Campus Calling
Say ‘university student’ and the first image that pops to mind is that of a bright 18 year-old, armed with recently-acquired A-level results, ready to take on the world of academia.
But while the vast majority of university undergraduates may fit this type, there is a small but steadily growing constituency of older students, usually women, who have chosen to pursue their educational goals way past the traditional 18 to 23 age bracket.
For Pauline Hensley, going to university was something she’d always wanted to do, but never had the time or money or confidence to do so.
For Pam Bremmer, who has changed career four times, university was a logical step to advancing within the profession she now realises was always her calling.
For Pauline Pink, taking on the degree programme was a means to better understand and manage the challenges of her job with the police force.
The commonality among them? All three women, now in their 50s, have made numerous sacrifices to put their children through school, and now that their kids are either all grown and through university or at least old enough to fend for themselves, these women have said ‘it’s my time now’.
And so far, so good. All three pointed to the difficulties that women like themselves face, and yet, the final consensus was that the rewards are very much worth the effort involved.
Taking the fashion plunge might prove as precarious as returning to school. But fears aside how does one leave the office and step effortlessly into the almost invisible world of campus living? Gingerly. one step at a time.
Observer Contributing editor and fashion expert Novia McDonald-Whyte explains how she styled these women for the new school year…
Pauline Hensley, having sacrificed to send her children to school, finally has the opportunity to pursue her own dreams – a BSc in management studies. Left to her own devices, Hensley would dissolve into quiet anonymity. We feel that Hensley has a chance not only to gain that first degree but to look fabulous too.Here’s what we did.
After cleansing her face we applied quite a bit of moisturising lotion, especially around the eye areas. We further softened her great- looking face by using concealer to even out imperfections and bronze to contour her cheeks and eyes.
Lipgloss was applied to soften as well as to add colour. This after we outlined the lip area with a soft, very light brown pencil.
Eyes were further widened with eyeliner and a couple of strokes of black mascara on the top lashes only. The result? Study glow!
What she wore?
We chose black tailored trousers with slightly flared legs to add length to her torso (this gave the illusion of height and also reduced the middle area). The side splits of the top also took the pressure off of the middle area…flattering instead of enhancing the imperfections.
We went with a sleeveless embellished top (embroidered in earthtones around keyhole neckline and at the empire line) ostensibly to add an ounce more sophistication.
The drop shell earrings added the final wow and moving the hair away from Pauline Hensley made her even more visible, showing off her great face.
The verdict?
“It’s a great look. I love it and what’s more, I’m still me.”
Pamela Bremmer who like Pauline Pink is pursuing a first degree in Social Work, went to great pains to explain that she “is court-formal for campus life” and quite happy with the severity since as a social worker (victim support) she spends the majority of her time in court. “The only time I’m in jeans and a top is if I’m going on a field trip,” she insists.
What to do?
The lady was pretty inflexible so we decided to at least get her out of the dark colours. But let’s get the make-up on first.
Like the others, we used soft colours to both hide imperfections and even out skin tone. We highlighted the eyes and used two layers of black mascara. Emphasis was on a healthy glow rather than a too dolled-up look.
What she wore?
A great-looking ivory and plaid trim tailored trouser suit with an ivory silk inner blouse.
The verdict?
“Yes, this is me.”
What else?
We’d love to give Pamela Bremmer a new hairdo. We’re thinking a low fro. This we think would elongate her body and further relax the look.
The mature take on campus dressing:
First things first: comfort is as important a buzz word as study group. Do not be afraid to take off the corporate badge of honour. With the exception of Pauline Pink, we found our mature students a bit too determined to stick to their own security blankets. Not a bad idea: but think of the fun you’re missing.
* Tight clothes reduce your capacity to breathe so you’ll be less inclined to focus on your studies, think outside of the box and take in the sights, sounds and smells of your new environment.
* Change from work heels to lower, more manageable heels. There’s usually a bit of a walk from the parking area to the classroom.
* Not all the classrooms are air-conditioned so the heavy corporate suits might be a tad uncomfortable even after the sun has gone down. The evenings do, however, get chilly come November-February so a nice jacket or sweater becomes a must-have.
* Carry a tote for your books.
* Do not be afraid to add chic sophistication to campus life. You’ve got the unique ability to show your younger class members just how those in the real world put it together on the job.
* Be realistic and do not go over the fashion top. Campus thankfully is no longer about who wears the dirtiest pair of jeans and/or the smelliest tee but it’s no runway either.
Most persons are in pursuit of the competitive edge, but if you gain the fashion edge award too additional revenue is guaranteed.
Why not share your own campus fashion tips? Email us at whyten@jamaicaobserver.com.
Inspector Pauline Pink (who by the way celebrates a birthday today) goes to great pains to dress up to attend classes on campus where she is pursuing her first degree in Social Work. Our objective was to soften the office severity but not to detract from her determination to remain glamorous.
The make-up: Lots of attention to her great eyes and gloss for her lips.
We took Pink out of a suit but chose a great-fitting pair of bootcut blue faded jeans and paired them with a tailored blouse that featured a curved zipper at the front and slight asymmetrical shirring at the waist.
We loved the colour – chocolate cherry as well as the extra wide cuffs. Her brand-name handbag and Outre boutique’s earrings finished it all off very nicely.
The result? An ebullient Pauline Pink who still felt suitably glammed up and in our opinion should definitely wear jeans as often as possible.
