{fashion focus} Showing your true (Pep) colors

Next week, we as a university will be celebrating one heck of a week. With that in mind, I thought I would chat a bit about Homecoming fashion — well not fashion, per se, but Homecoming color.

Our colors are orange and blue — two of the most intriguing hues in the color spectrum. Of course you must wonder, as I did for a while, how the color blue could possibly be interesting — or more so than others.

I was sitting on the beach last weekend watching the sun fall down through the water to the cities beyond my vision and I noticed that orange and blue make up one of the most beautiful color combinations I have ever seen. The gold that was left over from the sun’s last minute rays sparkled across the wet sand as the tide met with the beach — it was then that I saw what beauty was.

The blue hue spanned from white to navy in one fell swoop and immediately I realized all of the emotions that colors could possess. In just a few minutes, the sun went from broiling red to bronze to a yellow tinted blanket across the deep blue of the ocean. And there it was, the feeling of surrender to something beyond my control — the marvelous and definite separation of the water from the sky.

I know Pepperdine’s colors are blue and orange because of the ocean and the orange groves, but I choose to think that it’s the beauty of the ocean as it meets the last hint of day painting a glorious new picture for us to appreciate each day, every day.

Next week we’ll have T-shirts everywhere in various colors of blue and orange — some deep, some muted. Some people will even go all out and get ribbons, pants, jewelry and hats that enhance the occasion. And it will be wonderful. We will be a sea of orange and blue for a week (or at least a game on Wednesday and one on Saturday) showing the beauty of who we are as a united school.

There isn’t much to Homecoming fashion because it just seems to be “whatever goes,” but for one week, people can see who we are. We are a campus on a hill, we love our school and we love the ocean.

And we are lucky.

We are lucky to be where we are, where we can sit on the hill outside Dorm 14 or along the road on Greek Row and stare at the beauty that is Pepperdine.

I guess this wasn’t really about fashion this week, but about what to wear next week. I encourage you to look back in your closet and pull out that old orange tank or sweater and pair it up with some jeans, grab that tattered hat you bought when you were first accepted back in high school and slide it on. Let’s show Gonzaga who we are as a school and go out to support our basketball teams in glorious splendor. We have the opportunity to be a sea of orange and blue — two glorious hues in the spectrum that make up one of the most beautiful color combinations that I have ever seen. After all, there’s just something about that ocean . . .

{originally written for Pepperdine's Graphic newspaper}

{fashion focus} Why not wear your weather?

It's that time of year again, and that we live in the 'bu, we must be prepared for every season - even winter. And since a significant portion of the Pepperdine population is from Seattle, we may rest assured that some of us know what "rain gear" is.

Yes, rain gear.

In the past we have, as a collective whole, been known to wear our flip-flops everywhere. I have even been known to wear them a time or two in rainy San Francisco. But we need to now learn how to wear the weather... That's right: wear the weather.

Let's be honest here, backless shirts went out with August and were, to the dismay of myself and plenty of others I'm sure, worn throughout the month of September. But if this type of apparel were meant to be worn throughout the year, the raincoat would never have been invented, boots would not be in every department store and tiny shoe boutique, and scarves would solely be used as waist ties.

Now you must be wondering what I'm talking about with this "wear the weather" business. I simply mean to say that there is a time and a place for everything, including that Abercrombie mini jean skirt that you scored at half price during a summer sale. But, sadly, the time for those sorts of items is not now.

It's getting cold around here, even when most of us arrived on our heavenly campus a week and a half ago and it was 80 degrees out. Therefore, let's look at what's in our closets that will compliment us and our surrounding temperature. There are really cure bootcut jeans available right now that could take the place of that adorable slit-up-the-front skirt or those shorts that you guys wear that hit between your knee and calf.

As for sweaters, merino wool is the place to be. These fabulous numbers can quickly go over any collared shirt to make a nice, snappy casual outfit and the colors just don't quit. I enjoy a nice black or pink, whereas my brother really likes maroon or grey. Journey out, explore, buy - those babies are on sale now!

I digress, however, back to the rain gear.

Honestly I don't believe anyone I know own any piece. Myself, I have one thing: my automatic umbrella. With the push of a button I'm not "covered in rain" as Johnny Mayer sings, but am totally dry. Hey, with an umbrella there really isn't any need for hats or waterproof jackets.

Nevertheless, the temperature tells us what we should wear, as well as bring with us out the door in the morning. It's the middle of January, wear those bulky sweaters and pea coats - there are way too many good-looking ones out there to not wear them while you can. Let's think about it: if we weren't supposed to wear our weather, the stores would still be full with summer tanks and spring florals.

So wear winter up.

{originally written for Pepperdine's Graphic newspaper}