‘Piord:. Button-Up By Stephanie Trembath, Life and Style Editor orget the grungy, layered-over ine and tuck away your baggy, open-fronted boyfriend shirt (for now). Fashion, as fashion is wont to do, has taken a pendulum swing in the other direction, hitting on a more refined, sophisticated look. And so starting now there’s only one key way to wear your shirt: buttoned up to the very top. The brilliant thing about the done- up collar as a 2010 fashion trend is that it’s simple, requires nothing all that new (feel like giving new life to all those old shirts in your wardrobe? Read on) and it’s trans-seasonal: start wearing it in Summer 2010 and carry it through to Fall 2010. Buttoned-up collars and how to wear them The key to the buttoned-up look is that it should appear put together, collected. Just as with over-the- knee socks, its sexiness is rooted in its modesty and stems from an understated air of confidence. But let’s not forget: this is an era of overt sexuality where over the knee boots and see-through tops become fashion trends that leave the catwalk and make it to the streets. Naturally then, the humble, buttoned-up shirt can be made overtly sexual for the coming seasons. If that sounds like your think, you can balance out the coyness and pair it with some shorts or a miniskirt. If you'd like to keep things demure, however, on the opposite end of the spectrum you can try a crisp buttoned-up shirt with tailored high-waisted slacks (ensure tidy fits and clean lines) for sophisticated minimalism. As for the cut of the shirt, the buttoned collar can work with sleeveless, short or long sleeved shirts. And be sure not to forget about the humble shirt dress either. Complimentary trends ¢ Pair a buttoned-up shirt with leather pieces to keep the look firmly in modern, edgy territory. You can rock 12 up a shirt by adding a leather biker or bomber jacket, or go for chic minimalism with a crisp white shirt paired with a tan leather skirt. ¢ Work a strict buttoned-up shirt into an on-trend military outfit. ¢ Buttoning up can also work perfectly with sportswear influences. As well as shirts you can also go for sporty buttoned-up polo shirts. For a complete contrast, pair a sporty pair of pants or shorts with a high- buttoned shirt in a sheer or silk fabric. Pull on some knee high/over the knee socks. It will inject a sense of playful, girlish sexiness that’s balanced out perfectly by your geek- chic high collar. Accessorizing the high-buttoned shirt ¢ Anecklace, or layering of necklaces, is the perfect accompaniment. It could be a simple chain through to a bold statement piece. ¢ For a variation, try a brooch or pin. ¢ A ribbon wrapped around and tied either in a simple knot or a bow is an effective DIY accessory. Plus, velvet is a strong option, especially for a night-time look. One accessory we’d avoid: ties. If that’s your cup of tea, look to the ribbon suggestion above or the female dandy_trend. The buttoned-up collar trend is above a visually uninhibited collar and a tie will be far too dominant. ‘Tis the Gleeson Popular TV series Glee is back for season two this fall, but does it send the wrong message to adolescent girls? By Stephanie Trembath, Life and Style Editor shows; the only television sitcoms I regularly watched were Sex in the City and Entourage, but since the final season of SATC, and as I have grown bored with watching thirty-something guys act like teenagers, I tuned out of prime-time television and opted instead to fill my nights doing good deeds such as walking my dog, tormenting my eleven-year-old sister, and painstakingly creating new lunches to bring to school the following day. Thankfully my dog, sister and appetite were saved last year when I overheard a sadistic sounding voice declare; “Now I am going to ask you to smell your armpits. That’s the stench of failure and it’s stinking up my office.” Intrigued, and slightly put off by the cocky tone of the female speaker, I sat down to my first experience with mashed-up musical Broadway exemplifying the horrors and heartbreaks of high school. Glee; the most talked-about TV series which kicked off a second season September 21", is full of relationship drama, sarcastic humour, provocative wit and the best of all: musical mash- ups that attract’ the attention of both younger and older audiences. Although the characters and plot don’t exactly replicate that of a typical high school, Glee’s cast and storylines encompass every American stereotype there is. You have your hero, Fin, who plays the captain of the football team; the bad- boy every girl loves to crush on, Puck; the sexy cheer squad; the adorable geek who means well, but is still annoying; as well as the token Asian dude, African- American diva, and Kurt, who plays a homosexual prima donna. A smart choice by the directors, Glee’s cast portrays an ideal stereotype that engages and appeals to each and every audience member. If you can’t relate to Quinn (the popular Cheerio) than you will be able to relate to poor Rachael (the geeky star), or even Tina (the shy girl with gothic glam). All of North America is watching; well most of it anyways, but the [= hardly the type to obsess over TV | target audience is directed toward the adolescents who are currently experiencing high school, which leads me to my problem; despite the obvious exaggeration, are the character portrayals in Glee really the best examples to set for teenagers? Really, when you think about it in plain terms, the storyline doesn’t set the greatest standards for young girls: All of the Cheerios are sluts; Quinn gets pregnant, Brittney tries to seta record of hooking up with every guy in high school and Santana recently got breast implants. Realistically, these characters are in grade 11 or 12. I realize this is just a TV show, and its’ popularity is due to the drama and conflict, but for tons of teenage girls in North America, this becomes a projection of reality. As college students we know that it doesn’t mean all that much to be on the football team—or a cheerleader—or have a gold star beside your name. However, when you’re fourteen, your experience and knowledge is limited. When I was in high school, Friends was the show to watch, and even though the characters hooked up with each other, and Phoebe had her brother’s triplets, I didn’t see the same mass stereotyping that I find in current TV shows today. Personally, I enjoy Glee based purely on Sue Sylvester’s antagonizing character; her one liners make the entire episode worth watching. However, I do hate to think that Glee is the prime source of entertainment for young girls. The Brittney Spears episode last week was hilarious, but come on— Spears hardly qualifies as a good example, but by continuously showing her in mass media she appears to be the center of attention and the “it girl” of celebrity culture. The media is constantly attacking Lindsay Lohan, and for good reason, but what makes Brittney any better? Why does she get a cameo on the most popular TV series, while Lohan in berated and belittled? Both girls clearly have a substance abuse problem and appear in all the tabloids partying with continuously different men, but somehow Spears is the superstar and Lohan is white trash. Bitchy attitudes, back stabbing, explicit references to sex and superficial | appearance are a few of the main attributes portrayed by the female characters, In a recent interview before the kick-off of Season two, Naya Rivera who plays the part of Santana stated: “Santana's been wreaking havoc with peoples boyfriends—she’s the high school terror, and she’s going to continue to be the villain”. And this is what girls are watching; if you’re not a skinny cheerleader, than you’re a loser. Bigger boobs bring in the results, the lesbian trend is back and if you want to keep your boyfriend you had better put out.