The blog, the movement: Style at Mac
Katie Dhaliwal
The Silhouette
For all the fashion-forward students out there, there’s a new club in town. “Style at Mac”, is a website and student-run group that offers fashion lovers recognition on campus. Run by three McMaster students, Nancy Pham, Sherry Du, and Victor Cheng, SAM uses photography and fashion to share homegrown Hamilton styles with the student community. Du, a fourth-year Biology student, loves blogging, photography and making her own jewellery. Cheng, a third-year Multimedia and Communication Studies student, is an esteemed “iPhoneographer” and loves to design his own clothes in his spare time. The two sat down for an interview with LifeStyle to discuss their new initiatives and to give us the inside scoop on fall fashion trends.
First, it’s important to note that SAM isn’t just a fashion blog—according to Cheng and Du, it’s a venture that attempts to create an open forum for students interested in fashion to meet, discuss their passions and express themselves. Previously missing from campus, they felt that this club would try to fill that niche for fashion enthusiasts. This initial idea was what led to the creation of their new website and plans for an upcoming fashion show in March.
Their website displays some of these trends and focuses on students with outfits that SAM’s photographers have deemed eye-catching or original. They’re looking for “great patterns, a well put together outfit or even just a great choice of colour,” says Du. However, this isn’t to say that these outfits will be rated or dissected. Victor made it very clear that the aim of the website is to simply document and share new trends while creating a sense of pride in those that are photographed. Du added, “It’s important that we try to create an inclusive environment that showcases uniqueness on campus and the diversity of all students”.
Their plans for their first fashion show will also feature McMaster talent by showcasing the work of student designers as well as local, independent clothing boutiques to support our surrounding community.
Only one month into the semester and SAM has already picked out some fall trends emerging on campus. Cheng mentions vintage clothing and styles from the 80s and 90s have made a big come back, with combat boots being a major front-runner in must-haves for the season. And for those of us that struggle to find something to wear on days with early morning lectures, SAM has us covered, as it’s a question they often ask the stylish men and women they photograph. A good suggestion would be to take a few extra minutes to plan your outfit the day before, so that in the morning it’s quick and hassle free. Cheng also emphasized not to wear the same coloured shirt and pants unless it's all black. As for favourite accessories, Cheng can’t leave home without a watch to complete his outfit, and Du loves a silk or cotton scarf with a bold colour or pattern because “they’re an easy way to spruce up any outfit”.
You can check out SAM at www.styleatmac.tumblr.com. Their March fashion show is a few months away, but in the mean-time keep an eye out for their cameras and keep our campus stylish.
