Chucks

A thick layer of “frat sludge” covers every fraternity basement at Wake Forest. This grey-tinged mixture of alcohol, mud, and god knows what else leaves less-than-desirable stains on footwear. So what’s a party girl to do?

Invest in a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors. At least, that’s the solution Wake Forest's Greek women turned to. 

With sororities on campus embracing their newest members, expect to see a few more pairs of chucks running around the frat scene. 

As a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, I don our signature blue chucks. At least, I used to until four years of sludge turned them an awful dirty gray color. Now I'm stuck debating if it's worth it to buy a new pair with one semester of college left.

Readers, what do you think? Will I wear my favorite chucks in the real world? Or should I leave this tradition in college alongside 8 a.m. classes and all night dance parties?

Wake Forest Alum Starts Preppy Clothing Line: Southern fROCK

Fashionistas dissatisfied with your current wardrobes, look no further than Southern fROCK for this season’s most-stylish tailgating attire. Drawing inspiration from the laid-back lifestyle of the coastal Carolinas, Southern fROCK’s spring/summer 2010 collection is filled with light-weight fabrics, flattering silhouettes and perfect pieces to transition from a casual lunch date to a night on the town.

The preppy clothing company, best known for vibrant sundresses and chic skirts, was founded by Wake alumna, Amelia Rogers, and her close friend Emily Newman in the fall of 2009. Just three years after starting her career as a kindergarten teacher in Charlotte, NC, Rogers made an impromptu life-changing decision when she spontaneously moved to Charleston, with Newman, a childhood friend and fashion design major who had recently graduated from Meredith College.The pair spent a few months hammering out the details of starting a clothing company, and Southern fROCK was born.

Unfortunately, the company decided to forgo designing a fall/winter women’s wear collection this year. Instead, Southern fROCK is choosing to focus on preparing for the Atlanta Apparel Trade Market in October, giving the company an opportunity to be showcased to wholesale buyers alongside popular clothing lines including Vineyard Vines. Additionally, this fall, Rogers and Newman are expanding the company to include a menswear line. “The Tobacco Road” is a collection of men’s clothing inspired by local sports and North Carolina history, scheduled to debut in November.

The company’s original marketing platform was based entirely around digital sales and trunk shows, but boutiques in North Carolina and Georgia recently started carrying the line. Click here for store locations. Wake Students, contact senior Rebecca Hinson (hinsre7@wfu.edu) if you'd like to schedule a trunk show for your sorority, group of friends or other organization.


Later this semester, Southern fROCK will be one of the featured brands in  Panhel’s Breast Cancer Fashion Show slated to take place on campus Nov. 1. The line will be modeled in the show alongside other preppy industry staples like Lilly Pulitzer and Southern Proper. I'll post more details about the show when they become available.

For more information about Southern fROCK (or a little online retail therapy), check out the company’s new website: www.southernfrock.com.

Readers, what are your favorite new clothing companies?

North Carolina Bound

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! I've been running around Nashville in a frenzy trying to get ready for college. I promise I'll update later this weekend, but until I settle in to my new room, I want to direct you What Claudia Wore. This Babysitters Club-inspired blog is simultaneously nostalgic and hilarious.

Readers, were y'all BSC fans growing up? Who was your favorite? I was always a Mary Anne girl myself!

P.S. As I drive through the mountains, be sure to check out Gilt Groupe's Target Collaboration preview sale! They'll have pieces from the new Tucker, Mulberry and John Derian diffusion lines for Target. I'm so disappointed I'm missing it.

P.P.S. If you're a Nashville reader, head over to Spaces in Belle Meade for HerNashville's Fashion for a Fraction this Saturday, August 21st.

Wake Forest Exposes Tanning Addiction

I mentioned in an earlier post that my complexion is rather pale. In fact, my skin is so fair I could easily pass as a member of the Cullen family, if it weren't for that whole sparkle-in-the-sun thing. I've come to terms with my coloring and steer clear of tanning beds, which is why this talk of legitimate tanning addiction intrigues me.

Yesterday, my computer came home after making a full recovery from its virus. Naturally, I spent my evening catching up on some of my favorite blogs. This article on Bella Sugar caught my eye when it mentioned my alma mater: "Wake Forest found that frequent tanners actually went through withdrawal when given medicine that blocks the pleasure centers that narcotics usually affect."

Wake Forest researchers? I never knew my school was so interested in the psychologically effects of visiting the tanning bed. If they need any more subjects for their study I know quite a few girls on campus more than qualified to participate.

Readers- do y'all frequent the tanning bed? Do you embrace a Snow White complexion? Or is a fake tan more your style?

Summer Trends on Her Campus

In addition to my blog posts here on Style of a 20 Something, I regularly contribute to HerCampus, an online magazine for college students. This week, my article focuses on this summer's hottest trends. I'll give y'all a teaser, but click here for the full post!

Summer's Heating Up: This Season's Hottest Trends

In the eternal words of Alice Cooper, “School’s out for summer.” Unfortunately, the rock god never offered much in the way of fashion advice. That’s where I come in. Consider me your guide to this summer’s hottest trends. So toss aside Wake’s unofficial uniform—come on, we all know there is one—and get ready to turn up the heat on your wardrobe.

This summer, designers are going native. No, Marc Jacobs isn’t roaming the streets of New York in a loin cloth; instead, summer collections illustrate the influence of African culture and art on modern fashion. From tribal-print fabrics to exotic statement necklaces, this trend infiltrates all categories of clothing from casual loungewear to cocktail attire and accessories. If you’re hesitant about styling this look, start small. Carry an ikat clutch with jeans and a tee or throw a brightly-colored stone necklace over a little black dress. For the more adventurous among you, a bold printed blouse looks great in contrast to a sleek pencil skirt and minimal jewelry.

If you haven’t been outside recently, it’s hot. So hot, in fact, that underwear is now appropriate for outerwear. Tap shorts, corsets, and yards of lace could be found on the runways of heavy hitters Christian Dior and Dolce and Gabbana, but ladies, please keep your outfits PG. Pair lingerie-inspired tops with wide-leg trousers to reduce the hooch factor, and make sure tap shorts are long enough to cover your rear...

For the rest of my article and more styles for summer, head over to HerCampus Wake Forest!