is bad. Really bad. Way worse than even recently cancelled “Bent,” also on NBC. No chemistry between the characters. The situations the “BFF”s get themselves into are rarely funny and the one girl’s

boyfriend just stands around without really doing much. Whatever, I can’t even talk about it anymore.

“snow white and the huntsman”“Snow White and the Hunstman” is the second Snow White movie to come out this year (the first being

Tarsem’s arguably awful “Mirror, Mirror). Oh, and it has Kristen Stewart in it. But don’t let that get you down! This is no Twilight! And actually as I’m writing this, I’m realizing that this is Chris Hemsworth’s third consecutive movie on this list. Way to go Hemsworth. Anyway this Snow White tale comes to you from the producers of 2010’s “Alice In Wonderland” so that should give you an idea of what to expect.

Charlize Theron plays the evil queen who, upon discovering K-Stew is hotter than her, sends her hunts-man (played by Hemsworth) to kill her. But in a twist (!), the huntsman is captivated by Snow White and

promises to protect her. A lot of glass shattering and battles and scary monsters follow. This is Snow White for adults, people, and it’s darn good. While Stewart’s acting may not be up to par (as is usually isn’t) the

action, set design, and overall awe-inspiring quality of this film makes it a summer must see.

RightNow“Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23”It’s the classic odd couple: sweet, naïve June moves to New York and finds free spirited, potty mouthed Chloe to be her roommate. All seems well until June gets an ominous message from a girl down the hall telling her not to trust Chloe. Shenanigans ensue. Oh and James van Der Beek is in it (playing himself to perfection)! Ok, so this blurb has been pretty sarcastic but this show is actually a welcomed breath of fresh air. Don’t let the title fool you, this isn’t “Single White Female: The Series.” It’s sharp, witty, surpris-ingly raunchy, but ultimately sweet. ABC may have another “Modern Family” on their hands.

RATING: Watch

Release Date: June 1

RATING: skip

RATING: DVR

SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW

RATING: Watch

“New Girl”I’ll try not to use the “Q” word, but I can’t promise anything. Zooey Deschanel finally has her own show (alongside sister Emily of “Bones” fame) on FOX and boy is it a hit. But is it really deserving of all the hype? Well yes and no. Deschanel plays Jess, a cute and quirky (there it is) school teacher who just got dumped hard and needs a place to live. So she finds three guys on Craigslist in need of a new roommate. The chemistry between the four in undeniable, but the comedy relies on the quirk. Without Zooey’s dorky charm, the series would be nothing. I find myself watching “New Girl” and laughing at the same gags week after week. It was just renewed for a second season and hopefully it won’t follow in “Glee’s” footsteps and become a victim of its own success.

“Revenge”The term “guilty pleasure” is thrown around a lot in regards to television shows. I hate to describe “Re-

venge” as one because of its clever writing and actually great acting, but when it all boils down, “Revenge” is a modern day prime time soap. But there’s nothing wrong with that! Watching Emily Thorne (or is it?)

pick off snooty Hapton’s dwellers who helped frame her father for murder is surprisingly fun! With twists and turns galore and Madeliene Stowe giving a standout performance, “Revenge” delivers.

| By: Nick personett

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Go through and mentally check off which activities you have completed and find out how much of the bucket list you’ve

accomplished.

Discover more local shops and activities at:carpediemguide.wordpress.com

How much of the bucket list have you completed?0-2: Come out of your room. It’s light out here.3-4: Stop what you’re doing and go have fun. Right now.5-7: Okay, you’re approaching the status of Accomplished Asbury Folk.8-10: Don’t forget to do your homework, too.11: You’re an Asbury Bucket List Activity Master, and you could’ve written this list.

Where would You Like to Be?inside outside

Be by yourself with a small group of

friends

Or is your outside style more chill

Would you prefer

Would you prefer

Would you prefer

Would you prefer

To go out to eat

An evening

out

To attend a sporting

event

An afternoon

foray

Eat at Waffle House at midnight

explore shaker village

check out a midnight

hockey game

go to one of CSF’s dances

attempt a backflip off the

rope swing

Go to a horse

race at keeneland

volunteerat jesus

prom

hike and climb at red river

gorge

go to cincy and listen to some

cool bands

stargaze at highbridge on a

clear night

To listen to music

A daytime stroll

To dance the night

away

All day excursion

Hang out with a large group of

people

Doing something

adventurous

| by: melissa landon

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GoodwillHunting

As I told my sister when we were out Goodwill shopping, “Being fashionable is more than following trends, it’s about taking what you like and don’t like from the new styles of every season and making them your own.” Find color schemes and textures that you like and make them work for you and your look. With fashion being as cyclical as it is, it is important for your appearance

to reflect you and your taste. And since styles repeat themselves, sometimes Goodwill is the perfect place to find some statement pieces. I love shopping at Goodwill, and I get a large percentage of my clothes from Goodwill stores. But in order to be successful in finding your one-of-a-kind piece in a Goodwill, there are some things you must know.

Kara Chapman shares some of her secrets to successful

Goodwill shopping.

1. Go into Goodwill with an open mind. Be prepared to find items that could be desperately trendy or devastatingly tired. The first thing is not to go into it hoping to find a specific item. There really is no telling what treasures you may overlook if you are set on getting a blazer exclu-

sively, or only looking at dresses. Be sure and take note of bags, belts, and blouses first and foremost. Those are the sections I have the most luck in. Also, when you go in with a very specific picture of something you want, odds are you could find yourself disappointed after a few trips without success in finding that one piece. Another thing I would mention would be to go on weekday mornings and to go often. Monday mornings are the best during warm months because people

are abandoning things that didn’t sell at their yard sales, so there is more variety. I would recommend not going on Saturday mornings because that’s when everybody

and their second cousin are hitting up their local Goodwill store. Speaking of which, shop in rich areas. You know what side of your city is just a little bit more upscale. The

people who live in those areas not only getting rid of their old things more often, making them better quality and less worn, but they are also getting rid of nicer things to begin

with. Maybe you’ll see less of the Miley Cyrus brand and more J Crew. Goodwill is for that top or that skirt that you will wear every so often and when you do people will ask jealously, “Where did you get that?”

| photographer: Ashlyn Techau

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Try it out for yourself! The first three people to tag VIE’s Facebook page in a

post will win a $10 gift card to Goodwill.

2. Another tip is to look through every single thing in the store. Go with a few hours on your hands and don’t just walk by a rack and hope something jumps out at you.

(Odds are if that happens it’s either a sequin bra or the homeless guy who lives behind their dumpster trying to get warm.) And don’t be afraid to go to a few different Goodwills in one day. Make it a goal

to go to two or three. Once you become a seasoned Goodwill connoisseur you’ll know which one’s have consistently good finds, and which consistently have garbage.

3. Go into Goodwill relaxed with nothing to lose. Maybe you’ll

find a vintage dress that will just absolutely rock, or maybe

you wont find anything. But the main things to keep in mind are to go often,

look at everything, and shop in areas that have residents you wouldn’t mind dress-

ing like. Also, always keep in mind that in Goodwill there is a difference between

being trendy, and being tired.

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BorrowFrom The Boys

| photographer: Riah Lawry

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ZachWhelchel

&SharayahJung

Literally, your boyfriend’s jeans. For-get about buying a pair, just take them

straight from him!

Layering a structured blazer over a tank and adding cute wedges will give his jeans

just the right feminine touch.

10 | vie

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ShelbyWeakley

&Jeremiah Gonia

Stop trying to use an oversized men’s shirt as a dress! That is way too expected

and can get a little short. Then you’d have to debate over whether to wear leggings

or not, and I think we’ve all beat that topic way into the ground by now.

Instead, try wearing it as a skirt.

12 | vie

AndrewMoran

&

JessicaFraser

Your boyfriend’s baseball uniform as dress pants? When they fit like a trouser,

absolutely. Pair with a flirty top, a little bit of edge like this military jacket and a

sky high heel and you’re ready to take the game off the field.

Just make sure they’re actually clean before you go out . . .

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14 | vie

Disc Replay: Riah Lawry finds your

favorite DVDs for a fraction of the cost

Disc ReplayFayette Mall

68

27

NewCircle

60

Discover more local shops and activities at:carpediemguide.wordpress.com

Disc Replay is just around the corner from the Orange Leaf next to Fayette mall, but you’d never know it. Tucked into a line of less cool shops, the small thrift-like store doesn’t get quite the same attention as hip shops like Orange Leaf or Common Grounds.

But there’s more to Disc Replay than meets the eye. The pasty white exterior gives way to a pleasant atmosphere of well orga-nized DVDs, video games, TV series and even books. And while Disc Replay doesn’t special-ize in the most recently released DVDs, the price and the abundance of other DVDs, TV shows and games definitely make Disc Replay worth a visit.

Kelsey Roberts, the assistant manager of Disc Replay, said the store opened up three years back and was the first of its kind in Kentucky. Most of the DVDs in the store go for $3.00 to $10.00, according to Roberts, and the fourth DVD is free.

“We pay out between 25 cents and $4.00 for a DVD,” Roberts said. It’s not exactly the place to make money selling DVDs, and the process requires giving out your license num-ber and other information so your identity can be verified.

Beyond finding some amazing DVDs for only a few bucks (I’ve purchased Gladiator, X-Men and Cinderella Man from them in the past), Disc Replay also provides resurfacing and buffing for scratched DVDs or games. I should also mention that the DVDs I bought from them work very well ― no skipping from scratches.

Check it out:127 W. Tiverton Way #140 Lexington, KY 40503

Price of DVDs:Between $3.00 and $10.00Fourth DVD is free

Hours of Operation:Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

14 | vie

| photographer: Riah Lawry

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Circled in a small room, the guys sort of melt into the music that’s to be. Their eyes settle downward toward their in-struments, and a warm, colored spread of guitar strings starts. The sounds

build, the pace becomes swifter, and the small space becomes washed in music as the guitars reverberate from the amps. The drums join in last, and the room resonates with the sound. It’s beautiful, and in the dim lit room, the sun just having set out the window, the sounds wake up a new atmosphere; one about being carried away and gone./that feels like being carried away and in love./lover in the distance.

Absalom Absalom, the name based off a novel by William Faulkner, was born over three years ago from three friends who took art classes together in high school. Their sound evolved from post-rock and post-hardcore to a genre they now find hard to describe. “We all bring our own things to the table,” said Ste-phen Gallutia, the band’s vocalist. He notes indie rock, shoe gaze, and post punk in their sound.

“[We’re] based around dancey indie music,” Gide-on Maki, one of Absalom’s guitarists, described it, “but it has a lot of post rock elements in it.” Stephen Gal-lutia, 20, writes Absalom’s lyrics and uses the approach of storyteller-like singing. His brother Daniel Gallutia, 16, is percussionist. The rest of the band includes strings from Andrew Foster, 22, and Maki, 19, while Colin Cook, 17, the newbie of the band, plays bass.

Inspiration and influences for Absalom Absalom include The Pomegranates, Anathallo, Colour Revolt, Star Fighter 59, and Local Natives. Daniel Gallutia pulls his drumming from Explosions in the Sky; and

to a jovial response of laughter, Foster admits to uses of Godspeed You! Black Emperor reflected in some droney parts of songs.

Absalom released seven songs in their EP “We Grow Together” last January. They crunched the recording session into one day, working with Rory Willis from Gray Skull Recordings in Bowling Green. Maki liked the experience, describing fondly a beauti-ful, old white house they worked in: “We were in this extension room—that did smell bad—but there was like ivy on the [roof] and it started raining as we were recording.” When Absalom gets together to create, the process typically begins with a “genesis riff”: “We start adding all of our own parts that we feel could fit,” explains Daniel Gallutia, “and sometimes we start out with something and end up with a completely different product…We’re a band who likes to play together.”

Despite their genuine enjoyment playing together, the band is open to whatever life brings: “We all want to be in the band right now,” Stephen Gallutia says. “If something doesn’t dramatically change…that gives us a boost to keep going, it’s not something we’re afraid of walking away from.” Their goal has never been “to get big together.”

But for the time being, Absalom Absalom is look-ing forward to releasing a ten-track album this sum-mer. They’re excited to record with some new sounds and a producer they believe truly likes their music and will expand their reaches. This band’s music is for timeless summertime days and nights when you want your thoughts to float.

“Pull all that together, and make Absalom.”

ABSALOMABSALOM

vie | 15

Sarah Swanson hangs out with the guys of Wilmore’s

Absalom Absalom| photographer: John Payne

16 | vietenderness . . .littletry a

vie | 17tenderness . . .

| photographer: jane brannen

Secure your summer fling by staying sweet in

cool, punchy colors and

relaxed silhouettes.

18 | vie

Play it cool this summer and throw on a bold bow tie on top of the classic oxford.

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A floaty maxi dress goes edgy when paired with a tough denim vest and leather sandals. Add a touch of color, like this torqouise belt, and a little bit of shine with a sparkly bandeau thrown over top.

20 | vie

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Go bright with colored denim and color blocking. Classic skinny denim and a silk

button down becomes of-the-moment when combined in two of the season’s

hottest colors. Survive the sun’s rays by sliding into Wayfarer sunglasses for a

touch of cool factor.

22 | vie

As I strolled down Main Street, the familiar sound of chimes floated on the spring breeze. Turning toward the sound, I could see the bell tower and rooftops of Asbury University—my home for the past four years. As a senior, I

know firsthand both the challenges and blessings of living in the Asbury community. But standing on Main Street, I wondered what an outsider’s view of our school looks like. What does the town we live in think of us?

Even though it can be easy to forget the world outside the walls of Asbury, the university might never have existed if it wasn’t for the support of the Wilmore community. According to the account of Asbury’s history found on the school website, the citizens of Wilmore gave John Wesley Hughes $1,500 in 1890 so that he could purchase six acres of land and found the school that has grown into Asbury University. Despite the quaint ap-pearance of Main Street that might give a person the impression that Wilmore couldn’t have changed much in the past 100 years, the community has become largely estranged from the school it once helped to begin. Some residents’ comments about Asbury are encouraging, and some are sobering, but most point to the fact that residents of Wilmore look to Asbury University as a Christian witness and feel that their lives could be enriched by a deeper connection to this community within their community.

When considering life at Asbury, one of the first subjects raised is our “community standards”; so what does the commu-nity outside of Asbury think of the rules we live by?

When comparing our school with many modern universities, we might consider ourselves to be moderately conservative. Nev-ertheless, some in Wilmore feel that the school has relaxed its regulations too much over the years. Although she admitted we

need not return to all the standards of the past, Roselyn Cooper, owner of The Rose Garden on Main Street and wife of a retired faculty member, lamented the current casualness of the campus.

“For example the requirement for girls to wear a skirt or a dress,” Cooper said amidst the sound of chirping birds and the heavy scent of flowers. “When they got rid of that, it changed the flavor of the campus. . . . So often our dress reflects our behavior, and when we dress up, we act more maturely.”

On the other hand, as I sat sipping a strawberry milkshake at the Tastebuds soda bar, two employees expressed theological concerns over Asbury’s rules. Matt Pippenger is studying at the seminary to be a campus minister and shared his objection to Asbury’s community standards. “I am saved by grace, and I am not saved by rules,” he said, leaning on the counter to drive his point home. “But a lot of kids—and especially those ones that are questioning things—are going to see that rules side of God instead of the love and grace and freedom.”

Leaning back against the counter, Pippenger’s co-worker and fellow seminary student Jacob Schneider insisted in his quiet tone that the university students he has met are truly qual-ity, pious people, but he agreed that Asbury’s rules might cause people to misinterpret the doctrine of holiness that the school is known for maintaining. “Not doing those things [like drinking and staying out late] does not make you holy,” he said. “So it’s a misappropriation.”

The community sees us avoiding evil, but the question remains whether it sees us seeking to act like Christ, and many members maintained that they don’t see much of us at all. Pip-penger drew the conclusion, “I don’t think they see Wilmore as a mission field.” Indeed, I myself began to question the witness Asbury gives to the community when Carolyn Honican, who

vie | 23

works at the Wilmore Post Office, said she knows the seminary is religious but admitted, “I don’t know if the university is.”

Instead of wishing to minister, many of the students who come down Main Street want the town to minister to them. “A lot of groups come down to these businesses and ask for donations and help, and it kind of makes you think, ‘What are they doing to help the business owners they’re asking for help?’” Pippenger said.

As she blow-dried one of her patron’s hair, Shalah Olson echoed Pippenger’s sentiments. She told me of how, despite the fact that she has had only about 10 students consistently patronize Shalah’s Studio Creations over her 11 years on Main Street, a couple of students recently entered her shop asking for donations for an Easter egg hunt. After agreeing to give a few gift certificates, she asked when the hunt was to be held, looking forward to bringing her kids. However, the students informed her that the hunt was for the university, not the Wilmore community. From her Main Street view of the campus she concluded, “A lot of the college kids—they’re always looking for somebody to provide something for them.”

Cooper suggested that much of the community feels “put upon and ignored” by the university, and I discovered that the university’s tax exemption contributes greatly to this feeling because it lays the burden of taxes on the residents and business owners. Nevertheless, even the way in which we cross a street can make some people in Wilmore feel slighted. “If a student comes up to the crosswalk like this [texting on a cellphone] assuming you have to stop, not knowing if you’re inches away, . . . then you’re not as interested in stopping for them,” Cooper said. “At-titude makes a difference, and I would love to see the students respect the community in that way.”

It may seem like a tall order when we’re rushing to class or stumbling sleepily to breakfast, but Asbury is known as a Christian institution, and every step, even from the math to the Miller building, is a testimony. “Those who seem arrogant and dismissive of traffic don’t draw out quite as much affection as the others do,” Cooper said. “I guess you expect Christian behavior from a Christian institution, and it doesn’t give that impression.”

Even though many on Main Street reported feeling the “town and gown” separation between the university and the rest of the community, some do see evidence of the university trying to reach out to Wilmore. Remember that service project you did at freshman orientation? Maybe not, but the community does. Phyllis Sallee, city clerk of Wilmore and resident for 50 plus years, said that students have painted her elderly mom’s bath-room for her and have offered to rake her mom’s leaves as well. Sallee also listed a few of the institution’s resources that she is grateful for: “We can go up there and swim. We can use their recreational facilities. There’s the adult classes that you can take.”

Many on Main Street mentioned that they wished the uni-versity would advertise its concerts, productions, and resources to the community more, but in the end, what they really wanted was more interaction with students. Despite any complaint that Main Street might make against the university and its student body, every single person I talked to expressed a genuine love for the Asburians they know, and even though we may cross the street while texting, Cooper described Asbury as “hope for a new generation.” Wilmore’s ultimate request to students, voiced by Joyce Dickenson as Shallah put the finishing touches on her haircut, was, “We’d like to see more of them!”

THE VIEW FROMDOWNTOWNEmily Scheie lends an ear to Wilmore’s locals.| photographer: Ashlyn Techau

24 | vie

’ve always been a jeans and cardigans kind of girl. You know the type—Old Navy sweater, American Eagle denim and a scarf if I felt fancy. It was simple. It was comfortable. It was safe.

The problem? My wardrobe was a snooze-fest. I stayed so far within my comfort zone that I could have

dressed in my sleep. I envied girls whose wardrobes seemed adventurous. My outfits were passable but not pretty, and though I sometimes bought clothing that varied from my norm, I never felt like I knew how to wear it.

So when VIE’s editors approached me about this article and said I’d get to try out a new look, I jumped at the chance. They helped me choose outfits and lent me a few items to complete the looks. After an hour of trying on and tweaking, I had five days planned out. They reassured me that I really could pair brown with black and stripes with florals, so I apprehensively agreed to follow their instructions for the week.

The first surprise reaction came even before I’d worn one of the outfits. “Are these your shoes?” my roommate asked, point-ing at a pair of brown oxfords on our floor. When I nodded and said I’d borrowed them from a friend, she crinkled up her nose. “Hmm … They just don’t look like something you would have.” I shrugged as nonchalantly as possible and returned to my homework, but the comment surprised me. I knew my range was narrow, but were oxfords really that shocking? And if so, what would people say when they saw me in high-rise, über-dark skinny jeans?

Monday morning rolled around, and I woke up early. I pulled on the first outfit—a familiar floral skirt paired with a new striped top—and took a little extra time with my hair, working it

into a semi-successful sixties bump. My nine o’clock class went off without a hitch, and chapel passed, too. So far, nobody had stopped me in shock over the new look, but I knew the cafeteria would be the real test. If anybody was going to call me out as a poseur, it would happen at lunch.

I got to the cafeteria, swiped in, and started putting together a plate. And guess what? The fashion police didn’t cite me for clashing patterns. In fact, all of the feedback I got was positive. My friends complimented the outfit, and later in the day as I walked into Kinlaw Library, a guy called out, “I’m not gonna lie. You’re looking pretty fly.” I blushed and went straight to a desk where I could hide my red cheeks behind a laptop.

Tuesday’s outfit scared me more than Monday’s. I’d had the yellow skirt in the back of my closet for almost a year but hesi-tated to wear it. I thought it might make me look like a school bus gone wrong, and though the off-white lacy top toned down the look, it introduced new problems. As someone who is, shall we say, pigmentally-challenged, I’ve always steered clear of white. It tends to blend into my pasty skin.

But with the editors’ reassurances ringing through my ears, I went about my day as usual. And by the time I finished lunch, I had really started to enjoy wearing the outfit. Friends compli-mented the skirt, and I even got a little confidence booster at the grocery store when my cashier told me she adored my shirt. In-stead of feeling like a schoolbus, I felt like a little ray of sunshine.

That enthusiasm carried over to Wednesday. The polka-dotted dress might have been my favorite outfit of the week. I’d worn the dress a few times before, always paired with conserva-tive black flats. When the editors suggested brown oxfords with a black dress, I was a bit surprised, but apparently the ban on com-

Ituemon

Pumped upJane Brannen opened up her closet to VIE for one

week and agreed to wear what we gave her, no

questions asked.

kicks| photographer: Ashlyn Techau

vie | 25

frithurbinations of brown, black and navy is a myth. Not a single person called me on it. And even though my roommate had said the oxfords just didn’t look like me, none of my other friends balked when they saw the shoes. A girl I didn’t even know stopped me to say that she loved the dress, and my friend Brian told me I looked like a British author. As a card-carrying, grammar-cor-recting, Jane-Austen-loving English major, I couldn’t have been more flattered.

If Wednesday’s outfit was the frilliest of the week, Thursday’s was the most down-to-earth. After several days in dresses and skirts, I wasn’t sure how I felt about returning to jeans. I liked the flounciness, the girliness, and the confidence that comes with skirts, and I wondered if I’d feel as good when I switched back. But the leopard-print top and skinny jeans turned out to be the perfect reinvention of my standard cardigan-and-jeans look. The high-rise fit and dark wash of the new skinnies made the outfit dressier, and the woven belt added a subtle touch of color. By the end of the day, I’d fallen in love with the jeans.

You’d think that after four days of daring outfits, I’d be used to trying new things, but I dressed reluctantly on Friday morning. I loved many things about my outfit—everything, in fact, except for the footwear. However, I wasn’t sure I had enough fashion cred to wear it. Pairing socks with a skirt just seemed so radical. I even attempted a topknot to make the look a bit more sophis-ticated. Though none of my outfits so far had flopped, I kept expecting someone to take me aside and tell me in hushed tones that I just hadn’t managed to pull off the look. I tried to hide behind my friends as I walked out of the dorm, but neither they nor anybody else commented on the outfit. I didn’t get weird looks or gaping stares. Nobody even asked me why I was dressed

up. I ended the day confident about my look and sorry to see the week end.

Before the experiment began, I worried that dressing up every day would be exhausting. In reality, dressing up gave me more energy. There’s just something about a skirt that makes a girl feel great. I enjoyed my clothing so much that I was more optimistic about accomplishing the things on my to-do list. Plus, hearing little affirmations like “Cute skirt!” and “You look great!” gave me little self-esteem boosts throughout the days.

And the best thing about this week is that it taught me I don’t have to put myself in a box. I used to think it took a seri-ous amount of street cred to pull off adventurous combos. I was afraid that if I wore skirts more often, I’d be “that girl” who always seemed like she was trying too hard. And yes, there were moments throughout the week when I felt overdressed, but for the most part, I just felt more confident. When people asked me why I was so dressed up, I’d just shrug and say, “It’s a nice day.” Turns out the rules aren’t as rigid as I used to think. It’s okay to experiment! You might be used to ribbons and bows, but who says you can’t incorporate a motorcycle jacket? And just because you normally wear Mary-Janes doesn’t mean you can’t try out chukkas.

My fashion experiment hasn’t ended with this week. I’ve learned that it’s okay to take risks, and I don’t want to fall right back into my rut. I’m sure I’ll still have plenty of lazy days, but this experience has made me more determined than ever to try new things. I’ve got decades of outfits to come. I refuse to spend the rest of my years in boring clothes.

wed

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Megan OlsonPlans after graduation: I’ll be part of the staff at the Easter Seal’s Rocky Mountain Village. I’ll be woking in the cabins, at the adaptive rock climb-ing wall and zipline.

Advice that you’d give: Strive for obedience to God, not success from the world. Persevere. Finish strong. Never take anything for grant-ed.

Something you’ll miss: I’ll miss the Asbury community for sure. Campus has become my second home and my friends have be-come like family. Saying goodbyes will definitely be a heartbreaker.

Every Asburian should:Every Asburian should experience the Red River Gorge. It doesn’t matter if your out-doorsy or not... its one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to here in Kentucky.

JUST GETTING STARTED

| photographer: Ashlyn techau

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Julianne WyrickPlans after graduation: I’ll be a scientific writing intern at Alltech during the summer, and then I’ll enter the Health and Medical Journalism Master’s pro-gram at the University of Georgia in the fall.

Something you’ll miss: The community and the profes-sors. It’s been such a blessing to be surrounded by a group of friends and professors who en-courage one other in pursuing their passions and relationship with the Lord.

Something you won’t miss: Cold weather; I’m not too upset about spending the next few win-ters back in the Deep South!

Every Asburian should: Go camping in the Red River Gorge. Not much beats camp-fire conversations with your best friends!

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Kylie AbeggPlans after graduation: After Asbury, I plan to spend one more semester in Washing-ton D.C. where I will be interning at a non-profit and taking a few classes!

Advice that you’d give: Focus on what matters, focus on God.

One thing you’ll regret: I regret not getting in-volved sooner! There are so many things to do on campus: try them all!

Something you’ll miss: I will miss my friends! Shout out to my swim team girls, the Poli Sci majors, and the Awak-ened Class! They were always there for me in the lowest of lows. I am forever grateful, and it is so hard to leave be-hind these amazing re-lationships!

Every Asburian should do: 1. Go star gazing. 2. Watch a Kentucky sunset. 3. Take a class with Dr. Clements; you won’t regret it!

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Gabe WebbPlans after graduation: In the fall, I’ll attend Oregon State Uni-versity to get an MFA in creative writing, with a concentration in creative nonfic-tion. While there, I’ll be working as a grad-uate teaching assis-tant, teaching fresh-man composition classes and eventu-ally introductory cre-ative writing courses.

Best advice received:A professor at NY-CAMS once said to me, “You can spend all day trying to write the world’s most beautiful sentence. Maybe sometimes you can get close. But sooner or later, your character has to walk down the hall.”

Something you’ll miss: Dr. Vincent. He’s a literary scholar and he makes desserts like nobody’s busi-ness. The classiest of gentlemen.

Something you won’t miss: The community here can be insular. We pay a lot of lip ser-vice to wanting to challenge ourselves in tough, meaningful ways, but when those challenges arise, I think the campus tends to retreat to what’s comfortable. I’d like to come back someday and see some really profound growth.

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Embark Visuals [ ]Plans after graduation: Producing a feature film with Embark Visuals and launching a video pro-duction company with two of my best friends.

Best advice we’ve received:Get involved in everything you can. You never know what the experiences you have will prepare you for.

Michael Grout, Aaron Holmes, & Nathaniel Glass

Advice that you’d give: Don’t focus only on things that pertain to your master. Develop a wide variety of skills and interests, but pick one and master it.

One thing you’ll miss: The community. Especially the men-torship of professors.

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Andrea McQueenPlans after graduation: I am moving to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in August to teach English for the next two years. I am going with the English Lan-guage Institute of China (ELIC), a non-profit organization that sends Christians to teach Eng-lish in Asia.

Advice that you’d give: It’s about quality, not quantity. With your time left don’t try and cram so much stuff in, but pick something good, and make it count!

One thing you’ll regret: Not getting involved in the com-munity outside of Asbury, Nich-olasville and Lexington, more.

Favorite Asbury memory: Freshman year! Being involved with everything, easy classes, awesome hall, and building last-ing relationships.

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