Pain in the back(pack)

This article in the Chicago Tribune was written by Ellen Warren.  She went to Brooks Middle School in Oak Park to investigate how much kid's backpacks weigh.  Since Warren was also the journalist I interviewed for the journalist interview assignment, I got somewhat of a behind-the-scenes look at this article and particularly enjoyed reading it.  I thought that the overall idea of the article was very interesting, however, I have a few critiques for it.


Warren visited a middle school but talks about teenagers and their back problems when interviewing Dr. Jeffrey Mjaanes from Rush University.  I think that she should have either visited a high school rather than a middle school, or did some better reporting with Mjaanes to find out some statistics about younger children and back pain.


The writing style of Warren seems sarcastic in this article, demonstrated by a couple different quotes including, "Equipped with a bathroom scale and a reporter's snoopy-- I mean inquisitive -- attitude..." and "When I learned that some of these kids walked blocks with their bulging loads to get there ---phew." 


The second quote was a little confusing to me because "phew" is usually used as a word of relief.  I think that Warren could have conveyed the fact that she was surprised that the children walked so far to school in a clearer way.


On a more positive note, I did enjoy Warren's last section of the article.  First she listed the averages and statistics of her experiment, then advice about how to "lighten up" at the store, and then more expert's advice.  However, I think so of the "expert's advice" could have enhanced the article and some of the information could have been incorporated into the piece, such as the part about "ignoring peer pressure and using backpacks with wheels." 


Pain in the back(pack)

Fake them out with fabulous faux

Ellen Warren's article, Fake them out with fabulous faux, is published on the Chicago Tribune's website.  The article is about how fake fur and leather look realer than ever these days, and Warren encourages shoppers to buy these items.  However, Warren explains that the "cheap-looking" fake items are still in stores, so shoppers must avoid purchasing these items.


In comparison to the other articles posted in the website's style section, Warren's article was written very informally.  The article was also written in the first person, and some of the statements Warren made led me to not take the article very seriously, such as her "dare" to tell the difference between real and fake leather.


"Today, I'm double-daring you to tell the difference between the real thing and the pretend.  Even after you put it on and pet it.  I'm serious," Warren said.


This statement was somewhat contradicted later in the article when Warren said, "Even the same store can carry some items that brilliantly fool the eye and, on the next rack, an array that screams 'cheap.' "  I think Warren should have included more tips on how to identify the "good" fake fur and leather from the "bad."  I agree with the fact that fake fur and leather are a lot more affordable, but I was also looking for more specific advice on how to pick out such items.


As I read the article, I got an overall negative impression of fake fur and leather based on how Warren described it.  I think that she should have used more positive words when talking about this type of clothing because the point of her article was to try and get people to buy the cheaper, fake items.  Rather than referring to people who wear these items as "fake," "phony" in the first paragraph, she should have started out with a quote she used later in the article, "The technology that has turned fake into fabulous comes at just the right moment for recession-battered shopper who love luxe but can't afford it."  I definitely think that this change would have given the article a much more positive spin.


Fake them out with fabulous faux

Are You Ready to Shop In The Social Network?

Brooke Bobb's article, Are You Ready to Shop In the Social Network?, on Elle.com discusses a recent buzz about social networking sites dedicated strictly to fashion.  

Bobb is rather unclear in her article, and by the end of the article I was still unsure and confused about the websites.  Bobb begins her article by comparing Facebook fan pages to magazine ads, saying that a balance of the two is proving to be successful.  However, I found this to be an irrelevant comparison because this is the only reference Bobb makes to Facebook throughout the entire article.  

In the second paragraph, Bobb said, "Bizzy will relaunch its site, which automatically updates recommendations for local boutiques based on the similar picks from other users."  I honestly had no idea what this statement meant, and I think that Bobb should have provided more of an explanation of what "bizzy" is and about how these websites work in general.

At the end of her article, Bobb proposed the question, "Is there a growing demand for connectivity and communication through fashion e-commerce?"  She answered this question by saying, "It seems that way with the growing popularity of 'haul videos' amongst teenagers, the practically vintage Polyvore, and an ever-expanding blogosphere."  Again, Bobb created confusion with this statement, in my opinion, because I have no idea what a haul video is.

I was interested to read this article at first because the title led me to believe that there were new and improved ways of online shopping.  However, I found Bobb's article to be confusing and lacking important facts and information. 

Are You Ready to Shop In The Social Network?

Four hot hairstyles for fall

This article, Four hot hairstyles for fall by Melissa Magsaysay, is published on Chicago Tribune's website and describes in detail four hairstyles that are currently in style.  The styles Magsaysay discusses include the top knot, pixie cut, 1950's ponytail and side-swept braid.  

One thing I noticed in Magsaysay's article is that she used the term "pretty face" more than once.  

"The look is reminiscent of the 1960s and shows off a pretty face and high cheekbones," she said when explaining the top knot hairstyle.  Shortly after this quote, Magsaysay said, "Celebrities including Emma Watson, Carey Mulligan, Michelle Williams, and most recently, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz have chopped their once long, extension-filled and over-processed Hollywood hair to show off pretty faces and delicate features" when describing the pixie cut.

The fat that Magsaysay used this term to describe two of the four hairstyles made it seem as if only "pretty-faced" girls, like celebrities could wear these hairstyles.  I think that she could have chosen a better word choice when explaining types of girls who could wear these hairstyles, such as simply stating what type of face-shape works best with each style.

As I read this article, I kept hoping for more examples and advice about how to wear these hairstyles simply as a non-celebrity or runway model.  It seemed to focus mostly on celebrities who wear these hairstyles, and didn't fail to mention an unnecessary comment about Ashlee Simpson's "fried hair from from the black to red to platinum dye jobs she's been juggling the last few years."  I just found this, along with Magsaysay's comment about celebrities chopping off their hair to seem like more serious actresses, unfitting in this article.  I, along with most other readers, I'd assume, read the article to gain information about how to do my hair this season.  If I wanted to read about celebrity gossip I would visit perezhilton.com. 

The subhead of this article, "Top knots, pixie cuts, ponytails and side braids reminiscent of the 1950s and '60s are seen on runways, on the red carpet and on the street," gave me the impression that the article was going to explain in detail how to mimic hairstyles seen on runways and the red carpet.  However, Magsaysay did not mention much about how common people, like myself, could get the same look.  In conclusion, I was not satisfied and a little disappointed with this article. 

Four hot hairstyles for fall

Plastic Fantastic

Esther Adams' article, "Plastic Fantastic" in the November issue of Vogue magazine is about a necklace designed by Consuelo Castiglioni, who Adams describes as "chic with a conscience" and " 'always looking for new materials.' " 


The article is titled as it is because Castiglioni's $320 necklace is a necklace of flowers created from plastic drinking bottles recycled in Colombia.


As I read this article, I could not help but point out multiple rules where Adams went wrong that we learned about in class.  First of all, Adams opened her story with a quote lead, " 'Young, old, rich, poor, this necklace is for everyone!' exclaims Marni's Consuelo Castiglioni, the latest of a burgeoning group of esteemed designed turning out chic with a conscience.' "  Not only is this a lead that we were told in class not to use, but I also thought this sounded like a run-on sentence.


In her article, there is also an instance where Adams begins a sentence with the word "and," which does seem to flow correctly.  


The article barely even touches on the importance of protecting the environment, which is what I imagined it would be about based on the title.  Instead, the article mostly focuses on Isabel Lucas, an actress who is "also doing her part for the planet" because she is a "vegetarian and doesn't wear leather."  


The article gives me the impression that people should buy the necklace to be like Lucas.  I wish Adams had focused more on Castiglioni rather than the environmentalist actress.  I would have been much more interested to read about what gave Castiglioni the idea and motivation to create a necklace out of recycled bottles, and how it was even done. 


Page 250 in Vogue Magazine's November 2010 issue

Trends that are Here to Stay!

April Long gives helpful tips in an article on Elle.com from hair styles to makeup tips that are not going out of style anytime soon.  I think this article is extremely detailed and helpful because Long starts out by naming the trend and pairing it with a picture followed by the products to use and how to use them.  "Beachy hair" is Long's first topic she discusses.  Hairstylist Ashley Javier says, "Beachy hair should carry over from day to night, so it can't be such a mess that you can't wear it to a cocktail party."  The article advises readers to use Bumble South Surf Spray; but beachy hair can be achieved simply by using  any kind of cheaper brand mousse.  John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls also works wonders, and best of all, its only five dollars! 
John Frieda Dream Curls
The New Classics: Beauty Trends That Are Here to Stay

Gaga Tats??

Not much to say about this.. just found it interesting! 


Lady Gaga Inspired Tattoos