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Don't Bolo Your Money

photo: Kimberly Le

I’ve noticed that Western bolo inspired necklaces are becoming a trend. Wanting to buy one for myself, I looked them up, and was flabbergasted by the cost of these simple neck ties. They are basically a long string of leather/suede cording with embellishments at the end. On my student budget, I could not justify spending $40-$50 dollars on this Vanessa Mooney Bolo Necklace.

photo: etsy.com

So, I googled... finding more of these bolo necklaces on etsy.com for about $15-20, but it was still more than I was willing to spend. As I was zooming up on every picture, I thought to myself how easy these would be to make! So, I went to the nearest Michael’s arts and craft store. Low and behold, only $7.99 for their Suede Leather Value Pack of nine yards of suede leather cording in three different colors.

photo: michaels.com

Michael’s always has coupons online, so I was able to pull it up on my phone before checking out and used a 40% off on any one regular-price item coupon. My total was a little over $5 for the cording. Each color cording is long enough for one or two neck ties, depending on how short or long you prefer it. I like mine long and wanted it to wrap around at least 2-3 times. 

photo: Kimberly Le

I felt like the cording alone was a little too plain, so I found an old spiked necklace I didn’t wear anymore, took some of those out, and just tied it to the ends of the neck tie to complete the look. So, all in all,  I spent about $11 and was able to make myself six different colored bolo inspired necklaces. So, don’t bolo all of your money away on one necklace when you can just make your own personal bolo neck tie!

- Kimberly Le

A Wicked Play!

photo: Holly Armour

The broadway show Wicked is in town at the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center, which is located less than ten minutes from Orange Coast College. The play tells the untold story of what happened before the The Wizard of Oz, and why the two witches began their infamous feud. 

As a fashion major, the fascinating part about the show was the costuming. After taking History of Fashion at Orange Coast College, I enjoyed and appreciated the costumes in an entirely new light. I loved the show and suggest that anyone make the effort to go see the costumes yourself.

- Holly Armour

Designing with Paul Frank

The OCC Fashion course Design in Everyday Life, taught by plush toy designer Shane Geil, had the awesome opportunity to meet and start a character development project with the one and only Paul Frank, a former OCC student and great supporter of the OCC Fashion department.  Paul frequently creates his own prototypes of characters by wadding up newspaper into shapes and covering them in masking tape. This quick and inexpensive method brings life to the characters that he sketches.

The assignment was to create an animal head that will eventually be painted and mounted on a wooden board like an old style hunting trophy. Some of the animals chosen included a few elephants, a flamingo, a polar bear and even a koi fish. The class was buzzing with excitement and creativity as Paul walked around and gave advice and ideas.

To learn the creative process used by one of Orange County's most successful designers was an amazing experience.  It was an encouraging reminder that designing what is in your heart can be manifested with such simple tools. As a student in the class I am excited to see how mine turns out! This was just one of the many once in a lifetime opportunities given to the creative students in the fashion program here at Orange Coast College.

- Megan Fisher

Rainbow Brights - new hair color hues

Hair colors are as vast as the rainbow itself. These days, you can dye your hair purple, green and everything in between but, it takes a true trend setter to sport the outlandish hair colors that stand out in mainstream society today. 

Walking around the OCC campus, you could peak your head into any room and see colors you only thought you would see in the art center. Some of our classroom decor may lack luster but our students have color covered. While unnatural hair colors may be taboo for those of us in a corporate work environments, it's a relief to know you can join in the fun with something semi-permanent or even with the new trend of hair chalk. 

Personally last year, I attempted to get my own hair a bright vibrant purple, but with dark brown hair it wasn't happening without major damage to my poor little strands. With spray color and rinse out hair chalk you can achieve any fun new daring hair color you choose without looking like your hair has turned to straw. This emerging trend doesn't only come from the students walking out of the fashion department. I've seen numerous students in various classes rocking this chic look and working hard while doing it. 

So, even if your employer frowns upon unnatural hair color, or your parents would simply freak out, you can always try something new and fun and still go back to the original you. Brighten up your hair, brighten up your day, as long as your hair doesn't turn into hay!!

Images and post by Allison Brown