Thread_Spring2026_Issue2

thread

CONTENTS

FRONT OF BOOK

#04 Haute Online

#08 Top 5

#12 Editor’s Note

#13 Masthead

#14 Executive Board

SEAMS

#18 Runway Realway: Iris Van

Herpen F/W 2022

#20 Runway Realway: Coperni S/S 2023

#22 Lady Gaga

#24 Frida Khalo

#26 Watches

#28 Hair Dye

#30 Drag

#34 Alysa Liu

#36 Oscar De La Renta

WHO, WHAT, WEAR #40 Change Captured Through Photography

The Metamorphosis Issue

CONTENTS

Growing Pains

MIDDLE OF THE BOOK

#48 Rebirth

#60 Growing Pains

#72 Anywhere But Here

#84 Delicate Decay

#96 Looks We Like: Sounds of Change

#96 Looks We Like: Sounds of Change

CAMPUS CASUAL

#104 Butterfly Ridge Conservation Center

#106 Quiz: How Old Are You Really?

#108 Legacy Bobcats

#110 Queer Spaces Post SB1

#114 Shift Towards Conservatism

#118 Culture Shock

BACK OF THE CLOSET

#124 Butterfly Effect

#126 Rebrands that Work

#128 Cancel Culture

#130 Childhood Bedrooms

#132 Melbourne Fashion Festival

#134 Rant/Rave: Your 20s

HAUTE ONLINE

Looking for a new internet obsession? Whether you want to listen to podcasts or watch some videos, we’ve got you covered virtually.

PROJECT HAIL MARY

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, “Project Hail Mary” is blowing up online, and for a good reason. Based on a novel of the same name written by Andy Weir, “Project Hail Mary” follows Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a science teacher who woke up in space with no recollection of how he got there. Alone on the ship, Grace must figure out a mysterious substance that is causing the sun to die out, threatening human existence, until he befriends Rocky, an alien who is also working to solve the mystery and save his own species. Not only is this a movie about an unlikely friendship, but it also questions one’s morality, existence, and purpose in life. Throughout the

film, I found myself laughing, crying, and even experiencing an existential crisis all at once. However, the best part of this movie is its use of practical effects. In an age of AI-generated media, “Project Hail Mary” rejects green screens, CGI, and artificial effects, instead relying on physical sets and handcrafted backgrounds. The movie’s visuals make it feel even more real and immersive, making the story feel that much more impactful. If you have a chance, see “Project Hail Mary” on the big screen before it leaves theaters — you won’t regret it.

- CAMI SEYMORE

LINKEDIN GAMES

I may not love logging on to LinkedIn to interact with the job market, but I do love logging on to LinkedIn to play their daily games. I revel each day as an opportunity to play a new round of games. As a fan of the classic New York Times set of games, I have really been enjoying the additions LinkedIn has contributed to the alleged strengthening of my brain.

The recent “Patches” added onto the platform have been a fun challenge, and I have been playing “Zip” since the day it launched, but my personal favorites are the lesser-played

“Crossclimb” and “Pinpoint.” Maybe it’s the English major in me, but I fare much better when the game involves word association. The aspect of LinkedIn games that I prefer to other platforms like The New York Times is that users can see how their performance compares to their friends and the rest of the world. I love a bit of competition, so I try to see my name at the top of the leaderboard every day.

- ABBY JOYNER

PUNK

The punk scene has been and will always be relevant; however, it is debated whether or not punk can become mainstream due to the cultural rejection of mainstream media itself within the culture of punk. Punk music is coming back as a protest due to current events, and anti-war punk heads are heading into the mainstream to make their protests. Older punk bands like Turnstile have become more popular recently from their NPR Tiny Desk concert, where they did the first crowd surf off the tiny desk. This behavior is reflective of the environment of the punk scene: doing things out of nonconformity and protest is the norm in this industry.

Punk art has become another form of protest, and ‘zines’ are becoming more relevant, often

highlighting social injustice or promoting fundraising for oppressed or underfunded groups. Punk is less about a singular sound or vision and more about the movement itself and the presence of non-conforming attitudes. The term “punk” doesn’t have one singular meaning, but it does have a goal: critiquing the status quo. The community is sustained by fans and rejects the mainstream while still making space for underrepresented voices.

- BELLA BOLIN

SPIDER-MAN BRAND NEW DAY

My social media feeds have been flooded over the past few weeks with opinions and predictions about the “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” film coming out in July 2026. The trailer was released in March to a whole onslaught of fan reactions and excitement around Peter Parker’s next journey. The movie will follow Peter as he navigates his new life after he had to erase everyone’s memory of him to save the world. In the trailer, we can see him trying to reconnect with his love interest, MJ, and real-life partner Zendaya. I’m excited to see the pair on screen since they keep a very low profile as a couple. Also, he watches on social media as his friends attend MIT and live the dream they were supposed to do together. Peter is also going through changes

in his powers, as the trailer shows him mutating to real web shooters instead of fake ones. We also see familiar characters, including Bruce Banner, make an appearance. Some people were theorizing that Bruce Banner might not remember Peter, but when he transforms into the Hulk, he may remember. Fans of the Spider-Man universe have been saying that the best adaptations of the character are when Peter is the most depressed. Apparently, it leads to immense growth and the most interesting story, and this movie looks like the saddest one yet. The trailer has me excited to see the full story play out in the theater this summer.

- AVERY ST. GEORGE

Find out the top five things that our exec board is inspired by right now.

CYCLING

Before I start this little rave, let’s get one thing straight. I am not a gym girl. I have never really enjoyed playing sports or going to the gym. Don’t ask me for tips on bench pressing, lifting, or whatever else people do at Ping Recreation Center because I honestly do not know. What I will say is that for the last semester, my dear friend Cami Seymore and I have been going to cycling classes. It’s important to note that Cami goes much more often than I do, but I have slowly been working my way up and now go to the classes about twice a week.

Going to cycling classes has honestly been such an amazing thing to add to my routine. The music is almost always good. The instructors are kind and don’t judge you when you are clearly doing the choreography all wrong. I get to wear cute, athletic, matching sets, and most importantly, I get to spend some time with my friend, whom I won’t get to see in a few months when I graduate. The point of this little blurb isn’t to convince you to necessarily go cycling. The point is that you should find fun ways to incorporate hobbies into your busy daily routine. Bonus if that hobby includes a friend. Try something new! I promise it’s worth it.

- GABRIELLE CABANES

PINKPANTHERESS

“My name is Pink, and I’m really glad to meet you.” Victoria Beverley Walker, better known by the stage name of PinkPantheress, is a British pop star, songwriter, and record producer. Walker got her start in 2021 by posting clips of her songs on TikTok and uploading songs anonymously on Spotify and Soundcloud under the pseudonym “Vbw.” Later that year, she released her first studio album, “to hell with it.” The album brought a fun twist to alternative pop music and had an early 2000s sound with a Britney Spears vibe.

Her songs started to gain notoriety, and with big hits like “Pain,” which has over a billion streams on Spotify. Walker’s 2023 album, entitled “Heaven knows” heavily showcased her production abilities and knowledge of pop music. With songs like “Capable of love” and “Nice to meet you (feat. Central Cee)” containing both unique and fresh sounds as well as special lyricism, she was able to create a new type of sound in the pop realm. But it was her song “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” which featured Ice Spice that was the smash hit off of this album, taking over the radio and social media as well.

Her 2025 album “Fancy That” solidified Walker’s acclaim and talent within her craft. She claimed two Grammy nominations for Best Dance/ Electronic Album (“Fancy That”) and Best Dance Pop Recording (“Illegal”), and also won Producer of the Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards. She became the first female recipient and the youngest ever to receive the award. PinkPantheress has a discography that is worth listening to for anyone who is looking for a new sound of music to dive into.

- MAX GRUHN

SENIOR YEAR

This has been the best year yet, and now it’s almost over. I went into senior year thinking that I had so much time left in Athens, and now, with only a few weeks left, I am not wasting a single moment. There is a community that I have found through other seniors who are excited for the next chapter in their lives and also distraught as their time in Athens comes to a close. Senior year makes you slow down amongst the chaos to appreciate these bricks one last time. Knowing I don’t have much time left at Ohio University has made me more open to staying out late, saying yes to as many opportunities as I can, and savoring all the in-between moments with friends I may not see for a long time after graduation. My top five within this top five are as follows: nights out with friends at Tony’s, watching movies with my roommate, watching Athens defrost into spring, being a part of Thread, and getting a latenight slice at Goodfellas.

Senior year can seem scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Embrace the discomfort that comes with change, and know that everything is going to work out. Say yes to every chance you have to see your friends, take the long route back home, and go out on Court even though you are tired. We only get 4 years here, and take it from me, it goes by fast.

- SHYLA ALGERI

RUNNING

For as long as I can remember, I hated running. I was always one of the slower kids to run the mile in gym class, and I only did ballet growing up, so I didn’t have sports to teach me how to do it properly. It was always an activity I tried to avoid; that is, until the past year or so.

I am currently signed up to run the Athens Half Marathon in April, so despite my preferences, I have had to run occasionally to make sure my stamina is up to par. As the weather has been heating up, I have been utilizing the river walk for many of my runs, and I think I am slowly — VERY slowly — starting to see how it can be enjoyable. I typically go in the evenings, so the sun is

setting and there is a slight breeze. People are out walking their dogs, and families are on bike rides together. I am blasting my favorite songs and just taking in the scene while jogging along. It’s funny, because the unpleasant aspects of running sometimes force me into my body to be more present than I usually am, and although I may be focusing on how my legs hurt or I am out of breath, I am fully present. Ultimately, I would highly recommend challenging yourself to do something you don’t normally enjoy, as you never know the unique ways it may bring you joy.

- LOLA MORANA

LARRY’S DAWG HOUSE

While Larry’s Dawg House is infamously known for its hot dogs, foot-long corndogs, and burgers, their ice cream is what keeps me coming back. The modest eatery on West Union Street serves a variety of classic food options for fair prices, with $3 foot-long corndogs every ‘Weenie Wednesday.’ But their Arctic Swirls, soft serve ice cream with a dozen flavor options you can mix, are what make Larry’s take the number one spot for ice cream in Athens. While I tend to stick to options I know are tried-and-true, such as their Reese’s and cookie dough Arctic Swirls, the friends I take with me who are a little more adventurous also have yet to be disappointed. It’s the perfect spot to stop when you’re on a drive with friends, and it’s within walking distance on warmer days. The incredible ice cream is just one reason why

Larry’s is my favorite ice cream spot. The vintage vibes outside and in make it feel like you’ve stepped into the past. The classic tile, bright-red booths, and historic pictures feel the same as when they opened in the ‘70s, and it only adds to the experience. To top off the vibes, the customer service is immaculate. Food takes almost no time to be served, and every time I’m served, it’s with a smile on their face. So, if you are looking for something sweet, Larry’s Dawg House is a consistent and delicious option. If you decide to go, sitting in one of the bright-red booths to enjoy your ice cream is mandatory.

-

LAUREN

STIDHAM

Editor’s Note

Hello Threadies! Welcome back to our final issue of Thread for the year! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Gabrielle Cabanes, and I am this year’s editor-in-chief. This final issue, titled “Metamorphosis,” has been such a joy to see take flight. For this issue, we tried to incorporate different elements from transitional phases of life. Whether that’s coming of age or simply just growing up, we wanted to share those special moments with you here at Thread.

When looking at the concept of metamorphosis, we focused our stories on topics we thought would best tie in. Whether it was a celebrity piece highlighting Lady Gaga and her vision for change, or a story on childhood bedrooms, we tried to incorporate transformation in any way we could. A special shoutout to our wonderful creative director, Hadley Fain. Hadley originally pitched this idea to me last year, and I fell in love with the concept. Hadley and I are both graduating this year, so the meaning of metamorphosis and change is especially relevant.

For our middle of the book shoots, we imagined transformation in a new light. We used the way nature and humanity change to explain the evolution of society. First, in our “Rebirth” shoot, models found themselves rising from the ground, almost as if to signify the beginning of spring and nature waking up from winter. For our second shoot titled “Growing Pains,” models played on a playground, but in many ways, they seemed out of place. Sometimes in life, it’s important to accept the process of growing out of things that were once made for you. Our third shoot, “Anywhere But Here,” showed the act of finding your people and falling in love. Our models danced around in fields, signifying the feeling of coming of age. Finally, our “Delicate decay” shoot conveyed the message of death after birth. To come full circle, this shoot showed how once nature is born and has lived, it goes back under, only to peak its face again in the spring.

Everyone at Thread has put so much work into making these stories, photos, illustrations, and designs come to life. Whether it was spending hours conducting interviews and editing stories, or making photos come to life, one thing is for certain: our team is always up for the challenge.

To our fashion team and makeup teams led by Madelyn Joens and Bella Bolin, your dedication to this team and the hours you put in are incomparable. Your kindness and vision make models come to life. To our photo team, led by Jori Husted, the photographs taken throughout this issue and throughout this year are what make this publication what it is. Your attention

to detail and talent are so incredible to see.

Next, to our wonderful co-design directors, Emily Petertonjes and Sophie Schaller, your work for this magazine is unlike any other. Hiring you both this year was the best decision I could have made. As a senior, it is so comforting knowing that Thread will be led by your vision and dedication in the coming years. To our amazing multimedia director, Maggie Musto, your videos are what make people excited to read Thread. Thank you for always bringing the magic.

To our business team, led by the incredible Natalie Schoolcraft, the Thread boat would have sunk without you a long time ago. Thank you for doing everything my brain wants you to do without even having to ask for it. Your passion for this team is infectious.

To our dedicated editorial team, and my real home in Thread, words cannot express how grateful I am. Thank you for your friendship, your consistent eye for detail, and the wonderful words you bring. The world is better with the talented journalists who work amongst your ranks.

To the brightest light and most enthusiastic lady, Morgan Clark, your vision will bring you into places you didn’t even know were possible. Dream the biggest dreams because no one is more confident than I that you’ll accomplish everything you ever wished for. Your creative ambition as art director made Thread so beautiful.

To this year’s managing editor and next year’s editor-in-chief. Cami Seymore. I don’t even really know where to begin. Thank you for your dedication. Thank

you for being my best friend through all of this. Leaving Thread is the most heartbreaking thing I will have to do come May 2, but I know with your direction and with your leadership, it is in the best hands. You and your passion are magic.

Finally, my last message is to my most esteemed colleague and the real boss here at Thread Magazine, Hadley Fain. Hadley joined Thread with me my freshman year, and she is the most talented person I have ever met. Hadley is one in a million, and I know she will be wildly successful. Every single decision this year, big or small, has been made by Hadley and me. She is Thread, and I thank my lucky stars every day that I got to work with her for so long.

To our readers and to everyone involved in Thread, thank you for entrusting me with this position. Thread is the best thing to ever happen to me. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for letting our students grow. I am a testament to the magical things this organization can do, and it will be my greatest pleasure to see it from afar in the coming years.

Now, before I shed too many tears, please enjoy “The Metamorphosis Issue.”

YOURS TRULY,

Gabrielle Cabanes Editor-In-Chief

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Gabrielle Cabanes

MANAGING EDITOR Cami Seymore

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Hadley Fain

ART DIRECTOR Morgan Clark

BUSINESS MANAGER Natalie Schoolcraft

EDITORIAL

COPY CHIEF Lola Morana

SEAMS EDITOR Abby Joyner

WWW, & CAMPUS CASUAL EDITOR Avery St. George

FEATURES & BOC EDITOR Olivia Leggans

EDITORIAL STAFF Anna Hanes, Sophia Rooksberry, Alexandra Hopkins, Naomi Boyes, Max Gruhn, Susie Iannone, Peyton Ann Hodge, Skye Denson, Lauren Barna, Ryan Dodd, David Asamoah, Gabrielle Cabanes

DESIGN

DESIGN CO-DIRECTORS Sophie Schaller & Emily Petertonjes

DESIGN ASSISTANT Ella Huelskamp

C0-ILLUSTRATION DIRECTORS Sully Potter & Minjoon Lee

ILLUSTRATION ASSISTANT Abby Stanley

FILE MANAGER Ally Kyle

DESIGN STAFF Hadley Fain, Grace Callahan, Carly Hart, Maris Cordial, Georgia Booth, Harlee Shae, Gretchen Stoner, Alyssa Kiszczak, Nicole Bell

ILLUSTRATION STAFF Ella Katzenmeyer, Grace Callahan

PHOTO

PHOTO CHIEF Jori Husted

HEAD OF PHOTO EDITING Nate Conklin

SET DIRECTOR Zennia Lam

PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF Natalie Yan, Morgan Clark, Zennia Lam, Hadley Fain, Audrey Frilling, Gabrielle Cabanes, Sophie Schaller, Liam Delaney, Tora Blamer, Gabrielle Jethrow, Sophia Ives, Avery Tyla, Ellie Duncan, Jillian Starner

MULTIMEDIA

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Maggie Musto

VIDEO PRODUCER Avery Callison

PROJECT COORDINATOR Nicole Bell

STAFF Lauren Stidham, Erin Brogan, Jorja Kresinski, Maddie Benedict, Sydney Huckstep, Kourtney Gierke FASHION

FASHION DIRECTOR Bella Bolin

ASSISTANT FASHION DIRECTOR Courtney Getter

MAKEUP DIRECTOR Madelyn Joens

ASSISTANT MAKEUP DIRECTOR Bobbi Cross

FASHION STYLISTS AND MODELS Hunter Gillepsie, Breckin Miller, Aly Dever, Izzy Gardner, Megan Young, Megan Harlan, Natalie Schoolcraft, Emma Henry, Jenna Slyman, Charlotte Petrie, Audrianna Imka, Ella Niles, Pely Brient, Jenna Englander, Diego Buhay, Caitlyn Conklin, Leah Spring, Maris Cordial, Elise Talaga, Erin Brogan, Catherine Lyons, Susie Iannone, Christian Connors, Skye Denson, Madigan Clum, Georgia Booth, Gretchen Sahr, Lucy Freund, Ellerie Nye, Savannah Swanson, Maria Zarate, Gabrielle Cabanes, Anna Parasson, Emma Kiefer, Natalie Schneider

BUSINESS & SOCIAL MEDIA

DIRECTOR OF PR: CREATIVE STRATEGY Lulu McGhee

DIRECTOR OF PR: SALES Kamyrn Clark

HEAD OF EVENT PLANNING Shyla Algeri

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Max Gruhn

EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2026

SEAMS

From the runway to the streets, and everywhere in between, here are this seasons’s most soughtafter trends.

Embracing the technological enhancement of our current era, Iris Van Herpen’s Fall 2022 collection “Meta Morphism” exhibits features of futurism and utopia.

Iris Van Herpen’s Fall 2022 collection is another example of how the Dutch designer seeks to redefine couture. 2022 marked the 15th anniversary of Van Herpen’s design career, and this fall collection demonstrates the reason for her continued success and couture innovation. The collection, aptly titled “Meta Morphism,” reflects on the future of society in the wake of rapid technological advancements.

Not only does Van Herpen embody evolution on the runway, but also through the ways she creates her pieces. She has embraced computer technology and 3D printing in her design process because she believes it is the future of fashion. “For me, technology is a tool that makes it possible to bring the craftsmanship forward,” she said in an interview with Vogue. “Meta Morphism” manifests these ideals, with the models looking as though they stepped off the streets of a utopian city.

Van Herpen combines the technological metallic textures with distinctly human inspiration. She draws inspiration from Greek myths, with ethereal, Grecian flowing silhouettes blending with harsh lines and metals. Many of the designs feature faces or recreate stainedglass art styles, which marry the antiquated, human elements to the cold, futuristic look.

The metallic golds and silvers present throughout the collection flow effortlessly through the fabrics, giving them a shimmering reflection of light. Van Herpen experiments with shape, the designs weaving in and around the models to draw interest in their silhouettes. None of the designs adheres completely to the body; they all find space around the models through

rr iris

draped sleeves or headbands, reinforcing the theme of expansion through technology.

In her “Meta Morphism” collection, Iris Van Herpen attempts to predict how humanity and the human body will embrace the impending technological reality. Van Herpen makes a statement in this collection: she will not be left in the past, and her designs will continue to evolve with societal changes.

BY AVERY ST. GEORGE

Iris Van Herpen

FALL 2022

coperni runway realway

Coperni’s Spring/Summer 2023 fashion show stands as one of fashion’s most striking visual metaphors for change.

In an industry constantly reinventing itself, the Paris runway became a stage where transformation unfolded in real time, blurring the lines between science, art, and design.

Designed by Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, the collection embraced a sleek, futuristic aesthetic. Structured silhouettes, minimalist tailoring, and clean lines reflected a vision of fashion that feels both technological and forward-thinking. Yet the most powerful moment of the show came not from a garment already made, but from one being created before the audience’s eyes.

Supermodel Bella Hadid stepped onto the runway wearing nothing but heels and nude underwear as a team of technicians sprayed a liquid fabric solution directly onto her body. Within minutes, the mist transformed into a wearable dress, sculpted and finished live

on stage. What began as a cloud of material slowly solidified into clothing, an extraordinary visual demonstration of change. The audience watched as technology turned liquid into fabric and process into performance.

This moment captured the essence of transformation that defines fashion and, therefore, life. The act of creating the dress live emphasized that clothing functions as an evolving idea. It suggested that fashion’s future lies in experimentation, innovation, and the merging of disciplines once considered separate.

Beyond the spectacle, the show also reflected the fashion industry’s broader evolution. Coperni’s collection demonstrated how design can adapt to new technologies while still maintaining elegance and wearability. The runway became more than a showcase of garments, reminding viewers that fashion, like the world around them, is constantly changing.

LADY

GABRIELLE CABANES SOPHIE SCHALLER

The 21st century has introduced countless bold and innovative names in music and fashion; however, none stand out as a master of both industries quite like Lady Gaga.

The dance-pop phenomenon was born in 1986 as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. It wasn’t until 2006 that she adopted her iconic moniker and began her music career. She performed at Lollapalooza the following year, and the disco ball bra and fishnets she wore indicated an exciting future for the fashionista.

This future began to take shape during the release and subsequent tours of her first two albums, “The Fame” (2008) and “The Fame Monster” (2009). These records introduced tracks like “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Bad Romance” to the canon of pop music, all of which remain hits today.

Early on in this era, Gaga rocked bleached blonde hair and blunt bangs. She continued on the sexy and alternative trend established by her Lollapalooza outfit, but still seemed to be searching for her signature look among stark colors and eccentric silhouettes.

Gaga became a style icon in her music videos and on red carpets in the early 2010s. From her cigarette sunglasses and Diet Coke hair rollers in the music video for “Telephone ft. Beyoncé,” to a dress made out of raw meat at the 2010 VMAs, Gaga began shaking pop culture to its core.

After the release of her next two albums —“Born This Way” (2011) and “ARTPOP” (2013) — Gaga strayed from pop music and slowly mellowed out her style. Instead of headdresses and latex, she favored sleeker and less provocative looks that still maintained originality through color and form.

Gaga took her first major step into the film and television industry in 2015, delivering a Golden Globe-winning performance in Season 5 of “American Horror Story.” Two years later, she hit the big screen in “A Star Is Born” alongside Bradley Cooper. The film earned Gaga an Academy Award and inspired her classiest series of red carpet looks to date, including an opalescent, Cinderella-inspired ensemble and pink, fringe ball gowns.

Since then, Gaga has starred in “House of Gucci” and “Joker: Folie à Deux,”

neither of which were critically successful, but offered more opportunities for the artist to honor her performances on the red carpet through designer dresses and clownish makeup looks. Most recently, Gaga released “MAYHEM” in a triumphant return to pop music. The looks featured on the tour have a gothic extravagance that further solidifies Gaga as one of the most chameleonic and inspired artists of the century.

FRIDA KAHLO

CELEB STYLE

BY ALEXANDRA HOPKINS

PHOTOS BY SOPHIE SCHALLER

EDITS BY LIAM DELANEY

DESIGN BY EMILY PETERTONJES

MODEL PELY BRIENT

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her surreal self-portraits and resilience. Although she died in 1954, her legacy prevails into the present. Today, her artistic style and fashion continue to inspire artists around the world to be subversive and unique.

Kahlo developed her artistic style while traveling the U.S. and Mexico with her husband, Diego Rivera, whom she met after joining the Mexican Community Party in 1927. In her art, she took inspiration from her own life experiences, Mexican heritage, and folk art. One of her most prominent inspirations, however, was her chronic illness.

In 1925, severe injuries from a bus accident left Kahlo with lifelong chronic pain. She often represented her physical pain symbolically by painting her body in a broken state. Through these paintings, such as “The Two Fridas” and “Diego and I,” she explored themes of gender, sexuality, and femininity.

Kahlo’s unique, vibrant style remains a worldwide phenomenon. Also known as “Fridamania,” the global adoration and recreation of Kahlo’s fashion began in 1990, following two decades of academic-centered fascination. This included an explosion of Kahloinspired fashion.

Recognized by her traditional Mexican Tehuana dress, vibrant colors, and flower crowns made of native Mexican flowers, including roses, dahlias, and marigolds. Kahlo’s fashion became a symbol by the early 2000s for the feminist movement, LGBTQIA+ rights, and Chicano representation.

In a time when men were celebrated for being “tortured artists” but women were shamed for being “hysterical,” Kahlo rose above these stereotypes to prove that women could function as successful artists, even when dealing with sadness and pain. Her art, and by proxy her personal style, continues to represent overcoming stereotypes and defying odds.

While it may not have been her intention, the clothing Kahlo wore has evolved to represent women’s empowerment and the progressive ideals that she vehemently fought for.

BY

A WRIST OF ME T

Time changes everyone, individually. It takes a lifetime — marking the important moments in school, work, friendships, and relationships; from the bad decisions to the good ones, too. As these moments happen, people do not often consider their significance. Yet, one day, a person looks in their closet and realizes it feels different. The colors are calmer, and the way they carry themselves has shifted. In seemingly an instant, the watch on their wrist has changed too.

For many young people, wearing a watch starts digitally: an Apple Watch, even a Fitbit. It is something practical and athletic, always lighting up with notifications. It tracks steps, sleep, heart rate, and productivity, designed to encourage people to keep moving. The band is silicone, and the face is square. It matches the leggings, the new sneakers, the oversized hoodies — the uniform of being young and busy. At that stage, time feels like something to keep up with.

Before that, there is some playfulness. Think chunky digital faces and bright colors, a favorite childhood television show, or a pop star. These watches feel expressive and sometimes chaotic,

allowing one to experiment with identity. They never necessarily “match” an outfit, but they add personality to it. Eventually, though, something slows down. The constant buzzing on the wrist feels overwhelming, the rubber strap feels adolescent, and the expectation for fashion becomes more professional. Tailored pieces take the place of oversized ones. The watch evolves alongside the stages of a person’s life and the trends that inform them.

Leather bands replace the ones that were silicone, the face becomes round and minimal, and no notifications constantly sing at the wearer. It is quieter, just the ticking hands. It pairs with blazers and monochrome outfits. Gold and silver tones reflect light differently from a black touchscreen.

This shift shows the way identity matures. The watch stays on the wrist through every phase of life, but its form evolves as a person does. It has been through deadlines, first dates, interviews, late nights, and early mornings. As time passes, a glance down at their wrist reminds a person of the events that have passed that transformed their lives.

HairDye

There are many reasons a person might dye their hair: for self-expression, for empowerment, for a new identity, to cover their grays, to cover their past. People often memorialize milestones in their life through the color of their hair — “that was my blonde era,” “I graduated high school and dyed my hair pink,” “I don’t even remember who I was when I had red hair” — and each color signifies a specific meaning to the wearer.

There is a stereotype that after a breakup, women will dye their hair. There are real psychological explanations for why women sprint to the drugstore to purchase a box of hair dye or find themselves sitting in a chair at

BY ABBY JOYNER

the nearest salon when they suffer a breakup or other shocking change in their life.

In an article with Harper’s Bazaar Australia, clinical psychologist Dr. Jaime Zuckerman explains how hair can function as a physical emblem for beginning a new stage or period of life. It is a quick, controllable, and relatively harmless form of locating or reclaiming a sense of identity when an external factor disrupts a person’s conception of normalcy in their life.

“Hair is something that is within our direct control; something we have direct access to, something that results in a relatively immediate outcome,” Zuckerman said. She describes it as a type of “rebirth” of the self.

Besides breakups, people choose to dye their hair when they feel like their physical appearance does not accurately represent their

personal identity. Dying hair, particularly nonnormative colors like pink, purple, or green, often helps people express themselves in creative ways. It helps them differentiate themselves where otherwise they feel too similar to other people.

Additionally, hair dye can be an attractive method for physical change because it is much easier to undo than other physical alterations, like piercings or even cutting hair.

To go from brunette to blonde, jet black to fiery red, or gray to purple marks a drastic change in a person’s appearance. It can often optically alter the subtle hues of one’s eyes or the undertones of their skin, revealing physical attributes previously inaccessible. Hair dye allows people to literally see themselves differently, to metamorphose.

dragcosmetics:

BY MAX GRUHN PHOTOS AND EDITS BY NATE CONKLIN DESIGN BY SOPHIE SCHALLER MODELS BRECKIN MILLER & HUNTER GILLESPIE

RuPaul once famously said, “We’re all born naked, and the rest is drag.” The art form of drag has been around for centuries, influencing how people encounter fashion and makeup in many ways.

The idea of drag originates from the time of Shakespearean theater in the Elizabethan era.

Women were banned from performing in the theater, so female roles were played by men. This involved makeup, wigs, and dressing in clothing traditionally gendered as female, such as dresses, blouses, hoop skirts, and heels.

There was not a set word for this type of art style until the 1870s, when a U.K. newspaper was the first to publish the word “drag” with the same connotation that the word has today.

During the 1950s, drag performers started integrating themselves within the queer community and spaces, regularly becoming main events and entertainment at gay bars. It was not until 1972 that the term “drag king” was used in print, demonstrating that drag is accepted in all art forms, and the gender of the person does not determine their ability to participate in drag.

A history of the topic would not be complete without mentioning some of the most legendary drag performers and trailblazers for the makeup and fashion surrounding drag. The actor Divine was known for dramatic eyebrows, bright blue eyeshadow, bold white concealer connecting the eyebrow and eyeshadow, and an iconic red dress. Sylvester took a much softer approach, with a blended-out eye, natural brows, soft sculpting, and a lighter lip.

RuPaul blew up in the ‘80s with a much more sophisticated female impersonation. With dramatic eyeshadow, wigs, lips, and fashion, RuPaul took campy elements of drag, mixed them with a softer base, and sent them into the mainstream. The “Supermodel of the World” quickly became the biggest name in drag and solidified her name in the entertainment industry.

With the success of RuPaul, many other drag performers became comfortable adopting their individual drag personas. Drag performers were ahead of their peers in terms of makeup and fashion looks, predicting and guessing trends before they even hit mainstream.

In the ‘70s, drag queens were often seen with vibrant eyeshadow, sharp brows, blinding highlighter, and false eyelashes, a trend that picked up later into the decade with the disco and jazzercise craze. The 2000s saw drag performers with sharp contour, cut-creases, glitter, highlighter, and many other bold stylistic choices, a trend later adopted in the 2010s with the age of YouTube makeup tutorials.

Drag performers have been dictating the culture and trend cycles since their inception. A newer life was brought to the world of drag with “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” making the art form accessible to a wider audience due to the show’s worldwide success. Drag is an art form that puts creativity, nerve, and a touch of queerness into every aspect of it, challenging the normative within the worlds of entertainment, fashion, and

it’s art it’s

ALYSA LIU

Olympic gold medalist figure skater

Alysa Liu returned to the sport with a revolutionary comeback. After four years away from the ice, the 20-year-old has emerged back onto the scene with a burning passion and new outlook on the sport.

Liu began skating at 5-years-old under her father’s guidance. Over the next 11 years, she would go on to break records and go beyond what was believed possible for someone her age.

In 2018, Liu won the U.S. junior national championships as the youngest competitor in her field, and in 2019, she became the youngest ever to win the U.S. women’s national championship, at only 13 years old. She was on a record run that garnered international attention.

However, in 2020, the global pandemic put a pause on training and competitions. She spent months away from the ice and went through a major growth spurt, both leading to her performance wavering upon her return.

In 2022, after placing sixth in the 2002 Beijing Winter Olympics, Liu announced on Instagram that she was retiring from skating at 16.

“I started skating when I was 5, so that’s about 11 years on the ice, and it’s been an insane 11 years,” Liu wrote. “A lot of good and a lot of bad, but [you know] that’s just how it is. I’ve made so many friends, and so so sooo many good memories that I’ll have for the rest of my life.”

Liu’s reason for retirement was burnout and lack of autonomy — and for good reason: for her entire career, Liu did not have a choice in what she wore, when to train, or

what music she skated to. These choices were made by her father and coaches.

During her retirement, Liu spent time with friends and family and generally experienced normal teenage life. She got her driver’s license and enrolled at the University of Los Angeles, California in the fall of 2023. At school, she reconnected with her artistic side and got involved in fashion and dancing while working on her mental health.

But two years later, Liu felt a pull back to the ice following a ski trip.

In January 2024, Liu returned on her own terms. Her father, who had been deeply invested in her training and career, was asked to take a backseat. She publicly announced her return for the 2024-25 season on social media in March 2024.

“I have such a different team, and I treat myself differently,” Liu said in an interview with ESPN about her return. “I’m older, and I’ve learned so many lessons. I’m so much better at protecting my peace and knowing why I do the things I do.”

A year after announcing her return, Liu won gold at the 2025 World

Championships and went on to win gold in Women’s Singles and the Team Event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

Her hair — dyed blonde rings that represent each year she skates — piercings, and unabashed behavior have drawn attention, both good and bad, to Liu. However, it is undeniable that her influence on the ice and online has inspired confidence in many young women, especially young Asian American athletes.

Liu’s journey proves that success doesn’t mean burnout or sacrifice and, if anything, can only last when taking care of yourself.

BY ALEXANDRA HOPKINS

WHO, WHAT, WEAR

A glimpse into some of Athens’ most captivating people, places, and events.

caP t UrInG cHanGe

tHe lens

BY CAMI SEYMORE

Although it may be cliché, a picture is worth a thousand words. Whether you’re flipping through an old photo album or scrolling through your Snapchat memories, photography serves as a digital archive of history, capturing growth, change, and the passage of time.

At Ohio University, the photojournalism program highlights the power of photography to document and preserve stories over time. Within the Scripps School of Visual Communication, undergraduate students can study photojournalism or commercial photography.

Through their coursework, students build portfolios through assignments, photo projects, and creative shoots. These experiences open doors for current students and alumni, leading

to professional opportunities in photography and visual storytelling.

Skylar Seavey, a junior studying photojournalism, and Meredith Viox, a 2025 graduate who studied information graphics and publication design, worked at Camp Winaukee, an all-boys summer camp in New Hampshire. As interns, they photographed campers throughout the summer, shared the images with parents, and documented activities to preserve their camp memories.

“You’ll see pictures from the beginning, and some kids are kind of looking shy, not really in groups yet,” Viox said. “By the end, it’s pictures of them with tears going down their faces, saying goodbye to their new best friend. So yeah, I think photography is the ultimate way to capture change.”

Their work was featured in Front Room Coffee in OU’s Baker Center and serves as a reminder of the importance of capturing authentic, genuine moments.

“In today’s age, in general, I think photojournalism and using photography as a communication tool is really imperative, especially with how the media is right now in the world of AI,” Seavey said.

Maddie McGarvey, a 2012 photojournalism alum, also discussed the importance of photojournalism in an increasingly digital world, especially given the influx of fake news and misinformation present online.

PHOTOS CREDIT: JOSEPH RADHIK

“It’s just never been more crucial to have newsworthy and like outlets that you trust,

institutions that you trust, and photographers and storytellers that you trust to be telling the truth while having the media literacy to know the difference,” McGarvey said.

In an effort to focus on local stories, McGarvey started a photo project documenting a family from rural Appalachia. The family invited McGarvey into their home. She continued this project post-graduation and has been documenting the family for over 15 years.

“The girl I followed throughout my life was just 3 when I met her,” McGarvey said. “She just graduated high school, she’s 18 now and is getting married in the spring … I never expected it to last this long, but it’s also such a gift that this family lets me keep coming back.”

who, what, wear

Her project was featured in The New York Times and won the Community Awareness Award for Pictures of the Year International this past year.

“Appalachia is a region that has been obviously stereotyped, and a lot of parachute journalism is happening here,” McGarvey said. “I felt a duty to stay and observe, and see a life unfold that might be otherwise ignored.”

In a region often reduced to stereotypes, student journalists are working to tell these stories by documenting local happenings in Athens and Southeast Ohio. Megan VanVlack, a senior studying photojournalism, works as the director of photography for The Post, Ohio University’s student-led newspaper, which covers the surrounding Appalachian areas.

“I spent four months on a project on the history and current state of coal use in Southeast Ohio and how coal mining has impacted the area, and how its future is looking,” VanVlack said.

“That was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done, getting to connect with the people around here.”

VanVlack also discussed covering ongoing protests taking place on campus, including student opposition to Ohio Senate Bill 1 or the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“I think there’s a big need for photojournalists, especially right now,” VanValck said. “There is just so much change in our lives, and I think it’s worth documenting … We have protests going on every day, and our society changes

constantly.”

Capturing protests on campus, however, is nothing new. Bill Kimok, the university archivist and records manager in the Vernon R. Alden Library’s Mahn Center, works to preserve Athens history, dating back to the 1800s, all the way to the present day. The archives contain photos depicting student reactions to the Kent State shooting and the school’s subsequent closure in 1970 amid Vietnam War protests.

“On May 15, 1970, Ohio University closed, and the governor didn’t want to send the National Guard in until the university had closed,” Kimok said. “He didn’t want what happened at Kent to happen here.”

The archives also include photographs of historic campus buildings like the original Baker Center and Tupper Hall, highlighting how

the campus has transformed over time. This includes major changes such as the relocation of over five miles of the Hocking River to prevent flooding, as well as the removal of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad that once ran through university grounds.

Recently, the Mahn Center has begun digitizing parts of its archives to make them accessible online.

“Everything is digital now,” Kimok said. “We have digitized a lot of stuff to keep up with the past. It’s a matter of keeping up with the future now.”

Amid the rise of AI and manipulated media, photography and photojournalism are more vital than ever for documenting reality and preserving truth, and offer a lasting record of society’s evolution.

MIDDLE OF THE BOOK

A look into Thread’s creative shoot concepts.

REBIRTH

CAITLYN CONKLIN

GROWING PAINS

ANYWHERE BUT HERE

PHOTOS AND EDITS BY JORI HUSTED DESIGN BY GRETCHEN STONER

delicatedecay

CAMPUS CASUAL

Light-hearted reads for the quiztaking, listicle reading, horoscope believin’ spirit in all of us.

Butterfly Ridge

BY SUSIE IANNONE ILLUSTRATION BY DESIGN BY

Tconservation center called Butterfly Ridge. Owned and operated by Chris Kline and his wife, Kris, their goal is to increase the health and wellbeing of butterflies, moths, and native plants of Southeastern Ohio.

Over the years, the Klines have curated their garden to attract as many native and passing butterflies as possible, while also navigating their business to attract locals and passing visitors to Hocking Hills and remaining committed to the land they inherited.

“We take our mothing program on the road,” Kline explained. “None of those places comes remotely close to the moth diversity we have.” Their care and attention have resulted in hundreds of butterflies finding respite, no matter the season.

With the increase in popularity of butterflies, their appearance and symbolism in pop culture, the Ridge has also had an increase in visitors. With this heightened notoriety and funds, they have developed a mile-long walking path, a treehouse overlook, several prairies, and a nature center.

Not only do they offer classes to the public on butterfly habitat education, but all proceeds from the gift shop go directly back into their conservation efforts. After opening in 2017, the couple has worked with many interns and fellow nature lovers, including Pike Fetgatter, who now works as their conservation specialist and manages the garden in their absence.

“The whole premise of The Ridge is that we give people kind of an insight into what managing wildlife can look like, and we specialize in pollinators because that’s a great way to get

It’s clear Kline loves butterflies, but his passion for moths cannot be denied. Out of the many butterflies and moths that have passed through The Ridge, one of the rarest and most elusive of

“So traveling in the desert southwest, some of the really super traditional family on our side considers black witches to be like the harbingers of death,” Kline said. “I’ve heard stories of people

After hearing folklore tales and omens about the moth throughout Kline’s travels and teachings, it landed on the Kline’s gift shop door in all its

“I called out on the radio, and everybody came running down the trails to take a look at it. You

Both Kline and Fetgatter commented on the surrounding areas’ lack of interest in native vegetation and the increasing interest for gardens to be diverse and life-lasting, both qualities that native plants often fulfill. Butterflies, as well, are widely recognized as beautiful and shy creatures of mystery, while other insects like beetles and bees are often dismissed as creepy, despite how important they may be to the ecosystem.

“When you put acre after acre into production, you lose all your plant diversity, and you’re now losing all your butterfly diversity,” Kline explained.

most people don’t even know what kind of bees are important or the difference between them.” This summer, The Ridge will hold a “Mothing Zone” every Saturday, where visitors can interact

Butterfly Ridge is a wonderful place to enjoy the comfort of nature, and visitors are expected to respect the rules, vegetation, animals, and people of the land. In comparison to other conservatories, the Klines have kept their prices completely accessible to the public, a small price to pay in exchange for a decade of consistent work and effort on their part to create a peaceful location for all species, insects, or mammals.

Mostly A’s:

WHAT REALLY? AGE ARE YOU

BY PEYTON ANN HODGE

ILLUSTRATION ABBY STANLEY

DESIGN BY SOPHIE SCHALLER

Young at Heart. Nostalgia is something you are very familiar with. You love to reminisce about your childhood, and who can blame you? Plus, just because you’ve grown up, it doesn’t mean you have to lose your childlike wonder.

Mostly C’s:

Wild Child. Fear isn’t in your vocabulary. You love to have a good time and want to experience as much as you can, while you can. You’ll be the first in line to ride front row on a roller coaster or hop on stage for karaoke. YOLO is your life motto.

Mostly B’s:

Old Soul. You like quiet and having time to think. Having sophisticated taste and being mature doesn’t mean you don’t know how to have fun. You aren’t in a rush to grow up, but you certainly can’t wait to start your career. You’ve worked hard, and now you want your dreams to come to fruition.

Mostly D’s:

Free Spirit. You like to explore, try new things, and are unapologetically yourself. You aren’t indecisive, you are just usually up for whatever, and you’ll try anything once, within reason. Your New Year’s resolution is always to say “yes” more, and you do exactly that.

It’s movie night with your roomies. What flick are you suggesting?

a. “Toy Story.” Time with your friends, some snacks, and a childhood throwback sounds like your idea of a great time. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” may get stuck in your head for about a week after, though.

b. “The Notebook.” Make sure you have tissues on hand for this beautiful and heartfelt romance starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

c. “Mamma Mia!” This beloved film featuring the music of ABBA will have you and your besties dancing and singing along all night.

d. “Grownups.” Any Adam Sandler movie is always a good choice, and what’s better than laughing the night away with your friends?

It’s your day off after a long and busy week. How are you spending it?

a. Game night with your friends. You are always up for some friendly competition, but you take charades very seriously, so picking your teammate is always a calculated decision.

b. Checking out the newest exhibit at your local art museum. You like to stay up to date with what’s new and exciting in your local arts and culture scene. Plus, the museum is next to a café you recently read a rave review about and have been wanting to try.

c. Front row at your local dive bar’s open mic night. You love live music and never turn down a chance to dance the night away with your friends. Maybe you’ll end up on the stage with the mic yourself?

d. No set plans. You and your pals hit the town, looking for something or somewhere that catches your eye. Perhaps some bowling or mini golf? The night is young!

What is the vibe of your get-ready playlist?

a. Your favorite songs from the 2000s and 2010s. These songs take you back to dance parties at sleepovers with friends in your childhood bedroom, and there’s nothing like a side of nostalgia with your music.

b. Some ‘70s and ‘80s throwback hits. Songs like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” and Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” add that special touch to your routine, and you credit this playlist to the tunes you heard as a kid in the backseat of your parents’ car.

c. Spotify’s curated “Party Hits” playlist with songs from Pitbull, Rihanna, and more. Dancing in front of the mirror while doing your hair is a must.

d. Shuffling “Today’s Top Hits.” You like to keep up with what’s new, and your favorite genre is

What was your go-to read

a. The “Magic Treehouse” series. You love adventures, especially when they involve time travel. Reading about Jack and Annie’s magical missions kept you on the edge of your seat.

b. “A Series of Unfortunate Events.” Following the strange and unlucky lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny had you drafting their plan of escape from the ruthless Count Olaf with each thrilling chapter. This must be where your problem-solving mindset originated from!

c. R.L. Stein’s “Goosebumps.” You don’t mind being a bit creeped out because it adds to the excitement, and you prided yourself on never having any trouble sleeping after reading one of Stein’s spooky tales as a kid.

d. Diary of a Wimpy Kid” or “Dork Diaries.” You enjoy relating to others in the ups and downs of life, so you loved the classic coming-of-age stories of Greg Heffley or Nikki Maxwell.

Legacy Bobcats: Generations of

BY LAUREN STIDHAM ILLUSTRATION BY ELLA KATZENMEYER DESIGN BY ALYSSA KISZCZAK

The bricks of Athens have bred close-knit Bobcat connections for years. For many, this network of Bobcats feels like another family; for some, this Bobcat connection is already a part of theirs.

Melinie Burick graduated in 1997 with a degree in therapeutic recreation and a minor in psychology. She attended alongside her husband, and

they now have three Bobcats of their own. She said she loved the beauty and bricks of OU’s campus the second she set foot in Athens. “I remember just walking down Court Street thinking, ‘I need to go here.’ It just felt like home,” Melinie said.

Melinie met one of her best friends when she lived in Pickering her freshman year. She notes how the dorms have changed since her time there in the ‘90s.

“It’s been fun to see the dorms change, too, especially since I lived in The College Inn and then my

nostalgia and new beginnings at OU

daughter lived in Bromley,” Melinie said.

One of her fondest memories from OU was driving on Richland Avenue after graduation. “As soon as you turn that corner and you just see it [Peden Stadium], it just gives me this feeling, and I remember when I was leaving … thinking, I just don’t ever want to forget that feeling,” Melinie said.

Melinie says her favorite part of OU, even years after graduating, is the people.

“Even now that I’m older … I’ll be maybe in a conversation at work, or I’ll be in a conversation just maybe at a baseball game or a football game with one of my kids, and I hit it off with someone, and sure enough, I’ll be like, ‘Where did you go to school?’ and they’ll say OU,” Melanie said. “You just feel like part of something.”

Time progressed, and Melanie found herself back on campus when she began touring OU with her kids.

Their oldest graduated from OU in 2023, and growing up, Melinie’s middle and youngest child joined their parents for Family Weekend visits. Soon enough, they became Bobcats as well. “I think they just saw how much we all loved it,” Melinie said. “I just had that feeling in my stomach like, you’re about to have the best four years of your life.”

The changing times brought familiar feelings for Melinie as she watched her kids go through the OU experience. “For each of them, it’s like you’re reliving it again. You almost feel like you didn’t leave,” Melinie said.

Madison Burick, a senior studying early childhood and elementary education, is Melinie Burick’s second daughter. Some step on campus to find themselves another home, but Athens has been a part of hers all along.

“We all had baby onesies that were OU. My sister and I had little cheerleading outfits and … we had a game room that had all the

OU flags,” Madison said. “It was just story after story about how OU was the best place ever.”

She recalls her first memory of OU was going to a basketball game, and her parents showed her and her siblings their favorite spots. Despite some changes, Madison says Court Street and College Green are just how she remembers.

She couldn’t go into buildings on her tour of OU because of COVID-19 shutdowns. Despite this setback, her parents took her on their own tour of Athens, and she says this is what sold her on OU.

While her family is full of Bobcats, she never felt pressure to attend OU — she feels it was an automatic connection from the start.

“It was a surreal moment, because I grew up with all these stories, and I always was like, ‘Oh my God, I want to do exactly what my parents did,’ and then I got to see my sister go to college there too, and I was like, ‘I want to be a Bobcat.’” Madison said. “When I finally decided to go to college there … I almost feel like it was like a long time coming.”

Madison says some of her favorite moments are when her whole family comes to OU, and she sees how her parents cherish it the most.

“Every time they come down, they are so happy,” Madison said. “You can tell they’re just reminiscing, and there’s so much nostalgia for them.”

For the Buricks, it seems the way Athens has stayed the same is what makes it so special, and Madison won’t shy away from showing her own kids her fond feelings of OU in the future.

“Definitely growing up, I’m gonna bring them there … but let them make their own choice,” Madison said. “I’ll be like, ‘Just so you know, being a Bobcat is the best thing in the world.’”

Post-SB1: While OU protects itself, queer students protect each other

SB1 is far from over. Thread talked to queer students on campus to see what a post-SB1 campus is really like, who they trust, and the future community they’re building.

What is the cost of institutional compliance? For Ohio University, the current balance sheet reads: at least 21 staff positions, 11 academic programs, and three identity centers. But the damage done to queer students may cost more.

The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, or Senate Bill 1, includes a lengthy list of policy changes regarding faculty workload, union power, civic literacy courses, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI.

After the Ohio Senate passed SB1 on Feb. 12, 2025, OU President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and Executive Vice President and Provost Donald J. Leo said, “We must, and will, remain committed to fulfilling our institutional mission and to effectively supporting faculty and student success and retention.”

Governor Mike DeWine signed SB1 into law on March 28, 2025. OU, like all public universities in Ohio, ultimately complied with all SB1 mandates, rendering the presence of spaces like OU’s Pride Center, Multicultural Center, and Women’s Center grounds for the state to withhold funding.

A year later, rumblings of OU’s commitment to its students can still be heard in official press statements, but students on campus feel far from supported. Instead, queer students feel abandoned and frustrated by the university’s complacency.

One of those students is Silas Graser, a sophomore studying wildlife and conservation biology, as well as sociology. Graser is the president of Gamma Rho Lambda, a multicultural and queer sorority on campus, and helps organize events for queer students.

BY OLIVIA LEGGANS ILLUSTRATIONS BY MINJOON LEE DESIGN BY GRACE CALLAHAN

“Speaking personally — like not representing anything — it was really hurtful to see how the university responded; there were other schools that took a stance against it,” Graser said. “Even if they did comply, they were open about it and open about not wanting to comply. And it really felt that our university’s administration, and specifically our president, really just kind of had no backbone.”

Libby Bulanda, a junior studying environmental studies, felt similarly.

“But it does feel like they really didn’t try very hard to figure out a solution,” Bulanda said. “It is frustrating because I think the compliance thing does just become kind of an excuse.”

Before SB1, the Pride Center on the third floor of Baker University Center served as a safe, social space to learn about events or resources and speak with staff who were specifically tapped into the queer experience. More broadly, the center was a visible signal that queer people were welcome, supported, and protected at OU.

“Those were spaces that were for us and made us feel equal,” Graser said. “Like, sort of, the

equality versus equity thing. Us having a Pride Center made us equitable on this campus.”

Bulanda said that the center “just disappeared” after SB1.

“It almost feels like the Pride Center never happened,” Bulanda said. “The university doesn’t talk about it. It’s very hard to get support.”

Queer students’ main frustrations centered on the administration’s lack of transparency and indifference to student well-being.

Graser said that he understands OU’s responsibility to maintain funding and the financial consequences of failing to comply with SB1. However, it was the university’s silent submission that stung most.

“The complete willingness to just lay down and die, essentially, was really upsetting as a trans student and as a queer student,” Graser said, “and I can’t imagine how other marginalized students felt, too. There was no pushback.”

In an April 29, 2025, statement, President Gonzalez outlined the university’s priorities: “Building and supporting a sense of belonging within our university community is absolutely

community to organize ourselves.”

A familiar dynamic emerged as students tried to rebuild their support system: when

… is that just, kind of no one knows what is happening, and no one knows that these clubs, most of the time, even exist.”

Bulanda said that even with social media and posters, membership and attendance rates have notably dropped post-SB1. Bulanda felt that queer student organizers would have appreciated it if the university offered to “provide visibility and help advertise events.”

“We’ve also kind of lost, to an extent, some of this sort of word-of-mouth talking about what things are going on, … it’s just all these isolated organizations,” Bulanda said.

For Graser, however, his frustration with the university has motivated him to take Gamma Rho Lambda’s programming into his own hands, and it is working.

“I think it’s kind of having us come back bigger. … That, for me, is out of spite,” Graser said.

While some students felt deeply hurt by OU’s lack of action concerning SB1, by continuing to foster a queer community without the university’s input, queer students could regain the power and agency they desire. While this is far from fair, it is the current reality for several public universities post-SB1.

“We’ve worked with some university offices, and they’re just so limited in what they’re allowed to do and say now, so working with student orgs is really the best path,” Graser said.

Dawson also looked outside the university’s reach and ventured to the United Campus Ministry. In addition to free weekly meals, UCM hosts game nights, craft-making sessions, and collaborates with several local, likeminded groups, including some student organizations.

“[UCM] has given me a great perspective of being able to see people who are not within the university, also, and meet people who are not students, which I think is something that gives me hope,” Dawson said.

Dawson was not the only one who held onto hope. While it was likely difficult to forge support systems for queer OU students, particularly on a campus that gutted the sole space made for queer support, Bulanda maintained confidence in the community.

“I do feel hopeful. I think students are organizing. It’s just harder now,” Bulanda said. “But I think, you know, we’ve always been here. We’ll always be

here. Yeah, and, you know, we’re going to keep throwing events for people to come to.”

In some ways, Graser, Bulanda, and Dawson’s retellings of their experiences with SB1 were disheartening and revealed that overreliance on institutions can leave many powerless or stunt their growth.

In other ways, their persistent hope for selfactualized progress and their trust in the power of community were the silver rays that lined their narratives. OU may have cut program spending and secured future state funding, yet it lost the trust of many students and staff in the process. Nevertheless, queer communities persist at OU.

“I think that [independent student organizing] allows it to be more subversive,” Dawson said. … “If you subscribe to this idea of queer that I think a lot of people do, which is not just being gay, not just being trans, … I don’t think it’s just sexuality or identity, but it’s being against forms of oppression, being against mainstream culture, and what is sold to you, … and being intentionally rooted in a community.”

“It does feel like they really didn’t try very hard to figure out a solution. It is frustrating because I think the compliance thing does just become kind of an excuse.”

FULL-COVERAGE FASHION: ARE CONSERVATIVE CLOTHING TRENDS A SIGN OF REGRESSION?

BY LAUREN STIDHAM ILLUSTRATION BY SULLY POTTER DESIGN BY GEORGIA BOOTH

The miniskirt, a ‘60s closet staple and spearhead for women’s social progress, kicked off decades of women challenging norms with what they wear. Yet, in recent years, fashion seems to be heading a different direction, and it appears to be looking backward.

A slew of social media trends are encouraging longer hemlines and higher necklines — with names such as “trad-wife aesthetic,” “quiet luxury,” “clean-girl aesthetic,” and “coastal granddaughter aesthetic.” Are these styles simply following the cyclical nature of fashion, or are they indicators of a shift toward more traditional times?

Lisa Williams, a professor of instruction and program coordinator for the retail and fashion merchandising program at OU, has a master’s degree from Virginia Tech in textile science. Williams said that clothing has always served a functional role in the world around us, but also noted that it serves a deeper meaning for many.

“It is a way to express their personality and their likes and dislikes and attitudes about the world, and it’s also a form of art too,” Williams said. “So, those that are creating fashion and designing have a way to express their fashion sense and to try to express their feelings in a wearable form of art that someone with a similar attitude could use as well.”

Trends begin in many ways, and are often a reflection of what’s happening in the world around us.

“Pretty much anything happening in the world can influence trends. We see, definitely, art; it’s going to influence heavily, but music, sports, anything going on geopolitically is going to influence fashion at the time,” Williams said.

“I think a lot with social media and this tradwife [aesthetic], the more conservative kind of feeling in our country and other countries as well, I think, is what’s the big push for this.”

Fashion forecasting is a resource brands use to predict trends before they emerge. WGSN, a fashion forecasting company, made a prediction that a key shopper priority in 2024 would be “choiceful shopping,” where shoppers

stick to brands they trust, possibly reflecting the safer silhouettes seen in these recent trends.

Another key trend they predicted was “living for longevity,” which included a desire for shoppers to invest in their long-term health and wellness — making it clear why consumers could be returning to the security of more familiar circumstances.

They predicted that a key shopper value in 2025 would be “spaving,” or that consumers would look for ways to yield the most use from their purchases. This has manifested in recent trends featuring layering and capsule wardrobes.

Another priority they predicted was “vibecession spending,” where shoppers search for “meaning and stability amid global economic volatility.” This, similar to “living for longevity,” presented itself in trends that value more stable or submissive lifestyles, along with the conservative clothing choices seen in the tradwife aesthetic and coastal granddaughter trend.

Many companies use these trend forecast reports. Williams said that while discernment within their customer base is essential to maintaining loyalty, some brands ultimately favor the promise of profit that comes from adopting trending styles.

“Their driving force is definitely being able to make profit and compete against other retailers that are in their realm. So, I don’t know that they are necessarily consciously

“Clean-girl aesthetic’ is just an aesthetic. I think that it’s just people wanting to seem like they have their life put together, but in all actuality, do we really know someone does just because they post and look like they do?”

choosing to cover people up more,” Williams said.

Consumers have made their search for fashion stability and consistency clear. So, it is no surprise that social media has reflected these feelings.

“We won’t really know until we see where this goes. If it trends towards even more modesty, then I could say it’s more of an influence of the current environment versus just recycling another trend that was from 20 years ago,” Williams said.

Caitlin Whelan, a senior studying marketing with a minor in retail and fashion merchandising, has seen how trend-cycling can help the fashion industry learn from previous fashion failures.

“One thing that I find really cool about (fashion) is there’s no right or wrong answer to building a wardrobe; but definitely I think people see that through trends, … what’s right and what’s wrong,” Whelan said.

Whelan has seen a number of celebrities and influencers steer the shift toward conservative and simple styles.

“One that’s definitely always going to be kind of like an it girl in my eyes, and has continued to be, is Hailey Bieber,” Whelan said. “I think she really carved out what ‘clean-girl aesthetic’ was and how popular that really became. I think she also did this as she was paired with Rhode, her brand, and somehow she blended skincare and fashion and created a whole aesthetic out of it, which I think was something so impressive for an individual to do.”

Whelan did not see all of these trends as inherently bad, but she did note that, for her, it is easy to see through this seamless on-screen facade.

“Clean-girl aesthetic’ is just an aesthetic. I think that it’s just people wanting to seem like they have their life put together, but in all actuality, do we really know someone does just because they post and look like they do?” Whelan said.

Whelan found cause for real concern with some of these trends.

- Caitlin Whelan

“I think the perfect example of this is @ ballerinafarm and her aesthetic of being the tradwife, and having all the children, and living on a farm, and giving up her dream to be a wife, … I do think it is a little regressive for women today, because it’s romanticizing a life that we

kind of fought to not normalize,” Whelan said.

Whelan has also seen brands shift toward conservative styles, noting Abercrombie & Fitch’s rebrand to sleeker, but subdued aesthetics.

“I’m not necessarily seeing crop tops in there anymore,” Whelan said. “I’m seeing more modest, forwardfacing clothing that’s for people’s everyday needs … I think that’s just how they shifted into their core customer base, and since we are …in that core customer base, it’s clear that our generation is trying to dress to kind of fit more of that clean girl, but also just polished aesthetic.”

Brands like Abercrombie & Fitch are not only adopting more modest silhouettes but also opting for neutral color palettes and simpler designs. These conservative clothing patterns are not necessarily top-down trends from large corporations; they also have roots in consumer preference shifts. Bella Hall, a senior studying communications with a minor in marketing and certificates in social media and advertising, has seen these changes firsthand.

“I think it’s losing individuality just because everyone’s wearing the same thing. What I think is that this is a trend, but it’s for you to use it with your personal taste,” Hall said.

Hall grew up in Chicago and saw how adaptations of these trends differ depending on location.

“City-wise, I do feel like they add a little of their own (style) to it because they want to stand out.”

Despite a loss of variation within trends, Hall did not see these silhouette changes as a sign of social regression. She said that the recent coastal granddaughter aesthetic incorporates “classy pieces that are very gender

fluid — where you can have pants and a button up, or a T-shirt and a jacket or something over your shoulders.”

Hall also mentioned how women have been adapting traditional menswear, with tailored suits, button-ups, and blazers. Hall saw this as a way for women to use men’s fashion to assert their own authority in spaces.

With the more professional and sleek styles, Hall said, there are current pressures for people to present themselves perfectly on social media.

“Right now, I do say it’s more formal and … you need to look the part,” Hall said. “Social media really influences that, because no matter what you’re going to be sharing … lots of people want to share them looking the part and feeling the part.”

Amid the current changing times, it’s common for people to convey their feelings with the clothing they wear, and Williams predicted this happening within these current online aesthetics.

“I think there’s some insecurity there in terms of unknowns that are going on in the world, and I think being more modest tends not to make you stand out as much … I think that might be kind of an influence too, that people are unsure right now, and this is a way to kind of hunker down a little bit.”

Coming Out the Other Side of Culture Shock

BY SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY ILLUSTRATION BY MINJOON LEE DESIGNS BY ELLA HUELSKAMP

Recent reports cite 1,045 international students studying at Ohio University and the university sending nearly the same number of students abroad. Each group must adjust to new living environments, classroom settings, and cultural norms, and each is guaranteed to change in the process.

The four years of college are some of the most formative a young adult can experience. Between moving to a new city, adapting to different classroom expectations, and getting to know a brand new circle of friends, the culture of university is designed to change students for the better. Within the college experience falls the possibility of studying abroad, which is arguably the most life-changing element a school can offer.

In June 2025, UNESCO reported that 6.9 million students worldwide pursue higher education outside of their home countries. According to the Institute of International Education, “U.S. colleges and universities hosted 1.2 million (1,177,766) international students in the 2024/2025 academic year.” As of Fall 2025, approximately 1,045 of those students found a home at Ohio University.

One of those students is Thien Pham, a senior studying

communication studies. Originally from Vietnam, Pham knew she wanted to attend university in another country and, after some research, found OU to be an affordable option with the best offerings for her major. Pham began experiencing culture shock almost immediately upon arriving in the United States, a country she had never visited before. One of the first things she noticed was her habit of converting American currency to Vietnamese dong in her head while purchasing anything.

“I was like, ‘I don’t know if that’s a good price or not, because I keep doing the math in my head,’” Pham said.

In addition to differences in the grocery store, Pham also experienced culture shock in the classroom.

“I’m not someone who’s good at speaking up,” Pham said. “That was a huge culture shock when I first came to classes here; everybody just spoke what was on their mind. … They are very active in group discussions,

I knew that I wanted to get the most that I could out of an experience like this, and to be able to learn as much about Spanish-speaking communities, the language, the culture, as I could.

-ZOE REID

”

and I was sitting there saying nothing.”

Over time, Pham learned to adapt to the highly social academic culture in American universities and found ways to motivate herself.

“I feel like if I’m not speaking up, I will fall behind,” she said.

Tin Vuong, a senior studying computer science, is also originally from Vietnam and experienced culture shock in the American classroom. However, Vuong was no stranger to this feeling, having attended high school in Australia.

“When I was in grade nine, my relatives from Australia visited my family in Vietnam, and they were like, ‘We can provide housing if you guys want to study abroad,’ so my family just sent me over,” Vuong said.

During his first stint studying abroad, there was a noticeable shift in academic expectations, but Vuong’s community experience was not too dissimilar from his childhood in Vietnam.

“I went to the Asian hub of Sydney,” Vuong said. “That’s where lots of Vietnamese people live, so it didn’t seem much different.”

On the other hand, he experienced a substantial change in Sydney’s classroom culture. While living in Vietnam, school began at 7 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m. When he began attending high school in Australia, the schedule was more akin to the American high school schedule of taking classes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

After earning his high school diploma down under, Vuong decided to pursue higher

education in the U.S.

“I came to OU because I was looking at universities in Australia, and they were too expensive for international students, and HTC (Honors Tutorial College) was a full-ride scholarship and was the only one that I could afford throughout Australia and America,” Vuong said. “I go where the money goes.”

Despite experiencing the same difference between his current classrooms and his early school in Vietnam, he is used to the more competitive pace at his Australian high school.

“In my freshman year [of college], things didn’t seem quite right,” Vuong said. “I wasn’t adapting to the pace very well. I was like, ‘Everything’s so slow.’”

Although the less intense atmosphere in Athens was an adjustment for Vuong, he grew to enjoy it after finding means of self-motivation; he picked up playing the piano again, after having learned as a child from his mother, who was a piano teacher. He also learned how to ice skate, which he said is something he will miss when he moves to California for his job after graduation.

“I’d say, continue doing what you love, studying more about what you like, and that’ll help you stay on top of things,” Vuong advised anyone adjusting to culture shock while studying abroad.

This advice doesn’t only apply to international students studying at OU. In addition to hosting

over a thousand international students, the OU Office of Global Opportunities estimated 937 American Bobcats studied abroad during the 2024-25 school year.

In the spring of 2024, Zoe Reid, a senior from a suburb of Toledo studying Spanish and Spanish education, studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although Reid’s major required her to participate in a 5-week-long program, she decided to live abroad for the whole spring semester.

“I knew that I wanted to get the most that I could out of an experience like this, and to be able to learn as much about Spanish-speaking communities, the language, the culture, as I could,” Reid said.

Reid anticipated the language barrier as a potential culture shock during her semester abroad, but she faced it head-on and ended up improving in her field of study.

“[Studying abroad] helped me a lot in my Spanish abilities that transfer … from using the language just to overall life skills, like being patient, not feeling the need to be in a rush all the time, taking things a little bit more slowly and giving myself more grace as I’m living this life for the first time, as is everybody else,” Reid said.

Something Reid didn’t expect was the difference she felt living in an urban environment for the first time.

“I was not used to relying on public transport and deciding how to take the bus and the subway getting to and from places, so that was something that really took a long time to adjust to,” Reid said.

Conversely, Vuong had to adjust to life without advanced public transportation when he arrived in Athens.

“Everything used to be so walkable in Australia and Vietnam; now we have to drive everywhere, and it takes like hours,” Vuong said.

In addition to different transportation norms, Vuong described the culture in the U.S. as more

outgoing, with strangers who are more likely to initiate conversations than those in Australia.

Pham cited a similar culture in Vietnam, where she experienced reverse culture shock upon returning home for a visit.

“When you are on the street, and you see someone, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I love your outfit,’ and they’re like, ‘Oh, thank you,’ even though we don’t know each other, that’s not something we do in Vietnam,” Pham said. “I forgot that I was in Vietnam and I did that, and they looked at me like [I was] someone not nice, someone with bad intentions.”

As this incident proves, Pham found herself becoming more outgoing over the past four years.

“I learned how to do small talk, which is a huge aspect of the culture here,” Pham said. “I learned … [my] personality here, I’m kind of more outgoing now, more confident.”

Vuong has noticed a similar shift in his own personality while attending OU, finding himself becoming more involved with his community on campus.

“I socialize much more,” Vuong said. “I go to more student clubs and stuff, I became an officer of two clubs — computer science and cybersecurity clubs.”

Reid also found herself socializing in new ways while studying abroad, often in the process of exploring a new city and learning how to navigate unfamiliar environments.

“I was very fortunate to have really amazing strangers helping me out, and I’m sure they realized that I was an international student … so they were very patient and forgiving in that experience,” Reid said.

Reid advises anyone planning on studying abroad to be open to trying new things and to take things step by step.

“Improve the language,” Pham advised. “I feel like the language will help you get access to so many sources out there.”

BACK OF THE CLOSET

An in-depth look at today’s most buzz-worthy topics.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

BY SKYE DENSON ILLUSTRATION BY ABBY STANLEY DESIGN BY EMILY PETERTONJES

Imagine making one small decision, taking a road home, accepting a job offer, or staying in instead of going out, and that small choice changes the trajectory of your life. This concept, often known as the butterfly effect, describes a situation, action, or change that does not seem important, yet has cascading effects. Many do not realize the butterfly effect’s influence on daily life. With every decision made, there are hundreds of consequences that can follow. What would your life be like if you took a different road home or decided not to go out?

For Tammie Scott, owner of Nostalgia Wine and Jazz Lounge in Cincinnati, one decision changed everything. The butterfly effect played a major role in the choices she has made and the success she has garnered. Scott originally built her career around sports marketing, attending Ohio University for her undergraduate degree and Howard University for graduate school. While living in Washington, D.C., an unexpected interest caught her attention, leading her into a field she had no idea would change her life.

“I started working at the NFL Players Association, where I was for seven years, while in D.C. And part-time, I did, like, social media marketing for different bars in the city, like downtown,” Scott said. “That’s where I really kind of became interested in nightlife and the bar scene.”

While Scott’s journey led her to entrepreneurship, the butterfly effect can also appear in smaller everyday decisions. Abigail Waechter, a senior studying strategic communications at OU, attributed her experience with the butterfly

effect and her success with her freshman roommates’ extracurricular activities.

“If I didn’t have her as a roommate, I probably would have had a totally different trajectory of my college career,” Waechter said.

For Waechter, she found her drive, started trusting herself, and was able to secure herself an internship during her freshman year. Waechter said that being placed with her freshman roommate motivated her to start her resume, join clubs, and get involved within the community.

“Because my roommate was a College of Business student, she dragged me along to career fairs and professional development events,” Waechter said. “She showed me the College of Business resume template, told me to get LinkedIn and start thinking about internships.”

For others, the butterfly effect appears through unexpected moments that shape their passions and outlook on life. According to Chris Pyle, owner of Donkey Coffee in Athens, one moment from his childhood ended up influencing the path his life would take.

“I’m going to go with when John Lennon from the Beatles was assassinated. That was when I was 11, and I had no idea who they were,” Pyle said. “I remember seeing my bus driver crying that day, and I had never seen a grown person cry before.”

All these simple decisions, and the experiences that came with them, influenced the trajectory of these individuals’ lives, ultimately defining their identities.

For Pyle, the death of John Lennon introduced him to different forms of art, religion, and social justice. This experience enabled him to branch out and try new things outside of his norm.

“It opened my door to so many different things,” Pyle said. “I started reading books about them (The Beatles) and the journalism around them, and it made me a huge reader. I also started playing guitar and bass, and from that day on, I was always in a band.”

For Scott, changing career paths from sports marketing to the food and service industry, though difficult, was an eye-opening experience. Not only did it force her out of her comfort zone, but she was also able to apply her knowledge to something she was passionate about.

“I could have stayed in New York managing athlete clients, but I chose to follow something I felt passionate about,” Scott said. “Whenever I would come back home, I felt like every place had the same wine list … and I saw it as an opportunity to create a space that really put those underrepresented brands in front of consumers.”

These testimonies are a reminder that life rarely follows a narrow path. The butterfly effect, even though often not thought of, can truly decide someone’s future. As each person reflected on their experiences, here’s what they had to say about what could have been:

“Even if something doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean you failed — it just means you found another direction to go in,” Scott said.

“Don’t think too much about it,” Waechter said. “The universe has a plan, and everything is going to work out the way it’s supposed to. So just trust yourself, trust your gut, and everything is going to be OK.”

“I’m not really someone who looks back and thinks about what I would change. I see it more as, this is the choice that I made, and now this is what’s happened because of it — whether the consequences are good or bad,” Pyle said.

So, while the butterfly effect began with the theory that butterflies can flap their wings in one location and cause a storm in another, the truth is slightly more nuanced. Overthinking every minuscule decision is no way to live, but underestimating the gravity of our daily choices could hold us back from truly growing.

BY LAUREN BARNA

ILLUSTRATION BY ABBY STANLEY

DESIGN BY ALYSSA KISZCZAK

We’ve seen many pop stars come and go, either producing hit after hit in their prime or joining the many one-hit wonders. Artists like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande consistently evolve with each era of music they produce, often topping charts with each album release. Swift and Grande enter new eras alongside their latest work to keep them relevant, yet other artists are often lost in the mix of new releases.

Just because some artists fall out of relevancy and into their “flop era” does not mean they lack talent or a future in the music industry; all they need is the proper rebrand. Following cookie-cutter pop star formulas will not take them anywhere. The key is finding a singular, niche style that differentiates them from the crowd, while still sharing their genuine and, often, universally human experiences.

In the last few years, two artists have had particularly notable reincarnations from the ashes into viral success: Zara Larsson and Charli XCX.

In 2017, Zara Larsson’s name was all over the charts and global radio stations with hits like “Lush Life,” “Never Forget You,” and “Symphony.” Although she released several albums after her huge successes, she became absent from mainstream media for years.

In August 2024, however, a meme included Larsson’s song, “Symphony,” and revived it as a hit once again. The trend, sometimes called “hopecore,” involved Lisa Frankstyled edits of dolphins jumping out of the water while “Symphony” played.

Larsson saw the opportunity and did not hesitate to take advantage of the situation.

On her TikTok account, Larsson said, “Trying to think of ways to milk this dolphin trend so I can sell out my U.S. tour.”

Embracing sparkly, colorful, and whimsical visuals associated with Lisa Frank’s art style, Larsson used the trend as a springboard for

her rebrand. Larsson released a new album and kicked off an international tour shortly after this resurgence.

Charli not only escaped her flop era but also inspired the summer of 2024 to be dubbed “brat summer” after her hit album. But where was she before the success of this album?

Charli’s breakout song was “I Love It” with Icona Pop. Shortly after, she collaborated with Iggy Azalea on “Fancy.” Both of these collaborations helped launch her career as a pop artist, allowing her to release her first solo success, “Boom Clap.”

By 2018, Charli joined the “Reputation” tour with Swift. While this opportunity could have been a path to commercial success, she remained in the shadows of mainstream pop stars while continuing to release her own music. In 2024, Charli replaced her commercially oriented brand with a lime green, messy party-girl aesthetic as she released her sixth studio album, “brat,” which leaned into electronic dance music.

While Larsson’s serendipitous meme trend and Charli’s luck and rebrand risks were rare cases of reinvention that the public happily embraced, this consistent pattern of rebranding seems to be common and necessary for most successful pop stars, particularly for women. Having a physical and emotional identity that is completely singular seems key to garnering attention in the music industry.

Rebrands can give artists who were once overlooked because of happenstance or lack of opportunity the attention they deserve. Although only one song, album, or meme can revive an artist’s career, modern music streaming innovations make it possible for listeners to engage with an artist’s discography, becoming lifelong fans. Both Charli and Larsson had quick initial burnouts, yet slowly made their way back into the spotlight.

The Court of Public Opinion

n a matter of seconds, one tweet, post, or mistake can take an individual from being respected to being rejected. Cancel culture is a social phenomenon that has been reshaping careers, reputations, and public opinions for years. The question remains: when does it go too far, and when does it change us

From Amber Heard to J.K. Rowling, celebrities have often been subjected to public scrutiny and powerful opinions. Cancel culture has been around since the 1990s, yet it runs rampant in modern discourse. Holly Ningard, a sociology professor at Ohio University, gave her definition of the pop culture term.

“To me, cancel culture refers to an informal method of justice that started decades ago in places like alternative music scenes and other sorts of local subcultures,” Ningard said. “It was a response to when there was abuse or violence happening on the part of, like, some member of the scene, like, ‘oh, this member of a band is known to be quite abusive towards people or towards their partners.’”

BY SKYE DENSON ILLUSTRATIONS BY SULLY POTTER DESIGN BY ELLA HUELSKAMP

Over time, however, the word has changed its meaning. Once serving as a way to hold people accountable for their actions, with the help of technology, it has now become an even bigger social phenomenon. Platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram have allowed criticism to spread quickly.

Riley Brown, a senior studying environmental science and communications at OU, elaborated

on how she views the definition of cancel culture has evolved over time.

“I feel like cancel culture is calling someone out and trying to get them to be held accountable for something they did or didn’t do, and I think it’s evolved into a really media-based sphere,” Brown said. “I feel like we don’t necessarily see it in real life as much as we do on social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram. I think it happens to fall on like a lot of bigger creators, too, from their fans or subscribers.”

Since the popularization of cancel culture, it has become increasingly difficult to discern hate from constructive criticism. Even though cancel culture was originally based on accountability, it seems that in today’s age, it is used more as a way to vent one’s anger.

Nyla Gilbert, a junior studying journalism and strategic communications at OU and the assistant entertainment director of The Post, felt that the line is often blurred between holding someone accountable and permanently damaging someone’s reputation.

“I think certain moments in popular culture have used cancel culture as a tool to harm people’s reputation and have been a way for hate,” Gilbert said. “But I think there’s more of a pros and cons thing with any type of evolution of any movement that happens. I think there will always be incidents that happen. I think it’s just a personal responsibility for every person who interacts on the Internet to kind of crack down on that.”

Once the public makes up its mind, it can seem impossible to get back into its good graces. Public backlash can lead to the loss of jobs, friends, sponsorships, and education opportunities. This can make it difficult for many to learn from their mistakes, repair their reputations, and do better, which is theoretically the goal of cancel culture proponents.

“I feel like cancel culture is the punishment without the reintegration,” Ningard said. “Rather than to shame somebody in a productive way — if you think that shame can be productive — it’s a way to say ‘you did something bad and we’re just going to push you out,’ but then there’s no ‘come back to the group,’ you know? So, I think that in that regard, it does become almost similar to vigilante justice where there’s just this pushing out without bringing things back.”

Can people actually change after being cancelled? The public has debated this in the comments for years. The answer is: no one truly knows. Maybe, if cancel culture proponents celebrated genuine efforts to grow rather than policing human imperfections, then real change without lasting damage could be possible.

“I do not think the same way I thought in high school. … I don’t think the same way I thought in middle school,” Gilbert said. “I can’t imagine being a childhood actor and being on the prime of the internet before there were regulations and just tweeting whatever. … Now it’s 2026, and tweets resurface from me in 2013 before I went through any training and therapy … and now it is completely cracking down on my career.”

While it is clear that people change, Brown felt that changes made in the wake of cancel culture are not always pure.

“I think in some cases, yes, (people can change). I do feel like maybe those cases are a little bit rarer than they would be for the opposite,” Brown said. “I think a lot of people who get canceled are more worried about the fact that they were called out rather than the fact that they were wrong.”

ROOM TO GROW

BY RYAN DODD

ILLUSTRATION BY MINJOON LEE

DESIGN BY MARIS CORDIAL

Close your eyes and picture your childhood bedroom. Maybe there were stuffed animals on the bed, posters covering the walls, or glow-in-thedark stars stuck to your ceiling.

For many, childhood bedrooms are not just places to sleep, but birthplaces of identity and safe spaces for imaginations to run wild.

A child’s bedroom is a space where children start to express their interests, develop hobbies, and learn more about themselves as individuals. From posters and decor to toys and books , bedrooms can reveal how children spend their time and what they find important.

Some may use their rooms to read or finish homework, while others may use their rooms as a creative outlet to escape into their own world. For most, however, a childhood bedroom is the first spot that allows a child independence, privacy, and agency, making their home feel like their own.

This sense of ownership over their own space is important for a child while growing up. When a child feels like something is “theirs,” it gives them a sense of control, building their confidence and supporting their identity development.

sociology and criminology, remembered her bedroom clearly. Carocci said that she was about 5 years old when she recalled her most memorable childhood bedroom.

Carocci had her own bedroom, which she described as small but filled with decorations and belongings that reflected her attitude and interests as a child.

“My bedroom was pretty small,” Carocci said. “I had two dressers, a closet against the wall, and then my queen-sized bed with a bed frame and a fan.”

Carocci’s room did not stick to a specific theme, but simply reflected the things she enjoyed as a child. Carocci said that her walls were painted her favorite color, teal, and floral pictures filled her room because of her love of flowers.

“ My bedroom reflected my personality of being very bubbly,” Carocci said.

As Carocci’s style changed over the years, she said she is a “neutral-color person now” and she would not choose her childhood designs today, but her personality that originally shone through still remains.

“I am still pretty friendly and bubbly, and that’s kind of the vibe my room gave off,” Carocci said.

Maria Carocci, a sophomore studying

Carocci’s story explains how childhood

bedrooms serve as early indicators of budding personalities. Small details that may seem insignificant, like favorite colors and images, are actually design choices that can reveal how a child views themselves and their interests.

Children are often free to like what they like without overthinking it, and their bedrooms show it.

Popular trends may change, but personal expression in childhood bedrooms is not a modern phenomenon. In the 1980s, Michelle Stephens, a registered dietitian, shared a bedroom with her younger sister, yet both sisters had the space and vision to make it their own.

Stephens described the room as divided but simple. Each side let the sisters express themselves individually.

“The walls were pink, the carpet was gray, and we had two twin beds in the same room, and we each had one side of the room,” Stephens said.

“The walls were pink, the carpet was gray, and we had two twin beds in the same room, and we each had one side of the room”

Michelle Stephens

Stephens said her personal style still came through in how she decorated the room.

“It was the ‘80s, so it would change,” Stephens said. “We would have posters on the wall like Strawberry Shortcake, Cabbage Patch Kids, and then as we got older, it changed to Debbie Gibson, George Michael, and Tiffany.”

Some dismiss childhood obsessions and adolescent quirks as unserious or inconsequential. However, providing children with the safety and freedom to express their personalities and explore their identities is a vital service that will benefit them long after they leave their childhood bedrooms behind.

As personalities change and phases wane, memories of childhood bedrooms may shapeshift into unrecognizable scenes or cringe-worthy phases. Regardless, nurturing the eras of childhood that unfold within bedroom walls is fundamental in fostering children who morph into confident, one-ofa-kind adults.

The Melbourne Fashion Festival

Creativity Through Sustainability

As the Melbourne Fashion Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary, this year’s festival highlights creativity while placing an important emphasis on fashionable sustainability.

Since its inception in 1996, the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival has thrilled audiences both nationally and worldwide, a vibrant celebration of the innovation found in Australia’s fashion capital, Melbourne, Victoria. For three decades, the festival has featured top Australian designers, while also paving the way for incoming Australian fashion talent.

Festival founder Jeff Kennet said that he wanted to “build up hope in the community and promote the concept of fashion in Melbourne.”

Robert Buckingham, the festival’s founding and creative director until 2003, said that the festival was part of Melbourne’s efforts to build its “reputation as an event and cultural capital,” by creating something consumer-focused and revolutionary.

Inaugural chairman Craig Kimberly said that it wasn’t an “internal trade show; it was for the people,” emphasizing the link between consumers and the fashion industry, as well as supporting Melbourne’s local designers in the process.

This year, from Feb. 14-28, the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary. Bringing together more than 90 designers and 12 unique runway experiences, the festival carries on the legacy of highlighting Australian artistry globally.

This year’s theme was “Fashion as a Spectator Sport,” and, as the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival wrote on their official website, “Fashion is a game of skill and flair, and it will have you on the edge of your seat.” Hosted at the Royal Exhibition Building, this year’s festival highlighted the entertainment aspect of fashion, how fashion is thrilling and exciting, like watching a sports game at an arena.

This theme was highlighted in this year’s creative, innovative, and culturally relevant designs, such as the “Beyond Blak Runway,” which featured designs from First Nation designers and artisans. The runway was curated by Mob in Fashion, a program founded to help First Nation creatives while also addressing the

issue of severe Indigenous underrepresentation in the industry.

The festival included premium runways, exhibitions, performances, screenings, and workshops. But behind the massive spectacle of the festival, their spotlight on sustainable fashion shone brighter.

According to an article by Seamless Australia, an organization devoted to improving clothing sustainability, around 220,000 tons of clothing ended up in Australian landfills in 2024 and continued in 2025. While 7% more clothing was recycled in 2024 compared to 2023, sustainability within the fashion industry as a whole has room for improvement.

In 2026, the Melbourne Fashion Festival held an event in collaboration with the Savers thrift store. Savers provided materials, and artists were challenged to create their designs out of Savers’ unsold stock. Designers such as Amy Cottrell, Candice, Cakey Sportsman, Corcorancorin, Nofunović, Pocket Money, Posture Studio, and Shiyo participated in this event.

BY DAVID ASAMOAH

ILLUSTRATIONS BY GRACE CALLAHAN DESIGN

BY

GRACE CALLAHAN

According to an article from Australian publication Green Magazine, Michael Fisher, Managing Director at Savers Australia, believed that the collaboration helped Australians “express their individuality, while also making conscious, sustainable fashion choices.”

“At Savers, we believe fashion doesn’t need to be new to be inspiring,” Fisher said. “This runway is about showcasing the creativity that can come from reimagining what already exists.”

The New Again: Metamorphosis Runway vs. Savers event highlighted how designers can utilize their talent in a way that is environmentally

friendly, and also allows opportunities for designers to explore their creativity at the highest level. It honors the vision of the festival’s founders by carrying the spirit of innovation and creativity, while being conscious of a relevant issue in today’s world.

This runway, along with others featured in this year’s festival, highlighted a hope for the sustainability of fashion and how fashion is not only a form of entertainment but a powerful vessel for self-expression that, when used with purpose, can shed light on relevant issues and create positive change in the world.

Rant: Your 20s

BY LAUREN BARNA ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE CALLAHAN DESIGN BY GRETCHEN STONER

As young girls watching TV shows and movies, we learned to fantasize about what being in our 20s would look like: living in a big city with our best friends, working our dream jobs, and meeting the person we could spend the rest of our lives with. In college, that fantasy starts to fade the closer we get to graduation, and the reality sets in that life may look slightly different than previously imagined. While in school, we get a slight glimpse into what life after college truly looks like. By the time junior year comes around, dorms are no longer an option, so it’s time for apartment hunting. From affording rent and paying it all on time to grocery shopping and cooking for ourselves every day, three times a day, all on top of academics, the weight of daily life in our 20s can be grueling. This is only a preview of what is to come post-

graduation. In life after college, parties and clubbing exit the frame, and the scary, serious realities take the main stage. Now it is on us to find the proper insurance companies, pay off our student debt, and file our own taxes; all while trying to stay in touch with family and friends. Not to mention that hardly anyone works their dream job straight out of college. We are eager to reach our goals, but this takes time. In the interim, lowly paid internships at the bottom of the totem pole will have to do.

During our 20s, the reality check sets in, and it is time to get our lives together. It often feels as if we do not hustle until we are beyond exhaustion, we risk falling

After our 20s, these feelings of uneasiness and fear of the unknown will likely subside. In our 30s, we may still feel like our lives are not “together,” and the unknown will still loom over us — but, hopefully, we will know that despite reality’s distance from our teenage fantasies, we have the knowledge, experience, and confidence to build the lives we want.

Rave: Your 20s

BY GABRIELLE CABANES

ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE CALLAHAN DESIGN BY GRETCHEN STONER

People often talk about looking back fondly on different eras of their lives. While some people say high school was the best time for them, this period of my life was filled with self-doubt and anxiety.

Having gone to a very small, affluent, and highly ranked high school, I often spent time comparing myself to the people I sat with in class. Conversations were focused on where you were spending winter break or what prestigious college you had a connection with. Friends were chosen on proximity or common interests, not always because they liked you as a person.

My 20s and coming to Ohio University have been quite the opposite. I’ve learned to say “no” to things that don’t make sense for me and be fiercely passionate about the things that do. I’ve learned to stop caring about what other people think, and despite attending one of the most well-known “party schools” in the state,

I’ve learned to test my limits, while ultimately respecting them and choosing my own peace. I’ve learned to find friends who can have difficult conversations and whose morals align with mine in a world filled with such a lack of empathy. Ultimately, I’ve learned that your 20s can be exactly what you want them to be. Many often characterize this time as uncertain. I think it’s the perfect time to learn exactly what kind of person you are and who you want to be. It’s the time to have an eagerness for life and work so incredibly hard to get there.

Your 20s are your time to build your life the way you deserve to have it built. Don’t waste those years worrying about what others think about you. Do everything in your power to create a beautiful journey for yourself, and don’t forget to enjoy it along the way.

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