Liz Gnau, what's in your bag? | The Fashion Dungjen

Bonjour and welcome to the first installment of What's in your bag! Liz Gnau, my fellow news editor and a third-year journalism student, was kind and brave enough to volunteer the contents of her mutli-colored, heart-printed tote bag for all to see. What a good woman.


What's inside: three pens, three notebooks, gum, fingerless gloves, the American and English anthologies, a 12-pound set of keys, American Spirit cigarettes and a hot pink wallet.

"I bought [the bag] at Gabriel Brothers for like, $4," Liz said. "It's sturdy enough to carry all of that junk to and from class."

And there you have it. Cheap, durable, reversible and cute. Just the way we like 'em.

Navy, and purple and yellow; Oh my! | The Fashion Dungjen

Most people hate drab, gray days like we had Monday, Oct. 27. The cold weather is a deterrent for some to shut down their desire to dress in fun colors. Not Sharon Stewart, a second-year undecided but leaning-toward-education student. When I spotted Sharon bopping across campus I was instantly energized by her bright outfit.

The navy jacket, purple shirt, yellow pants and green boots aren't colors I think would look hilarious together. But, Sharon proved me wrong.

Oh Karl | The Fashion Dungjen

"Fashion is fashion and art is art. We don’t need art but we cannot live without it. Fashion you need because if not, you are freezing in clothes you need because we cannot run around naked."
-Karl Lagerfeld on FabSugar

A wrinkle in time | The Fashion Dungjen

So no one has to scour the internet to unearth horrendous photographs of me from my not-so-distant youth to air them like sexy, dirty laundry, I have done the work for you. I am outing myself as a former huge fashion buffoon. DISCLAIMER: From time-to-time I am still a fashion buffoon (just ask my mom, she'll tell you), but I am no longer a HUGE fashion dimwit. I think. I hope. That is my self-assessment.

My self-inflicted roast begins.

In high school I thought I was awesome. I mean, I thought I was really awesome. Clearly, I was wrong.

Junior year I turned into a jackrabbit. Circa 2004-05.

My senior year of high school I met the devil and sold my soul to Forever 21. The vest is a thrift store find that I still own. I wore that blue heart necklace every single day. Once, I went to Lake Erie wearing that necklace with a couple out-of-town friends. My entire chest was sun burnt minus the large heart-shaped spot. It was also during my senior year that I created a hairstyle that would stick with me for two years. Circa 2005-06.

The summer before my first year at the University of Cincinnati, I moved to Springboro, Ohio. I had no friends and spent all of my time hanging out with my parents and siblings. Right before I moved, I pierced my lip and colored a portion of my bangs. Circa 2006.

My first year of school was full of bright colors and lots of layers. Note the necklace and hairstyle carried over from high school. Also notice I am wearing nearly the same outfit in each of these photos. I realize I look like Grizzly Adams in the first picture. Thank you. I pierced my septum in January 2007. Circa 2006-07.

This is right after finishing my first year at UC. I stopped wearing my hair like a woman who had been lost in the wilderness for 20 years and tamed my wardrobe. To this day, the vest in the picture continues to be a staple item. Circa 2007.

Prior to meeting its fate and a pair of shears, my hair, when dry and curly, was 18 inches long. It was time for a change so I loped it all off. These photos are from mid-summer 2007. Around this time I lost my septum piercing to a freak misfortune. Literally two days before beginning round two at UC I digested my lip retainer. I was piercing free.

I love the vintage green sweater. It was thrifted somewhere in Cincinnati, maybe Dayton. It looks somewhat like carpet, but that is why I love it so much. The cowboy boots in the second photo, along with the cardigan, were also thrifted- the boots in Cincinnati and the cardigan in Dayton.
This is the last picture I have of myself prior to my camera's suicide. This was taken sometime mid-February. That blue thing in my hair is a pen. It's a habit to always have one tucked behind my ear. I blame it on the journalist in me. These last three pictures are from my second year at UC.

And here we have me, on my first day back in Ohio after two months in Auburn, Ala. This was from the middle, end of August. One of the most recent and legitimate photos I have. That shirt? Vintage: $3.

I think this is a lesson in personal style, which is super important. Though my big curly hair was obnoxious and unkempt, I miss it sometimes.

No swimming in these shoes | The Fashion Dungjen

Today I went to my American Politics class. It was fine, great, awesome. As I half listened to my professor drone on about the only 27 amendments ever made to the Constitution, I noticed my friend Gina Gaetano, a first-year journalism and political science student, was wearing slippers.

Slippers to class? Gina, I thought I taught you better than that.

This is Gina. I really love her chunky red sweater, especially with the super-dark jeans. But, the slipper boots take the comfy-chic ensemble and make it look less put together, dare I say, sloppy.

The boots, while relatively sassy in their own way have been put back together on multiple occasions, according to Gina. She also said she can only wear them outdoors when there is no report of rain; clearly it would be devastating to the house boots. If water will prevent you from wearing these outside, my dear Gina, I'll be right back with a hose. Or a watering can. Or a cup of water. Maybe I'll just shove you into a shower somewhere.

"No swimming in these shoes," she said.

Almost fabulous | The Fashion Dungjen

The day I ran into Alex was the same day I ran into my friend Courey McLemore, a fourth-year journalism student. We met last Winter Quarter in Kathy Wilson's columns and reviews class. I really liked her ensemble the first time she showed up to class and had to comment. Having a fierce vintage bag will help you make friends.

When I first saw Courey crossing in front of Swift Hall on the University of Cincinnati's main campus I loved her sassy outfit. The bright top and bold earrings help to set off her dark (what I originally thought were jeans) and cowboy boots. While I love cowboy boots it's sometimes easy to overdo them in an all-too-Western inspired outfit; you should look as though you are expecting a tumble weed to blow through campus. Courey has it right here. The rest of the outfit is fun but simple. She's able to play down the boots with the solid top making it the statement piece.

I also love Courey's Fendi bag. I'm not big and hell-bent on labels, but I can appreciate a good bag when I see one. If I had to swap bag collections with anyone I knew, Courey would be at the top of my list.

With all the good things to say about what Courey was wearing, it wouldn't be right for me to leave out the fact that I thought her bottoms were really dark skinny jeans. As I've said more times than I can count, leggings are not pants. I've been bamboozled by the pseudo denim, but still, I have to object; leggings are not pants, leggings are not pants, leggings are not pants.

Head scarves | The Fashion Dungjen

I love bumping into old friends on campus. It makes me feel way more important than I am and it's a chance to catch up and maybe miss the first 5 minutes of class. What's even better is when your friend has something fashionable. Luckily I had my camera in tow when I ran into my friend Alex Bailey, a third-year business student.

The scarf tied in Alex's hair is fab. The bold colors added a pop and
interesting accessory statement to her dressed-down outfit.

Close up! I love the color combination and different floral patterns.

Growth from pit | The Fashion Dungjen

In light of today's column, Short strapped purses definite fashion worry, I thought it would be best to actually post the MySpace photo I spend three paragraphs writing about.

At first I was on-the-fence about whether I should actually post the picture; it merits serious mocking. However, last spring I took Columns and Reviews with Kathy Wilson.

"Protect no one," she said on the first day of class. "Incriminate even yourself."

In my defense, I must say my personal style has changed considerably since this photo was taken during my senior year of high school. I have a fashion timeline I can/will dig up and repost on this blog.

Stay tuned!